Just make sure you overdo it

On Wednesday afternoon we arrived at London Heathrow Airport after a 9-hour flight from Vancouver. I had a cup of tea and then a shower, but there was no time for a nap because we had tickets to see Michael Palin, who was speaking at 7.30. I had wondered if we might find this all a bit much when the tickets went on sale a few months ago, but we decided it was doable. And it was. I have seen Michael Palin speak once before and he’s invariably amusing and affable. And very interesting. This time he was talking about his recent trip to the Philippines and his life in general.

I wasn’t really left with an overwhelming urge to visit the Philippines, if I’m honest, but I was all fired up to travel again, despite the fact that I’d just taken an overnight flight and had crossed seven times zones. Michael Palin has had an enormously successful career post-Python, travelling around the world and he obviously relishes every place and every encounter. He welcomes the new and interesting, and clearly enjoys meeting people. However, he is 83 and had open- heart surgery just a few years ago. Since then, he’s travelled to North Korea, Iraq, Nigeria and Venezuela, as well as the Philippines. He asked his doctor if he was perhaps overdoing it. The answer was a resounding “No! Keep overdoing it, that’s what living is all about.”

So, is that the secret to a good life? Or does it just apply when you get older? I don’t think that people with demanding jobs, young children or vulnerable parents think they need to do any more and would, in fact, welcome the opportunity to do less. I’m sure that many would appreciate the opportunity to step back and slip into a less demanding life. There is a definite appeal to hiding away from life’s challenges, staying at home, doing crosswords, and pottering in the garden. After all, those jigsaws aren’t going to do themselves.

I suppose it depends how you’re overdoing it exactly. It’s all very well for Sir Michael Palin, one of our national treasures. No doubt he gets great enjoyment from travelling and acting, as well as his enduring popularity with the public. He’s also pretty well paid. Personally, I am increasingly tempted to overdo the travel thing, but there’s always that lingering guilt about flying. I wonder if Michael Palin worries about it too.  Maybe not. After all, he’s under doctor’s orders.