Unmapped
When was the last time you got lost? Wandered so far you couldn’t find a way back. Not since the invention of GPS I suppose. Sure life has gotten so much better, we have all the advanced technology around us, which tells you what to do, turn by turn, step by step. But does it make you less of a human?
Let me share my recent story.
I was in central Wales. My travel style: pick random interesting points on the map and go there to explore. I found a cool looking photo of a water dam. Target locked, satnav configured, I took off.
The dam was massive — you could ride across it, around it. No people. Great views. The area is so wild… that there is no phone signal at all.
The route to the dam was fun: miles of small country roads heading north. Once I reached the dam, I wanted to continue north — coming back felt like a waste of time. Having no Internet, basically no map of the area, I set off wandering around. After 30 minutes of riding, and passing by the dam twice (not sure how it happened, but I managed to ride in circles), I finally found three bikers by the road.
They listened to my story, laughed at the “city boy” a bit, and gave directions to the nearest village. There I got a fresh breath of Internet, which I so desperately needed… but did I?
Since then, this thought has been buzzing in my head: who am I without the Internet, GPS, my phone in general? I wouldn’t even be able to get around the corner near my home — I’ve completely lost my sense of direction. But more importantly: maybe I want to get lost occasionally, find my way out, discover hidden gems off the beaten path. Ride around the city until I see a familiar road, and the puzzle pieces connect in my head.
It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Navigation takes a big chunk of our brain, we evolved chasing prey for miles until it collapsed from exhaustion… and then we had to find the way back! If I get away from home for a mile without a phone — that’s home now, I guess. We need to keep our brains trained — really looking around, noticing unique landmarks, building mental maps.
You know what? I’ll leave my phone at home, and just walk somewhere, and see what it brings. If I never write again, ignore this post – and please, don’t die the same way I did. :)
If you ever feel like reaching out — whether you have something to share, or just want to talk — I’d be happy to hear from you, stranger. This isn’t about followers. It’s about finding kindness and similar minded people in a loud world.