Girl Seeking Wonderland

Diaries and Marches and Possibilities- Amsterdam and Brussels

For you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice began to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

After waving goodbye to Iceland, I took an insanely early flight to Amsterdam. I chose Amsterdam as my next stop for one very important reason- it was the cheapest place to fly out of Reykjavik! My plan for Europe is to plan two to three cities out so that I can maintain flexibility throughout the trip. It is me, though, so of course I have a rough itinerary mapped out already!

I still had my terrible cold so Amsterdam activities were somewhat limited. I landed, made my way to Central Amsterdam on the metro and found a place to store my luggage until my airbnb was ready. My choice of lodging varies in each city but in Amsterdam, this flat was super inexpensive and allowed me to make all three meals instead of eating out- a good thing since Danish vegetarian food is not prevalent!

The first thing you notice about Amsterdam is the bikes- all 1.8 million of them. They own the roads, the sidewalks and apparently the canals as 15,000 of them are fished out of the canals each year. The bikes aren’t fancy, but much more traditional, many complete with fantastic bells. I love to photograph bikes, but it seemed a bit ridiculous in this town. The best I could do was a photo with graffiti, bikes and shops- all three very common here!

The first thing I learned about Amsterdam is to walk on both sides of the street. Between the canals and the bikes, it is so hard to see everything. So often, I walked right by something that I didn’t notice until I was walking back the other way. I walked by the Red Light district about four times (during the day) before I even realized the windows!

Everyone said to take a canal tour to really see the city. I was lucky enough to be there during their Festival of Lights so I took a Watercolor Cruise after sunset. In addition to the great sites, there were about 20 different art installations on the water representing Amsterdam life. The homes along the canal are amazing. There is definitely some wealth along the water.

Of course I did all the touristy stuff in Amsterdam- the Van Gogh Museum (amazing), the Rijksmuseum (totally cool) and the Anne Frank House (inspiring). The Anne Frank home is especially interesting as Otto Frank required that they leave it quite bare. They do a great job of balancing education with emotion. Little did I know that this visit to see the hideout of a little girl who inspired so many would be one of several Girl Power activities I would encounter. This little girl decided in hiding that she would right a book that would be published. And so she wrote. Because what she wanted was not impossible.

All in all, I liked Amsterdam quite a lot. By day. I didn’t love it so much by night. The streets become filled with British teenage boys with their ridiculous haircuts and track suits. Fortunately, I had my lovely little home to go to and curl up on the couch and watch Sherlock! I also love their fries. Everywhere you look, they have french fry shops with lovely dipping sauces- curry was my favorite!

But it was time to go- I boarded a bus for a three hour ride to Brussels.

Despite much doomsday around the Brussels Nord Train/Bus Station, I arrived, grabbed my luggage from the bus and made my way to my hotel. I totally scored on this hotel. It is blocks from the Mannekin Pis and the Grand Place, has an enormous breakfast buffet and is only $40 a night!! I checked in, found a supermarket for bread, peanut butter and apples and grabbed a pizza for dinner and a movie in.

The next day, I was off, for 12 miles of discovery. Brussels surprised me. It is quaint yet metropolitan, touristy but local, busy but quiet. I really liked it here. The shops were too cute to describe. If only I had even a tiny semblance of artistic talent, I would love to paint this place. Until then, I will have to use my camera. In addition to all of the adorable shops, there are waffle shops every 10 feet. I like waffles but usually without topping but I went with chocolate, black chocolate as they called it. Quite tasty waffle- next time, I would go with the natural version. I say this knowing full well both my father and sister would disown me from the family by shunning chocolate.

My second night in Brussels coincided with the Presidential Inauguration in the United States. And as luck would have it, there was a Sister March happening just down the street from my hotel. Not a March as much as a Candlelight Service. Once again, I had the opportunity to be inspired by strong women and the belief that the impossible could be, in fact, quite possible. We met for fellowship and conversation and shared ideas of what the world could look like. I met women from all over the world at this event, good women that want the world to be a better place.

The next day was off to the Atomium- a totem and Brussels treasure from the 1958 World Fair. It looks like a giant atom with elevators and escalators connecting the pods. The pods have different exhibits about the Fair and life in the 1950s. Walking through here, I suddenly realized my penchant for World’s Fair History. I love this stuff but never put the pieces together. Once my journeys are over, I suspect I will take up in depth reading on all of the World’s Fairs.

One of the best parts about Brussels was that I got to practice some of my high school French. Turns out I can pull off reading menus and signs and engaging in simple conversation, but I can’t read washing machine instructions in the laundromat AT ALL. Fortunately, I have done laundry once or twice and managed to piece together my own instructions. The clothes looked and smelled clean so I think I managed just fine.

I headed out to explore on my last day and found myself standing in front of a cinema. I suspect it is very unlikely that I will see every Oscar Nominated Film this year but I will make a concerted effort! So one ticket was purchased and my last evening was spent with the Rogue One crew. Ironically, it is a movie with a strong female character capable of doing the impossible. How apropos.

Next stop…..Lisbon for some warmer weather!

Whitewalkers and the Elusive Lights

“I must be kind to them,” thought Alice, “or perhaps they won’t walk the way I want them to go! Let me see: I’ll give them a new pair of boots every Christmas.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

I am back on the road again!!! After a month long break for our family Thanksgiving Cruise and the Holiday season, I grabbed my boots and hit the air. My boots and I had taken a short break while I was in Asia so I was quite happy to be reunited. Next to my Kitchenaid and my camera, they are some of my favorite belongings. And so began the European portion of my trip.

First stop- Iceland. And I had friends join me on this portion! As fools never differ, we all arrived at Reykjavik airport from different origins at nearly the exact same time. Clearing customs in Iceland is about as difficult as purchasing a pack of gum so it was off to the Blue Lagoon. This was supposed to be closed for renovation so it was a very pleasant surprise to find it open and that my dear friend Samantha had upgraded our tickets. Anyone traveling to Iceland must go directly to the Blue Lagoon from the airport. It is the ideal way to recover after an overnight flight. As it is winter here, the country experiences about 18 hours of darkness a day so our 8:30 AM ticket included the sunrise. It also included a silica cleansing mask (nice), sauna, steam cave and massage waterfall. But the highlight for me was the algae mask. Pretty certain I want to marry this mask. At $90 a bottle though, I did not bring back any souvenir packets! I thought long and hard about how I could sneak handfuls into my swimsuit and then out of Iceland with me!

