Everyone travels. Some do it for fun, while a lot do it out of necessity. Travelling is indeed one of the best activities a person can do, but are we doing it correctly? I don't think so. Every time we embark on a journey, be it a beautiful train ride or a bus ride, we often resort to spending our time watching reels perpetually or sleeping through the entire journey to kill time. I never understood the fundamental concept of killing time. Why do we have to kill something which is so profound to us, and probably the only entity fairly distributed to every person on this earth? And to me that's a journey wasted.
So what makes a journey more enriching is the way we spend it. For me, I do make it a habit of reading on a train journey. I don't do a gazillion things when I travel. Instead, I either read or enjoy nature while listening to music, and the recurring network disruptions help from digressing into other things. It reduces my options and thus enriches what I do to a significant amount. If you truly make it a priority, you can finish a book by the end of a journey. Reading on a train is so meditative, where the constant clattering of trains becomes a chant, the bustling surroundings become still, and the whole of travelling becomes transcendental. As the journey comes to an end, we have a story to remember the journey by.
Personally, I tend to lean towards train journeys more. Not that I don't like road trips, but simply that I'm incapable of reading on a road trip. I get migraines, I can't blame the road as my mind and body are unaccustomed to that, so that leaves me with only one option, enjoying the serene nature while listening to some awesome music. Before a journey, I always take time to curate a playlist to keep me company through the journey. I relish the journey listening to my favourite melodies while the onrush of invigorating air inflates my lungs with life and my heart with hope.
Well, in order to have such a fine experience, you need the company of good authors. Here are some authors to accompany you on your journey. Murakami for sure, Chetan Bhagat, Ruskin Bond, John Green, and Khaled Hosseini. You pick any of their books and your journey becomes nothing short of a transcendental experience. If you are a frequent traveller, please do try this. Well, if you are not, come on guys, travel more. We're going to die soon, so take these travels as constant reminders of the passing of time and, just for that moment, forget all your convictions and be present in that moment. Say hi to every passing tree, talk to the swift winds, admire those age old mountains before you return to the madness of life.
Take care guys.
Cheers
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