By The Skipper
Jomano started as the given name for a sailing canoe. Outings in that small boat highlighted the value of slowing down to absorb the surrounding environment and experience. I fully appreciated the beauty and force of nature, while enjoying the art and challenge of navigating the journey as much as (if not more than) the destination. This has much in common with other activities I enjoy, including hiking in the mountains, wild camping and cycling. Jomano therefore grew into a wider meaning for me: a sense of spirit, outlook or reason. It will no doubt evolve over time, but I expect Explore.Simply.Slowly to remain at its heart:
Go and Explore. Don’t get tied down by lengthy planning or strict schedules. Just leave the house and go discover something new. Stimulate your curiosity, sense of adventure and new experiences
Keep it Simple. Sailing, canoeing, cycling and camping technologies and techniques used a hundred years ago are still as relevant and enjoyable today. No need for noise and air polluting engines, no need for carbon fibre, no need for live streaming. Go back to basics, exercise your mental and physical abilities, leave no footprint, enjoy.
Slow down. We aren’t racing. Use all your senses to absorb, learn and think about the environment around you. For example, what are the historical natural, political and industrial events that shaped it? What are today’s challenges, and how can they be addressed?
I do not wish to give the impression I am against the pace of progress, technology or change. On the contrary, we urgently need all those things to help repair the damage human development has done to the planet, continuously taking but not giving back. I am also not clinging on to the past. Jomano is merely my antidote for the chaos, disruption and urgency of modern life; helping to maintain a healthy balance.