The Art Of Flying Naked

Image by toastforbrekkie via Flickr

I've done a little bit of flying this year, and I came to the following conclusion after extensively observing the culture of the average economy flyer. Why do we have this compulsion to bring all this crap with us and that it be present at all times?

I spent a lot of time lugging around a bunch of crap that I didn't need on long flights.

Keep in mind that every piece of stupid and useless crap that you insist on carrying on does nothing more than slow down the line for all of us.

So, in the spirit of keeping the line moving, I offer the following advice.

1. Put all your change in your checked baggage.

2. Do not wear a belt with a metal buckle

3. You're going away for a while, do you really need to bring your keys?

4. Wear shoes that slip on and off easily if you're going to Britain or America.

In short, if you make it easy for security, you make it easier for all of us. I would suggest that the new normal should be that we all try and fly as "naked" as possible.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Enlightlement, Butt With Exceptions

Image via Wikipedia

When I was in Ghana, I learned a lot about people treating others with respect. Unfortunately, when I came back to Canada, I learned even more about the stupid culture of blame that seems to drive our childish need to blame others for the reality we create.

I was having a cigarette outside the bar that I work at. Of course, I was forced to do this by law, because "society" collectively decided that I should not be allowed to smoke indoors, because of the air quality issues that it creates for others, and I can respect the merit of that decision.

Ghana taught me a lot about people treating each other with respect, and I was filled with that sense of respect as I flicked a cigarette into the drain. A passerby chastised me for doing so.In fact, he did not merely chastise me, he berated me. 

In my Ghana/Zen state, I was too astonished to respond. I guess being away had made me forget how judgmental we had become and here it was smacking me in the face.

The guy was right. I should not throw my cigarette butts just anywhere. If it was a coke bottle or plastic bag that I was throwing onto the public domain people would be outraged. Why should a cigarette butt be any different?

I understand this concept of respecting others right to exist in decent conditions. The thing I don't get is why are people allowed to pollute the environment as a matter of course because they own a car? One ride to the corner store equals all the smoke and butts that I will produce in a lifetime.

These are the thoughts that went through my mind as I watched this angry little man get into his sport ute parked across the street.

Just because I can't smell the shit you're spewing does not mean that you're not spewing it, but apparently the agreed reality is that smoking is bad, but buying a new vehicle every two years is good. Screw the planet, its my right to consume whatever I can afford.

Personally, I think y'all can put a fork in us, we're done. The intractability of our own habits will gleefully allow us to condemn our children in the name of our own selfishness.

The little man was right to yell at me, though. I shouldn't be throwing cigarette butts into sewers, or anywhere else. The sad thing is that his anger is a reaction to a game that has already been played by a mentality that  is so far behind the curve that it fails to see the fact that the game is over and the only question remaining is how long can we cling to our illusions before they destroy us?

So I am no longer throwing my cigarette butts into the street or sewer. However, I have the distinct feeling that this might not be enough to turn the planet around.

I love kids, but I'm kind of glad I don't have any. I really don't want to witness them facing the consequences of our actions. I say consume away, the sooner we can end human existence, the better off the planet will be.

And we all love the planet, don't we? Almost (but not quite enough to make a difference) as much as we love ourselves.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Anger = Regret

A few weeks ago, I had a dumb fight with someone that I care about deeply. I inadvertently offended a friend, and when she expressed her anger at me, I  became the offended party.

At the end of the day, blame matters little. Blame is for idiots and small children.

I care about this other person, certainly a great deal more than the minute conflict at hand.

I'm pretty sure we both felt awful. I know I did.

However, we both realised that the fact of knowing one another far outweighed the trifle before us.

I let my anger obscure my priorities. As a course of action, I don't recommend it. It didn't do much for me, and it won't do much for you.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Farewell To A Friend, Part One

It all started in Mole Park, Ghana. I was sitting on a platform overlooking the elephant pond. Earlier in the day, I had met a Slovenian lady during our elephant safari. We chatted a bit, and I could see that she had a very serious camera. As our group climbed up through the valley she asked me to turn around.

I am really glad she did that, despite the fact that I was on the verge of a heart attack, having clearly shown my age among my twenty something companions. As I turned around, the visual reward of my hard effort was revealed.

Below was the African wilderness. Elephants and antelopes frolicked freely below, and I almost wept at the beauty before me. My Slovenian friend was madly taking shots with her camera.

A little further on we stopped and took more pics. I strive to be a courteous man, and often during my travels I have had occassion where people ask me to take pictures of themselves, but this time I turned the tables.. I asked her if she wanted me to take a picture of her.

Did I want to flirt with her? Maybe a little, but mostly I wanted to grab her camera, and show a little traveler etquette at the same time. I took her picture and admired her camera.

Later, we met again at the elephant perch, and she showed me a picture of an antelope that she had taken from at least two hundred yards away that clearly showed the face of the antelope. I knew at that moment that my $99 Kodak that I bought in 2003 wasn't going to cut it over the long haul.

I wanted to learn more about taking photographs, and less about taking pictures.

http://www.goyestoeveryrthing.com

Ewww, They Eat Snakes?

William Shakespeare via last.fm

Yes. Yes they do.

Over the past 10 months I have embarked on two journey's. One to Asia and one to Africa. The period prior to, during, and after these trips I noticed a compelling and instinctive pattern among all of us to be afraid of venturing into the unknown.

