Eat, Pray, Love

Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

As I am writing this, it's November, but it's hot outside, and sunny, and humid. We're in Indonesia. 

Alas, for the very last day. It's morning and we are about to head off to the airport and begin out two-day-long journey "down under", to New Zealand. 

I've given up trying to avoid travel blog style. I have been avoiding sounding like a typical travel blogger, because they are so boring, you know. "In the morning we did this, then ate lunch, then did that." I have no patience for those kinds of blogs. It's just impossible to relate. Some lucky bastard who got to travel to a faraway destination is giving me a point-by-point list of their day? Why would I want to read that? 

I admit that I haven't given travel blogs a fair chance. I just avoid them. If I did I would probably find a bunch of excellent ones. Like Teal Swan's for example (even tough it's not strictly speaking a travel blog). 

And now I've found a second example. Also strictly speaking not a travel blog, but a travel book, it's Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love. I know what you're thinking. Eat Pray Love was a thing like ten years ago. Where have you been? I know, but back then it wasn't interesting to me, or relatable in any way. 

Photo by Mg Cthu on Unsplash

Now, I watched the movie first and kinda liked it even though the Bali episode ruined the whole thing, because I found the love story so appalling. Then I read some negative reviews about the book. "Elizabeth Gilbert is selfish", "superficial", "inauthentic". I don't remember exactly how the book was described, but it wasn't flattering. 

Even still, I opened the book and started reading it. I did that even though I had failed to read Gilbert's other book The Big Magic, because it was so annoying. 

So far I've read about one hundred pages. I'm going to finish it. That means it's not that bad. Actually, it's okay. I don't like Elizabeth as a character much. I think she's annoying, but I can't put my finger on the reason as to why. Maybe it's that I can't really feel her misfortunes and troubles through her writing. I can't understand her that well. Why did she have to start that relationship with David? And how does a woman who loses herself completely into another person in a relationship (co-dependent in English) can suddenly leave alone for a long trip? Or even keep a job? And without any trouble? It's suspicious. I don't understand it.
 

Photo by Jonathan Korner on Unsplash

In my life, I've seen that co-dependent people are unable to even use the washing machine on their own. Therefore Liz's independence and ability to make decisions and survive alone make me think she wasn't that co-dependent after all. 

Okay, let's suspend disbelief for a moment. Let's accept that she is somehow dependent in her close romantic relationships, yet independent in her work, writing, other life choices and travel. Maybe she's at a transition point. Half and half. Both at the same time. Why not? Life is full of paradoxes after all.

At some point I just forgot about the book, because I found better things to do, and so I did not finish it. Maybe I'm still too young for it, ha ha.

Which makes this a second Elizabeth Gilbert book that I just couldn't read. Elizabeth Gilbert just isn't for me.