Last night on the Lonely Planet site I read about this experimental travel thing and my first reaction was, "it's absurd!" But after getting more into it I found out that that was exactly the point - the absurdity. And later I realized that it was precisely this unreasonableness that makes life more wonderful and meaningful. Just what I need now.
Experimental Travel is said to have its roots in the varied practices and philosophies of modern alternative thinkers from the Surrealists to the Psychogeographers, and Joël Henry, founder of Latourex (Laboratory of Experimental Travel) also that the author of LP's Guide to Experimental Travel, is said to have coined the term in 1990. However, being a devoted subscriber to the believe that,
I believe this seemingly ludicrous idea was to be found so much earlier in History. And it does, and more surprising yet not so surprisingly, the very person who is writing these words had quoted them before in this blog. As near as I know, this idea was already present back in 1605 in Cervante's Don Quijote de la Mancha where the ingenious knight said to his faithful squire, "Ahí está el punto y esa es la fineza de mi negocio. Que volverse loco un caballero andante con causa, ni grado ni gracias, el punto está en desatinar sin ocasión."
Joël says, 'Experimental Travel is travel with constraints, that at the same time liberates you from the limitations and expectations of classic tourism. By travelling with the constraints of Experimental Travel, you conversely have more freedom.' But the scope is without doubt so much wider than just travelling, it has everything to do with life itself and life is, afterall, a big journey. Experimental Travel forces you to think form another perspective and this act in itself is liberating. For many, travelling becomes nothing but a acquisition of sights and stuff, something to inflate their ego with and then it bores them, wondering where should I go next? what should I do next? Been there, done that, but no real feelings, no appreciation but a constrained self-deceiving mechanism, like a competition, like regarding one as a hero and the countries the deeds, but life it no competition, life should not be one. I sometimes wonder if I would become like that one day and it troubles me.
Experimental Travel is said to have its roots in the varied practices and philosophies of modern alternative thinkers from the Surrealists to the Psychogeographers, and Joël Henry, founder of Latourex (Laboratory of Experimental Travel) also that the author of LP's Guide to Experimental Travel, is said to have coined the term in 1990. However, being a devoted subscriber to the believe that,
That which has been is that which shall be;
And that which is done is that which shall be done:
And there is no new thing under the sun.
And that which is done is that which shall be done:
And there is no new thing under the sun.
I believe this seemingly ludicrous idea was to be found so much earlier in History. And it does, and more surprising yet not so surprisingly, the very person who is writing these words had quoted them before in this blog. As near as I know, this idea was already present back in 1605 in Cervante's Don Quijote de la Mancha where the ingenious knight said to his faithful squire, "Ahí está el punto y esa es la fineza de mi negocio. Que volverse loco un caballero andante con causa, ni grado ni gracias, el punto está en desatinar sin ocasión."
Joël says, 'Experimental Travel is travel with constraints, that at the same time liberates you from the limitations and expectations of classic tourism. By travelling with the constraints of Experimental Travel, you conversely have more freedom.' But the scope is without doubt so much wider than just travelling, it has everything to do with life itself and life is, afterall, a big journey. Experimental Travel forces you to think form another perspective and this act in itself is liberating. For many, travelling becomes nothing but a acquisition of sights and stuff, something to inflate their ego with and then it bores them, wondering where should I go next? what should I do next? Been there, done that, but no real feelings, no appreciation but a constrained self-deceiving mechanism, like a competition, like regarding one as a hero and the countries the deeds, but life it no competition, life should not be one. I sometimes wonder if I would become like that one day and it troubles me.
3 comments:
I think it's a brilliant idea. The only thing is that after a while, and with more people following the ideas, it will just become another, slightly weirder, part of the norm.
I had no idea that it was already written in the bible, the first time I read about it was in Borges a few years back, until I came upon your page. I like the way the page is designed and the pic fits superbly.
Well, I don't know about that Hahn, I think it's more an attitude than actually a form, but some of the ways mentioned in Latourex do, in my opinion, have the tendency of becoming just another form of the norm in the future.
"There is nothing new under the sun, but there are lots of old things we don't know yet." -Ambrose Bierce
The idea of experimental travel sounds like a wonderful way to learn about the world and all of the different parts that would not normally be considered vacation spots.
But if the purpose of your vacation is to relax and unwind, nothing beats the beaches of Bermuda :)
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