So it is 6am in the morning in Halifax, the second day home, and the surreality of it all (while striking) is slowly fading... Checked in at the office yesterday and dropped my stuff off at the old apartment last night. It really has ended, at least this wonderful 180-some days of the road. In so many ways it feels it all happened in a flash, but so much was done in the time allotted that I suppose I just have to think back to some random memories to feel comforted in the knowledge of a trip extremely well taken.
And while I wrap this blog up with a bit of whimper, the Oktoberfest celebrations of the final weekend ensured that the trip itself went out with a magnificent bang not to be forgotten. Like the rest of the trip's organization, it was an inspired idea that worked perhaps even better in practice than when I dreamed it all up those many months ago.
So, time to recharge - reconnect - relax - refill the bank account for the next adventures. For I have no doubt that there will be new ideas for travel just as bold and enjoyable in the time to come. After all, this was never about getting travel out of my system, but rather acknowledging that travel simply is my system. I would not want it otherwise.
See you out there, on the road.
Thursday, October 1
Thursday, September 24
Over the Bridge to Blue Skye
Packing again, although this time need to bring all the stuff from Tim's apartment as it is the last time through here for awhile. Mixed feelings about it all, as I suppose it is time to move on and yet returning home at the end of this trip cannot help but be a bit odd.
Spent a simply wonderful few days up in Scotland - hard not to be nostalgic about that place, serving as it did as the initial stomping ground for Euro travels 10 years ago. Gorgeous weather, and meeting up again with Karen from Iceland was sweet too. There was something appropriate in winding down this trip on the road with a new friend first met within these last 6 months. Skye was particularly gorgeous and I quite enjoyed the experience of driving on the "wrong side" of the road in the rental. No problems at all, although it was funny constantly reaching up over the left shoulder for a seat-belt that wasn't there. Old habits die hard. Photos of the northern tour here.
Off to make my way to Strasbourg to party with some European Court of Justice clerks, and then the big finale at Oktoberfest in favourite Munchen. Five sleeps until Halifax, and probably one last post from the computers under Marianplatz to make it an even 50 for the trip. My oh my.
Spent a simply wonderful few days up in Scotland - hard not to be nostalgic about that place, serving as it did as the initial stomping ground for Euro travels 10 years ago. Gorgeous weather, and meeting up again with Karen from Iceland was sweet too. There was something appropriate in winding down this trip on the road with a new friend first met within these last 6 months. Skye was particularly gorgeous and I quite enjoyed the experience of driving on the "wrong side" of the road in the rental. No problems at all, although it was funny constantly reaching up over the left shoulder for a seat-belt that wasn't there. Old habits die hard. Photos of the northern tour here.
Off to make my way to Strasbourg to party with some European Court of Justice clerks, and then the big finale at Oktoberfest in favourite Munchen. Five sleeps until Halifax, and probably one last post from the computers under Marianplatz to make it an even 50 for the trip. My oh my.
Wednesday, September 16
"We Must Obey the Time"
Hard on the return from Asia, it was off to Latvia to add yet one more country and a bit of random Russian-themed madness to this long voyage. It was only a brief weekend jaunt, but good right from the beginning, as I befriended a young Latvian/Russian girl by helping bring her 10 month old daughter aboard, and sat with her for the flight. Her recent life-story unique, but not atypical of the road. She met her British documentary film-maker husband at a nightclub in Riga a few years ago and sustained the relationship through Skype, culminating in a traditional Russian marriage and now the start of a young family. Quite classic.
Katja clearly wanted to ensure we made the most of our time in her country, suggesting that we join her and her family to a Russian bath and maybe even an expedition to pick mushrooms in the forest if it could be arranged. Unfortunately, the timing for our short visit did not work out, but it still made for a great flight as she entertained with some great stories about actually meeting Prince Charles (her father-in-law is one of his many gardeners) and such, and shared her traditional Russian sandwiches.
With such a start, the rest of the trip breezed along merrily, from the superb food to the dixieland music in the square on Friday (including a rendition of "Blueberry Hill" that had the Latvian couples dancing), live ammunition firing in an old Soviet bunker, experiments with Riga Black Balsam and Champagne on the Saturday night, and a lazy Sunday walking the Baltic seashore before a sunset cruise on the Daugava river and a return to London.
