Time, space, to boldly go…..

I have finally figured at least one of the reasons it’s taken me so long to get to writing this blog. Yeah, sure i can cite a number of reasons and have (moaned) mentioned them already, but…

In our day to day life, time sort of expands and contracts to fit the situation. Like when you go for a medical appointment and it feels like you’re waiting for hours to be seen and then you do get seen by the medics and that seems to take a mere few seconds.

Perhaps not a good example as that is exactly what happened to me last week! But the point I make is that on this trip, the relatively known aspect of it – the European leg took a while, or so it seemed. It felt like we were waiting, twiddling our thumbs, for the adventure to begin, for the excitement to start and the butterflies in tummys to take flight.

Now, though the view is different. We’re in The Real Sahara. It’s a bit like thinking a bungee jump is easy – a little lark, fun, no big deal really. This view being from ground level, looking up to the platform you’re going to jump from. Then though the waiting seemed to take ages, you’re now up on that same platform, wind blowing in your hair, platform just a little bit wobbly in that breeze.

You look down and think “F*ck me! It didn’t look this high up from the ground!”.

Well, that is how the Sahara looks – except your perspective is horizontal – not vertical.  This should be of some reassurance and while yes, it is… to a degree, you still get that icy tingle on your spine that tells you, this is not a game, this is not a day trip, this is not something you can just turn around saying “never mind – maybe tomorrow” and go home from.

It’s like that bungee jump. You’ve made all the preparations – you did that long ago. There is no point in second thoughts now. You must go to that edge and… well, leap.

I leapt.

The journey now takes a new direction – never mind on the road – i’m talking about inside your own head.  The scale of everything, the distances from point to point, the horizon so far far away, the sky so big, these ‘Bikes, so small.

That’s just some of it – i sincerely hope i can do this aspect justice. i know for sure this is different for everyone, so you’ll only get my little brains outlook. But if i can even give you some idea of what it’s like and bring you with me for some of it – i’ll be happy.

You see, this is not like any other journey. The scale of everything is massive. The infrastructure with which to do it is tiny.

I’ll leave you just for today – I will be back as soon as… no, damnit I Will Be Back Tomorrow! What i was going to say is this;

From this point on, there is as much distance being covered inside my own head as out there on the road. It may sound pretentious, but honestly, the road gives you time to reflect and meditate. It’s not like a dull motorway trip – “A Tinkers lament” is what my Father called roads that were long, straight and with nothing to interest you as you go along them. A comment based on the old Itinerant travelling families of Ireland that lived in horse drawn caravans, when a long straight road would be boring as hell. These roads, though straight for mile upon mile are far from boring. To me anyhow. If you really look around you it gives you some perspective on the place of one small single human being and their input to the world, or their lack of it.

right, i really am stopping now. i sense a touch of airy fairy Zennish nonsense on what i’ve written and… my grammar has gone to hell!!! Soon, folks – i will return soon. Thank you for your patience.