Zen Pencils by Gavin Aung Than for November 18, 2013

@Zen PencilsGavin-sama, I wept at this. Having had to study Jon Krakauer’s tragic recounting of Chris McCandless’ lone adventure into the wild gray yonder as a college boy, I have always wondered what drives a young man to face the harshest that nature can offer. Is it a desire to question and test his masculinity? Is it a longing to get away from the restlessness and superficiality of modernity?

Whatever it is, we will never know. And like Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper’s characters in Easy Rider, Chris McCandless has become another martyr in the name of the road.

Rest in peace, Chris McCandless and Dennis Hopper.

(Personally, when I feel the call, I’m answering it on an Enfield Bullet.)

I’m one who thinks that you can enjoy life without putting life in risk. I travel and change scenery every time I got the chance (and the means). I contemplate, meet people and most of all, l am always grateful of been able to enjoy the trip, healthy and safe….

lovely, Gavin.

Bravo & kudos to you, Gavin. (Too bad he didn’t say anything about adversity and challenges, in those exotic locales, but still): How inspiring & uplifting. Keep up the great work

He had good ideas but did not plan it out fully.I agree with Caraporam. One can enjoy ever changing sunset without putting ones self in extreme peril.Starvation is one of the worst ways to die.Even Thoreau lived close to town when he wrote Walden’ Pond.He did live the way he wanted to live and for that kudos to him.

The internet is so amazing. I would not be able to see the world without it.

I agree that adventure is great to a point but I always try to stay safe. My sons were not allowed to play football but one rapelled down a building in yet another costume (chicken man). Since the building was tall enough (and it’s not his first time) he did the chicken dance at 3 stops before reaching the bottom. One of the others is coaching his son in high jump and competing in his own division as well. I’m fine with doing stuff with properly prepared harness, but I don’t go for carnival rides or climbing anything that takes special gear at my age. Life is to be enjoyed, healthy and safe!

Lovely cartoon in any case!

Well, that explains my life choices.

There is certainly something to be said for the security of some of the same setting suns from the same place. Albeit… after too many days of seeing them from so many places.

I cringed when I read this strip the first time. I may admire adventure and have had a few but I have probably spent most of my adult life sitting at a computer workstation. To be fare, the money I have earned from Dilberting is what covers the costs of my misadventures.

An interesting companion for this strip would be “the road less traveled” which suggests that one can find as much happiness with a less adventurous life as one can going all out.

Adventures don’t all have to be life threatening. Sometimes a good adventure can be found in just trying something one has never done, like trying to write a story or learning to draw. Likewise travel does not necessarily mean placing yourself in a life threatening environment.