I am no expert traveler, and I will never have a show on the Discovery Network. I am nothing more than a wide eyed rookie traveler venturing forth.

One thing I have noticed is that we humans seem to be hard wired to not travel. On my first trip to Ghana, many people warned me about the potential perils. Others looked at me as if I was going to the moon. This persisted during my trip to Asia.

Admittedly, I was scared when I went to Ghana, but I also took a leap of faith that my fellow human beings are as decent as you and I. This was a big mistake, as I actually learned that my fellow human beings are at the very least, as decent as you and I, and in most cases, far better.

The world is not scary. While I do not recommend traveling to Iraq or Somalia at this time, most of the world is filled with fellow human beings who are just trying to get by. Just like you and me, they want to live in peace and harmony, take care of their family, and live with the hope that the kids will have more opportunities than they did.

I guess what I am trying to say is, that for the most part, everyone else is like you and me. Do not be afraid to travel! It is a beautiful and friendly world out there!

The world is overwhelmed by decent people, though I think William Shakespeare said it best regarding overcoming travel fear.

Be not afraid, the isle is full of noises,

Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.

Sometimes a thousand twanging instruments

Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices,

That if I then had waked after long sleep,

Would make me sleep again; and then in dreaming,

The clouds methought would open, and show riches

Ready to drop upon me: when I wak'd

I cried to dream again.

It is a big beautiful world out there and there is nothing to fear, except maybe, fear itself.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

The Labours Of A Child

I took a lot of pictures in 2009, but this is one that resonates with me. During my travels through Africa and Asia I saw a lot of children working very hard. By our standard, these kids should be in school learning, and after that outside, playing.

This particular photo was taken just outside Angkor Wat. I had purchased a couple of soft drinks from her and then I had asked if she would let me take her picture. ( I would never take a picture like this without permission. In my opinion, peoples lives are sacred, and not my personal freak show to photograph at will)

While we talk about the evils of child labour,  most of the children that I have seen working are working to support their own families.

I post this photo in memory of all the children I have seen working this year. As you read this, this young lady got up ahead of the sun and will work past sundown for less than $5. And it will continue thusly until we give her parents opportunity.

I can assure you that the parents of this young lady would rather see her in school and playing with her friends afterwards, like we all did.

Its easy to blame Nike, but the largest employer of child labour are parents. And this is done out of necessity.

Until we give her parents better options and build a free school for her to go to, nothing will change.

I just know that she, and all the other kids I observed this year deserve more. Shame on all of  us.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

The Next Trip

So in about two weeks I am going on a very special trip with my family.  I will be posting from Miami, Cayman Islands, Honduras, Belize and Cozumel, Mexico

When I say the word "family" to some people they roll their eyes because they did not have the same family experience that I did, and I feel empathy for them and gratitude for myself.

Sometimes we learn what we have by understanding what others did not and do not have.

According to what I've heard, not everyone got the same deal that I did.

 To my family, thanks, I owe you bigtime.


http://www.goyestoeverything.com

How I Inadvertently Smuggled A Weapon Onto An International Flight

Seriously, it was an accident. A stupid mistake that could have caused me great aggravation. In this age of paranoia I am slightly reticent to even post this. I only do so as a cautionary tale for all travelers and a warning to those who keep us safe while flying.

It all started in Hanoi, when I tried to check my luggage for a flight to Bangkok. The Air Asia agent informed me that my bag was overweight. This was because I had zipped my backpack to my larger bag and was trying to check the whole shebang. While this may have worked in Chicago, the purchases I had made on the way had pushed me over the edge. I moved a bunch of books to my carry on and all was fine.

I made a mental note to remove the backpack from my checked luggage on my flight home. So thats what I did. The thing is that if one wants to carry on a bag that was previously checked, one should study its contents. In the rush to catch an early morning flight, I did no such thing.

In the early hours of a Bangkok airport morning this fact dawned upon me as security politely asked me to step aside. Compliantly, I stepped to the side. My bag was opened and to my great humiliation, the security guy pulled out a knife.

I was mortified, but very fortunate that the knife did not cause me a delay. The knife was confiscated and I was allowed to proceed to another checkpoint, just outside the departure lounge. I had never seen this sort of secondary checkpoint, and I was surprised and annoyed, yet confident that like most flyers I had nothing to hide.

Nonetheless I was still checked through, and off I went to the flight. The thing is that I still had a knife on me, though I did not know it at the time

While I was surprised in Bangkok, I was truly mortified at Narita. To see another knife pulled from my bag as I was called to the side yet again was humiliating.

I know what you're saying. "Why is this moron traveling with two knives, when it is pretty clear that he can't handle one?" Personally, I blame everything on my travel guru, Miss Jocund. Prior to heading to Africa, she recommended that I buy a knife, but I did not. While traveling through Ghana I had several occasions where a knife would have been very handy. That is why she is a guru and I'm just a blogger.

So, prior to leaving for Asia, I bought a knife, which I packed. On the eve of my departure, Miss Jocund gave me a knife. I threw it in, mostly because it was a better knife. I had no idea that I had unwittingly carried a weapon on a flight until security in Japan caught the second knife.

Thank god that this happened prior to the underwear bomber. Believe me, I have learned my lesson about knowing exactly what is in your carry on.

The thing that I find the most unsettling is the fact that I had two similar contraband items and only one was found

Not much point in catching the first thing if you can't catch the second.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com