The next day was spent exploring Reykjavik. It was a bit chilly but not unbearable so 8 miles just about did the trick. Most of the area we were in were shops and restaurants, attributed mostly to the crazy influx of tourists coming in waves to this country. And the next few days would certainly demonstrate why. A couple of interesting notes about Reykjavik- 1) they pump geothermal water under the sidewalks to melt the ice and snow 2) it is 40K from the Arctic Circle 3) as they don’t have an army, they have a statue of a businessman with a box on his head titled “Statue of the Unknown Bureaucrat” 4) they have as many Ruby Tuesday restaurants as Melbourne has Subways (exaggeration by a little) 5) they have the most Nobel Prize Winners per capita (at one) and 6) liquor stores open for only 1-2 hours per day (WHAT?????)

Enough of the city, it was time to hit the countryside. Iceland it would seem, has one of the most diverse landscapes I have seen. The winter has been particularly rough for them, lots of rain and fog but we seemed to be the harbingers of good weather. As soon as we left the city, the sky became the most beautiful pink, blue and lavender I have seen. We traveled all through the Golden Circle today, visiting waterfalls, geysers and the meeting of the teutonic plates. Every site looked like Game of Thrones could have been filmed there (more to come on that one!). That night, we stayed in the shadow of the Hekla volcano, which last erupted in 2000. The beauty of this volcano is that is gives absolutely no warning before it erupts. Much like the Northern Lights on this trip, an eruption was elusive. I had acquired a nasty little cold by this point, so I taught my friends Banangrams and then skipped out on my Northern Lights Shift. All that taking care of my feet and boots- I had not taken care of my lungs!

One of the really cool things about Iceland is its folklore. They have stories for everything, usually involving giants or trolls. My favorite was the Twelve Yule Lads, mischievous boys that visit the days leading up to Christmas. If you have been a bad kid, they take you to their mother who will cook you! They also leave individually after Christmas so Icelanders leave up their decorations until January 6. As it was January 12, it is apparently a universal issue with lazy neighbors taking down decorations!

Our drive today took us to more waterfalls, a really cool lava field (which I observed from the car as my cold was not improving- I looked pathetic curled up in the van coughing like Typhoid Mary) and a glacier lagoon (where Game of Thrones was filmed- again- more to come!). I managed to make it outside for about three minutes at the Lagoon before my lungs froze solid and I crawled back to the van). At least my feet were warm! Tonight, we slept at the base of a mountain, not far from a glacier. I managed to do my small part of the Northern Lights watch by staring out of my window for a few hours !

Words and photos could never actually describe the beauty of Iceland. I have written and deleted my description so many times that I have declared it futile. The landscape is everything from beaches to volcanos to glaciers to mountains to streams and on and on. And each is more beautiful than the one before. And more unique. We stopped at a black sand beach with notorious sneaker waves. This beach, while beautiful, is deadly. The sneaker waves have taken several lives. Respect for Mother Nature is paramount in this country. Both in her beauty and her strength.

Everyone goes to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. Many are disappointed as were we. But a different treat was to be bestowed upon us. We woke before the sunrise (this sounds early, but the sun doesn’t come up until 10AM!) for our glacier walk. Word on the street was that Kit Harrington and Game of Thrones were in town but we did not have confirmation on location. We would very soon get that confirmation. Just as we arrived at our glacier guide’s office to grab our gear, the road was closed……by the GoT crew!! We quickly told ourselves all of the appropriate stories- that Kit Harrington had been in the same building getting coffee and that he was filming a scene just 300 yards away. In truth, we don’t know who and what was being filmed. Only time will tell when the next season is released. Since Jon Snow and the Whitewalkers had cancelled our glacier walk, the best we could do was a walk by of a glacier tongue.

And so we headed back to Reykjavik for one last day of Bananagrams and Phase 10. I packed up my boots and parka and sent them back to the States with friends. I miss those boots. Until we are reunited in South America….

Next stop- Amsterdam.

Impossible China

Alice laughed.”There’s no use trying,’ she said, ‘one can’t believe impossible things.’

‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’

Alice Through The Looking Glass

Holy moly China has been busy. I am here for three weeks so I am trying to break my blog into each week since a minute is never wasted in this country. And it hasn’t helped that the Cubs are making their run for the World Series- forcing me into walking while staring at my phone!

I arrived in China and had one day to myself. After spending the morning in the hotel room watching the real live baseball game, I headed out for some sights and some food. The Temple of Heaven was a recommended sight (remind me to make some alternative suggestions for them) and an easy walk from my hotel so that was the winner. First thing I noticed was that everyone talks really loud. Like insanely loud. I am told it is because they need to emphasize their words because of the four tongues, but I am not buying it. I do now understand what it must be like to be around me all of the time! The Temple was in the middle of a really big park- which I found far more interesting than the building itself. My favorite part was a long corridor where groups of people were playing a very animated card game. My Chinese being what it is made it somewhat difficult to order food. I pointed and gestured and somehow managed to get myself a lovely bowl of noodles and what I sincerely hope was just vegetables! That night I met the group I would spend the NEXT THREE WEEKS with and was pleasantly surprised (those that know me know I don’t commit to people for very long so three weeks is an eternity- 5.76% of a year to be exact). I seem to travel with Aussies and Canadians quite well so was grateful to see they were the majority of the group. First order of business at the group meeting was to learn to say “let’s go” to add to my ever growing vocabulary to get people moving.

As we have a million things to do in China, we kicked off the trip big with the Great Wall- an impossibly built structure with an even more impossible climb. The early morning start made it apparent that China doesn’t get going early- making breakfast difficult and coffee even more challenging. Literally the only thing open was pork buns and McDonalds- where I quickly learned to order by picture and found their Egg McMuffins come with ketchup. Again, my poor Chinese made it impossible to customize! I also learned that Chinese coffee is actually worse than American coffee.

The bus ride to the Wall included our first lecture on the country. Things we learned- Buddhism is the most popular religion but Daoism is the most important, the Wall was built to protect China from the Huns, most of it is gone because it was built with mud (which makes me wonder why the enemies just didn’t pour water on it!) and there is now a Subway at the base of the portion of the Wall we visited. After completing the near impossible climb to the top, my veggie delight 6″ on wheat was lovely. After the Wall, we went to a Kung Fu show, another recommended activity in Beijing. Again, I can really make some suggestions for alternatives!

