The Perks of Solo Traveling

To be alone, for long periods of time, is a special talent.

Jack Kerouac was eighteen years of age when he decided to embark on a solo adventure. Such a thing was seen as a crazy venture, but it happened during World War II. It's still not the most sensible thing to do, but traveling can be convenient if you have enough funds. The American passed away in 1969, a few decades before technology changed the world he knew. Maybe his fans would debate on how he lived. Will Kerouac stay on the road, mingling with the homeless? It's not hard to see him as a backpacker, penning lyrical descriptions of the places he had been.

"Lonesome Traveler", a collection of essays on his journeys in North America and Europe, reveal the soul of a wanderer. Kerouac was married three times and lived with his mother whenever he passed by New York, but he was most comfortable with the people he hardly knew. He kept on searching for solitude.

When in New York

"And I realize that no matter where I am, whether in a little room full of thought, or in this endless universe of stars and mountains, it's all in my mind. There's no need for solitude."

Kerouac's essays shouldn't be seen as tips on how to travel. He was no different from many writers, going places in search of materials for his stories. In the case of New York City, Kerouac didn't try too hard to think of something unique and special. Imagine Times Square after the war, where those who went there wanted to watch other people. There were instances when they checked out the art scene, only to meet one or two who might be pseudo-intellectuals. And they arrived at a party, uninvited, where some of the guests would remark they were in the company of beatniks.

The Beat Generation would refer to a group of young people who were on a spiritual quest. Some would look down at them, but they happened to listen to the beat of a different drum. In Kerouac's case, he had an incentive for choosing this kind of life. He didn't become rich and famous after writing about his lonesome summer in the Rockies, but he was a different man when he came down.

What if God was one of us?

Kerouac's essays showed his sympathy for the hobo. He didn't see many of them during his travels, when he tried to be one. He even hit the system, which saw homelessness as against the law.

Is American society not in favor of hobos? Maybe not, but writers like John Steinbeck romanticized their daily struggles. Kerouac even argued that this kind of people was a frequent sight in Europe. (The author recounted one Parisian hobo being followed by his mistress.) If Kerouac were alive, he would see more homeless Americans. This is the big secret in North America. He even wrote about what was it like in the American-Mexican border and the nearby towns, but try to think of his likely response to Donald Trump's views on illegal Mexicans in the US. The current state of events forced inhabitants from developing nations to seek greener pasture in Europe. What would be his reaction?

Kerouac died from the side effects of too much alcohol. It provided him comfort during those quiet moments. He was human, but labeling artists as hobos was another thing. Even Jesus Christ wasn't excluded.