So, here I am at last – way out of my comfort zone. In the middle of the jungle. No distractions, no agenda, surrounded by wilderness and the sound of silence. If I listen carefully I can just about hear that familiar scream- “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!”

In case you are not familiar with that particular battle cry, it comes from a British TV show where a bunch of so called famous people are taken to the Australian outback and filmed 24 hours a day as they attempt to tolerate each other, perform meaningless tasks and eat Kangaroo testicles.

They endure this hellish experience because they are handsomely paid to do so and naively believe that by appearing on this highly rated national television show they will revive their flagging careers.

Most of them end up worse off than they were before and sink further into oblivion, with this public humiliation the lasting memory of their claim to fame. In fact, I was asked to appear on the French version a couple of years ago, and whilst my career may well be on the wane too, I would rather keep my dignity intact and remain safe in the knowledge that the only testicles I encounter will be my own.

Anyway, no such endurance feat for me as I am currently a guest of ex MTV VJ Simone and her ex professional footballer husband Andy, at their quite beautiful jungle lodge in Belize – www.greendragonbelize.com. They are such a happy, amiable couple and I feel fortunate to have been invited to share in some of their peaceful paradise.

It is truly wonderful to reconnect with Simone; she remains a vivacious, bright eyed positive person and once again I am reminded of and impressed by her total self – reinvention. As we share old memories whilst creating new ones, I feel much brighter already and more centred than I was a mere month ago back in Berlin. Ah, the small things.

Now, before I reveal to you what I have learnt so far on my personal quest, I need to get something off my chest that has been bothering me in those quiet moments spent flying high above the clouds on my way to these far off places.

I fear I may have misled you with my declared intention of documenting my road trip in pursuit of happiness. I do hope you were not expecting a Jack Kerouac or Hunter S Thompson literary experience because whilst I may share the formers fascination with humanity (and somewhat melancholic notions) and the latter’s sense of adventure and mischief, I feel hopelessly under qualified to wax lyrical on the depth of emotions and mysteries this quest has so far brought to the surface.

Indeed, this is the hardest task I have ever set myself, with so far more questions than answers. I did promise to take you along for the ride though, so I must persevere and I hope you will forgive any of my shortcomings.

In the interest of research for this blog, I have at least been brave enough to face one of my greatest fears. Here in Central America there are crocodiles, tarantulas and deadly vipers but I have chosen instead to confront the greatest, most cunning predator of them all – the Homo Sapien.

It may surprise you to learn that, away from the cameras, I am quite a shy person and find it initially quite difficult to interact with strangers. Here at my jungle retreat I share my meals around a communal poolside table with other human beings, people from around the world who come here to indulge their sense of adventure, seek refuge amongst the unique flora, fauna and wildlife of this region and no doubt explore their spirituality at the ancient temples left behind by the legendary Mayans.

I’m sure they didn’t count on bumping into a soul searching Englishman with his notebook in hand and a myriad of invasive questions about the small things in life which ultimately bring them happiness. At first I was quite intimidated, but thanks to my genial hosts, I have learnt to relax and stop worrying that I might not like these new people or, perhaps more importantly, that they may dislike me.

Indeed, it is through these chance meetings with fellow travellers and the lives of others that I am in fact learning much more than I could possibly get from a textbook. The common consensus amongst my hosts and their varied guests seems to be that you cannot search for happiness as it is a short term emotion based in the moment and I ought to instead strive for contentment.

Sometimes when I travel, especially to developing countries, I am reminded of that old Sex Pistols song, “Holidays In The Sun”, with the classic lyric “A cheap holiday in someone else’s misery”. This surely rings true in many places across the world but here in Belize, where a lot of the locals live in poverty, the smiles are wide and the welcome generous.

I am stunned by the fact that some of these Belizean families may live 12 to a wooden shack with hardly any mod cons yet they still seem to be happier than most of us back in the ‘developed’ world. And they have achieved this state of contentment alone. I am pretty sure that none of them have read any of those guides to self enlightenment which top the best seller lists of most ‘developed’ countries.

Titles such as ‘The Power Of Positive Thinking’ (author Norman Vincent Peale) or ‘The Power of Now’ (author Eckhart Tolle) have no relevance here, when you might think that it is here that they are needed most, not back in our comfy, cosseted, plentiful lifestyles.

Perhaps these warm, hospitable people are cheerful because they are not constantly craving some sort of revelation, living instead each day as it comes, caring for their precious and fragile social and geographic eco system; intent simply on preserving their ancient Mayan traditions for future generations.

So then, I am officially no longer pursuing an elusive happiness, I am now on course for contentment. As a friendly, unassuming American guest said to me this evening over a glass of wine – “Contentment is simply not wanting more”. My new friend Andy said it best when he announced “contentment is being on the golf course, happiness is a hole in one”.

I do see what he means, though I can’t really relate as I don’t like golf -I’m an old punk rocker and it just doesn’t go with the territory. Perhaps my true revelation will come then in my next port of call, the island of Aruba in the Caribbean, because whenever I am near the ocean I feel simply blessed to be alive.

Contentment is floating free in the gorgeous Caribbean Sea; happiness is the topless girl swimming next to me.

Belize City, 24. February 2010

Ray Cokes

Tags
API | Belize jungle dome | contentment | positive thinking | Ray Cokes


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