The next day was our last in Beijing, which I was quite grateful for as the smog was a bit thick. We headed to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. It was a bit odd to see something that has such strong perceptions in China and very different perceptions in the rest of the world. I spent my time in the Square following around what I believe were retired soldiers so I could photograph their solemnity. My entrance to the Forbidden City was my first taste of truly insane Chinese photography. I cannot possibly put into words the craziness that goes into every photograph in China. After the first building, we realized we could not compete with the natives and gave up trying. Each photo involves pushing yourself to the front, while trying not to give up any ground in front of you and protecting your face from the cameras that are just placed in front of you or on your head. We were rewarded, though, later in the day with lunch in a families kitchen that was absolutely amazing. Impossibly, we managed to make friends with so many people despite our lack of collective language.

Next up was our first overnight train- only 14 hours. It was far less painful than expected and shockingly easy to sleep. The train carriage is organized into about ten open compartments, each with six bunks so our three day friendship was taken to new levels. The beds were clean and somewhat comfortable, but most decided it was best to be dehydrated rather than brave the squat toilets. We arrived in Xi’an early in the morning and headed off to the City Wall to cycle. I could have done that for hours if the temptation of buns didn’t exist. Our guide does a fantastic job of finding truly local restaurants- the owners are cooking and speak very little, if any, English. The owners of this place videotaped us ordering and took lots of photos so we were pretty sure we were a novelty. Things got even better at dinner when we found a dumpling house and consumed our collective weight in dumplings!

Our hotel was across the street from one of the main parks in Xi’an, so a few of us got up early to watch the Tai Chi, calisthenics and dancing in the park and forage for our own breakfast. Another impossibility, we found our way to a random corner filled with carts and people making food. Turns out we were having the local breakfast- a pancake type bread with egg, lettuce, potatoes and chili. I was hooked. I could eat nothing but that and Sour Cream and Onion Pringles forever. After breakfast, it was time for highlight number two- the Terracotta Warriors. This tomb of a clearly egotistical and paranoid Emperor includes 8000 clay soldiers, each unique, lined up to protect his tomb. It took 720,000 people 40 years to pull off this stunt and was discovered in a local farmer’s land. He was given about $15,000 USD in today’s money for his land and now autographs books to buy his bread. It is quite an impressive sight to see, despite the billions of tourists. By now, we have become quite good at the photo fight and managed to gain ground in this place. What we once thought to be impossible was becoming a reality. This site also started our quest for the best Chinese signs, which may earn a blog post of its own. Becareful was the highlight here- my editing tendencies cringe at least once an hour. That night was in the Muslim Quarter where we braved street food- including sheep feet, squid, unidentified meats and lots of rice type stuff. Me, being the vegetarian, went home a wee bit hungry.

The last day in Xi’an was a visit to another Emperor tomb- this one with much smaller soldiers, cooks, waiters, etc. It was like a really big dollhouse and I amused myself the whole morning making up stories about their adventures. I also giggled to imaging the Emperor sneaking down at night and playing with his dolls. We had free time that afternoon in the rain, so we found a cinema with American movies and a proper British pub. The pub was a big mistake as the beer haunted me as we boarded the next overnight train- this one for 19 hours. Clearly China was exhausting as I slept about 12 of those hours and spend 6 of the other laying in my bunk.

And so that concludes week one- the group is passing around a lovely cold that I have already survived but fully expect to get again. We continue to beat the impossible- although the most challenging is yet to come! And even more impossible, the Cubs are in the World Series!

China Week Two to come!

Hello, hello, hello Cambodia

‘Well, in our country,’ said Alice, still panting a little, ‘you’d generally get to somewhere else- if you ran very fast for a long time, as we’ve been doing.’

‘A slow sort of country!’ said the Queen. ‘Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the someplace. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!’

Alice Through the Looking Glass

I arrived at the water border crossing in Cambodia after a few days of sailing through Vietnam, fully expecting to be underwhelmed by Cambodia. I could not have been more wrong. This country is fantastic. The people are so wonderful and friendly and their simply life seems so happy. You spend a good deal of time greeting the hundreds of “hellos” you hear. On the other hand, they seem to have very restricted access to any non Cambodian versions of history, a fact which frustrated me, but only caused me to actually lose my temper once. Part of my frustration may have also been the very limited access we had to physical activity- the group actually resorted to hosting our own boot camp on the deck of the boat. This would become a theme of the Cambodian portion of the trip.

First stop the following day was Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. I liked this town quite a bit. We arrived in the evening and did a cyclo tour of the capital. My sweet bike peddler and I tried to talk, but my Cambodia being what it is, made it quite comical. I named him Turbo as we raced to beat the other bikes (and by “we” I mean him as my only role was to cheer on his legs!). Strolling back to the boat along a river that changes directions twice a year, we found that Phnom Penh was known for Happy Pizza (“herb” crust pizza that leaves you a bit loopy after you eat it), super cheap massages and motorcycles with trailers that pop open to reveal bars, complete with neon. And fried insects. Lots of fried insects.

The next day started again with us begging to ride the bikes. Nope. Bus time. We picked up our very talkative local guide to go the sobering Killing Fields and Section 21 prison. Our local guide lectured us for the 45 minute drive and you clearly saw the effects of propaganda. Somebody’s history is incorrect as our version differed dramatically from theirs. I suspect we both have a skewed version. I resisted the temptation to correct the errors- at least until he announced that Richard Nixon had resigned his presidency because Americans were protesting the bombing of Cambodia. Having studied Nixon in school, the words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. I recovered quickly but couldn’t bring myself to listen to the rest of his talk. Our individual patriotism would unlikely find common ground in the six hours we would spend together.

The Killing Fields were horrible and the pain is clearly still fresh for the Cambodians. It was shocking to think this all happened so recently and was so grotesque. I am falling in love with photography, but I won’t photograph graves- the best I could do was the bracelets that people hang from trees and fences to honor the dead. We then went to S21- a high school turned prison where prisoners waited until being taken to the Killing Fields to be executed (although they were told it was just a relocation). To balance the ugly, the evening was spent getting $8 massages, $.50 beer at Happy Hour (which goes from 7AM – 11PM) and sneaking away from the group for dinner (pizza and red wine).

Day Eight might be my favorite day of the trip- after watching the Cubs game aboard the boat, we docked at a small village along the river. Here, we met a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, imprisoned as an intellectual. He was a professor, but told them he was a farmer. He had been an avid exerciser and therefore had callouses on his hands. They doubted him but every day, let him live another. The day before he was set for execution, the regime fell and he escaped back to his village. He now teaches math to the children of the village in a makeshift classroom. I could have listened to his story for hours.

We awoke the next day to find out that WE WERE GOING TO USE THE BICYCLES!! Finally, exercise would be available. There were only ten bikes, but 19 passengers. A quick fight to the death and the winners were awarded their bikes. We rode through town and out into the farms to visit potters, brick makers and palm sugar makers. Cambodians are so friendly, you had to ride your bike with one hand because the other one is busy waving to every person you pass. It was a really good day. This was our last night on the boat so the staff decided to entertain us with song. The highlight was the somewhat lesser known Eric Clapton song “I Look Wonderful Tonight.”

