The speed of travel

At the risk of repeating myself, I would like to post a few words on the speed of travel.

My first ever banger rally saw a clapped out (supposedly) Vauxhall Cavalier drive from Calais to Casablanca. The route was punishing over five days and we had absolutely no time to take in any of the wonderful places we drove through; Millau, Andorra, Barcelona, Murcia, Algeciras, Ceuta, Casablanca, Tangiers, basically everywhere where we stopped to rest for five minutes. The set pace was ridiculous and, as this was my first banger rally, it was accepted and agreed. Andorra in particular, off season, was amazing. This intermediate means to get from one place to another was only slightly better than flying. In fact, it was on the flight back, after abandoning our trusty vehicle at a scrapyard in Malaga, that I realised that a great opportunity had been missed.

Visiting interesting locations around the world is a commendable pursuit, broadening the mind through travel is probably the best way to grow up, to expand knowledge and experience. But, I honestly believe, that the journey is as important, if not more so, than the intended destination. Parachuting into a  locale, experiencing the sights, sounds and experiences, then parachuting back home is such a massive lost opportunity. I understand that time is tight and that we all have very busy lifestyles, but, without the  context of the journey the destination can seem so bland, disappointing and anti-climatical.

The drive to Timbuktu was better. Although we had to really push to catch up with the main convoy, driving for eighteen hours a day for four days until we finally arrived at the Mauritanian border to rendezvous with the other teams, the times we were held up and were forced to slow down were excellent. Moullay de Bousellem (spelling) a fantastic lagoon and beach where Tony and I camped for a night was excellent. By the time we had reached Timbuktu, in fact, by the time we had returned to Bamako, I realised that, once again I had been rushing to achieve goals and ignoring some marvellous locations.

The answer? Well the answer is obvious, but time equals, not only money but also experience. To take the time to experience all of the best on a journey means an extended free period of time without outside influences, work stresses or family worries. This is necessary in order to focus on the journey and the events that unfold. Also, when travelling at a reduced pace, the opportunity to meet and interact with other travellers and locals increases exponentially. This factor alone makes a trip worthwhile. Although I have flown to most destinations for 'The Sausage Trail' I have attempted to slow things down when I arrive. In Serbia, for example, using public transport really put me in touch with a whole raft of new personalities. In Hamburg, I was within the influence of a knowledgeable ex-pat and moved at the pace appropriate for the visit.

The Sausage Trail has only a couple of trips left and both are focussed on fantastic events, with this in mind a slow journey to arrive at the final destination is highly unlikely. I do still aspire to take a slow vehicle, a moped or a bicycle or even walk, to travel across an extended distance to reach a fantastical destination.

Vladivostok by Cub90 is my favourite at the moment but time will tell.