One woman's journey through the world
Others have written about not returning to a place where they had a great time – a place where they fell in love with a country or a culture or they lucked into meeting amazing people who remained friends for years afterward. Some worry that returning will tarnish the experience because it’s never the same when you go back. So they leave it in their memories, a shiny joyous moment
“You’ll have one dive then you can enjoy the resort. It’s very nice. I go there with my family sometimes. There’s a pool where you can relax and if you want to do another dive, you can decide then. It’s a nice boat with newer gear than the other place. And the instructor speaks very good English. You will like it. The taxi will you pick up here tomorrow morning
A few weeks ago, I rode a bus across the tarmac at Cancun International Airport and stepped off outside a plain white airplane. There was no airline logo or company name, no horizontal stripes along the body or color on the tail. There were small markings that I couldn’t read from my position as I boarded but they appeared to be of the necessary regulatory sort, a short string of
One morning earlier this month, I woke with butterflies in my stomach, feeling as I did on the first day of school. Nervous energy and more than a little excitement coursed through my body while questions bounced around my brain. Would I make new friends? Would I learn something? Was my backpack properly stocked? Was I wearing the right clothes? Would the people in charge be good at their jobs?
Nearly every summer my parents drive from their home in North Carolina to my brother’s in Colorado. Taking major highways would mean about 1800 miles of white-knuckle driving beside huge trucks. Nearly identical rest areas would blend together in one’s memories and the trip would be solely about the destination. Fortunately, my parents don’t take that sort of road trip. No, they take minor roads and detours that allow for
Slow travel is the best form of travel. Getting somewhere quickly has its appeal but if I have the time and there’s a reasonable overland route, I almost always prefer that to flying. So since arriving back in the mainland U.S., I’ve traveled long distances solely by train and car. First from New York to Massachusetts, then from Massachusetts to North Carolina, and finally from North Carolina to Colorado. I’m
Something frustrating happened during my first week in Maui that means (1) I don’t have as many photos as I’d like of my dives in Hawaii over the last two weeks and (2) I’ll have to go shopping before my next dives. My camera flooded. As best I can tell, it’s now completely useless. Fortunately, I got a number of shots before that happened and had the GoPro for a
When this trip began eighteen months ago, I had no idea it would include two weeks in Maui with friends made at the start of the trip in Utila. But when one of those friends got a job here and suggested I come visit, I couldn’t pass it up. Especially when we started to discuss timing and realized that another of our friends would be coming through at the same
Floating peacefully above a tube sponge, I lift my legs above my head and drop my hands down, my fingers extending to the edge. Slowly, two cleaner shrimp scuttle up the inside of the tube, curious about what I am and whether they should give me a manicure. I’m hanging upside down, about 50 feet underwater. Jen is nearby, taking photos of a spiny lobster. I breathe slowly, enjoying my