Jul 25
In a few weeks time I’ll embark on a new adventure. This one will be somewhat of a different flavor. Instead of travelling by motored transport as usual, I’ll be pedaling a bicycle!
Start Date: Early August
End Date: Unknown
Departure: Portland, Oregon
Direction: South
Destination: Unknown
For the past two weeks I’ve been daydreaming about pedaling through Central and South America. Daydreaming about travel is normal, but to daydream about the same place and specific travel idea…thats very unusual for me. So I decided to do it.
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May 08
Yesterday I visited Providence Country Day School and talked with the kids in two art classes about travel, art and life. I told them some stories about the places I’ve been, things I’ve seen and done, people I’ve met. I told them about the poverty in southeast Asia and India, about the exhilarating experience of paragliding over the Swiss alps, what got me started travelling, why I do it and how I afford it.
The class and their inspiring teacher (and my friend) Dayna Mondello were gracious to provide plenty of questions, which I enjoyed answering as well as heaping bowls of nuts and berries and a can of flavored soda water.
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Jul 08
Contrary to purported “plans”, I’ve travelled very little since my return to the states in December. I wouldn’t say my fears of getting stuck at home have come to fruition. I have been enjoying it here.
However, Providence is finally starting to feel stagnant. Familiarity is becoming monotony. I’m ready to go.
It’s not exactly a desirable thing; this travel bug. There’s a big part of me that would like to get settled into one place for a good while so I could get down to business with the big ideas wobbling around in my head. And probably more importantly, my friendships and family are not well suited to deal with all this hopping about.
It’s just that I’ve yet to find peace in a single place. Well nowhere I’ve tried anyway. So I figure I’ll try somewhere else. And at worst just keep doing that until some place gets me to stick.
In August I’m off to England…probably London in fact. It might not seem like it makes a whole lot of sense to pick the most expensive city on earth, (if it’s not, then it has to be close…one British Pound costs over two US dollars now!) but I’ve got some pretty good reasons.
Actually, I’m lying. It’s the accent. They just sound so damn smart.
Jun 07
Evidently I don’t write as much when I have a travel partner. It’s a whole different experience really. Not a bad one, just different.
I am fairly excited to spend the summer in the Ocean State. I have found few better places on this earth to spend July and August.
So for now, I’ll be here in Providence, working up some new travel funds and studying hypnosis, magic and Spanish.
Come fall…onward.
May 16
The first stop was DC where we stayed with a friend of mine named Dale, who helped Desirees soar throat and headache with an energy healing. The next day we ate tamales at the Native American History Museum, rubbed leaves between our fingers at the Botanic Gardens and climbed the stairs to Lincolns Memorial for a breezy sunset.
From there was a drive through the Shenandoah mountains and down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rolling far from both sides of the winding road were huge hills bursting with fresh green. As the night neared, thick fog rolled in. It became difficult to drive and Desirees throat was getting worse.
In Southern Virginia, late at night, we stopped at a local gas station. There was grey bearded man wearing a camouflage hat and a one piece camo jumper, which was unbuttoned halfway allowing a mesh of white netting to spill out from his chest.
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May 02
“Have fun. Don’t forget my postcard. Drive safe. Buckle up. Stay awake. Pass on the left. Green means go. Full throttle. Open road. Live. Love. Learn.”
That’s the SMS I received from my friend Eric this morning. I read it aloud to Desiree as we pulled away from our temporary home in Providence. Since mid February we’d been staying in a spare room at my friend’s place. Today when we moved out of that room and into a Thrifty rental car, we were departing on a loosely planned zig zag road trip across America.
The winter in RI was cold and grey and it took a toll on my spirits. I have vowed never again to return to the northeast during winter months. However, it wasn’t all bad.
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Jan 14
Re-entry to American life has been an interesting experience. At first it was a breeze; much like my short visit home in June. Then as the fresh voices and faces faded back to familiarity, that thing they call reverse culture shock began to set in.
It is the shock of my own culture, what it is but which I never realized, that has startled me.
It is the frustrating disappointment in the involuntary lethargy of American life. Millions of minute conveniences fill every gap of motion and exercise we might reap some small benefit from and the food we consume satisfies our desires first and our health somewhere later.
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