In the spare bedroom I have three boxes and two suitcases. The contents are all that remains of a life lived. These are the possessions of my late father.
You may initially think that it’s sad that at the end of a lifetime there should be such little to show for it but on reflection, it’s not the quantity of stuff that defines a life but the travel, the experiences and the effect you leave on the people you encounter on the journey.
Despite the lack of possessions my father had a substantial influence on many people and travelled the world both for business and pleasure.
It is true that I am guilty of obsessive Amazon purchases. My activities are underpinned by many useless purchases that seemed essential at the time. I accumulate stuff like a Katamari Damacy, a very real ‘Clump Spirit’.
It is the dichotomy of dealing with these boxed possessions, evaluating my own stuff and planning the next trip that makes me reflect on my own travel experiences and the impact I have on others.
The next chapter
It is less than a month before I embark on my next overseas tour. The events documented in ‘Are We Doing the Stelvio Today?‘ seem a lifetime away thanks to a certain global pandemic. From the 1st of May, I’ll be heading to Spain to tour the Picos and Asturias.
The route is a rehash of the previous cancelled tour. While it’s been simplified the route will give us more time to enjoy the environment and reconnect to the road and the journey.
We will be sailing from Plymouth with Brittany Ferries. Hopefully, we will avoid all the nonsense with the P&O situation and the delays at Calais. I’ve driven this route many times by car on the way to Malaga. Often looking on enviously at the two-wheeled travellers.
The destination port is Santander which, for no particular reason, I prefer over Bilbao. From there we sweep round to the Potes Triangle and on through the Asturias. I don’t expect there to be a book in this but I’m expecting a nice ride report and some pretty pictures.
