The Road

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The road has always played a key role in the organization of my travels around the planet; nevertheless, nowadays travelling by road is becoming less and less popular. Too many options are offered to travelers who usually end up taking the easiest one: low cost flights. Why bothering organizing long and unpredictable road trips if I can fly directly to my final destination? Nothing could be more true. But let's try for once to change our point of view. Why bothering taking short and boring flights if I can enjoy all the way that separates me from my final destination? Roads can unexpectedly offer us so many surprises. Well, we'd rather not have some but most of them are really fulfilling, exciting and unforgettable. Travelling by road means total freedom, relax, and happiness. Despite all the problems we may have, such as delayed bus, bad weather, or nasty people. Travelling by road learns us how to slow down. We will put aside our extension (= smart phone), and start to really enjoy all the little things we may see along the way. The sudden red light of a sunset from a bus window, a good laugh from our travelling neighbor, the sound of the music from a pub, an unexpected lift after a long tiring walk. Above all, road means time. Time for ourselves, or for the person we are travelling with. Time to stop feeling guilty of the last book we bought, and never read. Time to close our eyes, and think, sleep or dream. I don't know another way to travel since I have always travelled this way. Before, alone. Now, with someone I care. Every road I take during my travel becomes a different memory to cherish once I am back to my ordinary life.

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Lucy

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