Mongol Rally, Day 24: Lure of the open road

“I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it is full.”

--Lord Dunsany

I like to call myself a reformed desk dweller. Life used to be spent behind a slab of wood. My spirit was yearning for more. Much more.

My adventure across the vastness of one-thirdof the world’s surface is another small way of reminding myself of what the world has to offer. By swapping my desk for a life of adventure I wanted to make a statement. I wanted to live outside the box. I wanted to live freely. I wanted to do it my way.

Well, doing it my way brings with it some interesting sideshows, particularly during this 10,000-mile car rally. I get to stay in Stalinist era hotels. I reflect on life whilst sitting in traffic jams due to the grazing habits of stray cows. I meet inspiring people who show me that my way is not always the only way. I get stuck at border crossings for hours on end and learn that waiting in line for a Starbucks isn’t so bad after all. I get to live outside the box.

I always wanted to see the world. I always wanted to be a part of the fabric of humanity. Sitting behind a desk, wasn’t for me. Sitting behind a cow jam may not be for you. But what I know for sure is that as I inch towards Mongolia, I am exactly where I want to be. Free.