Photos of our Latvian excursion here. Hopefully this initial foray into the old U.S.S.R. serves as a precursor to a grander Silk Road trip from Moscow down through to Samarkanda and the 'Stans at some later date, as long ago imagined.
Now back in London, where I have been relaxing the past few days around Tim's apartment, sorting through the possessions of the backpack and resting up for Scotland, Strasbourg, and Munich to come. Nice bit of downtime, actually, just lounging about with nowhere important to go or nothing important to do but lie-in and reflect on what has been and what is to come.
Caught an excellent version of Othello last night just off Trafalgar Square, my first time seeing this superb Shakespearean play. Of course, the poetry is timeless, and when Othello mutters early on: "Come, Desdemona: I have but an hour Of love, of wordly matters and direction, To spend with thee: we must obey the time", I smiled at the thought of having "but two weeks" left in this adventure, a timeline that must also be obeyed.
So it always is - passing strange and wondrous pitiful, to quote the Moor again. And so tonight, more Champions League football drama over English pints, then another overnight Megabus trip back to Glasgow, walking along Edinburgh's familiar Royal Mile and unfamiliary Skye, back for a final farewell to London, then to Strasbourg to see Laura at the European Court and, finally, to meet up with Stransky for my second Oktoberfest, five years since Gartner and I there celebrated the success of our plans to that point.
Happy I am to be able to raise the litre Hofbrau and Lowenbrau steins in as celebratory a fashion this time around.
Katja clearly wanted to ensure we made the most of our time in her country, suggesting that we join her and her family to a Russian bath and maybe even an expedition to pick mushrooms in the forest if it could be arranged. Unfortunately, the timing for our short visit did not work out, but it still made for a great flight as she entertained with some great stories about actually meeting Prince Charles (her father-in-law is one of his many gardeners) and such, and shared her traditional Russian sandwiches.
With such a start, the rest of the trip breezed along merrily, from the superb food to the dixieland music in the square on Friday (including a rendition of "Blueberry Hill" that had the Latvian couples dancing), live ammunition firing in an old Soviet bunker, experiments with Riga Black Balsam and Champagne on the Saturday night, and a lazy Sunday walking the Baltic seashore before a sunset cruise on the Daugava river and a return to London.
Photos of our Latvian excursion here. Hopefully this initial foray into the old U.S.S.R. serves as a precursor to a grander Silk Road trip from Moscow down through to Samarkanda and the 'Stans at some later date, as long ago imagined.
Now back in London, where I have been relaxing the past few days around Tim's apartment, sorting through the possessions of the backpack and resting up for Scotland, Strasbourg, and Munich to come. Nice bit of downtime, actually, just lounging about with nowhere important to go or nothing important to do but lie-in and reflect on what has been and what is to come.
Caught an excellent version of Othello last night just off Trafalgar Square, my first time seeing this superb Shakespearean play. Of course, the poetry is timeless, and when Othello mutters early on: "Come, Desdemona: I have but an hour Of love, of wordly matters and direction, To spend with thee: we must obey the time", I smiled at the thought of having "but two weeks" left in this adventure, a timeline that must also be obeyed.
So it always is - passing strange and wondrous pitiful, to quote the Moor again. And so tonight, more Champions League football drama over English pints, then another overnight Megabus trip back to Glasgow, walking along Edinburgh's familiar Royal Mile and unfamiliary Skye, back for a final farewell to London, then to Strasbourg to see Laura at the European Court and, finally, to meet up with Stransky for my second Oktoberfest, five years since Gartner and I there celebrated the success of our plans to that point.
Happy I am to be able to raise the litre Hofbrau and Lowenbrau steins in as celebratory a fashion this time around.
Thursday, September 10
Yesterday
Just another typically glorious day in London, one of the best of the last few months. Slept in brilliantly after the exhausting yet relaxing 20 hours or so in transit from Serangoon Road, Singapore to Liverpool Road, London. Took the time upon waking to upload the latest photos of the journey from Tim's apartment, as follows:
From St. Paul's it is a short walk over my favourite Millenium Bridge and into the Globe theatre with my 5 pound groundling ticket for the matinee performance of Troilus and Cressida, my first exposure to this lesser known of Shakespeare's work. Exceptional acting from Pandarus and Cressida, and as always simply unwordly poetry from the Bard. Looking around at the captivated audience as the play neared its end it really hit me, how happy I always am to be back once again in wonderful London.
