Lifestyle

How many times do you check your phone each day?

Do you get a little buzz of feel-goods whenever you receive a colourful little message?

Do you crave that next hit?

We snaked slowly up winding lanes, foliage brushing both sides of the van, crawling round blind bends into the heart of the countryside.

The sun dropped low, piercing the horizon with an amber glow as we made a final push towards our planned camping spot in a quiet corner of the moor.

Entropy, the universal force. The arrow of time.

As humans, most of our time on earth is spent building new things and then trying to defend our creations against inevitable decay.

But how should we invest our finite resources?

It all started with a camping stove and origami plates.

We were at a fancy party in Beijing and Sam, a recent acquaintance, had just outlined the various merits of his camping equipment…

A stove that could run on any fuel, space-saving cutlery that defied all logic. It all seemed like a dream.

I wanted these tools of masculinity and with them, the ability to survive any unexpected apocalypse.

One thing was sure; the hunter-gatherer in me was strong and the wild was calling.

“I’d like to climb a mountain please”, I say confidently.

“Yes Sir, and which one would that be?” says the lady behind the desk.

“The big one over there”, I say, pointing to a looming monstrosity in the distance, half obscured by cloud.

“Fine”, she says, tapping away at her computer, “Have you ever climbed a mountain before?”

Hmmm, not that I can remember.

So, you’re thinking of ditching your sweaty little office job for a sweatier office job in warmer climes…

Or maybe you want to ditch the suit and tie altogether and work on the beach in your sexy Speedos?

The fact is, working abroad can be an enticing option, especially when laptop monkeys can theoretically work anywhere with electricity and Interwebs.

But is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Well, let’s find out.

So you’re worried about the march of the robots?

An impending Terminator-style judgement day set to steal our future.

If sci-fi movies are anything to go by, it’s simply a matter of time. Mass unemployment, income inequality, riots and trailer parks.

The joy.

Perhaps it’s a bit different from the utopia you imagined future technology might provide.

But is it really necessary to worry, or are we heaping too much hyperbole on the thought pile?

So, you’re fed up of your current commute and want to ditch the dreariness for the good life?

You’ve seen the Instagram feeds of your favourite travel bloggers and their perfectly filtered faces are driving you crazy with envy.

You’re like a rabid dog at work, desperate to escape the confines of your cubicle…

Just waiting for when you can hand in your notice and hop on a plane.

But is travelling all the fairy lights and beach fires it’s portrayed to be?

In this article, we’ll consider the psychological benefits of travelling to prepare you for what’s to come.

So, you’re sick of the clutter in your life and want to purge.

Maybe you’ve seen these MacBook-wielding nomads on the socials and fancy some similar life-styling…

To become unencumbered by modern entrapments like mortgages, wardrobes and underpants…

Free to travel the world out of a 1.62-litre backpack with a pair of moisture wicking socks that double as emergency toilet paper.

Well, let’s take a look at this strange new minimalism cult and some tips to get you going.

So you want to quit the corporate rat race to dispense life advice?

You’ve desperately clawed your way up Maslow’s hierarchy, ready for some first world transcendence into altruism and true actualisation.

To help and serve, empowering individuals to follow their bliss.

Well here’s your guide brave spiritual warrior.