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September 05, 2003

The Urban Wanderer

I'm just about to leave for my two week solo backpacking trip and I'm almost done preparing. I've got two weeks of food and 3 good books to read, not to mention a journal to fill. But before I leave I wanted to share an idea I had a couple weeks ago that has me quite taken. I mentioned that I wanted to get into writing.... to become a writer. Well, I've had an idea that I think is quite good, if not a bit crazy. Did I mention it was crazy?

The book's current title is, "The Urban Wanderer." It is broken up into 3 concepts. The first is more of a large introduction going over the following.

Most people do not seem happy with their jobs or their lives. They've followed a path that was recommended to them by society and it has left them feeling empty with a life that is mediocre at best. In modern history there have been some that, finding themselves in the same place, did something about it. They eliminated all responsibility and went wandering. There are two types of wanderers, the nature wanderer, like John Muir or Chris McCandless, and the Urban Wanderer like Jack Kerouac. This book will focus on the Urban Wanderer. Most books about wanderers are read as fiction, even though they are true. People see them as entertainment, but not something that THEY could possible conceive of doing themselves. They might dream of what it might be like, but it just wouldn't be possible, at least not with all of these THINGS to take care of. The final part of the introduction is an argument why the average person might consider wandering an option. If a person finds themselves stuck in an unsatisfying life, with no apparent way out, wandering COULD and SHOULD be an option.

The second part of the book, which will represent the bulk of the book, will be a guide on how to wander. In order to understand what that would look like, I'll give you some of the chapters.

Why Wonder. What benefits are there of wandering. Why might you be able to wander? What arguments are there against wandering and what answers might there be to those arguments.

Risks of Wandering. This isn't just the physical risks, but more the psychological risks, like the chance a person might not want to come back or be able to reintegrate with society.

Preparation. A discussion of how you must have no debt you are responsible for and NOT monthly payments. You also must not have any possessions that require any maintenance. If you have a house, you must sell it. Same with the car, and anything else which requires upkeep. If you have things you want to keep, you need to put them in storage and put 1-2 years down so you will not have monthly payments. You must also acknowledge the possibility you will never see that stuff again. This chapter will also cover saying goodbye. What do you tell your family and friends. You can't wander with a lot of money for a number of reasons. First there is the safety issue. More importantly, if you travel with money, or a car, you won't be forced to rely on strangers. It is this learning to meet and rely on strangers that is the real benefit of wandering.

The Finances of Wandering. Its true that things were cheaper in the past. How can you stretch your money. Where to find things cheap. How to find jobs for short periods of time (1 day to 1 month) in order to make enough money to eat and move to the next place.

Hygiene and Attire. If you look too poor, people won't want to get near you. If you look to well-to-do, they won't help you. Neutral button up shirts, like hawaiian shirts work well as you could be mistaken for homeless in the right situation, but you could also crash a wedding and people would just think you're a slob. I'd cover hygiene topics like bathing, smelling not so bad, facial hair, etc...

Getting Around. How to get from one place to another via buses, hitch-hiking, hitch-riding, etc... Weather considerations. Cover how to learn from locals in the area, including local homeless people. I'd cover the major safety issues as well.

Fuel. Food, Drink, Drugs and Alcohol. While there is definitely a historic link between substances and wandering, there is a fine line between having a drink on the road and being a homeless alcoholic.

Bedding Down. Where to sleep inside and out. Keeping warm, etc...

Meeting People. One of the main things one can get out of wandering is meeting different people who have different ideas. Meeting others can show us there are other ways of seeing things and maybe other things we can do with our lives. So it is important to know how to meet and treat people.

Coming Back. Finally a chapter on readjusting to society. It should also cover how to get the most out of ones trip from personal growth perspective.

As you can see, the bulk of the book is more of a how-to book, but there is a third element to the book which gives it legitimacy. If and when I write this book, I would do it while wandering. I'd go away for 6 months to a year and wander, writing the how-to potion, as well as my personal experiences while wandering. These experiences which will be sprinkled throughout the book will be organized by relevance to that particular chapter.

Well, thats the idea. I have lots of other things I want to do in the next year, Denali being one of the biggest, so I don't know when I'd get to the book. However, like moving to Mammoth, or many other things in my life, I have a feeling I will start taking steps towards writing this book and eventually fully commit. Many of you might be wondering how I could just go away and wander given my current life. I've thought about it and still believe I can. At this stage I am looking for questions, concerns and ideas. If you are curious how I plan on doing certain things, just ask and I'll try and explain or figure it out. I have been very hesitant to post this idea and it is no coincidence that I am posting it now, before I leave for two weeks. I would very much like everyones thoughts.

With that, I bid you all adieu. See you in two weeks.

Posted by wonko at September 5, 2003 06:04 PM

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Posted by: Romanian Climber at September 10, 2003 05:50 PM

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