The virtue of waiting

Picture a white sandy beach with a palm tree, with a swing, leaning towards the shore. As the swing gently sways in the breeze and the sunsets, streaks of colours fill the sky echoing Van Gogh's Stary Night. This is our bedroom view, but we're not there yet.

The process of waiting, in western society, has become something to avoid at all costs. It's regarded as such a nuisance that a single delay during your holiday can be a catastrophic and anxiety-inducing experience.

But no matter how people try to play it down, travelling – particularly long term — involves a great deal of waiting. First, the eagerly awaited departure, then the flight time, and, once you're there, it's the transport to other destinations, the pickups to the tours, activities and day trips.

In Asia, like in many parts of the world, points of interest are not just around the corner. Timetable might be more of a suggestion than a fact, and the lack of infrastructure — or even difficult terrain — can make a simple journey of 135km take more than 3 hours. Yet, these moments in between can present unique experiences; being given Lam-Yai (a fruit similar to Lychee) by a lovely Thai granny at a mini mart by the side of the road, while waiting for the bus to resume the journey, was one of them. 

And as I'm writing these words, awaiting the ferry transfer to take us to that sunset view, I relish on that knowledge.

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