Essay by Luke Foster
“Nature hasn’t gone anywhere. It is all around us, all the planets, galaxies and so on. We are nothing in comparison.” Bjork
I am currently travelling in Europe and have visited Rome and Athens and now in Vienna. I feel so exhilarated by international travel but there is a downside too. When I am at home, I eat healthier food and do two hours beach walking exercise a day. While travelling I just get taxis everywhere mainly to museums and art galleries and subsequently don’t do much exercise and I am also unfamiliar with the healthy restaurants so usually put on weight.
However, travelling puts you outside your comfort zone and you get exposed to lots of different culture mainly music and art. While in Rome I saw two operas in medium size churches and an evening of jazz at a church too.
In Rome I saw an amazing Van Gogh exhibition and Bob Dylan retrospective. And it was an eye opener as I was only familiar with Dylan’s music and his painting and drawing is amazing too.
“What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” Bob Dylan
I think the main mistake I make while travelling internationally is that I try to fit to many countries in my monthly trip abroad. Its much better to stay in one spot and soak up the everyday life of a destination rather than just being on the tourist trail.
Another downside of moving around to much is that you end up spending a lot of time in airport lounges waiting for flights which can be tiring and boring.
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” Anthony Bourdain
On the upside while travelling internationally my art and writing becomes much less derivative and I reflect on the aspects of life much bigger than myself.
The countries I have travelled to over the past twenty-three years include: India, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, England, America, Spain, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, France, Vanuatu, Noumea and Austria.
Bob Dylan