I deserve a drink – Iran / Armenia
I deserve a drink … been a month without alcohol, as I traveled across Iran.
A sweet red wine in ancient town of Khiva, Uzbekistan
Sure, if I wanted, if I craved the fix, I could have scored some black-market booze from some local groovers (or legally from Armenian Christains in Esfahan; I drunk vodka my first time in Iran back in 1990, on route England to India).
But no, I decided to see how my mind and body would react to this total-cold-turkey-break, after 20+ years of heavy regular drinking across 100+ countries across the world. (only one break during this period: 6 weeks while suffering Altitude Sickness in Tibet & Nepal in 1994).
And I have to report, much to my dismay: that not drinking any alcohol made no difference to my life whatsoever.
I felt no better or no worse. I was under the impression that a healthy lifestyle – an alcohol-free life – would see me zip into the morning with untold energy and alertness. Nah. I was still either drowsy or fresh depending my sleep pattern. And coffee was the best wake-up-call, as usual.
No shaking hands nor addictive trembles.
No raging psychological desires towards the “sanity” of the bottle. Nothing … Fuckin’ nothing. Only once within those first booze-free days did I think drinking would be right on: amid the surreal desert mountain humps of the Kaluts at sunset did a bottle seem in order to accentuate the beauty.
So now here in Kapan, Armenia, savage snowy mountains around me from my wicked 6th-floor-vista, I drink red wine.
About time.
So, don’t believe the hype. Live healthy and die young or old; life fast and die young. Or old. Longevity: It’s more often dictated by DNA. Sometimes lifestyle and environment. Or maybe simply, luck … I’ll take my chances …
See you at the bar … drinks on me.
Yeah, I feel the same regarding booze vs longevity. And how it affects day to day life. I started this month with the intent of not drinking a drop till Christmas, because the last week-end of November was rather insane in the alcohol department, and did not notice any change at all.
Then, I realized that alcohol doesn’t affect my health and appearance (I work out, eat veggies and ride a bicycle everywhere, just ’cause I like it), my finances (I live in China after all, even when I drink heavily alcohol is less than 1% of my expenses) or my social interactions. I just like the taste, and the mild buzz I get after consuming two or three. So cheerz to you too, Michael!
Cheers – been having a few reds here in Armenia recently. But some moderation may enter my life in 2012 … as I decide on some life changes, maybe ???