My year of travel has been fun-- and frivolous. I've learned a lot about different parts of the world, met many people, had my eyes opened. But it has begun to feel very self-indulgent. Apart from me and the people who take my money, who benefits? I always talked about doing aid work overseas. As … Continue reading Travel with a Purpose
Hearing about my six months of travelling this year, the most common question from people is, "What was your favourite place?" (Impossible to answer, by the way. So many places, so different, each with their unique appeal.) The second is, "Don't you get homesick?" And the answer is, "No." That's ingenuous, of course. There were … Continue reading Don’t you Get Homesick?
Sitting in Jackson Square in the French Quarter of New Orleans, I kept seeing it: groups of people wearing the same colour T-shirts. At first I thought it was what I'd seen in Mystic last month, a group of young women who all bought the same souvenir shirt and then put them on in the … Continue reading We’re with Her: Destination Friend trips
I've hear it several times, from different people as I talk about travelling. "I'd love to go," they say wistfully. "But I don't have anyone to go with." After years of travelling with my partner, my family, or friends, this year I have discovered travelling solo. Much of it is not by choice, as it … Continue reading Traveling Solo or with Somebody?
I had plans for Glendive, Montana. It was half way between Billings and Bismarck, North Dakota, and the perfect place to break the drive. I was looking forward to a short hike in the badlands geology of the area, and to seeing how the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum was able to explain its exhibits … Continue reading You Can’t See It All
"Just grab an Uber," he said. I was debating how to get from the airport to my hotel in Chennai the next day. I didn't answer. It wasn't worth the argument. But I knew I wouldn't take an Uber. It reminded me of the video that went around a few months ago, where the speaker … Continue reading SWF, Travelling Solo
"Hello. Selfie?" And so I pose again with as many members of their family or friend group that they can fit into the photo. Occasionally, to their delight, I ask for a picture on my phone too. Sometimes their English is excellent, and others times it does not extend much further than "Where from?" And … Continue reading Just Another Tourist Attraction: Blonde in India
A lot can happen in a week. Last Monday, the offer on the house came in. And today I sit in the Vancouver airport, waiting for my flight to London. I marvel at what was accomplished in that time. A house was sorted, packed, and moved into storage. Items were sold, donated and recycled. It … Continue reading The People who Sustain Me- Part 2
Brave Travels 