do you speak fwench?

i was chatting to this fwench girl i met at the guesthouse in phnom penh and she asked me the following question: "are you on holiday or are you travelling?" the question caught me a bit by surprise and i wasn't really sure what she was on about, so i replied: "errr... umm... i'm on holiday. how about you?" she lifted her head, peered down her nose and said: "oh no! i finished university four months ago and now i'm travelling." and that's where the conversation ended.

i thought she was being a bit snooty at first. but the question stuck in my mind and it bothered me a little. so i studied it: i came to the conclusion that "holiday" is a temporary break from routine. a power-nap to recharge batteries. "travelling" however comes with deeper connotations of "the search" or that one is trying to "find" oneself.

with regards to "travelling" and "the search" and "finding" oneself it is important to realise that the answers probably won't be found in the places you go to or the people you meet. these factors may assist you to find the answers, but in the end the truth lies within yourself and that's where "the search" needs to begin and end. and it is the sheer avalanche of time available whilst travelling that allows you to really get into the nuts and bolts of self discovery.

the key to travelling i think is to not try to fit too much in. kick back and relax. chill out. leave plenty of time to observe and reflect. preferably from the comfort of some elitist establishment where you can watch the peasants go about their meaningless daily routines.

i take a drink, sit back and relax
smoke my mind, makes me feel better for it small time
what i want is what i've not got
but what i need is all around me