In which I go for a walk

I pride myself in finding ways to travel cheaply. Even if what I save on flights, I have to make up with time, both through longer, often multi-stage, journeys, as well as the time spent figuring out cheaper alternatives.

Since we've collectively decided the pandemic has ended, flights between Latin America, where I live, and Europe, where my mum lives, have increased in price significantly. It is not atypical for the lowest possible prices to now be twice the pre-pandemic level. Still, in the middle of last year, I found that, under some circumstances, it was still possible to get a cheap flight between Portugal and Brazil with TAAG, Angola's national airline. Though that also came with the mixed blessing of a 14 hour stopover in Luanda.

What's more, capitalists are being capitalists, and fewer and fewer airlines are now including checked luggage in their default pricing, and some even require extra payment for hand luggage. Infuriating. Low-cost airlines have been doing this for a while, of course, which comes close to misleading the consumer.

On the other hand, part of me looks forward to a time where the cost of air travel will properly reflect in the price we have to pay for it. Fuel used by airlines is so immensely subsidised (or, not taxed), that where we are collectively being told to save the planet by, for example, driving less, many of our actions are cancelled out by the immensely negative effect cheap air travel has on the environment.
On top of that, travel by land is much more agreeable, perhaps even more so if it takes more time to get from A to B.
(And, yes, this could mean a future where intercontinental travel will be practically unaffordable to most.)

All this, to say that, in a few weeks, I'll be visiting Europe on an extended trip. Central to this trip will be the creation of a walking piece for a touring gallery in the north of Sweden. I'll be based in a tiny town with only just over 200 inhabitants, which will be a bit of a change from living in the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere.
Part of the creation of the work involves the journey to this hamlet just south of the Polar Circle.

On my way north, I will go for a walk in Lisbon, Nice, Naples, Malta (both main islands), Budapest, Israel (Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv), and The Netherlands. All in April.
If you are keen to have a coffee, beer, or meal, give me a shout.

Related, Geert, Andrew, and myself will meet up, only for the second time ever, in Budapest, in late May. If you're around, we'd love to meet up and share a sör or pálinka.
Also, in Budapest, we're looking for a partner to host a one-day workshop focussing on uncovering some of the urban history of the city, and making this easily available to the world at large. Do reach out if you're keen to be part of that or, even better, if you could see yourself as being the local partner.

Meanwhile, keep walking.

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