George Bowling, the protagonist in George Orwell’s Coming Up For Air, looks back on his youth with a fetishized false reality, my interpretation is that this is partly due to the realistion that he succumbed to the western capitalist ideology that life has certain parameters and rules that one must abide by in order to compete (i.e career, house, family). This results in the majority of his existence being lost to repetition and mundanity, memories of his youth representing, to him, when he was free.
The trip to Budapest was taken entirely by train: Manchester – London, London – Brussels, Brussels – Frankfurt, Frankfurt – Munich, Munich – Budapest.
Personally the decision to travel by train provided an important time to reflect on the pace in which I conduct my life and the importance of slowing down as well and not being so reliant on comfortable/familiar modes and practices. Being out of my comfort zone for such an extended period provided space and time for discussion, development of ideas and presented a great opportunity for the delegates to establish relationships using the journey as a way to find out about each of our practices. All of which added to the trip being so personally beneficial, a reminder of steps that can be taken in order to not make the same mistake as George Bowling.
An audio piece inspired by these thoughts can be heard here.