After the show, back over the Thames to triangular Blackfriars Pub for a pint to wait for Tim to get off work. We then hopped on the Tube up to Swiss Cottage to Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Pub for some classic English Fish & Chips before the match. We had purchased our tickets to sold-out Wembley for England v. Croatia two months ago from a hostel computer in Beijing, and it was great to join the 87,000 or so fans flocking to the new stadium for this match. An England win would secure the country a place at the World Cup in South Africa with two qualifying matches to spare, a fine achievement.
And win the boys did, comfortably, in a fabulous display of attacking football. A few pictures recording the evening and England's rout of Croatia here. All that was left to do was head home across town on the Metropolitan line, which we managed in about an hour despite the crowds, and call it a night.
Just beautiful. Yes, it may be hard to return to the office after days like these. But at the same time, the money budgeted for the trip is almost at its end, and just as every new day on the road holds its charms, it will be good, too, to see this trip as envisioned in early 2009 through to its inevitable conclusion. As Ulysses says to Hector in Troilus in different circumstances: "And that old common arbitrator, Time, Will one day end it." All good things must, I guess.
Plus, if anything, I do need time to rest and reflect, if only to plan and save for the next adventures. For these past few months have only confirmed once more my love for travel and exploration above all else.
As I knew they would, of course.
Shots from the wonderfully beautiful and ancient Isle of Java.After other random Internet surfing, I wandered out about noon to buy a BLT sandwich and bottle of water for the short double-decker bus ride down to St. Paul's, as well as The Independent. Some fine articles previewing the night's football matches, as well as other little gems such as Liz Hoggard's praise of gossip serving as the perfect way to lazily pass the time.
Evidence of good times in Singapore here.
From St. Paul's it is a short walk over my favourite Millenium Bridge and into the Globe theatre with my 5 pound groundling ticket for the matinee performance of Troilus and Cressida, my first exposure to this lesser known of Shakespeare's work. Exceptional acting from Pandarus and Cressida, and as always simply unwordly poetry from the Bard. Looking around at the captivated audience as the play neared its end it really hit me, how happy I always am to be back once again in wonderful London.
After the show, back over the Thames to triangular Blackfriars Pub for a pint to wait for Tim to get off work. We then hopped on the Tube up to Swiss Cottage to Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Pub for some classic English Fish & Chips before the match. We had purchased our tickets to sold-out Wembley for England v. Croatia two months ago from a hostel computer in Beijing, and it was great to join the 87,000 or so fans flocking to the new stadium for this match. An England win would secure the country a place at the World Cup in South Africa with two qualifying matches to spare, a fine achievement.
And win the boys did, comfortably, in a fabulous display of attacking football. A few pictures recording the evening and England's rout of Croatia here. All that was left to do was head home across town on the Metropolitan line, which we managed in about an hour despite the crowds, and call it a night.
Just beautiful. Yes, it may be hard to return to the office after days like these. But at the same time, the money budgeted for the trip is almost at its end, and just as every new day on the road holds its charms, it will be good, too, to see this trip as envisioned in early 2009 through to its inevitable conclusion. As Ulysses says to Hector in Troilus in different circumstances: "And that old common arbitrator, Time, Will one day end it." All good things must, I guess.
Plus, if anything, I do need time to rest and reflect, if only to plan and save for the next adventures. For these past few months have only confirmed once more my love for travel and exploration above all else.
As I knew they would, of course.
Monday, September 7
That Singapore Flavour
I do feel like I should sign off from Asia, here at 5:44AM at the Hive hostel and trying to pull the all-nighter after some (legit) kareoke with Das and friends before the early Emirates flight all the way "home" to Londontown in a few hours.
Checked in to the flight and ready. Tonight's random microbrew merriment was really a nice capper. I had a whole post in my head about Java and Brodobudur, as I have those pictures long loaded, but never quite sat down to record it. Something about the magic of sitting in those places of historical craziness, knowing there were others, perhaps like you, long lost, and knowing how little easy it is to trace the line back to those munificent creators of spectacle. And how lucky we are that at least some of their endeavour survived the ages for our viewing pleasure. A solid article on some of these points is here.
