Traveling: Into The Wild

There are different types of travelers, among them:


1) The We-rather-stay-at-a-resort-than-getting-to-know-the-local-people-ones. They go on vacation, simply to eat, drink and sleep all day. Mostly, these people do not even leave the hotel area and I actually don't understand why they drive or fly far away just to relax at the pool or the beach because there are a lot of beautiful lakes in Austria where you can sleep all day.

2) The crazy sightseeing city-tourers. These people love museums, art galleries, old towns, walls, cathedrals and so on. At least they are interested in the history and culture of the country they visit.

3) The travelers. They go by bike, they hitchhike or rent a car to explore the whole country. They travel alone or with a partner and try to absorb the culture and the landscape. My prefered way of traveling.

4) The survivor. Who needs friends? Who needs family or any other social bonds? This type of traveler seeks for adventure that never ends. I have to say that it sometimes is an attracting thought to just live in the nature and distance from everyday life and routine, to show that you can survive without a smartphone, a laptop, money, a roof above one's head and other luxury. On the one hand, this way of traveling is incredibly interesting, on the other, simply stupid.





I recently watched a movie based on a true story, the story of Christopher McCandless, a true survivor. The film is called Into The Wild. Christopher was an intelligent young man who decided to leave everything behind him after his graduation. He went away and eventually ended up in the Alaskan wilderness, seeking to survive.
I don't want to tell you much about the plot, the inspiring people he met or the deep sadness of his family when he went away without saying a word. I want you and myself to understand his decision to donate his money, take his gear and set out into the wild. He had everything, from a caring family to great friends, even good grades and therefore opportunities for a reasonable future profession. The reason for his adventure was that he was sick of people, of rules, of capitalism and everything that comes with communities and social relationships. Going to extremes, he decided to live where he was sure to find the complete opposite situation than the one at home. In the Alaskan wilderness he had no one but himself and was content at first. That is what he always wanted: Living on his own, proving himself that he can survive, no one to argue with, no one to love and hurt him.
After months Christopher discovered that there is no one to laugh with either, no one to help, no one to talk with, no one who can see him surviving and be proud of him. He made the decision to go back home but the river he crossed in fall, is now way too big and raging to swim through it. He was stuck.

Although life in a community based on capitalism is harsh, everyone, without an exception, needs contact with another person at some point in their life. What is a joke worth when you are the only one who laughs? Why should you even laugh when there is no one to see and hear that you are happy? And eventually: Can you be happy when you are alone?
I don't think so.