Time Travel

As this weekend saw the return of Doctor Who (series 6, part 2, BBC1) in the UK, it seems only fitting that my next post should focus on my fascination with time travel.

As soon as I mention DW & time travel people immediately jump to the conclusion that I'm a huge Sci-Fi fan... I'm not.  For me it's not about spaceships, planets & futuristic silver outfits (sorry if I'm being equally stereotypical!), my interest is less about the technology, more about the experience. 

Of course, I'm not naive enough to believe time travel is actually possible... Although that said, if any of you beg to differ I will happily listen to your view with a very open mind - seeing the technological advances that have occurred so far in my lifetime, they are a great indicator of why one should 'never say never'...

I'm not sure exactly when time travel became a subject that intrigued me, I was a fan of DW before it took a long break from our TV screens - series 6 might indicate it's a relatively new television programme but it is actually the longest running science fiction television show in the world! It originally ran from 1963 to 1989 and was then relaunched in 2005 - but in all honesty I think as a child I was too busy being in awe of 'The Doctor' or scared by the many aliens to place much emphasis on the TARDIS travelling through time. 

I believe 'Goodnight Sweetheart' should take the credit. It was UK sitcom that ran for 6 series, again on BBC1 - the lead character accidently discovered a time portal which allowed him to travel between the 1990's & the 1940's. 'Gary' ended up leading a double life having 2 wives - surprisingly though, he was always more content in wartime Britain with all it's rationing & poverty than modern day Britain with all it's convenience and luxury... Since then I have always leaned towards television series and movies with a time related theme - give me those over a RomCom any day!

Interestingly, the concept of time travel for me is about heading to the past, never the future. I have always loved history & genealogy & find graveyards absolutely fascinating! (Okay, so this is where I start to weird you out!) The past has such an awesome story to tell & shapes each & everyone of us, whereas the future has no bearing on us yet, whether you believe it is pre-determined or shaped by our own actions - unless of course we actually get this time travel malarky nailed!

For me it wouldn't be about going back with the winning lotto numbers, football results etc... It would be about experiencing how it used to be, getting a taste of the hardship, the luxury, the expectations of the time. Wearing the traditional dress of each period, witnessing Britain before it became a concrete jungle, seeing the Roman roads being laid, the canal network being built. It would be about speaking to my ancestors, without whom I wouldn't be here today.

I'm under no illusion, the idea of heading back to the past and having such experiences is a romantic notion. I have no doubt I'd find the slums stomach churning, the constrains of a well heeled life depressing & probably, most disturbing of all, my ancestors would not be who I thought they were.  But hey, it's good to dream... Right?