Travel Notes

I am, in a way, a very lazy traveler – indolent, distracted, dilatory. I take the road as it comes. I wander. I meander - but with determined step.

I hate to rush, though I am able to do so when necessary – but even the slightest quickness of movement may mean at any time that I forget some crucial piece of the whole exercise. I dislike running to airline gates, frantically waving down cabs, and not being able to enjoy the sights along the way. I proceed with measured step and roving eye - a study in avid and unhurried perspicacity.

On the whole, though, in travel it seems that I generally have a specific or general mission: a place to be and a task to complete. But everything up to and everything after the actual activity of the mission is up more-or-less up for grabs.

And, as I have gotten older, I also can be incredibly laissez-faire about how and when that mission is accomplished. A whiff of savory cooking? I might just veer off for a 'quick' repast.

Jumping in, taking the road as it comes, arriving at whatever hour and taking my chances: why?

Because I enjoy trusting to fate, finding amusement in making a specific act of faith, and because having a bit of adventure takes the edge off my almost-fear in certain circumstances such as medical testing (though I’m ‘care-less’ of medical testing and other things when not in that particular zone called 'travel'). Whole freeing me from may decisions ("Better train in the morning or afternoon?" "Arrival after dark as opposed to in daylight?"), my ‘care-less’ habit also provides situations about which to make other decisions.

For instance, my decision to either give up the guild meeting in Los or stay on sked by having the data sent via email. Not an extremely important decision, but as it eventuated, things happened that altered plans and so the resolve necessitated a bit of both possibilities – I had to give up the meeting and I had to have the test results sent to me. But that particular situation was dictated by outside influences over which I had no direct control.

Plus, there is a sense of ‘safe’ uncertainty. Nothing that would happen will turn out quite as I expect it, but most changes can be counted on to take place within safe bounds. Since I have gotten older, I choose adventures (much like the notorious trike-ride from San Jose to Oakland) that are almost guaranteed to steer quite clear of mayhem, death and even minor destruction. Such is the habit of one type of lazy traveler - it helps to allow me to return home unharmed.

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© 2012 Hakim - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: use without profit allowed only with author’s express written permission. Please don't wake up my attorney. Please.