This is unlike me, but I’ve shared this link. Fuck! Will that change things, and will I try to be funny? I’ve also, gone back to the start and written something and breaking the rules. Oh well!

You have to get out to meet the people. You’ve gotta go there to come back.

Like it or not, we’re all going somewhere. Sometimes it feels like the direction is in one way – that’s backwards. That’s fine if you’re travelling in style. And I don’t even know what I mean by that. Many people spend money on travel, only to sit down in another place, with slightly different food and wine. Then they return. Have they really moved at all. They came back, probably haven’t changed as people, and are slightly better off. Many other people scrimp and save in order to be better off, so that they  can spend and be less well off.

These places we go, may just be for show. There’s no magic wand here. Travelling to India won’t make you spiritual. Going to the jungle won’t make you more humble. This is all about the story we build around ourselves. I’m not going all spiritual, but if you are doing things to be seen to do things, and not for yourself, what’s the point of that. That’s why I’m sitting in a cafe with a beer and writing away. It’s not to look interesting – which I’m clearly not – it’s to sit down and not be going anywhere. But I am going somewhere. I’m four years in, thanks to the miracle of technology. If pen and paper were the only choice, none of this would be happening.

The reason to go places is to have a reason. That gives us more purpose. Going there and ticking the box, may be a conversation with work colleagues. It’s easy to listen to the stories as it passes the time. Next time the question, “Why did you go there?” and “Did you enjoy it?” may be asked by me. But generally, I know that they didn’t really enjoy it. I’m going back to Helsinki because I know I’ll love it there. If I’m going to be in a rut, I’ll chose my rut thank you! I know I will be going places. This time, I’ll need more or a reason. And some of the time, I will be sitting in a cafe watching people going places, but really I’ll be the one doing that.

Attempts at being funny:

A horse walks in to a bar and says “ouch”!

I’m on a one pint per blog policy (that I’ve just made up). Second pint has arrived!