the adventurous spirit in you
For the past week I have been a somewhat regular visitor of West End Vue, the reason being that an adventure film festival was taking place there. The Renaissance public may be sceptical towards their swashbuckling explorers, but today it's action heroes who receive the acclaim. To stay put is to put your feet in shame: the adventurers use their feet, bare hands, skis, motorbikes, imaginary wings, or a hydrospeed just to live life to its fullest. Suddenly my camping and hiking trips seem like a walk in the park.
But having the spirit may not be enough, top sports gear and some bucks always come in handy. Mountaineering shops make sure our hero looks good on the outside, a pricey SUV takes the posh lady to distant lands, and a sweet book deal at the end of the journey enhances the macho image. We speak of travelling around the world and broadening one's experiences, but that comes with a beautiful price tag. Oftentimes, what I see is a testerone packed joyride, with understanding wives and children supporting the absent father. But what the hell, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are hot, and woohoo, I got to see them in flesh.
I give the festival a 6.5 out of 10 stars: some skiing feats were awfully repetitive, the Aussie female base jumper gave an annoyingly hammy performance and don't get me started on the weirdo who walks on ropes. I know you've got the moves, but I'd appreciate a good story too, and some loud music and repetitive words like 'neat', 'great' and 'awesome' just don't do the trick. Plus, I didn't win any prizes from the draw, grrr!
By the way, I am also going to take on an adventure next year, possibly the most challenging one. I quote from Mariella Frostrup:
A serious relationship would take your emotional life into uncharted and potentially uncontrollable seas. Your achievements have been in a world where with energy, strategy, and a clear head you can generally achieve results. Such assets don't guarantee anything when it comes to the turbulent reaches of the human heart.
On 17 August, in the sweetest fashion, HY got down on his knees.