“Did you go with anyone?” she asked. I was at a Camino talk hosted by our local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino. Future pilgrims come not just to hear the presentation, but to ask their questions to those of us that have been there. “No, I went alone,” I told her. “Really? You went to…
Tag: travel
Free-Spirited Spinster?
I stood on the front porch of the Unwound yarn shop in Blowing Rock, NC, chatting with three women I’d met just a few minutes earlier inside the shop. They were on a day trip to the area. I was two weeks into my sabbatical year, taking my sweet old time driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway….
A Toast: To Not Drinking My Way to Happiness
“I called to say I love you,” I told my father. “Have you been drinking?” he asked. “No.” “Oh–you sound really happy.” I was, but his surprise at my happiness stopped me cold. Was it really that unusual that I sound happy? Perhaps it was because calls to Dad always had a purpose, and–like him–I…
Me? An Introvert?
“Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?” he asked me. We met just three hours earlier, and already our conversation had covered religion and poverty, our life stories, and now personal reflection. But this happens all the time when I get in a conversation with the unconventional-traveler types: in this case, a couchsurfer….
Quit a Job to Go To Italy? A Story about Motivation
In January of 2006, while on a beach in the Florida Keys with two dear friends from my college days, my mother called me. After exchanging pleasantries about my trip, my mother got to her point. “So your grandmother joined a senior citizens group. And guess what the first thing was on the agenda of…
My Back Pocket
I have a piece of paper in my back pocket. My figurative back pocket, that is. In reality, the paper sits in a green file folder marked, “PT License.” The paper was issued by the state of New York. License #020405. I received it after successfully completing an accredited physical therapy curriculum and passing a…
A Return to….what?
Since arriving home from the Camino I have attempted to write new posts for this blog with very little luck. I have at least six started that I never finished – they just didn’t seem to express what I wanted to convey. Probably because I don’t really know what I want to convey. Because really,…
Pack Lightly
I know it went out to the masses, but I feel like he wrote it just for me. And I wanted to share it with you. Here’s a recent post by Leo Babauta. I get inspiration from a lot of people and places. Leo is one of my favorites from the blogosphere:) Empty-Handed, Full-Hearted Posted:…
Asheville–> Kiawah Island
There is an advantage to leaving Asheville at 7:30AM: Arrival at the gates to Kiawah Island at 12:30 pm. Gates? Yes, gates. It’s not a gated community – it’s a gated island from what I can tell. Not the kind of place I’d want to live (I’m not into planned communities), but a glorious place to…
How to Plan A Road Trip – Backwards
“I start on July 30th,” I said to Lois. “Oh. I’ll be there the week before taking a class – can you get there a little earlier? We can have dinner at the Copper Door again,” she offered. Dinner at the Copper Door is not something one turns down. So though I’m not officially due…
RenaissanceRebecca 