After my roadside meltdown, you can watch the video here I cycled back to
Rosario. On the way I got a puncture and after repairing it, got
electrocuted through my bicycle while under a pylon - everything
metal on the bike gave me a big shock. I also had to cross a river
and negotiate peak hour traffic so by the time I got back to
Rosario I was fairly frazzled.
I decided not to decide anything for at least a day. I've
learned never to make an important decision when I'm hungry, tired
or horny. (Ha! I can't believe I just typed that.) After a few
skype chats with the whanau, a bath and watching the only movie I
could find in English - Sex in the City, I crashed out.
The next day things were certainly brighter, I had a good
breakfast and went for a walk with my sketch book. I still had no
idea what I was going to do next but I figured drawing might also
draw out the answers I was looking for.
I picked a pretty pink hibiscus flower off a tree and did a
delicate pencil sketch of it. It was nice but I wanted to capture
the dramatic colour of the flower. I picked up my clunky, hefty
water-brush and the palette of paint and paused.
What if I ruined it and put too much colour on?
What if it looked better as a sketch?
Then I caught myself, what was I worried about? This was my
interpretation of a flower, on this day, under this dappled light
with the breeze blowing. It would never be seen like this again so
I couldn't get it wrong.
I threw the colour at the page, choosing to apply what felt
right at the time rather than studying and matching what was in
front of me. I decided if it worked for the painting, it could work
for my next big decision. Where to go from here? I emailed a few
cycle groups, I emailed a Sustainable Living project, I emailed my
friends in South America and now there are 3 options on the table,
all of which feel right.
Be bold, be daring and interpret everything in your own unique
way without comparing it to something that already exists.
Like Boulevard Oroño where I did my sketch, I
have no idea how the path ahead will develop but if I keep on
pedalling, I'm pretty sure I can't go wrong.
