Friday, August 24, 2007

Travel Update

I have successfully done nothing for the past two weeks. Well, not exactly "nothing", but no activities of a strenous nature. Such is Nepal: a country that gives a whole another meaning to the word, "laid-back"; where drinking tea and lazing around are more part of the national pysche than anything else. To learn the art of doing "nothing", in being content of letting things happen, of not worrying about the next thing, is something I have been trying to learn on the road.

For instance:

Wednesday - A massive, nation-wide strike, implemented by the Maoist Communist party, resulted in all shops, buses, practically everything, being shut down for the day. I originally intended on seeing a township near by Kathmandu, but since I couldn't get out there, nor could I go to any shop, I just sat around. Waste of time: not really.

Today- I woke up early - 7am, a first in a long time- with the intention of seeing this town. Suddenly, a massive raincloud appeared overhead, flooding the streets and shops. I laughed. I couldn't really do anyting about it, so I just sat around, hung out with these two young Nepali dudes, watched some TV, played some pool. Waste of time: not really.

Tommorrow- I am leaving the comfort of Kathmandu and heading off to Central Nepal. But knowing Nepal, if something happens - a strike, a protest, a storm- well, I might just have to sit around again. Read my book. Watch TV. Talk with some locals. Waste of Time- not really.

We, us in the west, are conditioned to constantly be on the move; as though being busy is a some sort of indicator of success: responsiblites, commitments... A meeting to ahead. A social function that you must appear at. Being busy is tough, yes.

But to do "nothing", to be still, is sometimes even harder.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I BELIEVE YOUR DEFINITION OF DOING NOTHING INVOLVES SMOKING A PACK OF CHEAP CIGS A WEEK. IF YOU CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT SMOKES, I WILL CONGRATULATE YOU FOR DOING NOTHING MASTERFULLY.

THAT WOULD BE THE HARDEST.

A.K.

Anonymous said...

How dare you write this post when you're meant to be chilling out.

Get back to nothing.

Boarder No# 118