Familiarity has a tendency to make our everyday experiences seem banal; a commute to work, a neighborhood park, a bag of chips… Actually, it’s difficult to imagine a bag of chips not seeming trite.
It’s only when we experience a dramatically unfamiliar place, and then return home that we are able to see with fresh eyes and a renewed appreciation.
Travel reanimates the mundane.
Aleksander Gamme, a Norwegian adventurer has hiked in the Sahara and climbed Mt Everest. In 2011, Aleksander undertook a 3 month solo trek to the South Pole.
Instead of carrying all his supplies there and back, he lightened his load. Every 200 kilometers he would bury some necessities for the return trip. The above video was taken on day 86 as he was closing in on the end of his journey. It has been nearly 3 months since he buried this final cache in the snow and he doesn’t remember what’s there.
Watch the above video to see the joy of rediscovery.
How has leaving your normal world made you re-experience the familiar in new ways?
“When did you shout last time you were so happy?” Aleksander Gamme
(A big thank you to RadioLab for introducing me to this video and providing some of the back story. To listen to the entire episode’s various manifestations of “Bliss”, click here.)
