Why I walk

Now that my commute has become so routine, I don't think much about it anymore.  But today I realized how much I appreciate the part of the commute that most people assume is the worst: the walk.  When I describe my commute to others, most people frown when I say that I walk 25 minutes to Zoo Lake before getting on the bus, and then walk back again after work.  Often I think this disclosure actually evokes pity or shame about my car-free situation.  So today I thought about what it would be like if I drove straight home.  Sure, I probably could get home quicker, but my walk is my break time; my time to think and not to think.  It clears my head after a busy day and is a welcome, leafy respite from staring at a glowing screen at work before sitting in front of another one or two at home.  The added perk is peeking through the gates of the zoo and seeing antelopes, zebras, guinea fowl and even sometimes hearing an irritable lion.  Even an afternoon rainstorm is more of an amusing adventure than a hassle.  Plus there's the obvious exercise benefit, which in my book translates to more dessert.  Of course it would be great to sleep in an extra 25 minutes in the morning, but the summer sun starts nudging me awake at 5:30am anyway, so that's pretty much a lost cause.  Being a city gal for my entire adult life, long walks are an essential part of my lifestyle, and I'm happy to have adapted to life in Jo'burg without giving up something so vital.