Time Traveller

By Amethyst Duggan

I recently returned to Perth, Western Australia from a whirlwind almost world-wide trip, covering 12 countries and 20 cities, over approximately 66 days.

When meeting fellow travellers similar topics of conversation always came up, 'Where are you from?' 'Where have you been?' 'Where are you going?' After the initial 'you'll be worn out by the end of it' reaction, the answer to the latter always sparked the same response, 'how are you supposed to see the place when you're spending most of your time in airports?'

Truthfully, we did spend a LOT of time travelling in taxis, trains, buses, planes and even the odd limo, and while extra time helps to have greater opportunity to see more of a country taking the time to stop and smell the proverbial roses makes the difference when time is limited.

Being restricted for time, we made a conscious effort to appreciate where we were and what we were doing and not let the moment pass us by.

Never mind the fact that there is never enough time in the day to tick everything on your to-do list! Take time to see your friends, watch your children grow, admire nature and learn something new.

Time is relative, a subjective experience: it rushes by on some days, and drags out on others.

We can regret the past and be consumed by the future. The only 'time' we actually experience however, is the present.

I think it is unfortunate that we take time for granted. And we waste it, getting distracted by relatively unimportant things.

Whether travelling the world or strolling a local park, let's take in our surroundings. We will be the richer for it. We may even find that our perception of time and how much of it we think we "have" doesn't matter so much after all.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." - Buddha.