The last day of the trip was the one I had been anticipating. We would finally see Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. We rose insanely early to see the sun rise over this temple and were so grateful for that. The temple is so beautiful and Mother Nature gave us a near perfect sunrise. Cross Angkor Wat off the list! Next stops were the Tomb Raider Temple (I suspect that isn’t the official name) and the Buddha Temple (also not the official name). At this point, I was completely templed out. So where to go next? China, of course. I can’t imagine there are any temples there.

Cambodia surprised me. A lot. The people were so friendly and the landscape so beautiful. This is one of my highly recommended visits from all of my travels. If I wasn’t so busy in China, this blog would be about 5000 words longer but time and memory elude me.

Conflicted in Vietnam

‘It seems very pretty,’ she said when she had finished it, ‘but it’s rather hard to understand!’ (You see she didn’t like to confess, even to herself, that she couldn’t make it out at all). ‘Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas- only I don’t exactly know what the are.’

Alice Through the Looking Glass

My arrival in Vietnam provided me with my first travel oops. I had prepared in advance for my visa, so proud of myself. Then I changed my travel plans, forgetting that I already had my visa dates established. So I marched up to customs and was promptly rejected. Fortunately, the Vietnamese are quite understanding and for a small fee, I was able to enter a day early!

The Vietnamese in Saigon continued the tradition of the insane driving I have experienced for the past few months, with one exception. They use turn signals. They don’t actually use them until they have initiated the lane change, but I appreciate the effort nonetheless. Mopeds apparently have no laws here. They use either lane and the sidewalk, sometimes within a 15 second period. Only a few unlucky drivers witnessed my wrath.

Saigon is a very walkable city so day one was a walkabout. Technically, it is called Ho Chi Minh City, but I was told that Saigon belongs to history and so is the preferred name. I did a brisk ten miles around the city, checking out the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral (not the Parisian one!), Independence Palace and City Hall. I popped into Ben Thanh market and lasted a good three minutes before I escaped through a side exit. As I was not in the market for shoes, shirts, sarongs, jewelry, dried fruits, fish, vegetables, perfume, eye glasses, dishes, and on and on, I ran instead to a street markets for some delightful Vietnamese noodles. I also learned the primary use of parks is to catch Pokemon.

Traveling to Vietnam, I had no idea what to expect about impressions and thoughts about the United States. I got a taste on my second day when I visited the War Remnants Museum. I still struggle with the amount of conflict I felt in visiting this museum and find words difficult to describe what is in my head. Yes, the museum was one sided, I wouldn’t expect anything else. What surprised me was the lack of any semblance of humanity, only anger and hatred. I wanted to acknowledge the horrible acts that were committed, but my fierce patriotism searched for fairness. And to make it even more difficult, I spent the evening with several non Americans who couldn’t share my struggle. It was hard to communicate my feelings without them judging me as “just an American” as the media would portray. This is not the last time I would these emotions on this trip.

Day Three was a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels where the Vietcong lived for protection during the war. The tunnels were amazing, although climbing through them was a bit intimidating. And to make it more realistic, there is an AK-47 shooting range on the property so you heard gunfire inside the very, very dark tunnels. They really were pretty clever in the building of these tunnels and the amount of torture tools was a bit daunting.

After the tunnels, I found some more street food- Indian this time- and boarded the boat where I would spend the next 8 days, sailing the Mekong up to Siem Reap.

We sailed into the town My Tho on day four to see a temple with a really, really big buddah, bee factory, coconut candy makers, pythons (I skipped this part) and some other touristy stuff. Having had enough of that, a few of us stayed on the boat for the afternoon excursion (which would likely include more shopping) and enjoyed a peaceful sail up the river until the others met up with us a few hours later. Sailing along the water never got old, the fisherman, the children waving from the banks, the floating neighborhoods. I sat for hours watching the banks go by.

We awoke the next day in the Venice of Vietnam, coined and said by me as no one else agreed. In Sa Dec, all of the houses were along the waterfront, right up to the edge and the canals were filled with boats. Unfortunately, I couldn’t talk anyone into singing in Italian for me as we sailed to the market.

The local market was filled with all kinds of food choices, freshly skinned frogs, moles and chicken feet. There were also a lot of shy children that made my photography quite challenging.

Vietnam ended that evening atop Sam Mountain, watching the sunset, listening to monks chanting and then dining on some good, local food.

Vietnam was not anything I expected and I feel like I need to come back again to really understand its people and its history. I am so conflicted as I leave, it wasn’t nearly the adventure I hoped but far more of an emotional challenge than I expected. Perhaps it was because I spent most of the trip sailing on the river, with limited interaction with locals but I leave Vietnam with a head filled with ideas, only I don’t know exactly what they are.

Now to cross the border to Cambodia.

Twiddling Thai Thumbs

“Where do you come from?’ said the Red Queen. “And where are you going? Look up, speak nicely, and don’t twiddle your fingers all the time.’

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Oh Thailand. Land of tattoo parlors, teeth whitening and tourist shops. Where just walking down the street is a clear indication you want a taxi, a massage, thai food, tours and clothes. After the busyness of India and Nepal, I was grateful for the peace and quiet that my solo time would give me in Thailand. So much that one might consider me quite dull here, twiddling my fingers and watching the world go by. My camera and I were on a much needed Break so the ph0tos will also be rather dull!

I arrived in Phuket and taxied to Patong where I spent the first day doing horribly exciting things like laundry, bill paying and emails- all things that apparently do not go away when you go on extended vacation. I finally headed outside for dinner where I found Malin Plaza or Thai Food Heaven. Here you can get freshly cooked food and a beer for $3.50 USD. And the people watching is free! Piece of advice. When they say “would you like it spicy?” take pause. I left two layers of my lips on my chopsticks that night.

It is the end of monsoon season in Thailand which I have determined clearly means Mother Nature spends each day unsure of what she wants to do and therefore chooses as many options as possible. On day two, I packed up my beach towel, sunscreen, umbrella and rain coat and headed to the beach. And I used everything I bought! We had torrential rain and then beautiful sun.

