I will walk

A small (but not insignificant) impulse I had in the last few days, going through all that head- and heartache, is that I want to walk. To walk and understand myself better through walking. Ah Wan, my girlfriend, told me she does not want me, in the least, back in Taiwan in November if I have no concrete plans of my own. I previously told her I wanted to learn about food and farming, because they are the basis of life. But she doubts that, and is at least partially right in thinking that I really hope to spend some time with her. Her conclusion? I would be disappointed, yet again, just as I had been at the end of my recent Sept trip.

Iam still planning on doing my farming stint, but now I also want to do something else - walking. I thought of walking round Taiwan, but that sounds like it would take two months or so. So, preliminary map-check says it takes 341 kilometres of walking to get from Taipei City to Kaohsiung City. The last time I remember doing route-march, we did 24 kilometres in 10 hours. I doubt I am as fit. Plus I don't want to rush things. AND I might just fall real ill along the way, and require good periods of rest. I think the other half, along the Eastern Coast, through Taitung, Hualien and Yilan, would be considerably longer, but with a great coastal view.

Deep within me, I hope this impresses Ah Wan. I liked the feeling when I last took a night off to cycle to a location 30-odd kilometres away from school, where and when I went to do some research on the university. But also, I am trying to understand myself, and face hardship. My parents generation has been said to be the one that took lots in their stride to give us a comfortable life today. I want to know I can do the same.

Another thing, and this is dedicated to Kelvin, for I am walking (pun intended) the same path he intended when he first thought of India. If you cannot join me, my friend, I will walk with your spirit alongside me. And to show you it is possible, and because we both have such a courageous and innocent trust in the life, I shall do this without money. I will depend on gifts of food and shelter along the way. I'll, certainly, bring a tent, to sleep outdoors, and clothes and stuff to clean myself with, but I won't bring money, that much I promise.