I am not a professional photographer and neither intend to become one. Yet, every once in a while during my travels I take a lucky shot either thanks to the subject, the colours, the angle, or something else. These few pictures are important for me as they represent great memories to treasure for life.
A nice picture taken in a remote part of the world really has the power to transport us over there, to momentarily make us forget the routine of our lives, to raise questions in our heads about creation and the universe.
If a single picture can do all that, when we move from frame to frame in a collection of similarly beautiful shots, we can really imagine ourselves pulled into those far away lands, forget who we are and where we come from. Could the spirit of a traveller be exactly this: to abandon himself into the unknown to rediscover his most hidden nature?
A trip in foreign lands where life is still simple is not just an escape from our homeland, the traffic, our job, etc... It is rather a cut from a limited life, constrained by a society with too may concerns, rules and obligations. Running away, even if temporarily, from such madness is like living in a parallel dimension characterized by complete freedom bounded purely by nature and chance.
The main aim of the real traveller however is not to escape his daily life, but rather to experience a FULL life, where every day is a mystery. A travel is a metaphor of life, a journey into the unknown, a way of testing ourselves, a voyage of discovery, growth, triumph and defeat. How far can we go without sleeping or with limited food in an unfamiliar territory? How do we blend into a slum, a local tribe, or a characteristic food market? What emotions do we face in front of a desert, a jungle, or at 5,000 meters? A trip can be perceived as a search for the “moment”. When I travel, there are no plans, I am alone and always in different places. As a result, every second is new, unexpected, and intriguing. The average day seems to last a week rather than the real 24 hours!
I am strongly convinced that Western (or better Modern) society is significantly damaging our lives. We fear things that are just natural occurrences, our priorities are illogical, our feelings/emotions became more and more shallow, etc. By travelling in remote places, we can still witness today a GOOD life. That can be easily perceived by everyone who is just willing to look as no search is required to find big smiles of children faces, serenity in the expressions of old people, joy and laugh among farmers in tribes where you’ll never find a single piece of plastic, or big families eating together. And most importantly the aspect to reflect on is that such people eat while hundreds of flies feast at their tables, walk miles to and from work/school, sleep on wooden beds, have floors made of dust rather than concrete, and bamboo walls.
We have to completely rethink our way of life if we want to find happiness! Through travelling and by witnessing happy people in poor places we can realize that and then perhaps progressively get rid of most of the fears and delusions that exist only in the minds of modern men. That will eventually help us to find again the simple answers to existential questions that we keep putting aside for better times: how do we find happiness? What is the meaning of life? Should we fear death? What is freedom? What is friendship? What is love?
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I stumbled upon this post and as i was reading it, i felt that your words were out here to give me confirmation of what i do and where i am...Battambang. Our interaction was just a moment but i enjoy traveling and hope you don't mind that i follow your blog ;)
ReplyDeleteSafe travels and wish you happiness :)
Marcello, I am so glad that you met my Mum, Mary. If only you had the opportunity to sit down one on one to talk at length with her. She was filled with such knowledge and so much wisdom. She would be (is) so proud of your philosophy and summation. With all of the hype, histeria, panic in the lead up to Cyclone Ului, I thought of my childhood and, the many cyclones we went through with no panic, just calm preparation for nature's fury. We were brought up to know the name of every mountain, river, creek in our area. They were living beings, not inanimate objects. I still talk to them every time I go home. Hence my travel experiences, where ever I may go even just locally are heightened by the most simple of things. No need for glitz and glamour, a simple smile, a quirk of nature. One of my memorable experiences was travelling to the island of Tanna in Vanuatu and walking through native villages and, the smiles on the faces, the woven baskets, people with nothing by western standards but so much richer than westeners. Look forward to more jottings from Dr Marcello.
ReplyDeleteI have read your comments with great pleasure, and a sense of relief filled my heart knowing that other friends share similar thoughts to mine.
ReplyDeleteI remember Battambang (Cambodia) as a great place with no tourism and a friendly local population in economic transition. I know that "Where there is love..." has been there for many years and is doing as great job to help preserving a way of life that must be protected from outsiders but especially from within the community because money, technology, power, etc. lure young generations into crowded and emotionless cities like Phnom Penh.
Mary was a great lady who lived 90+ years in North Queensland where you'll meet some of the best people in Australia. You are perfectly right Bruce, the way media disseminate fear is pathetic!