After surviving the first monsoon of the day, I decided to skip the second and headed to the theater. My long standing relationship with all forms of Mark Fitzwilliam Darcy and the need to know just exactly who was the father of Bridget’s baby, pulled me straight inside for the afternoon. Thai theater is pretty similar to most other places with two main exceptions. The first is the popcorn. It is this delicious Cheese Corn flavored and tastes exactly like its name, corn with cheese on it. The second difference is the King’s Anthem. Thailand loves their King (don’t think about stepping on a piece of currency as his photo is on them) and just before the movie starts, all rise to pay respect to the King. This was made quite hilarious to me as the theater was filled with Western women between the ages of 25-50 (who clearly shared my passion for Mr. Darcy) and no actual Thai.

Day Three was spent at the beach. Mother Nature must have been busy twiddling her thumbs, that we got a full day of sunshine. I read an entire book on the beach, saw far too many poor swimsuit choices and said “no” to about 4,245 beach vendors. Only the ones that woke me to ask if I wanted a carved elephant bowl that also stood upright in the sand got a grumpy “no.”

That night I finally worked up the courage to try a Doctor Fish pedicure. You stick your feet in a tank filled with toothless fishies and let them nibble away at the dead skin on your feet. I am horribly ticklish so the first five minutes were nearly embarrassing. I giggled like crazy. But then, it got quite relaxing. I highly recommend it and would gladly go again.

Day Four was spent….you guessed it….sitting on the beach with what I can only assume is 90% of the Australian continent. I am pretty certain, I met at least the entire population of Melbourne.

Massages are dirt cheap in Thailand, and amazing. For less than $10, you get a 60 minute massage. So you go every day. Today I decided to try a new one and was contorted into positions I didn’t think I had in me. I am hooked.

And so I twiddled away my days in Thailand, quite grateful for the down time.

But look up and stop twiddling your thumbs! It’s me- off to Vietnam- where the jam packed adventures will resume.

Dancing Across the Mountains on the Moon in Nepal

She was getting a little giddy with so much floating in the air, and was rather glad to find herself walking again in the natural way.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

I landed in Kathmandu, Nepal with absolutely no expectations, which is odd for me because I nearly always expect something! I was not prepared for the beauty of this country, both from the land and the air. Nepal doesn’t feel real- maybe that is because I was on sensory overload from my days in India or because it can’t actually be described. It is a bit like floating on air- drifting from one environment to the next, until you drive the roads, but more to come on that in a bit.

I learned a few things about Nepal- they exist on a different calendar and it is currently 2073 for them. Talk about floating through the air way into the future! They have over 500,000 motorcycles because the government taxes cars at 200% which is horrible since the average income is $800 per year.

Day One – A Walk to Thamel

It felt so good to finally walk somewhere after India, so good that dodging cars became normal and the incessant honking of horns became mere white noise. Thamel is a tourist town where many people stop for a bit before heading out to Everest Base Camp or trekking through the Himalayas. It took us only one hour to get completely lost and another hour to find ourselves back out! And so began the daily mantra of “I love Nepal.”

Day Two- The First Stupa of A LOT of stupas!

We kicked off the day in Kathmandu, which translates to holy land made of wood. First stop- our first stupa. These are built to house holy relics and I was quite dismayed to see that it was under construction and photography was impossible. I did not know just how many stupas I was to see on this trip!

Next stop was the village of Bhaktapur, heavily impacted by the earthquake in 2015. This small village had over 330 dead and is still trying to rebuild itself. Oddly enough, it is known as the city of 99. They have 99 temples, 99 courtyards and oddly enough, 99 water spouts. Strange thing to hang your hat on, but who am I to judge.

It was finally time for some Nepalese food! Wait, what? We have to make it ourselves? We visited a home that helps educate and integrate girls who have been victims of the slave trade. In addition to paralegal training, the group offers cooking classes and lunch to fund their work. I am happy to say that I am now an expert Momo maker, a Nepalese snack that is my current favorite food. I even brought the recipe home so apologies in advance for all that will be dining on my creations!

Day Three- Floating through the Mountains

An early morning wake up call was resisted by no one because we were off to Kathmandu airport for the Everest flight! The actual name for Everest is Sagarmantha which means “whose head is in the sky” and “Mother Goddess of the Earth” in Nepalese and Tibetan. I can’t recall which is which, but I prefer the head in the sky one. It is more fitting! Words cannot describe and photos cannot do justice to the beauty of this mountain range. You can’t help but pause and have enormous respect for those that have scaled this unbelievable mountain.

Feet back on the ground, it was off to the Monkey Temple for us. It is a Hindu Buddhist temple and filled with monkeys. And pigeons. Pigeons are believed to be ancestors returned to watch over the people so they are tended to and fed. I waved to my grandparents but didn’t get too close!

While visiting the Monkey Temple, we saw, you guessed it, a stupa. A couple of passes around the stupa and off to a painting school we went. These artists are trained to work with paintbrushes that have 3-5 hairs on them. After the lesson, five of us were quickly identified as “not likely to purchase anything” and were quickly escorted out of the room to “admire the view from the rooftop” so as not to discourage any others from spending big money!

While waiting, we did some bowl therapy. This man puts a bowl on your head, back, belly, etc and bangs it, causing the reverberation to fill your body. While it was a bit disconcerting, it did get rid of the two day headache I had. We also tried yak tea. If you take no other advice from my blog, NEVER, EVER, EVER drink yak tea. It is made with yak butter, salt and tea and is quite possibly the most disgusting thing I had ever consumed. As we were guests in someone’s home, I mustered all of the strength I had, forced myself out of my body, floating through the air, and drank as much as I could.

I would be rewarded for this effort when we arrived at our lodging for the night- a monastery for young monks in training. In Nepal, the second son is sent to the monastery and spends his youth in training. At a certain age, he can choose if he wants to continue or chose a new path. Those that had chosen to stay, or were nearing their decision point, were engaged in debates. This was a fascinating process where one monk asks a question, such as what is color? Or what is the most important human quality? If the sitting monk’s answer agrees, they move on to the next question. If not, they debate until one monk is left silent. I loved sitting in my room listening to this process go on for over two hours.

Day Four- floating through exhaustion

These monks get up at 5:00 every day to chant. So we got up with them. It is a chaotic chant, everyone at their own speed and the music is just played somewhat randomly. Strangely enough, it is quite calming. To keep balance, we walked over to the nearby Nunnery to see the girls in training as well.

So as not to spend too much time in a state of calm, we were off to our next hotel. This one required a 30 minute hike into the woods. I did get to add to my collection of international sayings for “let’s go”, adding jam jam in Nepal and gamma gamma in Austria. I will very soon be internationally fluent in getting people moving! I can say it in Spanish, English, Swahili and Arabic as well. Everyone was quite grateful for a bar at this hotel and dinner was a great ab workout in laughter. And the hotel was grateful for the liquor bill!

