Thoughts and stories of the past year, part two

Fortunately, there is more to life than just material possessions and objects. There are also all the reflections, thoughts, and lessons.

Here are the first things that come to mind when I think about this past year, which flew by at breakneck speed!

• Back to photo, back to people
  
  I spent money that I didn't really want to spend on new photo and video equipment. I wanted something much more professional and high-quality for video, just as I wanted something for photography that my camera no longer provided.

  In the end, beyond the expense, I really started to enjoy taking photos again, of everything and anything. I'm rediscovering the joy of doing everything manually and taking my time to frame, adjust, and shoot.
  

  But I also realized that I had lost something along the way, the ease I used to have in approaching people. I'm not sure why.

  But I really want to get closer again, take portraits, be more adventurous.

  I'm in a kind of rehabilitation process. Little by little, I'm rediscovering the pleasure of wandering around everywhere with my camera. The pleasure of small details that I no longer paid attention to, and which are catching my eye again.
  

  It's a little strange to have had to change equipment to rediscover the pleasure of filming and photographing, since ultimately, with a keen eye and good composition, you can do a lot with very little. But I find it easier now, more intuitive, more inspiring. And that's a good thing for you as well as for me.

  
  

• Less time on the phone

I really want to spend less time on my phone. I'm working on it, making sure I spend less time on social media so I can focus much more on other things. Writing more, reading more. Doing a little more of everything and anything, as long as it's not on my phone.
It's impressive to see how much time we can spend on it every day, and it's dizzying to multiply that time by the number of days we potentially have left to live.

I wonder what I could have learned during those hours spent scrolling, and above all, how many more languages I could speak if I had focused on that instead of emptiness.
I think this is even more true now, when posts on social media that could be inspiring have become a collection of “trends” that must be followed at all costs, but which distort photography, video, and writing.

So I might as well focus on something else. Things that allow me to express myself more broadly, to learn, to share, and potentially to find healthy, longer-term income.
I am certain that we have lost our sense of priorities, our sense of what is normal, natural, and good. There is always an excuse to take out your phone. The number of times we touch it each day is staggering.
Every day, I make myself aware of my phone use, in order to return to a more judicious use of my time.

• Stop buying sim cards

  
  

  And so, I found myself not buying a SIM card. I lost my French SIM card, and when I arrived in Peru, the solutions were either complicated or expensive.

  So I thought to myself, “Hey, maybe this is a good opportunity to not buy a SIM card at all and learn to do without one.”

  I didn't think I would last long. I was tempted a few times, but over time, I lost interest in buying a SIM card.

  Sometimes I would have needed one. But I was always able to do without. And then you quickly develop the ability to get around problems and find the internet if you really need to. Fortunately, it's rarely necessary.

• Fixing zips

Out of nowhere, I learned that by squeezing the zipper with pliers, I could repair my tent and jacket when the slider no longer worked.
There was no need to replace the entire zipper, let alone the tent or jacket. It was simply that the slider was too loose to catch both sides and close the zipper.
It may seem so obvious, but it wasn't to me. So I started to think back on everything I had changed, the money I had spent to replace things I could have repaired.

In the end, it's not just about repairing zippers, it's actually about trying to repair everything. We're not necessarily told how easy or at least feasible it is.
It's also about committing to and living a little more serenely, repairing and tinkering, spending less to earn less, and therefore perhaps having more time to simply live.

• Group riding
  

  People often ask me if I prefer riding alone or in a group.

  Actually, I think I like both, and I enjoy both. And the best thing is to ride alone during the day and meet up at the campsite in the evening.

  It can sometimes be a bit complicated to manage other people's breaks, their desires or even their lack of desire, their moods, and their discussions.

  Sometimes you just want to ride alone, listening to the radio, while enjoying the human warmth of this small community when you share the campsite.
  

  I don't necessarily want to wake up super early and pack up the tent right away to leave as soon as possible. I may not want to take breaks every hour. I may not want to pay to sleep.

  There are as many ways to travel as there are travelers.

  Above all, don't hesitate to state your conditions and don't let the group weigh on you and your mood when you can be honest from the start and make things much easier for everyone.
  

  By knowing what you want and stating your conditions clearly from the outset, while making an effort to communicate, you can find a happy medium that suits everyone better, or at least suits you better.