Heading Out

Preparing oneself for extended travel changes the way time flows. At least, that's how it seems to me. I'm leaving tomorrow for what will be nearly a month away. In the past few days, I've felt myself gradually starting to slip into the transitional, in-between-time-zone sort of time. It's really a mental state, of course. But it changes the way everything looks and feels. The clock hours get blurry and become inconsequential. The impact of sensory impressions is heightened -- colors scents sounds touches are more intense. I expect that it's mostly the anticipation of travel taking over. You start to see even your own backyard with new eyes as you ready yourself to be a traveler. It's also the fact that travel breaks you out of your own structures - even the rhythms of sunrise and sunset are disturbed, not to mention meal times and sleeping times and rush hour on the 210 freeway. All you have left is this moment, the now, these sensations on eye and ear and skin. I must admit that enjoy these times.

So I'm stepping off into that strange space for awhile. Tokyo Narita, Singapore Changi, and on to Indonesia. Then I will stop for a little while before the next chapter of the trip. I hope to be able to post pictures here. In any case, I'll still be around. I'll just be around a little further than usual.

Peace to you.