The Traveler's PoV

Much of my life has been spent in traveling, whether it be the daily routines of going to school/work or the once in a while journey to other places for vacation, conferences, functions or other matters. Whatever the purpose, the voyage will always be made of at least three parts: departure, journey, and then arrival.

The actual travel begins after departure and ends with an imminent arrival. For a constant traveler such as me, the fun begins after leaving the starting point; of course, the destination, for which the travel serves a purpose, will only come after the journey.

One of my idiosyncracies include reveling on the adventure that accompanies each voyage. I always try to find some fun while in transit even if actual physical movement is limited within the moving vehicle. Generally, I'd take the chance to reflect whenever I'm traveling alone; after all, there is no better way to while the time away than to let your thoughts soar. Many times I've gotten some inspiration for my short stories while I'm pondering on some mundane thoughts during my travels.

Because of this, I always regard the journey as important as the destination. For me, there is but a golden rule to traveling: "At least either the journey or the destination is worth the trip."

For several times, I'd find that the destination doesn't live up to its promise of fun. Nonetheless, I find contentment during transit especially if I'd have the chance to collect my thoughts and savor the moments while I was journeying.

It is with this point of view that held in my hands my copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." After all, I've read the epilogue a few days before I bought the book (I'm a spoiler-addict :P) so I know where the story will lead to, unlike during the time when I first read Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince. So for one, the magic with which JK Rowling wraps her books' endings is broken; there wasn't much thrill about how the story will end.

So I pored through the pages of Deathly Hallows knowing that all I was reading will lead to the expected ending. But as I've said, "the journey must be worth the trip." I just couldn't help but be moved by the words of the book and the plot with which the story unfolded. All I could say, the book is worth the read even if you know how it will end.

Sure, there's no more thrill. But the thrill aspect is easily overcome with the savory plot that left me wanting to read through and through. I finished the book in about 12hours; I stopped and rested for two hours after 6hours of reading, and then I went on again for another 6hours until I finished it. Unlike the former books, I just couldn't stop until I finished it.

Even now, a week after I've read it, I'm still going back to the chapters I love. Such is the passion ignited by a good read that can only be the Deathly Hallows.