Time moves more slowly

When traveling, we often feel that time moves slower than usual. Time is not only a social construct often dominating urban life and work, but it is also a dimension which seems to stay with us as a form of mental reference which it is difficult to break free from. How often during the day do we commonly ask ourselves “what time is it?” or often almost robotically take a look at our digital device, just in case, even when time neither is relevant nor in short supply. After all, the sun always rises and sets without our more precise “measurement” or involvement.  

We have all certainly noted how quickly time passes when you are either working intensely on a task or doing something joyful. Overlanding (travelling by vehicle over long distances and time) is another dimension of this phenomenon.  It’s extremely intense, you must demount your “house” (tent) and pack-up twice every day when you are on the move. During the day, in addition to navigating the terrain and keeping yourself on route, you must find and decide on the next appropriate location to set camp – a site which cannot be determined before you’re on site. And beforehand it is impossible to know if it eventually will be a free-camping site, an established campground or even a gas-station if no options are available. The uncertainty of not knowing what will happen takes its toll.  And of course, your daily more routine operational issues, such as securing provisions such as food, diesel, or other more casual necessities (like fresh water and camping gas) are always present.

My personal reasoning is that the combination of this intense and all-consuming mental and physical daily activities, which of course also include keeping the old Toyota on the road and continuously listening to the vehicle’s conversation (engine, gears, wheels, instruments over hundreds of km on corrugated dirt roads far from everyone and everywhere), influence your perception of time. Time appears to move slower because there is no escape from living in the moment.