Five forms of transport in one day.

It was a steady series of observations while getting around on land, moving underground, chugging across railway lines and careening across the sky within a specific pocket of time. That day, we travelled by car, train, tube, bus, foot and plane. Along with the fact that each of these means of transport has a different pace and designated space, I observed some interesting things from each vantage point like:

• the quiet and pleasant ease that comes with a car cruise and good company
• a heap of clunky, hideous, obnoxiously positioned 5G towers lining the motorways or plonked on roof tops like massive metal braces
• expressionless or exhausted eyes peering above many masked miscellaneous faces 
• the resilient beauty of creation amidst man’s ‘smart’ inventions
• traveling underground by tube is the only one with no natural beauty in sight
• birds enjoying their freedom freely

A little question if you don’t mind – did you used to love travelling too? Before the world ‘lost its marbles’ or rather – showed its true colours, that is. Well, I was a big fan of it and it was a big part of my musical life until the masses were arm-wrestled, gaslit and media-bludgeoned into fear and mandated madness. 

Seeing other lands, learning languages and going exploring is still an adventure; it’s the whole selective welcoming scenario, extensive preliminary research and printing preparation process plus monitoring ever-changing entry protocols that make the whole thing tedious to say the least, unless the destination is worth the effort of course. 

That said, it’s possible to still enjoy your stay wherever you’re called once propelled by purpose, pumped up on prayer and able to be mentally refreshed after whatever airport and ‘quarantine’ experience you have. My most recent one felt like a simulation arrival to some sort of detention center instead of a warm welcome to a newly and supposedly politically liberated nation. 

As I write this, my right wrist dons two snugly attached compulsory bracelets – one enclosed cloth one indicating the level of quarantine by colour and the other, a bulky waterproof watch-looking contraption engraved with a tracking chip and embossed with a QR code. Two uncomfortable bracelets for a number of days along with daily paperwork and last-minute instructions to produce a thermometer without leaving the premises after being shuttled straight from the airport here by a verified taxi, to take and log temperature twice a day for such and such a time before leaving confines of said premises in x amount of days to go into the public domain for yet another test.

Another text message literally just came in from The Unit politely checking on my ‘stay’ (with restricted and digitally surveilled movement) and asking if I remember the protocols outlined by three genuinely pleasant airport staff members quite a few times less than 24 hours ago.

As someone who enjoys a combination of being a content homebody (gardening cook, marathon writer and recording artist) who enjoys regular nature walks and visiting different lands in between, redefining the concept of travel is a big part of what inspired this blog close to nine years ago. That lesson comes to mind again today.

Travel isn’t only defined by going a long distance across a vast body of water or sea in a floating vessel or flying machine. A sweet siesta, good book or a couple hours on a long nature walk, hike or beach can be just as much of an adventure as venturing to another country, if our minds learn to redefine the idea of travel.

Distance and isolation have been hot topics and pressure points from 2020 until now and counting, and while traveling by land, sea and sky are still possible amidst all the preliminary research, online documentation assignments and patience needed to plan and endure the journey, reframing the idea of travel and remembering that true freedom is not granted or given by man or woman is something I’ve found valuable and thought to share with you too.

That said, I’ll do it again when called and led but meanwhile make the most of this current location which, aside from the pocket of restricted movement for these few days, is likely to include many long walks on sand and land, several swims and a lot of time writing, cooking, home studio recording and gardening.

To donate to this blog where you’ll find over 300 posts of refreshment reminders and blogging steps, the PayPal email address is itsjoywithin@gmail.com – thanks in advance.