Travel - a tonic that renews
In life, some weeks feel more distressing than others. This is when it helps to reflect on the goodness that exists, as it is too easy to be swept into others' swamps of negativity.
Travel is an excellent tonic. It reminds us that our place on the planet is small and our self-importance is usually inflated.
It is also an opportunity to see nature in all its grandeur. During the last month we have witnessed the beauty of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam and the grandeur of the rock-strewn mountains of Wales. Though foggy, the summit of Mount Snowdon in Snowdonia was invigorating and humbling. As they say on their sign - it was a little nearer to
heaven.
Every day in the United Kingdom, you stumble upon gardens filled with colour and insects that make you want to skip and dance.
You find signs in random places that make you pause and consider, as well as statues that reflect kindness and love, like the one in Kiftsgate Court Gardens by Simon Verity.
Vietnam reminds you that there is little time to indulge in Western psychobabble because life is too busy working and walking and zipping through the crowded streets on motorbikes.
But Vietnam is also a country where you find the greatest peace. You can visit temples situated in the depths of Earth's caves where worship is focused on thankfulness.
Life is relatively short in the scheme of the world. Choosing to embrace the best of it even when times are tough is a better tonic than breeding hatred and vindictiveness. Thank goodness for the tonic of travel.