Day Five- if only I could really float through the air

If I had known what was next, there is no way I would have hiked back out of that mountain and agreed to get in the car. We were driving to Chitwan National Park, a drive that would take the next six days. I nearly lost my mind and had to resort to my music to keep me sane. I often contemplated jumping out the window and running just to burn some energy. Mental note- do not eat a granola bar that says ENERGY on the label before getting locked in a car for three years.

Fortunately we arrived to the most beautiful resort, situated along the river (which I can’t remember the name of and don’t currently feel inspired to google, so let’s call it the Kim River). We hopped in some boats and cruised, spotting both kinds of crocs, hippos and homo sapiens. No tigers though. It ended with sunset on the banks with wine and snacks. The wine helped us survive the locals dressing us in versions of their local dress and teaching us dance. We were not good and I have a four minute and 14 second video to prove it!

Day Six- no way would I leave the ground for this day

First activity- early morning game drive. I could do this every day of my life so I was super excited. We saw birds, monkeys and rhinos. Again. No tigers. They are still on the bucket list. When it was time to go, two of us threatened to hide in the woods and do independent game drive. The decision to get back in the jeep paid off when a full on monsoon opened up and we were soaked.

Up next was one of my favorite surprises of the trip- it was a festival day in the local village. They either wish for good husbands for the single ladies or good health for the husbands of the smug marrieds (Bridget Jones shout out). While I could write a whole blog on my issue with this choice of wishes, I will chalk it up to tradition. These ladies stop traffic until someone pays them to move. It wasn’t long before we were part of the dance, stopping at two separate parties for some dancing. No husbands were found so we moved on.

Day Seven- Worst Day Ever

Today we drove. And drove. And drove. And only went 126 kilometers. In 834 hours. I could have walked faster than that. It took everything in me to not let my Chicago driver take over, push the driver out of the bus and take over driving. Axles can be fixed easily, right? After three and half more months, we arrived in Pokhara. Three of us slipped off from the group, found a falafel shop and drank cheap beer in a local pub. There are no photos from today as I was concerned they might be used as evidence in my hijacking of the car.

Day Eight- Literal flight

Another early day to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas at Sarangot. My John Denver soundtrack played in my head as I took some quiet time to appreciate the beauty of a mountain, the snow and the sun upon them.

Time to fly!! I had waited the whole trip for this morning and it was so worth it. The paragliding company picked us up and we were off. Well, not entirely. Little did we know, we had about 23 people to pick up along the way. At one point, the other jeep had six people on the roof and I had to, not very gently, remove the hand of another from my knee in the back seat. We drove to the top of the world, hooked some sails to our backs and ran off the edge of the mountain. And flew. And soared. Across the mountains on the moon.

We flew back to Kathmandu the next day, having floated through the country that was full of surprises and beauty.

Feet back on the ground, next stop- Thailand.

India -Beauty in people, places and lessons

You’re thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. I can’t tell you just now what the moral of that is, but I shall remember it in a bit.’

‘Perhaps it hasn’t one,’ Alice ventured to remark.

‘Tut tut child,’ said the Duchess. “Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it.’

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

India has a story for everything. They all have morals, although some are a bit more difficult to identify than others. We did our best to always find a lesson in our day, some funny but many more profound.

On the first day, we learned patience and the suspension of fear. Two of my fellow travelers and I, having met at dinner the night before, headed out to do some sightseeing on our own before the official tour began. We hired our first tuk-tuk. Traffic in Delhi is every bit as crazy as you might imagine. I suspect the country might save a fortune in the annual budget by eliminating any roadway paint. No one uses the lanes anyway. A perfectly good two lane road can easily handle cars six wide. And cars aren’t the only ones that use the road. You share it with buses, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, bicycles and cows. Oh, and pedestrians also walk along the roadway. Deep breaths and positive thoughts are required at all times!

So we were off to the Lotus House of Worship- a Baha’i facility that was just amazing. This religion invites all faiths to sit in the House and pray/meditate/contemplate/etc however they desire, without judgement. They also focus on the evolution of religions, recognizing that as times change, so should worship. They even ensure that religion and science find harmony with each other. It was quite enlightening. And this gorgeous building is one of only seven in the world.

Next stop was the Qutub Minar,the tallest mineral minaret in the world. Our tuk-tuk driver discouraged us from going there because it was just a tower. He was wrong. Very wrong. Built in the 12th Century, it was gorgeous, along with the surrounding monuments around it. Made of red sandstone and marble, it is a must see. The joke after this experience quickly became “it’s just a tower.” Moral of the story- don’t always listen to tuk-tuk drivers. Your eyes may see more clearly than your ears. Deep, eh?

Day Two in Delhi was a lesson in posing. India, land of 1.25 billion people, although everyone we met, said 1250 million. I am not sure why the distinction is made but it seemed worth mentioning. You would think that amidst all of these people, I would just blend right in. Nope. Not even close. I am happy to say that I am now in millions of family photos, 1473 million to be exact. Some of these photos were posed, while many were pretend selfies or really bad sneaks. Needless to say, most of these photographers do not have a future in spy work. Moral of the story- always smile because you never know when you are being photographed.

On the way to our first stop, we drove through a Goat Garage Sale. The next day would be a festival in which every family sacrifices a goat and shares the meat with their neighbors. The market was filled with goats for sale. I quickly did the math and realized I could not either buy them all or set them all free, so I taught myself a quick lesson in acceptance. Good thing, because we visited a Gurudwara, a Sikh Temple, and this religion is accepting. They are so kind and welcoming and feed anyone that needs food. Every day. If you can pay, great; if not, no worries. This particular gurudwara feeds 5000 people a day. I would have loved to stay and help cook and hear the stories of these lovely people, but time did not allow as we were off to a mosque next.

Day Three in Agra- the mother of all days- the Taj Mahal. Today’s moral- love can be captured in the beauty of a building while hate can be just as strong. We woke early to be the first ones in line at the Taj. Sadly, we were second. But it didn’t matter. We were able to see the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, without the crowds. The buildings are amazing. I fully appreciated the perfect symmetry of the building and grounds, an expression of the love of a husband to his wife. Everything was in balance. All except one thing. One of the sons of the Mughal Shah Jahan, was not super happy with his dad after he neglected the children while mourning is wife. After usurping his rule and imprisoning his father until death, he placed his tomb just off center, ruining the perfect symmetry. Love and hate- both powerful.

Lunch that day was at a place called Sheroes. You didn’t have to look far to find the moral in that name. This cafe was run by victims of acid attacks, a horrible trend in India. These beautiful women have created this haven where they can regain their confidence and hope after disfiguration and help educate others to eradicate this crime. Moral of the story- don’t mess with Women- we will always stand together.

