Monthly Archives: October 2011

Flying High

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I woke up Thursday morning after a rough night sleep of tossing and turning which has become the norm now before a big trip. I am actually surprised that I am able to sleep at all! But by now, I guess I’ve become sort of a veteran at taking these crazy, adventurous trips. All the normal worries and anxieties pass through my restless head. Will the kids do ok while I’m away? Will everything run smoothly at home for my list of helpers while I’m away? Will I get everything done before I have to catch my flight? Will the plane ride be smooth? Will I like where I’m going? And the list goes on.

I always find morning flights to be the best. You are stressed the moment you wake up and hop out of bed, yet then after you arrive at the airport and check in, you can sit back and relax. Afternoon and evening flights are the worst. Then you have the entire day to stress out about it and it pretty much feels like a wasted day. You can’t do much since of course you’ve already packed. Then your mind keeps going and going and a mixture of emotions race through your blood all day long, ranging from anxiety, stress, nervousness to excitement and joy. When you through in the fact you are leaving your family to go half way around the world, it feels even worse and then the guilt and worry come along to mess your stomach up even more. The nerves are the hardest part.

By 3:15, the familiar maroon-colored minivan taxi showed up outside my door. I promised myself I wouldn’t cry or lose it. I had to remember to be strong for my kids. I gave them both multiple hugs and kisses, trying to keep my emotions at bay, and then a final hug and kiss to my husband who had come home early to watch the kids while I left. The kids stood waving in the distance and blowing me kisses. They’ll be fine, I sighed. Thank God they weren’t crying; otherwise I’d be a real wreck. I turned and waved one last goodbye and felt relieved that I could finally leave and get on with the trip. Once I’m in the cab, I’m on my way. I’m always fine and relieved to be past the “saying goodbye” thing which in my opinion is the hardest part about leaving.

I arrived at the airport ready to get out of the cab. Once again, I had a chatty cabbie who talked my ear off about the state of the Minnesota economy. I went through security feeling proud that everything had gone so smoothly until I heard the security agent remind us to take out all our lotions and gels. I opened my backpack to realize I mistakenly packed my bathroom bag with everything inside. My toothbrush, deodorant, sleep aids, etc. Oh well. My first mistake. I’d survive.

I headed over to the place I’d be dreaming about all day, the Surdyk’s Wine Bar and Cafe, an awesome little spot tucked away inside all the mayhem of the airport. I discovered this great spot on a previous trip and couldn’t wait to come back. It is fantastic! I ordered up a wine flight of “adventurous whites” (which was probably a little too much to start out with) and a cheese trio plate that was delightful and fully-eaten. I finally let out a breath of air and let the tension drift out of my neck and shoulders. I knew I had two flights and 15 hours of air travel ahead of me, so the nice alcohol-induced relaxation did me well.

The flight to Chicago was uneventful. It is short and sweet. I arrived at 7 pm to find my traveling partner, my smiling Dad, waiting right outside the gate. We headed right for the lounge where we had another glass of wine together and talked about our trip.

I was flying high and in style. For the first time in my life, I was flying overseas First Class. My dad, being an avid traveler, knows how to work the deals and somehow managed to use miles to snag us two first-class roundtrip tickets to China. I know, this sounds completely spoiling, and I must admit, it is. But since I’m not independently wealthy or famous, to me flying up in the front of the 777 was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done! For once in my life, I couldn’t wait to board that 13 hour flight. I would get to check out what it was like to be one of those people!!!!! Plus of course, it would be a great blog post for my fellow travelers to give them a bird’s eye view of what it is like to be at the nose of the plane.

When I saw my seat, all I could think about was that Fergie’s song, “Glamorous”. I can’t seem to get the words out of my head…

“G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yeah G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin’ champagne
Livin’ the life
In the fast lane
And I won’t change
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy”

We boarded our American Airlines non-stop flight to Beijing at 8:30 pm, and this time we got to get on first. I had never been up here before so was excited to check out my home for the next 13 hours. There are four enormous rows along the windows with one seat each, which turns completely flat into a nice, cozy bed. Then there are four rows of two seats running down the middle of the plane which are flatbeds as well. Thus, there are 16 first class seats on the plane and only about half of them were taken. Apparently four of the seats are reserved for the crew to take their breaks. (As I type there are two of the pilots sleeping directly in front of me. It is a strange sight to see! But at least you know they are taking a break).

The flight path is very interesting. Basically the plane takes off and heads directly north over Wisconsin, Minnesota, Canada and travels directly over the North Pole and down into China. Since you leave so late at night, it is pitch black out the entire time. It is so strange to not see the sun for so long, especially when you wake up. Your body is telling you it is morning yet there is no sunlight and you are being served pizza! This whole time change thing is quite bizarre.

My dad and I enjoyed our service with pleasure. We were served wonderful wine, a three-course meal and even dessert. By 11:30 pm, I was utterly exhausted. I could hardly keep my eyes open and probably had a little too much of that free wine. I put on my “free” pair of American Airlines pajamas, turned my seat into a bed and waited graciously while the flight attendant performed a turn down service. They actually put a thin mattress over the seat, a nice warm blanket and even gave me a pair of slippers for the restroom! Wow, it is no wonder these seats cost a fortune! Yet I thoroughly enjoyed this luxury knowing very well that it is most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity. I certainly won’t be flying this way again and know very well that next time I’ll be back there like the rest of the passengers, crammed into a tiny, miserably uncomfortable sardine can like seat for thirteen hours while listening to screaming babies and not sleeping a wink. So, I will enjoy this moment of being spoiled and remember it painfully next time I’m flying in coach.

