Davos2014: 'rilla

Davos2014: at Zurch

The adventures of'Rilla an' me continued... made it to Zurich.

Waiting from Allie at the airport and then off to Kublis.

Davos2014: early

Off to Davos. Again.

Joshie gave me a companion. Not alone.

And Caleb a note. Encouraged.

4.19am and awaiting my lift.

Onwards and upwards.

A pic from the plane

Death, Decay and Peace

Last year I was able to return to where I first went as a newlywed. It was a place called the Boat of Garten. We went first over ten years ago and returned ten year later.

As we returned, the place was different and it was a very different time. I recall walking around a stunning woodland path. Enjoying afresh the stunning surroundings, yet also enjoying my relationship. At how much it matured and these years had seasoned our enjoyment. It was a wonderful moment.

When talking about this time recently a question was posed to me: "was the place as you remember it?" 

He went on and said there is so much of the disappointment when returning to places of 'enjoyment' and 'moments'. 

The place has moved on and so have the people. He said that change is often a decay or a lament or a reminder of how things were and the contast to how they are now. He described this process in terms of "a death" or "decay". He said often we look and things speak of this death and decay, or that contrast from then to now either in how they are presented to us or we to it.

When thinking why the experience was better in my response was a combination of peacefulness. Peace in the surroundings, peace in the wonderful company and more so the peace in accepting that this moment was given. I was allowed, for this brief moment, to be in this space and allowed this company and in my heart to say thank you.

I answered his question about whether the place was as I remember saying: "it was so much better."

I'm sure if I returned to the Boat of Garten I will remember those moments that the place allowed me to generously experience. 

And if I did go back I'd like to say thank you.

Travelling

20 years ago now. Man that's an age ago. That's how long it's been since I stepped on that flight at Heathrow heading to the Middle East but bound for Nairobi. It was the start of an East African adventure. 2 months working in an orphanage and then travelling. A gap year dream.

On that flight heading out it was then that it dawned on me that I was alone and without my family. My friends they were there, some of them at least (always good to have pass the pig co-players!)

I was just a year into adulthood and it was a big trip for a 'new man'. 

When I returned there was that usual eagerness to come back and yet when I stepped back to my home town there was utter alienation. Mainly within myself. I had been away and learned new things and been through a host of wonderous experiences stretching from watching the crabs scuttle the white beaches of Diani to eating termites, the stench of Malindi buses and indeed the children... The people who you shared those few, yet life defining, moments with. Yet I could not turn back to them and relive and share those times with. Instead I had settle for trying to adjust back to who I was or otherwise be overlooked when trying to share the moments.

I recall when speaking with friends who yearned to travel about their passions. It was the usual self fulfilment or finding oneself in the newness of places. I recall for me when thinking about this was the desire to not leave and to stay. To build friendships with those around me and to stay for the long term. 

Wind the clock back just ten years ago and as a newly wed I recall dreaming of settling down somewhere new and be part of something. To not disappear but to stay and live, share and be in fellowship with those around you:

In the air right now and about to step into some meetings and strangely remembering some of those feelings.