After lunch we visited the Amber Fort- but really only saw a monsoon. Every inch of our clothing and shoes was soaked, but not having seen rain in months, I was quite excited for the opportunity! Moral of the story- carry an umbrella, although I can’t imagine it would have helped in this rain!

Final lesson of the day was learned that night at dinner. Indian produced wine is in its infancy. Enough said.

Day Four in Jaipur was a lesson in doing your research. First stop- the Abandoned City of Fatehpur. It was built by King Akbar because a local Holy Man ensured that he would have a son. They spent twelve years building this city and palace, moved in and discovered there was not enough water to support they city. So they packed up and left. Moral of the story- you might want to ask a few questions before purchasing property. Bonus moral- this King had three wives, one Hindu, one Christian and one Muslim. They all had their own sections of the palace of differing sizes. He decorated each of them in different styles to make them all equal, one in diamonds, another in gold and the last was the largest. Moral- if you are going to have three wives, you better find a way to maintain perfect equality!

We also stopped to see an ancient step well, built to allow villagers to get water a different times of the year based on the level of water. Research done and successful!

That night, was my first rickshaw ride, through the insane traffic of Jaipur. Fortunately my rickshaw partner channeled a gondolier and random serenading accompanied the chaotic ride. The ride concluded at a delicious lassi shop, built in the 1900s. I might just have developed a slight addiction to them by now.

Day Five- moral in being prepared. I left my camera battery in the charger, so the photos from this day are absent. Stories will have to suffice.

STORY ONE- In India, animals roam the streets freely. Interestingly, the cows are abandoned because they are old. Since they are holy, they cannot be killed. When they no longer produce milk, they are released to live out the remainder of their lives homeless, eating food on the streets. I am pretty sure I do not see the beauty in their release. Pigs, however, are not homeless, yet they roam. Their owners release them each day to go out and eat the garbage in the street. Each night, the pigs return home.

STORY TWO- Also in India, you can find snake charmers. I am TERRIFIED of snakes, like baboon terrified and will just pass out if I see one. As we were headed into Amber Palace, a beautiful fort on the top of a hill that you will need to google to see, I got lost in my head and the business around me and walked next to a cobra. Like literally right next to a cobra. Inches from his head. All I can say is thank goodness I didn’t see it or turn around when my travel companions gasped in fear and shock or we would have had quite the set of photographs documenting my fainting, just like a baboon.

STORY THREE- The King of Jaipur visited England many years back and went shopping dressed as a civilian. He entered the Rolls Royce store and was rebuffed, Pretty Women style. He went home, ordered ten and had them shipped to Jaipur. He then cut off the tops, outfitted them with brooms and shovels and used them as garbage trucks in his city. So Rolls Royce- mistake. Big mistake.

Final stop of the night was a Bollywood film. The cinema is a different experience than everywhere else I have been. Feel free to walk around, have conversations and even loud fights and come and go as you please. And if you phone rings, by all means, take the call. While this would have made me nuts in the States, it seemed fitting here. The movie was horrible so the ability to talk made it one of my most fun things I did in India.

Last day in India- a lesson in treating others well, being happy no matter what, cherishing friendships and about 100 others.

We traveled to a remote(ish) village called Sawarda and stayed in an old palace that had been converted to a heritage hotel. We spent the afternoon, hanging out with each other, having cocktails and getting henna. Then we headed out into the village to walk with the people. These were the most amazing and happy people. The kids followed and smiled and seemed genuinely happy to see us. It felt almost like a movie set, it was too good to be true. This village made life work perfect for them. They had one blacksmith, one potter and so on.

One of my “to do” items in India was to crash a wedding. I did even better. I was invited. Two of our group had decided to renew their vows and this village made it happen. Hindu priests were brought in from a nearby village, the women in the village not only brought us their clothes to wear but came and dressed us as well. The ceremony was beautiful and explained to us throughout. Moral of the story- dream big, make friends, treat others well, be generous………

And so I leave India- filled with many life lessons and plenty of morals, both found and yet to be understood.

Off to Tibet.

Winning at Everything- including Hot!

‘Well at any rate it’s a great comfort,’ she said as she stopped under the trees, ‘after being so hot, to get into the- into what?’ she went on, rather surprised at not being able to think of the word. ‘I mean to get under the – under the- under this, you know!’ putting her hand on the trunk of the tree.’ What does it call itself, I wonder? I do believe it’s got no name- why, to be sure it hasn’t.’

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Intermission between Part One and Part Two FINALLY came to an end, my necessary visas were acquired and I finally headed out into the world again. First stop. Dubai, UAE. Where it was hot. Painfully hot. Suffocatingly hot. Literally. The kind of heat that makes you delirious! The government requires that the bus shelters be air conditioned it is so hot.

Dubai puts everything inside, from theme parks to ski slopes, because no one wants to go outside. Like ever. I walk. And I like outside. So on Day Two (Day One was only the afternoon and I spent it at the pool, pushing through jet lag), when I headed down to Jumeirah beach for a three mile walk to Burj al Arab (Third Tallest Hotel in the World), it was about me and six other people. At the end of the three miles, I totally understood why. I looked like someone from the movies who had been lost in the desert for weeks, crawling into a cafe, clawing at people for water and drenched in sweat (slight exaggeration but I do love to make everything slightly more Hollywood and the drenched in sweat part is totally true). One lemon mint juice (the lemon mint juice in the Middle East is so good, I might just move here for it) and about 60 minutes later, I had cooled enough to call a cab and head to cooler pastures.

One of first things you notice (after the heat) about Dubai is the architecture. Some of the most iconic buildings in the world are here. The second thing you notice about Dubai is they are obsessed with having the biggest/fastest/tallest/largest/first of everything. And they are so proud of each of these things. The Dubai Mall is the largest mall by area in the world. Or as I like to think of it- the largest air conditioner in Dubai. What is crazy is that it isn’t even the only enormous mall in Dubai. I counted at least three. I spent the next few hours walking around the mall, mostly observing and talking with people as Dubai is one of the most international cities I have visited. Every style of dress and language was apparent. And they had some pretty cool artwork spaced between the ice skating rink, food courts, cinema, underwater zoo and aquarium. And stores.

