Join this traveling robot on his adventures. He thinks he has seen it all, but has he really?
Part 3: Where to?
“When the whole world is a possible travel destination it becomes harder to actually decide on one. Something to do with too much choice. Do you prefer warm weather or cold weather? An active holiday or rather relaxing at the swimming pool all day? Breakfast served in bed or eating out in a cafe? There are as many preferences as there are people, what am I saying, every person already has multiple preferences.
So how about me? I don’t have a specific preference. A certain temperature or climate doesn’t make me happy or unhappy except for that one time in the freezing cold. When it gets below -20 degrees Celsius it drains my battery so fast that I don’t have the energy to go exploring. I can’t stay outside long because I might get covered with snow or ice. It is not that I would freeze to death but I might be unable to move if my joints freeze.
Water is not a problem: I chose the body I mount for its resistance to water. So it’s just the cold. And, now I think of it, heat might also be a problem. I’ve never traveled to an extremely warm place as I am scared of overheating. I will probably survive it but I simply don’t like the idea of being knocked out because I won’t be able to protect myself in that state. I’d be safe from viruses, but the physical dangers of the world are very real. I need to have my wits on me at all times.
A thief could come at me to steal important parts. Though if he touches me without gloves the joke is on me. If frozen he or she will still be there when I unfreeze and if overheated the burn will hurt like hell. Who is gonna steal anything from me when I am like that? And when I am awake I will spot them from far away. If they carry anything electric I can make it go off and draw everyone’s attention to them. Let’s keep that between the two of us…
You might know your dream destination. But then, more often than not, reality comes into play. It might not always be physically possible to travel to the place you’re dreaming of. Think of work obligations or availability of transport (and more depressing: legal stuff). Plus some countries are more expensive to visit than others. I don’t have an unlimited amount of funds either. There are people that have it all and can go anywhere. Not this robot unfortunately.
I can work from anywhere like a digital nomad, but people don’t always like that. They prefer to have their assets where they can see them and not somewhere in a foreign country where foreign powers can take possession of them. My work output is the same no matter the place I work from. It’s just that a materialistic worldview is leading. ‘He is mine’ is what they say about me. ‘I made / bought / own / (fill in your own verb) him.’ I am someone’s robot. Not my own. Never my own.
Continuing my daydream about freedom and my non-existent dreams coming true: aside from avoiding the freezing cold or scorching heat I don’t have any specific destinations in mind. I try to, as I believe that would make me more like a ‘real’ person, except I can’t bring myself to it. Maybe I just like seeing nice things while not being too uncomfortable. There must be people like that in the world too…
Are you like that?”