And then Singapore. What to say? Pictures on the imminent return, obviously. Sunil and Daselin were two exchange students who we welcomed to the Domus Legis with open arms back in 2002-2003, and I still remember the firmness with which I insisted to Mr. Sudheesan that I would someday visit him in his home country, over our last Cuban cigar as the sun rose one Haligonian Spring morning. So, and eerily like with Mr. Yardimci in Istanbul, it took awhile but it was well worth it and the foreign host again lacked for nothing. Though it must be said (and she applauded) that it was Ms. Ang who made sure to call me out to ensure the last night in Asia was a good one, with the liar's dice and songs at the end.
Great to see these fellow lawyers in action, to trade stories and give them ideas for travel as much as they slowly help start my internal preparations for the inevitable return. Three weeks today. Still too much to contemplate, especially when the afternoon is spent on such touristic activities as sipping a much over-priced Singapore Sling at Raffles (the site of its invention, of course). But at least the process has begun.
And so, Asia. As I said above, what to say? "Let's do it, and do it, and do it, and do it, and do it.... again" as the song goes. I hope so. And really, how many days over the past 5 months have I thought, that tonight's going to be a good night? Yes. "And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass."
Truly, how can any of the next 21 eves disappoint, given this run? I suppose it is the firm task of the remainder to make sure they do not. It may just be a tired mind speaking, but it seems a terribly easy task at that.
OK. Go get your backpack, McMahon. On y va.
Checked in to the flight and ready. Tonight's random microbrew merriment was really a nice capper. I had a whole post in my head about Java and Brodobudur, as I have those pictures long loaded, but never quite sat down to record it. Something about the magic of sitting in those places of historical craziness, knowing there were others, perhaps like you, long lost, and knowing how little easy it is to trace the line back to those munificent creators of spectacle. And how lucky we are that at least some of their endeavour survived the ages for our viewing pleasure. A solid article on some of these points is here.
And then Singapore. What to say? Pictures on the imminent return, obviously. Sunil and Daselin were two exchange students who we welcomed to the Domus Legis with open arms back in 2002-2003, and I still remember the firmness with which I insisted to Mr. Sudheesan that I would someday visit him in his home country, over our last Cuban cigar as the sun rose one Haligonian Spring morning. So, and eerily like with Mr. Yardimci in Istanbul, it took awhile but it was well worth it and the foreign host again lacked for nothing. Though it must be said (and she applauded) that it was Ms. Ang who made sure to call me out to ensure the last night in Asia was a good one, with the liar's dice and songs at the end.
Great to see these fellow lawyers in action, to trade stories and give them ideas for travel as much as they slowly help start my internal preparations for the inevitable return. Three weeks today. Still too much to contemplate, especially when the afternoon is spent on such touristic activities as sipping a much over-priced Singapore Sling at Raffles (the site of its invention, of course). But at least the process has begun.
And so, Asia. As I said above, what to say? "Let's do it, and do it, and do it, and do it, and do it.... again" as the song goes. I hope so. And really, how many days over the past 5 months have I thought, that tonight's going to be a good night? Yes. "And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass."
Truly, how can any of the next 21 eves disappoint, given this run? I suppose it is the firm task of the remainder to make sure they do not. It may just be a tired mind speaking, but it seems a terribly easy task at that.
OK. Go get your backpack, McMahon. On y va.
Wednesday, September 2
"We Have the Tolerance"
Slow day relaxing here in Yogyakarta - "Jogja" as it is otherwise affectionately known - in between an excellent hike around volcanic Mt. Bromo yesterday and visit to Brodobudur tomorrow. Not many days left on this continent now before the flight "home" to London on the 8th, and so lots to reflect on since my first arrival in Asia back in Beijing two months or so and four countries ago.
Took a little wander down to the Sultan's Palace around noon, and once again no need to look far to find examples of the extraordinary friendliness of the Indonesians. A guy walking along begins talking, explaining he is on his way to visit his sister in the hospital who has just had her first baby. He is eager to practice his English and welcome me to his city. "Obama!" he exclaims as I say I am from Canada, hilariously, clearly proud of the connection the new President has to his country and sparking a quick discussion on Canada as a separate country. He points to the scraggly 10-day growth of facial hair and asks if I am Muslim, and so we talk briefly of Ramadan and the like. He also warns me off a visit to the city's bird market, as apparently a few tourists have caught some strain of bird flu there recently. Good to know.
