The real reason I am very much looking forward to this trip is that I shall be meeting up with old friends in Slovakia for the first time in 15 years. I used to lecture in Bratislava as part of my Jean Monnet (European) lectureship in Economics - a job that took me to Bratislava, Budapest, Caen and Murcia as well as Manchester. Which was nice. One person will not be there, but she is now living in New York - which is as good an excuse as any to plan a visit there too - as if Polko needs an excuse! Ramblin' is one of the things I seem to do best.
Cue the music – click the link and read along to the soundtrack!
It all started when I was around one apparently, though I don't have many recollections of this. Obviously. The Polko Elders travelled every year - working hard in between given that Mr Polko The Elder started his first business when Polko was 2 months old. Talk about risk taking (but then sometimes you've got to make the big bold moves in life). Later we would travel more than once a year, taking Polko and Brother Polko to almost every country in Europe, Polko to Scotland once a year for ice hockey training and lots of places in Britain in between.
Then I turned 17, left sixth form (A Levels for those outside Britain) early as it wasn’t the place for me – nor any other free-minded individual it would seem as many more left after me – and I ended up in London. Once I had worked the ‘streets of gold’ syndrome out of my blood I got back into the educational betterment way of life again and travelled in between college days – again throughout Europe mainly. Ten weeks around Turkey during the first Gulf War was exciting though. Polko and Scouse Polko (former girlfriend!) never made it to the Iranian border as planned. Luckily.
Jump forward a few years and I’m back working/lecturing/ramblin’ the Universities of Europe – followed shortly after by working in Brussels, Madrid and Hungary for a consultancy company. I escaped public sector employment before I got locked in with nothing to show for it but a final salary pension scheme and a colourless personality.
Since leaving the world of ordinary work for a much more rewarding but risky way of life I have continued my travels, for pleasure more than business these days but still as hooked as ever. St. Lucia, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Turin, Warsaw, New York. And the list goes on. Happily.
So, what’s it all about? Why am I going on about travel? I look back and think of all the people I have met, and the variety of cultures, backgrounds and mindsets each has brought me into contact with. From petrolhead Yanks in Hicksville parts of Arizona and California through amazing individuals that have challenged their brains and stamina from Eastern Europe to kindred spirits working for themselves in a similar vein to Polko Incorporated Industries (!) from Budapest to Dusseldorf and back again. Travel quite literally, but also emotionally, broadens the mind. Not a bad thing at all I say.
Polko Says… Life’s for living. Life’s for Ramblin’
Endnote: Thought I'd add this convenient plaque from Jean Monnet's grave - nice little summary of who he was for those that didn't know. A quiet but massively influential European citizen. Full wikipedia article here.
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