13 May 2008

Into the wild

Yesterday I saw a guy in my yoga class with a “Torres del Paine” t-shirt, and it got my traveler instincts going. The Paine Circuit is one of my ‘dream’ places to trek; a place I’ve promised to myself if I should ever graduate. (Not that I dislike school, I really enjoy it, but I’ve been at this a while and it’d be nice to realize that, after 28 years’ school, I’d be done with a capital D)

And I got thinking (again). What drives us to travel? What drives someone like Chris McCandless to just…go? What keeps me from not just…going? Going out the door, past school, out of the state…with no rhyme, reason, ideology or agenda. Finding what you find. I’ve thought about this often, and I’m tired of being an armchair traveler. Reading about beautiful places, instead of seeing the beauty within arms reach. Why does intrepid necessarily follow travel? Why does a ‘fourteener’ inspire more awe than a wild local orchid? Is the concept of appreciating beauty learned or is it innate?

Who knows? I surely don’t. But I’m not content to watch the nature channel to find out. My summer plans are ambitious, the travel extensive. I don’t know if there’ll be anyone around to keep up. But, if you’re interested in walking up Mt. Washington, biking Mackinac island and walking part of the AT…then I’m you gal.

6 comments:

Sparky Duck said...

Its simple. Traveling makes it easier for us to leave the worries of real life behind. Though anything with Paine in it does not sound fun.

Lady Jane Scarlett said...

I agree Sparky-travel reminds me that there is life beyond what I see everyday.

Have you seen Paine!? It looks beautiful! :D

Hyperion said...

If I lived in Michigan or Pennsylvania, I'd travel a lot too.

Dragon said...

I'm just so excited you posted!

Lady Jane Scarlett said...

Me too Dragon...me too. :D

Dragon said...

By the way, I bowed to your wishes. Come to the barn and see the Cannes fashion list. :)