Having learned my lesson from the heat on Day Two, I decided Day Three would utilize public transport instead of my feet. First stop- Old Dubai and the Gold and Spice Souks. Having been in Morocco for a bit, I was expecting traditional souks. While the Spick Souk was slightly similar to what I had seen, the Gold Souk felt a bit more like a strip mall. My highlight though, was the Dubai Creek, filled with dhow. These boats were being loaded with cargo to take to countries around the Arabian Sea. I saw boats with refrigerators, televisions, mattresses, fabrics and food. They hardly looked sea worthy but have filled their purpose for years. And because of the heat, the tiny cabins had portable air conditioners poking through the windows!

After Old Dubai, it was time for more of the architecture of downtown, including the Tallest Building in the World, the Burj Khalifa. Of course, the entry to this building is in the Lower Level of the Dubai Mall so it was back to the mall for me. The elevator goes 17 meters per second so the ride to Floor 148 is just over 60 seconds long. The building is so tall and the elevator so fast that you can watch the sunset on the ground, take the elevator to the top and watch the sunset again. And from way up here you get to see the famous Sheikh Zayed Road, with tons of unusual skyscrapers. My favorite is the Thai Hotel, that has approximately 174 rooms. Umm. Approximately? Can you not get an accurate count? Do the rooms multiply or subtract? Are some magic rooms that are not always accessible? Or is Dubai just looking for the First Hotel With Approximate Rooms?

Now it was time to see the Palm Island, the man made beach shaped like a palm leaf with a crescent moon setting around it. Other than ridiculous wealth, it was a bit underwhelming. Good thing, because they are building another down the beach. A stop at the Mall of the Emirates to see Ski Dubai, the First Indoor Ski Retreat in the Middle East (see another title) was next. It was amusing to see everyone bundled in ski clothes while the heat still radiated from my body. The sun was now setting and it was time to head back to- you guessed it- the Dubai Mall for the Dubai Fountain. In the style of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, every thirty minutes, the water dances to music. It took everything in my power to not jump into the water as by this point, I was truly delirious from the heat. And about 15 pounds lighter from the sweat. I made my dinner a vanilla milkshake with peanut butter and double stuff Oreo cookies and regained the 15 pounds in about seven minutes.

Time to say goodbye to Dubai – I was longing to be outdoors. Off to Oman- where I spent nearly every moment of sunlight outdoors, swimming in the Gulf, reading by the pool and walking around the mountains. So much that I neglected to take more than a photo of even the pool. So no blog and a picture of the Burj Khalifa at night will have to suffice. Off to India!

“You’re traveling the wrong way.”

All this time the Guard was looking at her, first through a telescope, then through a microscope, and then through an opera-glass. At last he said, ‘You’re traveling the wrong way,’ and shut up the window and went away.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Bonus blog post! Back in the States for three weeks, I have had lots of time with friends and lots of time to reflect on my first few months of travel. Everyone asks what my favorite thing was (don’t have only one but I really dug camping in the desert), where I liked visiting the most (everywhere- but liked Egypt way more than expected) and how well did I pack (not too bad if I do say so myself- but I cut a few things for Part Two). So I put together a few thoughts on my travels so far.

Time

Time becomes much more of an abstract concept. The first thing you lose is the day of the week. You literally have no idea what day it is. Thank goodness for airlines that send emails 24 hours before your flight! At this point, I find the months are even slipping away.

Some days take forever and some the blink of an eye. Certain events become slow motion memories and some travel days feel like a lifetime. You wish some of these events could have been recorded as no storyteller could completely recreate the moment. Retell your stories often, even if only to yourself, to help record them in your mind.

Your friends live all over the world- some online conversations will start in your middle of the night. Go with it. Those are some of the funniest chats you will have. And you always have an old friend wherever you land with a new one to be made any minute.

People

The general populace is the same everywhere. The individual is so very unique. My favorite days are always those spent hanging out in cafes or taking lunch outside offices and meeting people that live there. My favorite nights are those that take me out of my normal environment, like camping in the desert or climbing a mountain.

Collect people, not souvenirs. I am so happy with the friendships I have made with people all of the world. Love or hate social media- when used for good, it is the perfect way to stay in touch with all of these people. It knows few borders, never closes and allows for as much or as little contact as you desire.

People that travel are amazing. They have a curiosity and appreciation for the world outside of their life. They are always up for adventures, tasting and trying new things. These are the ones that will be participants in some of your best memories. And reappear many times throughout your life.

Packing

There are really only a few must have items- passport, ATM card, cell phone and lots of ear plugs. Everything else is a luxury item. My indulgence items are really good shampoo and conditioner (ironic since my hair and I have never formed a strong relationship) and Alaskan glacial silt soap. And Band-Aid brand bandages.

I don’t take too many clothes, although I am certain I could take less. I wish I could take fewer shoes. A good sundress is key. A sarong can be a skirt for impromptu visits to religious institutions, a swim coverup, a dress, a blanket, a head covering and on and on. A portable power strip will allow you to make lots of friends during airport delays. And a drain cover for sink washing beats stuffing the drain with a plastic bag any day.

Learning how to pack is important. I have been called “Mary Poppins” and “Hermione” for my ability to always have everything you might need. As I type this, I fully recognize that I will not be in possession of the very next item someone needs. Karma.

I can’t overestimate the need to pack your imagination as well. Traveling alone leaves you plenty of time in your head. Traveling on tours leaves you plenty of time trapped in cars/planes/trains/boats/buses. A healthy imagination helps through the tedium and some of these crazy thoughts can turn into crazy stories that take on a life of their own.

Travel

Know where you are going and how to get there before you land in a new airport. People generally lose their minds in airports so if you can keep your wits about you, you are way ahead in the game. Some countries want you to use taxis, others discourage. Know this before you arrive.

Learn a few things about local customs. I make it a point to know tipping and dining etiquette, seat belt laws, how to greet people and a few key words.

I left on this adventure a total hotel snob. Not long into my travels, I lost it. I have slept on the sand surrounded by camel dung, on top of train beds and on sailboat decks inches from my fellow travelers. Turns out, you don’t need a fancy bed to dream. You just need the stars, exhausting, fun-filled days and a sleep sack.

English is a good language to know, nearly everyone speaks a little of it. But learning bits of local language is fascinating, the similarities and the differences. A few words, such as the Arabic ‘yalla’ and Italian ‘prego’ are fantastic words that I have incorporated into my daily speak.

Random

You will miss some things. Embrace them rather than dwell. I found I missed Mexican food (I don’t even really love Mexican food), Morningstar chickn patties and rinsing out my toothbrush in the sink.

Take lots of pictures, but also stop to make memories. You can look back on the photo and see the beauty, but the memory will bring back the moment. Four thousand photos without feeling are only pictures. One story will stay with you forever.

You can travel the world, but home will have the germs that give you the flu.

Next stop, Dubai. See you there.