We depart at the Sultan's Palace, where I wish this new Indonesian uncle well and then buy the cheap ticket (50 cents or so) to the site that includes a free guide. Great guy for the brief tour, I especially liked how he made a point of pointing out errors made by the Lonely Planet on the city, and how the government has emailed them requesting corrections.
Interesting to learn that the ceremonial head of government for this province is still the Sultan. The current one is the first to have only one wife ("no harem") and also no sons for succession (the five daughters do not qualify). The proper order of succession means that the Sultan's younger brother should next fill the post, but the "gossip" in the city (says the guide with a conspiratorial smile) is that he is trying to fix it for his grandson. Ah, palace intrigue.
Most fascinating was the guide's off-hand comments on the role of religion in Jogja and around - the temple itself has a blend of buddhist and hindu influences despite the dominant role of the Muslim faith. "We have 5 religions in Yogyakarta - Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, and Protestant. Muslim is the majority, but for others it is no problem because we have the tolerance." Would it were that way everywhere, my friend. From what I have seen in Indonesia, it certainly seems a wonderfully open, safe, and cosmopolitan place.
After the tour, the guide helpfully placed me in a local "becak" for a ride up to an art gallery to look at some of the local batik paintings, followed by a slow walk back up Malioboro, the main drag. So often in these rambles I wish I could just unabashedly take pictures of sights and people, so different from home and always triggering so much to ponder.
I see a used bookstore, pop inside to buy a cheap science fiction novel for the road, and sit down to write this post at the internet cafe across the street... and then...
The room starts shaking. It is subtle and confusing at first, but there are the paintings on the walls, hung by string, moving back and forth. There is a strange sensation that the floor, too, is moving, tilting forward and back slightly, somehow. My head begins to feel a bit nautious. And suddenly it hits me that we're experiencing a very minor earthquake.
It only lasted for moment, and seemed very slight overall, but it was noticeable all the same. When it finished, the guy across the street who runs the used bookstore comes out of his shop into the road opposite the internet cafe. "Earthquake," he says, smiling at me. My first, I respond, to his laughter.
And just one more experience to add to this wonderfully crazy trip.
UPDATE: Apparently the quake was larger than I imagined, magnitude 7 on the Richter scale according to various reports. So I wasn't just imagining things.
Took a little wander down to the Sultan's Palace around noon, and once again no need to look far to find examples of the extraordinary friendliness of the Indonesians. A guy walking along begins talking, explaining he is on his way to visit his sister in the hospital who has just had her first baby. He is eager to practice his English and welcome me to his city. "Obama!" he exclaims as I say I am from Canada, hilariously, clearly proud of the connection the new President has to his country and sparking a quick discussion on Canada as a separate country. He points to the scraggly 10-day growth of facial hair and asks if I am Muslim, and so we talk briefly of Ramadan and the like. He also warns me off a visit to the city's bird market, as apparently a few tourists have caught some strain of bird flu there recently. Good to know.
We depart at the Sultan's Palace, where I wish this new Indonesian uncle well and then buy the cheap ticket (50 cents or so) to the site that includes a free guide. Great guy for the brief tour, I especially liked how he made a point of pointing out errors made by the Lonely Planet on the city, and how the government has emailed them requesting corrections.
Interesting to learn that the ceremonial head of government for this province is still the Sultan. The current one is the first to have only one wife ("no harem") and also no sons for succession (the five daughters do not qualify). The proper order of succession means that the Sultan's younger brother should next fill the post, but the "gossip" in the city (says the guide with a conspiratorial smile) is that he is trying to fix it for his grandson. Ah, palace intrigue.
Most fascinating was the guide's off-hand comments on the role of religion in Jogja and around - the temple itself has a blend of buddhist and hindu influences despite the dominant role of the Muslim faith. "We have 5 religions in Yogyakarta - Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, and Protestant. Muslim is the majority, but for others it is no problem because we have the tolerance." Would it were that way everywhere, my friend. From what I have seen in Indonesia, it certainly seems a wonderfully open, safe, and cosmopolitan place.
After the tour, the guide helpfully placed me in a local "becak" for a ride up to an art gallery to look at some of the local batik paintings, followed by a slow walk back up Malioboro, the main drag. So often in these rambles I wish I could just unabashedly take pictures of sights and people, so different from home and always triggering so much to ponder.
I see a used bookstore, pop inside to buy a cheap science fiction novel for the road, and sit down to write this post at the internet cafe across the street... and then...
