I Am A Time-Waster

“Where do these folk find all their energy? They’re always on the go, and always seem ready for the next ball before the previous one has even had a chance to reach the boundary.”

Standing in the little queue of more than a dozen people at the buffet breakfast table, I glance down at my watch. 6:22 am. The view out of the nearby window indicates two things: darkness and heavy rain pelting on the panes.

I have been on very few extended group coach tours. If one single trip qualifies as “a few”, then I’ve been on a few. At the turn of the century, in fact – Y2k. A Trafalgar U.K. tour from Chelsea, London travelling northwards up the east coast of England to Edinburgh and then back to London along the west coast via a short stab into Wales.

Standing in the queue, I am in the 18th century Blackwell Grange hotel in Darlington, which is a town off the A1 south of Newcastle on Tyne. I have just checked, and our coach driver and tour guide is outside the front entrance, his bus warming up and already welcoming some of our fellow-travellers aboard for the trip to Hadrian’s wall and Scotland.

Back home in Cape Town at the time, I would have been preparing to leave for work (if I had been working at that time). I was struck by the enthusiasm and energy exuded by fellow-travellers – they were in this holiday with earnest and devotion, and would be damned if they allowed any party-pooper to spoil the experience.

The remainder of the tour unfolded in the same fashion – every moment of each day was tasted, savoured and enjoyed to the fullest despite the inclement weather at times. In fairness to Trafalgar, their tour didn’t end early in the afternoons – no, they lasted till after dark, giving one just enough time to scrub up and have a quick beer before going in for the evening meal, where arranged.

I’m not sure whether life should be all that serious, but most of us could revise the way we use and enjoy each of the days remaining to us. Like saving a haircut appointment for the hours of darkness, where possible or wait until a rainy day when one cannot fully utilise the outdoors… Like perhaps not to be writing a blog in the middle of a sunny day, like I am currently doing?