Travel!

The discomforts that make up the joys of travel.
It is only one that has known the joy, an experienced, or should I say avid, traveler that can relate to sentiments such as these. Or so I would assume.
To the uninitiated, what joy is there in getting lost in an airport? What joy is there in being IN an airport?

But these are trivial tales.
With travel, comes the sense, the urgency, the desire to experience every moment, live every breath and enjoy every step. Throbbing feet, splitting headache, chafed shoulders and anxious tension at being ‘the newboy’ in town all beside the point.

An old adage, bad decisions make for good stories. Never truer than in the world of travel I say.
Stories come to mind, memories. Of streets dark. Wrong trains, missed flight, and the ill begotten comfort of public benches. These are stories, to be told someday, with false teeth and a grandchild on each lap (minus the certain censored bits of course). Yarns to be cherished.

The point is…I love travelling. A fact few may be aware of.
I speak not of the mundane, day to day commute to work type of travel. Any who enjoys that ,unless he/she is on a motorbike, (A rip-roaring single cylinder thumper. That than is completely understandable) is deserving of a place in Pietermaritzburg’s infamous house of the not so blessed.

What I speak of is travel to new places. The exotic, the unknown, the mysterious.
There is a beguiling draw to mystique.

Travel, unplanned. A new destination each day, a new sight each moment, and an unknown bed each night. (Planned trips are nice too, but in unplanned lies the lure.) The hidden joy to all travel is firmly embedded in the words ‘go with the flow’.

The friendly face of a helpful stranger, giving directions to an elusive place in an unidentifiable language.
The hostile glance of a haughty Parisian, wondering at the apparent foreigners roaming French streets, totally lost.
The bemused expression of a drunk Swiss. Staring in astonishment. A surprised greeting uttered more in reflexive shock than cognizance, to the three obviously homeless, making full use of sleeping bags and the comfort of Berns streets. Cooking midnight rice, and preparing for a nights rest in oblivious happiness.

These are faces to be remembered, stories to be told.
This is where the true joy of travel rears its ugly head.
To the uninitiated, the joy of a cold night is lacking. To a traveler, joy is in the unknown knowledge of what lies beyond.

There is however, another aspect to traveling. A deeply profound aspect. It lies in the realization of the world. The creation.
It lies in the chance meeting of an uninterested stranger, transformed into an enthusiastic friend, with the knowledge that we share the same faith.
It lies in the Masaajid of the world, and the realization that a Muslim in Spain, and one in South Africa differ only geographically. (Sometime ignorance apart)
This sense of brotherliness is no imagined joy.

Amongst many other things, I am happy to say, I am a traveler!
I have traveled (a bit), and hope to someday travel further.
Travel to learn the world. Travel to experience the world.
It is not something easily regretted, and this I say from experience.
(I’m sure Ahmad, and even Mahomedy can agree with me on this.)

Tips to the future traveler (A backpackers perspective):

1. Go with the flow. Nothing will ever always go according to plan. 
2. Pack light, less than what you consider light in fact. 
3. Budget. Either that, or starve. 
4. Ziploc bags, they come in handy, as does a pocket knife. 
5. Money pocket sewn onto your vest. It is your own personal safe, and works better than any money belt. 
6. Account for travel time, it takes time to reach new destinations. 
7. Sleep. Travel is tiring, sleep and take breaks. (Travel and sleep combined works well) 
8. For Halal food, its best to get directions from the nearest Masjid. 
9. Learn punctuality, even if its just for a few days. You wont regret it. May want a more precise timepiece than this though

The Prague Astronomical Clock

For more tips and hints, please refer to people that know what they are talking about. I am but a novice in the game...for now.

Bon Voyage

A Metaphoric Ode

Swift Gazes. Sparkling Strides.
Intensity, entombed within a veneer of fragility. The quite beauty of elegant subtlety.
Strength, Intelligence, Compassion, Devotion.
Hidden traits of a character. So joyous to behold.

Words have never failed me...but in this I lie.
Pray tell, how does one describe beauty so absolute?
A character so sound, an image so complete.
I despair!

Purity in sloping shoulders. Purity in the swallows neck.
Purity, shining. Radiance undiminished, from a face untarnished.
Purity of heart, pure in mind.

It is said of the asil: "High carriage marks the noble."
In you I see royalty. Floating.
An ethereal eternity of wonderment.

You stand aloof. A sun, among the stars of day.
Moon of the cloudless night.
There is no pedestal!


In baraka there is beauty and you my friend, are blessed beyond parity!

Jealousy marks my lot.
I can but hope.
I can but wait and hope.

- The Arab Horse

Actions...and consequences.

I have a blog to write…It is one of those ‘after long’ moments.

I suffer from something called “writers block,” well writers block with a difference. 

I write when the inclination strikes me, and generally ‘the inclination’ doesn’t strike.

It’s not some sort of premeditated thing, this blogging of mine. I actually had no intention of writing tonight. My sole intention for this night was exam preparation. A single potent word. Studying.

Exams are nigh upon us my friends, and here I sit dallying behind my keyboard typing in the hope that somehow, by some miracle, this will help me pass.

I heard it once said, ‘nothing is random, everything has its reason.’ Perhaps there was some subtlety in the day just passed, some niggling reminder. Something said…or unsaid, that caused me to open this word document and dance the keyboard dance.

