While I was out in Colorado my friend Dave turned me on to an amazing series on YouTube: Itchy Boots. This is the video log of a Dutch woman who travels the backroads of the world, pretty much anywhere there's a road, on her motorcycle. I have watched little bits in the Himalayas and also in West Africa and one in Central America. It is pretty amazing. Here is episode 1.
It needs little commentary, but it does occasion thought. For example, as she travels down nicely paved roads in central Republic of Congo, on the one hand I can understand how people in Africa could give a fuck about Ukraine if China is building them roads. On the other hand, I'd probably have to dig into it a little more deeply because it's entirely possible that the government of Congo went into debt to China to build that thing and that net net the people of Congo are being fleeced to pay for infrastructure they really don't need and can't afford. That is the story of much of China's Belt and Road initiative.
BTW, this is a lifestyle change because it is starting to usurp time that would be otherwise spent watching scripted TV and/or sports. But there is so much here. She sees so much. Pretty soon I will learn her name.
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