Journeys of a Second Kind
Travel can be uplifting and energising or, sometimes, the whole exercise of getting from here to there can be dispiriting and exhausting. Leo Casey delves into the benefits of vitality boosting breaks.
Glengesh
There are two kinds of travel in our lives. First, there are the simple, everyday movements that bring us from one place to another. This is practical travel, not very interesting in itself, where journeys are regarded as means to an end.
All too often, destination is everything, and getting there and back are burdens to be endured; think queues at airports, packed trains, over-stuffed luggage, bad shoes, and broken lifts.
And then there are ‘journeys of a second kind’; these are deep, sensual, and uplifting excursions that provide us with new vigour and vitality. Journeys of this kind transform our minds just as much as they transport our body. These journeys are available to everyone, and their effects are enriching and long-lasting. It’s worth getting to know how to make these journeys so you can seek them out and cherish their special qualities.
The first thing to note is that you can experience these journeys using any travel mode, they can take 20 minutes, or they may take several days. Distance is not the issue; you do not need epic climbs or lengthy trails to experience journeys of a second kind. This is not the stuff of endurance, it is not about physical challenges where dogged persistence overcomes adversity. Simple activities like a good walk or a short cycle can be experienced as journeys of a second kind.
It is also the case that, with the right mindset, travel by ‘planes, trains and automobiles’ can be elevated to this level.
Regardless of how you go, the essential ingredient is your own mind and how you approach the journey and manage your thoughts. Journeys of a second kind are special because of what they mean to us. This is the power we all share as people: we can convey meaning and significance to the places we visit and the way we pass through them. Think of the opening lines of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again” where the drive up to the old house is imbued with memory and emotion. This is what we do all the time.
For me, places like the Glengesh Pass in Donegal, the Hill of Tara and the Lower Road at the Strawberry Beds in Dublin are waypoints for my journeys of a second kind. I use these places, and many more besides, as transition zones for the spirit.
Instead of taking the quick road west, I linger along the Liffey to clear away stress and quite literally, alter my mood.
I have walked up the Hill of Tara, a short walk, and returned within the hour as a new person. Cycling Glengesh is a physical accomplishment, but it is also a transformative and mindful experience.
So how do we make the most of our travels and derive deeper pleasures from our movements?
The secret is to plan the ‘experience’ not just the trip. Normally, we are well-used to meticulous preparation for travel. We spend a lot of time selecting locations, deciding on the best accommodation and means to get there and back. We check prices, read the reviews, and build our expectations for the perfect ‘getaway’.
However, we often overlook the most important part of the plan, our feelings. Here's a typical scenario: it’s the beginning of a summer vacation, ‘it was meant to be perfect’ you say, ‘the taxi was due to meet me at the airport’ but now it’s ‘all gone wrong’. ‘They mixed up the booking!’ and ‘now I’m stuck on the train’. Contrast this with a meaningful travel approach, where you have decided to savour the journey as much as the destination. Your holiday begins when you leave home. From the moment you set out, you begin to unwind from the bustle of everyday life. ‘I’m on holiday’ you say and ‘there is no better feeling than to be on this wonderful journey’. Think of how much control and power you have from these positive thoughts.
You might have seen the Gaelic Chieftain Sculpture a few kilometres beyond Boyle on the N4. It features a giant figure on a horse, and it stands at a high point overlooking the road. When I travel north to Sligo or Donegal, I have a mantra ‘nothing passes the metal horseman’. This is my way of transitioning on the journey. Up to that point I may be ruminating on work, or matters to be resolved; however, the metal warrior is like a diligent customs official for worry. Nothing passes.
My journey continues and I have moved to a different place.
You will get the most out of journeys that are planned specifically for their meaning. Charlie Bird demonstrated this when he decided to climb Croagh Patrick and so many people all over the country joined him. When we participate in events like ‘Darkness Into Light’ it is the meaning of the journey that is significant. For each of us there are places that matter, places that have special associations that are somehow embedded in our minds. “I’d love to walk the beach at Mulranny”, “the drive from Leenane to Louisburg is special” and “give me fifteen minutes at Blackwater bridge”; we all have our favourites. Personally, I like to focus on a small reward at the end of a journey of a second kind. Tea tastes great when the journey’s over. It’s good to mark the completion and to savour the sense of accomplishment.
There are so many initiatives like ‘couch to 5k’ that focus on performance goals and fitness. I’m not so interested in that kind of motivation. In contrast, I relish the prospect of walking the full length of the Bull Wall, I long for a wander in the forest and to check in on my favourite tree and I crave the indulgence of a long-haul flight.
We are natural travellers. It seems to be part of our nature and it is certainly the case that travel alters the mind. This is not simply down to seeing new things and extending our horizons. It is the close connection between movement and our way of thinking. I used to think this was confined to the rhythm of walking, but I have come to realise it is broader than that. Not every journey can raise the spirits and be described as transformative and uplifting. Planning and reflection will filter the quality from the mundane. However, if you open your mind and tune in to what really matters, you will experience the wonderful power of journeys of a second kind. What’s stopping you?
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