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?
Determined to get back in the habit of working out, I headed to the hotel gym this week. As I was doing a bicep curl on the Universal machine, I noticed I was holding my left hand a little funny. I was puzzled for a moment and then I realized-- I was protecting the gold … Continue reading Breaking the Habit of Being Comfortable
I don't know if she heard me in the night, or if she just drew conclusions from my puffy eyes the next morning. "So," she said. "Why are you still having such bad days? Maybe you should go and get some more counselling." I understand the friends and family members who are tired of my … Continue reading Why Aren’t You Over It Yet? A Year Later
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?
"It's OK, I think I'll walk back," I said, as we stood outside the restaurant, in that warm glow of not wanting the evening of good food and good company to end. "I need the steps." And almost as soon as I turned away, the tears started to slowly roll down my face. I thought … Continue reading Yes, But how ARE you?
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
Approaching each other, we do the sidewalk dance: I go left but the other person goes right, then I go right as they recalculate and go left. And I-- with luck we-- laugh as we work it out and pass by. It's not as clear cut as an escalator (stand this side, walk the other) … Continue reading Home Again with Different Eyes
"But I guess it's easy for you," he said. "You're so outgoing." The table talk at the cafe was about the Karaoke the night before, how I'd led the dancing to the songs I'd chosen: The Time Warp, Tic Tok, Macarena. And how afterwards some of us had gone out to a club and danced … Continue reading It’s not brave if you’re not scared, Part 2
It hits me suddenly. I start to gasp. I am trying to breath, but I can't stop gasping, and I'm getting dizzy. I sit down on a bench and the tears start to roll. I make myself breathe-- in, two, three, four, hold, two, three, four, out, two, three... It takes a few minutes of … Continue reading Never again
Brave Travels 