Read it here or listen to it here
My travels have taken me past a two recurring themes -
Dinosaurs and Octopi. I’ve seen lots of both in lots of places. I suppose when
you travel with one you tend to notice the others around too. And that’s Hairy the
Eighth - my orange travel pal – I am talking about not the Gherkmobile my old green
Subaru. Which as you can see here, has acquired a lot of “Houding”* but is
still of this century so NOT a dinosau.
* Houding – Afrikaans word meaning (by my definition) the
act of ‘being wood’. Sort of what wood does. But it refers to having cool character, a
bit like Jeff Bridges’ The Dude and not like Keanu Reeves’s acting.
I did feel a little Jurassic in my ways when I stayed at the
Earthships (http://earthship.com/) in Taos, New Mexico – super extraordinary. Why
am I (and the rest of the planet) still so reliant on fossil fuels? It was
incredible to see an alternative way of living. These houses are the embodiment
of my visions for my own fantasy home. Not only are they superb for the planet
by way of sustainability, off the grid but still on the web, they’re houses
with sexy curves, a colour pallet I appreciate and in a climate that gives me
so much energy. I came for 2 nights and stayed 5. Many thanks to Mme Jedellicious
for ensuring my journey included these inspirations.
Anyway along the way I also encountered these old dinosaurs.
And found myself wishing that all of their kind were extinct. And that wasn’t a
‘real’ wish – that is, my telling you that doesn’t mean it won’t come true! Because
one day it will, all the world’s tanks will be as fossilized as these.
Near the Earthships, I met a young man (Shann) on the bridge
over the Rio Grande (scene of previous adventures on the film Paul in 2009)
selling crystals. We had a very nice connection and I had dinner with him and
his girlfriend Rio at their house in the middle of nowhere yet randomly near a
beautiful Buddhist Stupa… some of his final words to me was suggesting that one
might increase one’s fuel efficiency by strapping a double-terminated crystal
to one’s fuel line. Given that I have just driven 7000 miles and have another
1000 miles to go it seems a super appropriate moment (in the interests of Science)
to test such a theory and get a side-by-side comparison. Consequently I really
do remain In Pursuit of Magic. Crystal Magic!
I’ll write a full report, as unscientifically as I can, and
submit in the days to come.
Much love
Doctor Lobster
