What you hear about COVID vaccine, when traveling around, is off the wall stuff. Constantly, without asking, people offer up their views. It is like 180 degrees different from what you read in press, partly because they want to own the press. But weirder then that
I don’t wanna wade into the issue because it brings out intense takes, but suffice it to say 30%-ish of population isn’t even close to the same wavelength as current scientific view on vaccination.
Not even in same ballpark. And it ain’t just right wing Trump types. Not at all
What is most striking to me, having spent 12 years doing this type of stuff, is how people start talking about it to me. Without me bringing it up.
They want me, & others to know, they don’t plan on getting vaccinated. It has become a core part of their identity.
Ps: Tablet Magazine just released deep dive into vaccine hesitancy
So begins my 17 miles across Orlando. In a McDonald’s with a homeless guy & fashionable Japanese tourist. Different place (grew up near here) then where else I walked so far. Less planned, more ad hock dealing with growth
If I make it will end up somewhere north of here tonight
Post coup, Official name is now Democratic People’s Republic of Chocolate
Man. I just wanna be kept dry & out of sun. Not part of some art project to pretend most of the area doesn’t have the feel of an airport grounds
Had my Substack for a month, & so far got a lot of nice feedback
When i started it didn’t known where exactly I would take it, but now I do
I am going to focus on the walking America series & since I do more in these towns than just walk expand it from just short essays 1/
So in addition to a short essay about what I saw/thought walking across X, I will add some things like “best dive bar in X” & “best strip mall ethnic food in X”, best McDonald’s
My tastes are not about best food or best IPA, but about best vibe, “ambiance, & community 2/
I don’t want it to be a normal travel thing, but I am a traveler, so. It can’t be entirely not that
Also, I will be expanding to stuff outside of US, as COVID restrictions lesson. Like walking in Quito, Istanbul, & Bucharest. And hopefully eventually a long walking in Vietnam 3/