The room starts shaking. It is subtle and confusing at first, but there are the paintings on the walls, hung by string, moving back and forth. There is a strange sensation that the floor, too, is moving, tilting forward and back slightly, somehow. My head begins to feel a bit nautious. And suddenly it hits me that we're experiencing a very minor earthquake.
It only lasted for moment, and seemed very slight overall, but it was noticeable all the same. When it finished, the guy across the street who runs the used bookstore comes out of his shop into the road opposite the internet cafe. "Earthquake," he says, smiling at me. My first, I respond, to his laughter.
And just one more experience to add to this wonderfully crazy trip.
UPDATE: Apparently the quake was larger than I imagined, magnitude 7 on the Richter scale according to various reports. So I wasn't just imagining things.
Friday, August 28
Freedom in One's Mode of Living
Marked the 5 month anniversary of the departure from the office two days ago with a dive off Gili Trawangan, the largest of the Gili islands near Lombok. The Indonesians are extraordinarily friendly folk, and I have really been enjoying a fun-filled week in Bali (Kuta) followed by the Gilis with Homi, a traveling buddy from D.C. first met last month in Yangshuo, China. Local Bintang brew, sunsets, hilariously absurd pubs and clubbing, and lots of laughs all the way through - great we ended up coordinating a subsequent meeting point. Some of the photographic evidence of the good times posted here. We will always have kareoke in Sengiggi, which has to be experienced to be understood.
Also have finally posted the Angkor pictures - link here. Difficult narrowing it down and finding the time and internet connection for the upload, but happy to be able to do so while on the road. After 150 days (has it been that long?), getting such stuff done while the memories are still fresh is a nice feeling in between the motorbike rides, hiking up mountain summits, the beach swimming/wandering and general reading and relaxation that occupies these days.
Headed back to Kuta on Bali momentarily by the slow ferry. Going to see about possibly one more dive and how to get to Java in time to do the ancient Hindu temple at Borobudur justice. The destinations for the next monht of T.F.I. Fridays - Singapore on the 4th, Riga in Latvia on the 11th, Edinburgh on the 18th, and Strasbourg on the 25th - strikes me as pretty random and funny, in keeping with the overall trip. One month left, and so to make the most of it...
Also, finished War and Peace, finally, and it was and is a fantastic read. Have already found myself muttering "Tolstoy " under my breath when confronted with various free will/necessity (i.e. determinism) moments, or the shocking recent history of places like Cambodia. Massive, in the truest sense. The title of this post is from one part in which Bezukhov discovers for himself that all he needs for happiness is a lack of suffering, satisfaction of elementary needs, and freedom so defined. One other quote of many (from the Epilogue) helps to sum up T.'s main theme: "The higher the human intellect soars in the discovery of possible purposes, the more obvious it becomes that the ultimate purpose is beyond our comprehension."
Amen brother. And onward.
Also have finally posted the Angkor pictures - link here. Difficult narrowing it down and finding the time and internet connection for the upload, but happy to be able to do so while on the road. After 150 days (has it been that long?), getting such stuff done while the memories are still fresh is a nice feeling in between the motorbike rides, hiking up mountain summits, the beach swimming/wandering and general reading and relaxation that occupies these days.
Headed back to Kuta on Bali momentarily by the slow ferry. Going to see about possibly one more dive and how to get to Java in time to do the ancient Hindu temple at Borobudur justice. The destinations for the next monht of T.F.I. Fridays - Singapore on the 4th, Riga in Latvia on the 11th, Edinburgh on the 18th, and Strasbourg on the 25th - strikes me as pretty random and funny, in keeping with the overall trip. One month left, and so to make the most of it...
Also, finished War and Peace, finally, and it was and is a fantastic read. Have already found myself muttering "Tolstoy " under my breath when confronted with various free will/necessity (i.e. determinism) moments, or the shocking recent history of places like Cambodia. Massive, in the truest sense. The title of this post is from one part in which Bezukhov discovers for himself that all he needs for happiness is a lack of suffering, satisfaction of elementary needs, and freedom so defined. One other quote of many (from the Epilogue) helps to sum up T.'s main theme: "The higher the human intellect soars in the discovery of possible purposes, the more obvious it becomes that the ultimate purpose is beyond our comprehension."
Amen brother. And onward.
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