There must have been a time when riding on a train was simply that. Today, impromptu business meetings are conducted, reports are read or written, conference calls are conducted, and so on. When did we lose the ability to disengage from business, to enjoy a voyage as a voyage? The cost of living is not escalating in the first world, but the cost of time remains high.
Sadly, even with the pressure of deadlines, high expectations and a larger volume of work, I notice self-sabotage occurs. I long for time on a river or lake, but instead, my free time is occupied with passive pursuits: watching on-line videos, playing computer games, reading news feeds. I expect that I should remain up to date with all that occurs on my little myopic planet without permission to take a break. There must be a better, more conscientious way to produce work, to live.