A holiday without pictures
Dumelang ditshomi!
Long time, no blog (I’ve said that before…)
Social Media has taken over our lives (woah, how deep). Even without WIFI, I still manage to find a way to post updates to my blog, Facebook, and Instagram quite frequently. Mmametlhake doesn’t have many paved roads, running water, indoor plumbing, air con, laundry machines, or a grocery store, but most people here have a Facebook page.
I’m not complaining, really, I’m not. I love that I can live 8,800 miles away and still talk (okay, text) daily to my friends and family in the states, but that connection doesn’t come without consequences.
Sometimes, instead of living in the moment and truly enjoying what I am experiencing, I find myself focusing on getting the best pictures to upload on social media. Don’t lie, we’ve all been there. Well, this is especially true when I am on holiday.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over Southern Africa since I joined Peace Corps. I’ve done some truly incredible things, and sometimes, I feel like my brain is overflowing with memories and unless I take pictures and blog about my experience, there isn’t gonna be enough room in my brain for everything. I’m probably (most likely) being dramatic, but I wonder if I forget everything cool that happens because I’ve forgotten to be truly present in every moment.
Anyway, this “epiphany” led to a decision: A holiday without pictures.
The first 10 days of July I traveled to Durban to visit friends, and then Aliwal Shoal for a 3-night, 5-dive trip. I didn’t photograph a thing (that is such a lie, I posted one or two pics on fb for Pads, and then I Instagrammed a picture of me diving with a shark because I couldn’t resist, but compared to other trips, that was nothing).
I am determined to live in the moment and appreciate everything that happens as it happens – even if that means the memory only lasts as long as the moment.
As I sit here, I’ve decided that I don’t want to write about my trip either, so this is officially the most boring blog post ever, but I’m posting it anyway because it’s called Morgan Through a Lens, not Everyone Else Through a Lens.
I guess this was more for me than anyone else, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. And maybe this inspires you to go on a holiday without pictures, or least put the iPhone away long enough to take in the moment with your eyes instead of your camera 😉
xoxoxo
What are your thoughts on traveling without taking pictures? Let me know in the comments!