The ‘fool’s’ journey is the only journey…

by Natalia Rosa

Ah, the "fool's errand" – that patronising pat on the head from the universe, usually delivered by some well-meaning buzzkill who thinks safety comes in bubble wrap. But let's be real: if we only did what made sense, we'd all still be living in caves, arguing over who gets the flattest rock to sit on.

Cast your mind back to your most epic fool's errand. Mine? The time I whimsically decided to hop over to the Netherlands for a weekend, only to find myself staying for a year. Or the little bureaucratic disagreement which led to a rather inconvenient deportation in the middle of the Malaysian jungle. And let’s not forget the wild night I celebrated Quito's 200th birthday by embarking on a winding bus ride through the Andes, fuelled by enough Canelazo to pickle a llama.

These "foolish" adventures, mine usually travel related, are the technicolour threads in what may otherwise be my beige tapestry of life. Each of these misadventures, fuelled by a cocktail of curiosity and recklessness, were my own personal fool's errands. And you know what? They were worth every moment. Disclaimer: don’t try this at home…

With that in mind, what if we saw these follies not as a precipice of doom, but as a launchpad for the extraordinary? Picture the fool not as a hapless wanderer, but as a daring pioneer, the kind of person who looks at the horizon and sees not just a sunset, but a canvas waiting to be painted with the colours of adventure.

In a world obsessed with certainty, perhaps it is the fool who truly understands the art of living. Perhaps the fool isn’t really a fool at all. She’s the brave soul who steps off the edge of the cliff, not because she’s reckless, but because she’s willing to see where the journey might lead.

There’s something deeply powerful in that. It’s the kind of foolishness we need more of in our lives—the willingness to start something new, to try something unfamiliar, to risk looking silly or failing miserably. Because the greatest adventures almost always start with a single step into the unknown.

Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Not something grand or extreme—no need to take a selfie on the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna.

I’m talking about the small leaps, the micro-adventures that add a dash of unpredictability to our routines. They're the stories you'll bore your friends with one day, assuming you haven't traded them for a goat in some bizarre Balkan bartering mishap.

Speaking of bizarre, and perhaps your next micro-adventure, let me introduce you to the wild world of hobby-horsing. Picture this: grown adults prancing around on stick horses, jumping over poles with the seriousness of Olympic athletes .

My first reaction when I saw this on TikTok was, "Well, that's just plain ridiculous." But then it hit me—if "Raygun" can dominate like my dog rolling around on their back in a fit of joy, why couldn’t "Sir Prance-a-Lot" be out there clearing hurdles at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics?

Maybe the real foolishness isn’t in trying something ridiculous; it’s in never trying it at all. Hold my beer, “Raygun”…

So here's your mission, should you choose to accept it (and if you don't, I'll assume you're too busy with that bubble wrap): This week, do something gloriously, unapologetically foolish.

Will you look silly? Absolutely. Will it matter? Who cares! Because here's the dirty little secret: The fools are the ones truly living. The rest of us are just spectators.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a stick horse to name. I’m leaning towards “Neigh-sayer.” Hope it fits in my hand-luggage.

Mindful Musings

What the world was musing over this past week

Nature’s tiny superstars steal the show

From a heart-shaped moray eel to a slime mould with an ice crown, the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition reveals nature’s tiniest celebs, captured by photographers who know how to get up close and personal with their subjects.

Dolce & Gabbana’s doggy perfume

Forget Chanel No. 5; Dolce & Gabbana’s got Fido covered with “Fefe,” a €99 dog perfume named after Domenico Dolce’s pet complete with notes of ylang-ylang and a 24-carat gold-plated paw print.

Mindful modesty, one straw at a time?

Turns out, “demure” is TikTok’s new cool. With 122,000+ videos tagged #demure, TikTokers are embracing modesty and mindfulness. Think subtle makeup, understated behaviour, and walking through airports like you’re too good for drama.

Chilling your bones this summer in haunted houses

In Japan, haunted houses are a summer survival tactic! With temps soaring, these air-conditioned scare-fests offer a spine-tingling way to beat the heat.

Subscribe now. Let's redefine Mondays together!

Find our blog here .