Footnote - Reasons?

FOOTNOTE 17.05.08 – WHY?

I have been trying to discover what I am doing in this motorcaravan and why I am making this journey. It seemed like a good idea to me for metaphysical and spiritual reasons as well as for sightseeing and pleasure. John has only begun to explain to me what the purpose of the trip is for him but perhaps no particular reason is needed. In any case I am not explaining myself very well or explaining things to myself in any comprehensible way.

The predominant lesson of the trip so far is that I know so little, remember so little, and learn so little. It is an inversion of what we think we go on travels to achieve. We think we will learn something from what we see on the journey. We see sights. We sightsee and in so doing we learn about beauty and history and difference and we believe our lives enriched by these experiences. I am not knocking that idea. I expect it is true enough and it is happening to us on this trip regardless. Somehow, however, doubts about the value of the ‘sight-seeing’ experience keep nagging at me. At the end of each viewing day, what have I actually discovered that has any permanent truth. In fact what do I know about England, or Zimbabwe, or Zambia, countries where I have lived. Our visits to places are so short and superficial. What I hope I gain is a degree of humility. These are strangely, not entirely negative feelings but give me instead a sense of freedom.

We have been travelling 39 days, visited 7 cities, stayed in 18 campsites, spoken with many people mostly just to buy or pay for services, had few meaningful conversations with people other than with each other or on the phone to family, but in spite of our Blog and our photos, nothing can be held on to and remembered indefinitely – or even briefly. It all goes, it all blurs. Isn’t it just like life! We keep moving on.

It may be an argument for staying in one place all one’s life where continuity strengthens the illusion of meaningfulness that is questioned by the nomadic life.