Day: Jul 15, 2022

Taking flight

Spontaneity is a dream of mine that never really has a chance to happen. Whether it be money, anxiety or time it always falls by the wayside. 

When visiting Australia in 2013 I picked up a guide to Melbourne at the airport and found several vouchers offering 10% off here and a free gift there. I’ve never really seen the point in free vouchers because they often have a read between the lines agreement. However one stood out to me and we had kept at least half a day free in each place so we could explore. The 2 for 1 voucher was for a Yarra river cruise and I was excited to see the city from the water. I do love boats!

I had already looked into the cruises from home but they didn’t really appeal. Maybe it was the fact it took us off our feet and yet we would still see the city. At $29 for both of us it wasn’t something to sniff at. The boat ride wouldn’t take long and it looked like a great way to while away a few hours. After a pleasant tour down river we docked at Gem Pier in Williamstown; a quaint little village which used to be Melbourne’s main port before its size couldn’t cope with the intake. With a short time to kill we headed into the main street until an enticing sign caught our eye.

Next thing I know we are onboard a four seater seaplane flying over the beaches of St Kilda and Port Phillip. There seemed to be a devil may care attitude on our second day in Australia and the short trip cost us $145 each. Brighton beach had amazingly colourful beach huts which took me back to the seaside boltholes we had back in the UK. Similarly to home, these cost a huge amount of money, some at $400,000!  The views were stunning and the pilot was a hoot. His name was Rodney and I was reminded of the nickname my dad had given Mr W the first time he had met him.  We saw our hotel from the air and the Melbourne Gran Prix track was pointed out. The budget was tight and I knew I’d be on rations for a while but wearing a headset to talk to each other while in flight was brilliant and when the plane turned on its side I felt my cares melt away. The short 10 minute flight was over so fast and soon enough the plane was bumping over the rolling waves. All smiles we walked back into Williamstown and grabbed a quick fish and chip lunch. We sat in a pavilion to avoid the sea birds and took in the scene. 

It is a moment that wasn’t marred by anxiety or questioning. I think of it fondly when I see a plane in the sky and when I see waves lapping against a shore. A moment long ago that gives me promise for spontaneous times ahead. Over and out.  

Frame of mind

Over dinner, I told Mr W how I had entered a competition to win £300,000. And as you can probably guess, the talk soon turned into what we would do with the money should we win. 

Him: We’d buy that van we want and do it up.

Me: The first thing I’d do is book an all inclusive holiday. Somewhere hot, with a pool and a beach. 

How different are those answers? Seriously. And yet my answer changes from day to day where Mr W’s doesn’t. The last year and a half has changed so much in the terms of us travelling that it’s hard to think of how to revert back. Travel has become so much about being budget conscious, thinking sustainably and staying in the UK. It’s definitely a question nowadays as to whether we could sit by a pool and stay still. 

On our first holiday together we booked the very typical beach/pool/all inclusive deal. Having become accustomed to those types of trips during my childhood I was looking forward to leaving my brain at the office and watching my freckles connect. Even in October the heat in Tunisia was perfect and I looked forward to the sunlit days and warm evenings. Mr W had other ideas. He did not do well at sitting still. In fact on one of the few days we did sit poolside I could feel his eyes bore into me from his lounger. We soon jumped on a train to the next town to explore. I could see future trips being a wee bit tricky. I had found a balance between beach holidays where I did nothing and city breaks where I left no stone unturned. But there we were on a beach holiday in completely different frames of mind. 

We have since been to many beautiful places around the world. Barcelona, it rained for a whole week. New York at Christmas. The Maldives for our honeymoon. Iceland. Paris. Italy. The list goes on. However, other than an afternoon on the beach in Barcelona, we are yet to sit still. The only reason we actually sat still on that occasion was due to the sun showing its face after 6 days of rain. I believe we needed drying off. 

In no way am I complaining, our trips have been magical and whetted our appetites to further explore the countries of this world. Our next trip is the absolute definition of exploration. 15 jam packed days of adventure travel and I am totally here for it. I think in a way covid has made us push even harder to squeeze the minutes out of the hours of the days when we are out and about. It’s been 2.5 years of living that way and where I have loved it, I’m starting to miss the feeling of nothing. Of just being in a place. And I believe it’s to do with my frame of mind. 

I do not understand how the heat in the UK feels so different to the heat abroad. People say the houses are built differently. Okay, so why when I sit outside do I feel like I might burst into flames? When abroad it barely affects me. I can also proudly say that having finally experienced our teeny pool that it did help but why then does walking around Barcelona or Egypt and experiencing the heat full on, and without said help from dunking myself in water, not present the same problems as being here? So just what is it?  

As a result of these thoughts, I have spent my days daydreaming of the lazy holidays once more. And I think it goes deeper than just the difference in temperate climates. It’s being comfortable enough mentally to be able to stop. On our recent trip to Northumberland I pondered this while I sat in a cave next to a waterfall. We had lunch reservations at 2pm and yet had over two hours until then. The walk to the car from where we were would only take an hour and I sat in quiet thought trying to think of something to fill the time. It was only when I realised that having free time didn’t necessarily mean it had to be filled that I granted myself the permission to park my arse and be still. And so for an hour, we sat in the cave, with our snacks and watched the water cascade into the pool below. In that hour many other hikers arrived, most with dogs. The dogs practically leapt from the rocky ledge into the water and entertained all that had stopped. 

It reminded me of our walk to Sycamore Gap and how for me time stood still. It is unlike the walks you’ll find to the waterfalls of Hindhope and Hareshaw Linn. They are hidden amongst the trees and rolling hills of the Northumbrian landscape. The walk to Sycamore Gap is up and over the rolling hills. The landscape is all shingle, coarse grass and barren. You pass through a few gates where old walls break up your journey but ultimately it is unchallenging. It is only when you arrive at the most famous tree in the UK that you realise this walk wasn’t about the journey. It is about the destination. So many times do you hear in life that the journey is as important as the destination and in some cases the journey becomes more important altogether. Essentially the journey is longer than the time we spend at the destination and should therefore be enjoyed in order to feel more fulfilling. The tree sits upon Hadrian’s wall and is an iconic image known to everyone. Without even knowing its name or location, show the person next to you the image at the top of this blog and I guarantee nine out of ten people will recognise it. 

Upon our arrival to the tree, we waited patiently for our chance to photograph it without the intrusion of other hikers. Photos taken, I took a moment to climb the hill directly opposite the tree and sat for a while. The wind whistled in my ears and violently forced my hair to take flight. Above me the clouds threatened rain. Below me on the sides of the hill purple heather revealed its colour to roaming eyes. The tree was static in response to the wind. As the light from the cloud dotted sky changed the backdrop of the scene each moment felt like a picture perfect postcard. 

It was just me, sitting, watching and forgetting time. This is what I miss. The ability to take everything in and appreciate it without rushing off to the next thing to see. Covid has changed so much for this world. It has changed the world en masse and singularly. I’d like to think that at some point we will find a balance between sitting and running. Until then I will remember how blessed we are to be free enough to roam the world.