VAGABOND(er)
The word vagabond, is a word normally associated with a shiftless, wandering, vagrant “bum.” However, as Ralph Potts explains, the word actually means
- “(1) The act of leaving behind the orderly world to travel independently for an extended period of time.
- (2) A privately meaningful manner of travel that emphasizes creativity, adventure, awareness, simplicity, discovery, independence, realism, self-reliance, and the growth of the spirit.
- (3) A deliberate way of living that makes freedom to travel possible.”
As I have stated in the past, I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to many different countries; from Haiti to Colombia, Ireland to Thailand, and Kyrgyzstan to Mozambique. I never feel quite as alive, as when I step off of a plane in a foreign country with absolutely no idea where to go, and have no ability to communicate with those around me. (Other than with hand gestures or the occasional word that I picked up somewhere along the way). I relish the feeling of the unknown. I will admit though… it makes my heart race EVERY time. (Although not so much in places like Ireland and Germany where “English” is spoken by enough people to make it easy on me)
Vagabonding, however, is a whole new and unexplored mode of travel for me. To clarify, vagabonding differs from ”travelling” or “vacationing”in that it is more of a long-term, solo-style of backpacking, with no real “plan” or list of places to stay oand things to do. It’s a blank canvas that encourages the complete disregard for a guidebook, or predetermined route of any kind, which allows you to simply enjoy the present moment and surroundings of the place you are in without any thought as to “whats next?”
Why do I bring this all up, you ask? Good question. I shall answer it for you (In case you didn’t see this coming) I’m going! [vagabond-travelling, that is] To where? Well, as of today, the “plan” (or, lack thereof, if you want to hold me to the previous paragraph’s idiosyncracies) is to Fly from Sacramento to Vietnam, and from there spend 35 days walking, boating, and riding elephants through Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and back to Hanoi, Vietnam; where I will fly to Hong Kong for one last week before heading back to Sacramento, California. Im also trying to fit in Indonesia/Burma somewhere in the mix, if time allows.
The beautiful thing about it all is that this type of travel is incredibly affordable. Airfare will (obviously) be the most expensive part, but not nearly as bad as you might think. Everything else will cost under 15 US dollars per day. (Trust me, I spent 12 days in Bangkok and literally couldn’t spend 20 bucks per day, try as I might)
Another part of this that I enjoy as much as the sights and possibilities, is the preparation for the trip. (Which should be happening next summer) this includes figuring out what to take, gathering gear, discarding things I wont need (aka: simplifying), as well as saving money (no more Starbucks, movie rentals, in-n-out burger, unnecessary new clothes, Ben and Jerry’s©, etc) for the next 9 months. Most people don’t realize that for the cost of a pizza in the USA, you can eat well in Brazil for a week, for the cost of a tank of gas; you can ride a train from one end of China, to the other, and for the cost of rent in America, you live nicely in a beach hut in Indonesia for a month.
I’m hoping that this trip will be an interesting combination of adventure, sightseeing, and ministry. (Healing the sick, raising the dead… ya know… that type of thing)
I’m also considering a South America tour as opposed to SE Asia, but I think Asia would be more stretching since it’s a little farther away, and the languages will be far more unknown (I understand enough Spanish/Portuguese to get by in S. America.) With that said, my purpose in writing this was to simply share a little of my excitement, and perhaps inspire a few readers to do some travelling or even a little “Vagabonding.” All for now.
