It's something everyone says while traveling, you've come this far geographically so it wouldn't make sense not to go the extra step and check that place out. I've been saying this to myself often lately, but for me 'here' is not a place on a map as much as it is a state of mind.
I've done the hardest part, been through the roller coaster of emotions that's involved with dropping everything and flying to a far off place. The state I'm at mentally at this point in my trip...that's 'here'.
'Here' is a place where I understand the shear scale of the freedom I currently have at my disposal.
'Here' is a place where my confidence and sense of adventure is as high as it's ever been.
I'm aware that I can (and will) go where ever the hell I want tomorrow, and nothing aside from weather or civil unrest will stop me. No destination on a map scares me, no arrival time at a seedy train station with no place to sleep frightens me in the least.
When you have freedom and the courage to use it, this is when vacations turn into adventures. It's not just the destinations on the map you're getting excited for anymore, it's the journey to that destination and all the crazy stuff that will happen along the way that you really crave.
I've visited 10 cities in 35 days, I have a couple more to go and then I will start moving North for the first time, up through Tamil Nadu then on to who knows where. I'm going on 5 days here in Varkala, the longest which I've stayed anywhere thus far. The cheap seafood, spectacular view, and awesome people I've met have given me a chance to settle down and relax for a bit. Beer consumption has sky rocketed though, but it's well deserved.
The State of Kerala has floored me, I find it difficult to believe that everything I've seen this past 2 weeks has been all located in one small region of the country. Beautiful beaches, mazes of back waters, colonial port cities that look to be stuck in time and tea plantations over 2 kilometers above sea level. They got it all here and I'm finding it a bit hard to leave. But one month is down in my history books and my Visa does have an expiry date, so if I want to make all the other dreams in my travel mind come true I have to keep on moving.
I am already 'here' of course....so it wouldn't make much sense to stop now :)
I've done the hardest part, been through the roller coaster of emotions that's involved with dropping everything and flying to a far off place. The state I'm at mentally at this point in my trip...that's 'here'.
'Here' is a place where I understand the shear scale of the freedom I currently have at my disposal.
'Here' is a place where my confidence and sense of adventure is as high as it's ever been.
I'm aware that I can (and will) go where ever the hell I want tomorrow, and nothing aside from weather or civil unrest will stop me. No destination on a map scares me, no arrival time at a seedy train station with no place to sleep frightens me in the least.
When you have freedom and the courage to use it, this is when vacations turn into adventures. It's not just the destinations on the map you're getting excited for anymore, it's the journey to that destination and all the crazy stuff that will happen along the way that you really crave.
I've visited 10 cities in 35 days, I have a couple more to go and then I will start moving North for the first time, up through Tamil Nadu then on to who knows where. I'm going on 5 days here in Varkala, the longest which I've stayed anywhere thus far. The cheap seafood, spectacular view, and awesome people I've met have given me a chance to settle down and relax for a bit. Beer consumption has sky rocketed though, but it's well deserved.
The State of Kerala has floored me, I find it difficult to believe that everything I've seen this past 2 weeks has been all located in one small region of the country. Beautiful beaches, mazes of back waters, colonial port cities that look to be stuck in time and tea plantations over 2 kilometers above sea level. They got it all here and I'm finding it a bit hard to leave. But one month is down in my history books and my Visa does have an expiry date, so if I want to make all the other dreams in my travel mind come true I have to keep on moving.
I am already 'here' of course....so it wouldn't make much sense to stop now :)
beautiful post Chris. beautiful. man, your heart and mind are wide open aren't they?
ReplyDeletelove your lenswork too my friend. keep them coming!
how crazy that we're so close and still might not meet for a beer? will be in Mumbai again first 10 days of April and then I'm off. see where your compass takes you.
Thanks for the kind words friend:)
ReplyDeleteMy compass just so happens to be taking me within a train's ride reach of Bombay near the beginning of April. I'll facebook you the details!