Kilometer 4. I knew I should have peed before the starting shot. I quickly look around to find a relatively densely vegetated segment of the wall and decide to join the group of male pee-standers while ignoring hundreds of people quickly shifting their legs behind my back. Finish up, zip up, refocus on the breath. […]
Category: The Transsibérien Escapade
Day six, part II. The big cedar.
For some reason, we often tend to see the present status of our lives as “final”. As in the scene of a movie that happens in the last 10 minutes where the ultimate tragedy is revealed, or a sudden turn in events change the lives of the characters and the movie ends with us knowing […]
Day six, part I. The big white.
The minute you start saying something, “Ah, how beautiful! We must photograph it!” you are already close to the view of the person who thinks that everything that is not photographed is lost, as if it had never existed, and that therefore, in order really to live, you must photograph as much as you can, […]
Day five, part II. Ever-present light and voices in the head.
Leap, and the net will appear. John Burroughs The dark lager felt a bit too much on the light side and the soup’s flavor was missing one of its basic attributes – flavor. But it didn’t matter. The waitress was cute, with curly hair and sharp, brown eyes, the interior of the bar was emitting […]
Day five, part I. Tea droplets and dancing shadows.
And my poem is my silence. Jean-Pierre Simeón, This Is a Poem That Heals Fish The morning started with the train-lady standing next to me, relentlessly poking me in my left shoulder and telling me to wake up. It was still dark outside. No birches were visible, only the constant shaking and sound of train […]
Day four, part II. First farewells.
A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love People have amazing ideas about how the life and relationships works . I fully agree with […]
The Macau Escapade #1
I’m running recklessly through the streets of the Macau old city centre, having a strict monologue with myself: “Michal, you are in deep shit.” Droplets of sweat are falling into my eyes and obstructing my vision, yet I can still perceive the delightfully crafted city streets. If Hong Kong felt like the result of one […]
Day four, part I. Life stories.
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard The time shaped as a giant pile of mud oozes away to its sides on the white, porcelain plate. The wheels of the train hitting the tracks sound like a young, inexperienced percussion drummer – occasionally slowing down, occasionally speeding […]
Day three. Time.
Of all ridiculous things the most ridiculous seems to me, to be busy — to be a man who is brisk about his food and his work. Søren Kierkegaard There are quite few things that are making this experience so interesting. The train is full of amazing people. The windows provide much more than just a […]
Day two. Birches.
Music is not only an ornament but a necessity to the Courtier. Baldassare Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier I once had an interesting discussion about creativity with my friend, a game music composer from Sweden. Until then I saw creativity as something wild, huge, and crazy, that allows you to just do anything and everything. […]