The focus for this blog was going to be travel – places that I would love to visit in the future, and books that have influenced my choices to some extent. It still does touch upon this, but as I started writing it, it has also become a bit of a reflection on the last year.
The beginning of last year saw some big changes. Up until recently I would have said that, over a year on, I’m a different person now to who I was then, however now I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m more or less the same person, but more aware of who I am and what I want out of life. I’ve met some amazing people, strengthened long standing friendships, achieved things I never thought possible and had some great times. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some not so great times…things haven’t always worked out how I would have liked them to, there are people who are unfortunately no longer in my life for lots of different reasons, and there are times when I wish I could go back and do things differently. However, in actual fact, there is very little that I would change about the last year – I remain ever the optimist (most of the time!) and actually the people that I’ve met in the past year, and the people who have always been there, have built my confidence and made me feel that I can do anything I want to do. Which brings me on to the actual focus of this blog…
I had always been resigned to the fact that I would never
do the whole travelling thing, and that it wasn’t really ‘me’, but over the
last few months it’s all I can think about. I guess you could say I’m feeling a
bit restless, and want to see more of the world. Books that I have read have fed into these thoughts, and I’ve started
some planning to try and bring these thoughts to some kind of reality.
The books that I have chosen to focus on are Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, and The Beach by Alex Garland.
“If
you could be happy, really happy, for just a while, but you knew from the start
it would end in sadness, and bring pain afterwards, would you choose to have
that happiness or would you avoid it?”Gregory David Roberts
This is one of the most inspirational books I have ever
read, definitely a must read for book lovers. It is based on true events and
experiences of the author, Gregory David Roberts, who, after escaping from an
Australian prison where he was serving time for armed robbery and drug related
offences, travelled to India and spent a number of years living in Bombay. At
nearly 1000 pages long, it is a bit of a heavy read, but I promise it is worth
it. Roberts’ prose and narrative is captivating, at times a fast paced
thriller, while other times providing a vivid and detailed description of
India’s surroundings, culture and people, injecting humour and wit where
appropriate. It is clear to the reader that Roberts has a great deal of love
and respect for Bombay and its people, particularly when recalling the poverty
and social injustices that he witnessed during his time there. This is further
illustrated by his friendship with Prabaker, who is somewhat of a sidekick
during the first half of the book, his humour and outlook on life provides some
light relief on times, while other times breaking your heart.
I don’t want to give away too much detail, but just to give
you a bit of a flavour of what to expect; during his time in Bombay, Roberts lived in a slum, fell in love, and became involved in the Bombay criminal
underworld. Before reading this, I read numerous book reviews; most were really
positive, however some readers felt that at time Roberts came across as a bit
self-righteous and “holier than thou”. After having read the book, I did pick
up on elements of this, but not enough that it spoilt the reading experience…and
actually, given his vast life experiences I kind of feel as though he should be
forgiven for it!
The quote I’ve used above is my favourite from the book; my
answer to this was easy, I would always choose happiness, no matter how
fleeting. Nothing lasts forever, why not enjoy something for what it is, for as
long as it lasts.
“Escape
through travel works…By the time the plane was airborne I’d forgotten England
even existed."Alex Garland
I first read The Beach when I was 16; I’ll be honest, the
reason for me reading it was because the film starring Leonardo Dicaprio was
due to be released, and I have this rule that I have to read the book before
watching the adaptation. Had it not been for this, it may not have been a book I
would have chosen at that time.
The Beach tells the tale of Richard, a British man in his
twenties, who embarks on a backpacking trip to Thailand in an attempt to seek
fulfilment and leave behind the trappings of Western culture. During his time
in Bangkok, Richard hears of a nearby island, referred to as a ‘hidden
paradise’. When a map leading to the island finds its way into Richard’s
possession, both Richard and a travelling couple he meets in Bangkok, head off
in search of this paradise. Upon discovering the island and a small community of people
that have set up home there, Richard and his travelling companions appear to
settle relatively quickly into the island's way of life, particularly Richard
who initially becomes highly regarded among his peers.
However, even though the beach community may seem to be paradise on the surface, looks can be deceiving and it soon becomes apparent that there is a darker, more sinister undercurrent; complex relationships develop, tensions build, and Garland clearly conveys the negative impact that complete isolation from the rest of the world can have, particularly in Richard’s case, where he appears to lose all sense of reality. The Beach demonstrates that even in the smallest communities, individuals can be working towards different agendas, particularly when there is a perceived threat and survival instinct kicks in, and that even the strongest relationships can become fragmented.
However, even though the beach community may seem to be paradise on the surface, looks can be deceiving and it soon becomes apparent that there is a darker, more sinister undercurrent; complex relationships develop, tensions build, and Garland clearly conveys the negative impact that complete isolation from the rest of the world can have, particularly in Richard’s case, where he appears to lose all sense of reality. The Beach demonstrates that even in the smallest communities, individuals can be working towards different agendas, particularly when there is a perceived threat and survival instinct kicks in, and that even the strongest relationships can become fragmented.
The Beach is one of those great books that you can’t put
down; Garland’s detailed descriptions of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok
provide a stark contrast to the picture he paints of the idyllic surroundings at
the island. I felt as though I was transported to Thailand, and experiencing it
first hand with Richard. Upon reading it for a second time more recently, I found the way that Garland presented the ideal that we so often have of "escaping" our everyday lives to be a thought provoking one; perhaps for a short time escape is possible, but no matter where we go, or how far we travel, we can't escape from ourselves.
If you had told 16 year old Gemma, reading The Beach for the first time, that she would one day be contemplating taking a similar trip to Richard (sinister island aside hopefully!), she would never have thought it possible. My travel plans are
now in full swing and, all going as planned, I will be heading off in April 2017…
I am sure there will be a blog!
To end with one of my favourite quotes, and something I have definitely come to appreciate more within the last year…"Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." John Lennon.
To end with one of my favourite quotes, and something I have definitely come to appreciate more within the last year…"Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." John Lennon.
