Cruising - running away from yourself to look for something you already have?

[parito]

I have recently had a debate with my mate - he was questioning the whole idea of cruising for years, which i am so passionate about. For me it seems that after cruising for 5-6 years, i would come back a different person. I would meet so many different people, cultures, and maybe i could answer The Question - what is my meaning here, on earth
He argues however, that you don't have to travel somewhere far to distant lands to look for it - so we have everything right here and now, and we don't need blue water and remote islands to seek answers.
What was your experience? I would love to hear it
Did you find The Answer?

[canucksailor]

oh my - what an interesting question. My take on this is that cruising generally takes you far from what is your 'norm' - so you end up having to rethink what your life is. As well, a lot of us go cruising to do exactly that, so we're inclined to do the rethinking anyway.
I think that change is often the required catalyst we need to answer the questions that we face. We don't HAVE to have change, but change facilitates finding the answers, by forcing you to reframe the questions and look at your life from a different perspective. I think it would take a very different sort of person to find the answers s/he seeks without making some major 'lifestyle' changes.
I still don't know the 'why', the 'ultimate' reason for my being here on this earth - nor do I expect to, and I'm ok with that. But I am happier, out here, than I was, back there.
That's enough for me.

[deepstar]

I think you will as you correctly say "many different people, cultures " etc..... and you will be changed for the experience.

However if you return (even after 5 years) to your old house/friends/family/original problems - these will not have gone away - but still will require dealing with. Some issues will have faded, whilst others possibly may have festered and become worse.

The issue of "why travel when we have it all here" - is due (I am guessing that you are US based) to your own country being to large/varied offering vast opportunities for cultural/climate and to a degree historical opportunities. It also is "your country" one where you feel safe, protected - know how the legal/medical/language/banking/financial system works; Once you pass through that immigration control - the whole game changes.

After having been away from my home country for 25 years - I am both saddened and amazed that some people seem to still be living the same life as they did 25 years ago back in my home town..... But each to their own. My few remaining friends are amazed that I do not want to come back - I am horrified they do not want to move on/escape !

I personally would say - "Go - travel" if you do not like it "Turn around" - but at least you would have tried, and who knows you probably will have a great time in the process.

As for finding the answer ? ..... I'm sure it is just over the horizon..... and I intend to keep looking.

[sww914]

I'm running.
I'm not running away from the law, debt, or any social obligations.
I'm running away from the fake life that we're supposed to buy into.
I'm running towards reality. I want my real life.

[meyermm]

Cruising slows you down and gives you time to think without day to day set agenda. Even if ultimately you decide cruising is not for you no doubt you will have a better idea of where you want your life to go. What is important and what no longer seems important. My guess is your mate is not comfortable with the idea of not having a fixed land base. Some people never want to travel even by plane or ship, not sure why, insecurity maybe.

[daddle]

If you want to go, just go. Skip the analysis. Skip the philosophy.

(The answer is 42. But what's your Question?)

[Doodles]

I would say you are both correct. You don't have to go anywhere the answers are already inside. As someone said ... "the mind is the final frontier."

But cruising the world will definitely change you no doubt. How? Who knows ... probably not the way you think it will though.

[anjou]

Lots of people escape a shitty life in various ways. You dont have to run away to sea for that.
I do agree with being fed up living in a fake society where we have our priorities all wrong. Your not alone, many wish to escape from that. New age hippies, Kibbutzers, drop outs etc, all wish a more self sufficient life so they dont have to rub shoulders with the 'bad' society

As for wishing to go cruising to then return with a new perspective, you dont have to cruise, although its perferable to redundancy, divorce, severe illness and narcotics.

Where ever you go, you always take 'you' with you. So if the problems are part of 'you', your not going to escape them. Sure the outside world has an influence on who we are, but work on fixing the inner you before you move on.

Have a nice day

Dr Amy x

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by parito

He argues however, that you don't have to travel somewhere far to distant lands to look for it -

A quick look at an Atlas would suggest the US, Europe or Oz have sufficient coast to last a life time exploring, perhaps he has a valid point.

Good question through

Pete

[conachair]

Originally Posted by parito

Did you find The Answer?

Deep.

The answer is there is no answer. We're all different people from one millisecond to the next, just a matter of degrees.
Though I've never tired of travelling, on one level it continually makes you chip away at those deeply seated ideas which mold your view of reality. And in the rich west we are manipulated by the best there's ever been.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Got to remember that life (and people) ashore / "Home" do also move on with life, even if they remain physically in the same place. As the years go by relationships change, and fade away..........easy to come back and discover that your old life has dissapeared - even if it looks the same, and many of the same people are still there.

[captainKJ]

what is wrong with looking for new sandy beaches, and new people,,,,,nothing like little culture to enhance the mind, body and soul...many people do this and then come back to the US,,,also many people find a new place that they want to call home,,,nothing wrong with traveling and seeing how other parts of the world live,,if you are thinking of doing it it will you regret NOT doing it in 10 years,,,give it a shot,,,if it does not work out you can always come back,buy a new house and get a new job and get anotehr car,,,you CAN NOT get another life,,,do it while you can and are able to too, as for you partner say "that you don't have to travel somewhere far to distant lands to look for it" he is wrong,,,you can get more of an education meeting different people and cultures that alone is worth it,,,,,,ask yourself why do people take a vacation to a diferent country,answer to see something they can not see at home,,,when was the last time you had a whole island to yourself in the saouth pacific????most peple never will, I have and it was great,,,, no stress, no phone, no internet,,,just enjoying each other and the natural scenery,,,,have you ever been in the ocean blue with 200 dolphins with NO one else around,just the sound of the wind and the dolphins,,,,try to get that on land,,only in a movie,,,I have swum with wild dolphins,,have seen sunsets that would blow your mind,,,seen whales feeding all in the wild,,,,go live it or go to a movie,,,,you will not regret see it in the wild,,,,On another note when I buy my next boat if your honey does not want to go you can come with me (flirt flirt flirt)

[rgrdgr]

i do know the answers to some of those questions ,they are instilled every one of us.but most rebel vehemently against those answers.

[mjwarner]

I cruise because I enjoy it. Will it make you a different person? Yes! Anything new that one experiences has the capacity to change us. Will it give you answers? To what? It's not some metaphysical magical wonder out there. It's life, and people, and cultures that are seen, lived and rated against what we knew. I think the biggest change for most people is that the general rut of living in the same house, going to the same job, seeing and existing around the same people, day-in-day-out is all removed. Each day is fresh, and waiting for discovery when one cruises. Most folks don't feel that way about shore life.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by parito

I would come back a different person.

Who?

Who will you be?

I am Mark.

Before I went cruising I was Mark. I am still Mark I was always Mark during the cruise.

I am not a better man for having done a circumnavigation. I still have all the faults I had before. I still hate idiots. I still can't abide ratbags. I still get into heated discussions when someone at the bar says something totally stupid.

I am still as weak and pathetic as before I left home.

You are what you have made yourself NOW. A few years at sea will not change you. If you are honest now, you will be honest in 5 years time even if put to begging in the streets of Calcutta.

Sailing is no escape from the hideous you.

So, be a better 'you' now. And when you cruise off into the sunset you will be able to enjoy cruising for what it is. And also you may have had a chance to get comfortable with yourself before you go


Mark <----- the same Mark that set off 3 years ago. But I have more grey hair!