I don’t know, and to be fair…I don’t really care. What does worry me however, is the approaching gloom. 

Exam morning, unprepared minds, beating hearts, and failed papers. I can almost hear the gloomy music. In fact, scratch that: Elfin language mournful song, departing ships and the whole Lord of the Rings ‘goodbye Elrond’ scene, that is my vision this moment.

Pretty gloomy, right. Well, to be positive, I only write 5 papers, it’s not like I’ll have much to repeat should I perchance fail J

Not that I have intentions of failing, I shall study and, with help, pass!

This brings me to a topic I’ve meant to blog about before. Time and laziness were just never on my side afore this day.

Actions…and consequences.

I heard a man once. A wise man.

He relayed these ‘pearls’ of wisdom: 

“Whatever is done, do it with a goal in mind. Every action has a consequence. Weigh the outcome, for man has been given intellect for a reason…Man has been given intellect, To reason.”

Okay, ignore the quotation marks, I’m paraphrasing…these may not have been this particular wise old man’s exact words, but the point remains the same. How profound!

Simple mathematics. Situation + Action = Outcome/Consequence. I say this not as an engineering student - although it is said that math is the friend of any engineer (Untrue, believe me. Math and I have this distinctly unpleasant relationship…nothing remotely resembling friendly about it.)  - I say this from a purely logical standpoint.

In our pride, in our arrogance, maybe even in ignorance, we have forgotten humanity.

We, as humans, have forgotten the very nature of the word, Human. 

Humane. This word refers not only to our treatment of animals. What we have forgotten is that, to be humane is also to be kind, considerate and caring to those who you may, for whatever reason, dislike. Human, entails being humane to humans as well as non-humans. These certain fundamentals we seem to have forgotten.

Words said, racist remarks, lies spoken…these are actions today, of which the final consequences will not be wholly enjoyable. That color you directed a racist tone to, that misfit you taunted…their day will come, and if this be our mannerisms, it will not be a day we enjoy.

Every action has its consequence.

Today being Friday, I heard a talk. A talk on success (Maybe this was the subtle precursor to this post?? ). 

We need to direct ourselves. Align our actions to those outcomes we would consider a success.

Time is short, fact!
We are not free spirits, to be left alone… Floating along on a sea of whims and fancies, goalless. We have a goal. Although our behavior, at times, suggests otherwise.

A brain crammed with student stuff, it would be well worth the memory space required to remember this one simple point.

There is a goal. Success. Success, is our goal.

We have a readymade definition of success…example, and solution provided In annals of history. Time to copy and paste my friends, as best we can. Time to copy and paste.

An Introspection

There are times in life, when introspection is warranted. Needed actually.

Two days ago, I just got back from a trip of utter brilliance. Amazing beyond compare, words fail to aptly describe the wonder of such a holiday…though there is a word I usually use when describing situations such as this: Epic! 

For those that haven’t been, the Garden route is a must…trust me on that! 

Apart from being just an amazing trip, during which, bucket list: bungee – check, sand boarding – check, travelling by taxi – check, getting lost somewhere - check, and much much more were achieved. This trip has brought me to a realization. One so profound, it scares me…but that’s a topic for future discussions, maybe.

Anyway, back on point…Introspection. 

Have you ever just sat and thought?  About anything, about everything, About life, about the past, about the future, about beauty, love, hate, people, sand particles, little blue people living on Mars, age of stars, hearing capability of ants and whether the moon really is made of cheese?

Have you ever really just sat and thought?

I have, and I love it. 

Apart from the random, thinking about oneself..ones own reactions, personal moments, times in history, experiences etc. can be a very satisfying and therapeutic process. The idea of self reflection, it has always intrigued me. I can, in all honesty, say that I am a reflective person (not in the literal sense, the sun does not shine back of me...though if you reaallly want to get technical, it sort of does... :/ )

but...Simply put, introspection and I…we are familiar friends. (I’ve got a good friend to thank for making me realize this. Thank you there.)

I have this firm belief that, in life, a little introspection every once in a while is necessary. I guess, come to think of it, the fact that I’m writing a blog post today is not that big a shock after all. I mean, what is a blog post, if not a form of written introspection?

You see, with introspection comes a realization of who you are. A deeper understanding. and with this deeper understanding comes the ability to change…the ability to Control change. 

Man is forever changing. Good or bad change, that now is left up to the person himself/herself.  With this ‘Introspection’ I speak of, change can be controlled for the good…or so I’d hope.

On a related note...very similar to introspection is discussion. Talking helps, a lot. All that therapeutic bullshit that we so often heard off and dismissed...well, some of it works. 

You see, the ‘Deep Dark Recesses’ of one’s mind can be a scary place, at times...well all the time in my case…Sometimes help is needed, this is one reason why I am a fan of criticism. (I appreciate constructive criticism by the way) Sounds weird I know, but others see in you what you would never have noticed yourself.Character analysis, It can be quite interesting. Quirks, personal traits, habits, all easier noticed and pointed out by others. 

All this to learn yourself...

I find that, knowing oneself leads to a confidence in who you are. Confidence is needed at times, and so it is that introspection (and discussion), in a subtle way, is good for a person...and now I’m feeling old and wise talking about introspection, confidence and personal profiles on a blog post.

Forgive me my ancientiness…in defense, I do boast ‘Pensioner’ amongst my many nicknames.

Thank You, and Goodbye :)