I love being lost. Not the phone-dead, shops-closed, only-other-person-in-sight-is-picking-scabs-and-shouting lost, or the bears-will-eat-me-and-no-one-will-ever-find-my-bones lost, but the I'm-not-quite-sure-where-I-am lost. The coming out of the underground and not knowing which direction to go lost. The heading in a general direction but no particular path kind of lost. London is an easy place to get lost, of course. … Continue reading Lost in London
I wander the backstreets of Wimbledon and Morden, on my way to the train or underground station, going to the post office or just ambling, and am struck by the row houses. Space is at a premium this close to London, but I've seen row houses in small villages where there would be room to … Continue reading The Row Houses of Merton
To my surprise, I realize that the wedding that brought me to England might seem as glamorous to some as my trip to the Pyramids. What made it so English? Well first all of the English accents! I was one of the half dozen guests from abroad, and coming from the west coast of Canada … Continue reading A Very English Wedding
We love to bring home reminders of our travels. My mother collected spoons and postcards, and later fridge magnets. I have friends who bring home art, or jewellery. When we look at these items, they bring back memories. Last night, I brought home an experience to share. Eight friends came over for dinner, and I … Continue reading Souvenirs
When I married almost 30 years ago, I stopped going anywhere by myself. After we had kids, all of our trips were educational. Drive across Canada, visit Europe, take them to Montreal to perfect their French. But then, when I was in the midst of a difficult time with both of our (teenaged) children, a … Continue reading Brave by Accident
It has gradually dawned on me that perhaps not everyone likes to travel the way I do. "I love to travel!," they say, and then I discover that means a yearly trip to a warm place (ideally an all-inclusive where they have been before) and maybe a local driving/camping holiday. Not there is anything wrong … Continue reading Wow, you really like to travel…
"You're going where?!?" Even those who greeted my plans with excitement would soon pause, look at me carefully, and ask, "But is it safe?" So how safe is it to travel in the Middle East, specifically the countries I went to: Israel, Jordan and Egypt? It depends. According to the Government of Canada website, both … Continue reading “But is it Safe?” Traveling in the Middle East
As in other aspects of my life, I considered how I could step more lightly on the earth before I started this trip. I started with my tour company. National Geographic is a leader in thinking about the future of the Earth, so it was an easy choice to pick them them for the Israel … Continue reading Stepping Lightly: Searching for Sustainable Travel
It's been a long, long time since I knelt beside my bed and prayed with full faith, asking the Lord my soul to keep. My prayers were never answered and I abandoned God by the time I was 10 years old. I reconsidered faith regularly: when I first studied world religions in high school, when … Continue reading Faith in the Holy Land
Where is home? In Israel and Palestine, that is a complicated and difficult question. Walls run everywhere. They cut neighbourhoods, divide farmers from their land. We pass easily through checkpoints but many cannot pass at all. Families hold keys to houses that they have not seen for 70 years. People cannot be citizens in a … Continue reading Sorrow and Love: defining Home in the Middle East
Brave Travels 