Travel is essential to the human experience. Pandemics and government edicts don’t change this. Travel historically involved substantial cost and risk, but became commoditised and superficial. Travel during Covid requires a different kind of engagement. We must take it more seriously when we get our freedom back — travel is a part of our evolutionary process. — For much of the past year, governments have advised against “non-essential travel” in the light of the ongoing global health crisis. Whilst this is of course good and necessary specific advice, I believe that travel on the whole is by definition essential, a part of the modern hierarchy of needs.

A journey through Italy as it recovers from coronavirus, discovering surprising truths about the nature of travel, homeland and redemption. — Fly, my thoughts, on wings of gold; go settle upon the slopes and the hills, where, soft and mild, the sweet airs of my native land smell fragrant! Greet the banks of the Jordan and Zion’s toppled towers. Oh, my homeland, so lovely and so lost! …

Become content through working towards objectives that are broadly within your control; it beats chasing happiness through goals that rely on too many external factors — It’s only taken 18 years to work this out — essentially an entire cycle of development, from being born into the world of work to finally attaining majority at 40, and having the maturity and experience to grasp the truth. …

Why people can’t get their heads round Hannah being with Shane — and why Hannah should be nicer about that. This is probably going to be a very un-PC first attempt at a Medium posting. You have been warned. Get used to it. I’m going to try and articulate some…