Note: I’m having difficulty using wordpress here so I may not do too many posts.

How technology has changed the art of travel

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As I pack for my upcoming trip to China (countdown: 2 days until departure), there is something new that I’ll be bringing along with me on my trip.  It sits there discreetly and unaware.  It is small and shiny yet one of the most life-changing hand-sized objects I now possess:  My shiny new iPhone 4S.

I held off as long as I could on buying a smartphone.  I have a cellphone and only got the texting feature on it a year before.  I found that texting was an easier way to bug my busy husband with a quick question at work.  I didn’t get a smartphone for two reasons.  First, I am a stay-at-home mom who does not work.  Thus why on earth would I ever need one except for my new passion with blogging.  Second, I didn’t want to become one of those people (if you are one of those people, I do apologize!); those internet/text/cellphone obsessed people who are practically glued to their phone, constantly texting, checking emails, and surfing the net while talking to someone else face to face!  I have been in those situations before, as the ignored friend, while I’m trying to have a conversation and the person I’m with isn’t really listening.  How can you listen and read emails at the same time?  Quite frankly, my social life isn’t all that exciting, earth-shattering and time-consuming.  I know I’m old-fashioned but I’d rather just pick up the phone instead of use Facebook or texting.  Thus for these two main reasons, plus not to mention the added expense of having a fancy gadget, I held off for as long as I could without being tempted into getting a smartphone.

With the release of the new iPhone 4S, however, I changed my mind and finally gave in to temptation.  For this tiny handheld object will enable me to connect to the internet and call, text, or write home for free from anywhere in the world.  All I will need is a WiFi connection and I’m set.  No more phone cards or dirty old phone booths.  No more trying to call ten times a day in hope that they’ll be home an answer my call.  None.  Instead, this stay-at-home mom who needs to man the fort even from thousands of miles away can do so at the touch of my fingers.  I can call my home to check in on the kids.  I can be reachable in case of a question or a problem.  No more stressing.  No more waiting.  No more wasting time.  I’ll be able to call and be in touch!

It is hard to fathom what life was like before the internet.  How on earth did we survive?  As someone who grew up in the eighties, in an era or shall I say life before the internet, it continues to amaze me each and every day how much technology has changed the world and my life.  When I was a teenager, we had to call someone on the phone if we wanted to chat.  We had to go to the library and search through books and clumsy old microfiche for our research papers.  We had to read books.  It was all so different.

When I went to college in the early nineties, not much had changed.  The internet was still not in existence.  How terrible it was to type up my ten to twenty page papers on a word processor and have to white out each mistake or simply start all over again?  How depressing was it to spend hours on end in the dull, quiet library searching through book after book in order to research papers.  Every time you needed information, it took time to get it.  Information was not at the tip of your fingers like it is today.

In 1993, I spent nine months living abroad in France without the internet.  The Minitel was around (the French early version of the internet) yet the world-wide web did not exist.  I felt like that entire nine months was a vacuum, an abyss, and an absence of contact with my friends and family at home.  To talk on the phone, I would call and hope someone was home.  I could only call every two weeks and talk for a short time because it simply was way too expensive.  Thus, I reserved phone calls for only my immediate family and sent those cumbersome, blue-colored Aérogramme (handwritten letters, glued together letters) to my friends back home.  Of course it took weeks to arrive and weeks for a response.  I felt completely isolated from my life back home and that unfortunately added to my homesickness.

By 1994, at my first job out of college I finally got a company-only email system at work.  Email and the internet still was a mystery and I didn’t have a personal computer either (yes, not having a personal computer nowadays is unheard of but back then computers were more of a luxury than commonplace).  By 1995 at my next job in Chicago, just as the internet was commercialized for public use, I got a better email system and the rest is history.  The internet craze began.  The dot.coms, the lush stock options, you name it, it was happening…until the crash.  Yet, the internet still survived and thrived, and has continued to change the world and people’s lives each and every day.  I know that it has certainly changed mine.

Last April, I went to Morocco with my iPad, installed Skype and called home for free.  It was the first time ever that I was able to call home not using a phone card or being in a phone booth, while traveling abroad.  It felt like a dream.  It was wonderful.

Here is a picture of me inside one of those dirty, old phone booths somewhere in South America (thanks Dad for always taking these pictures of me calling home.  I always got mad but he made a point!)

As time went by, phone cards became easier than using the good old phone shops.  But they didn’t always work and the phone itself was always sticky:

Fast forward to just last November 2010, and here I am in the middle of the Himalayas at God knows what altitude or where, making a call directly to my home in Minnesota from our guide’s cellphone.  I talked for ten minutes and it only cost a couple of bucks.  Unbelievable!  In a country where people average less than $2 a day, they all have cellphones as it is the only means to keep in touch in the mountains.

I can’t believe how much technology has changed our lives and in particular traveling.  The world is getting smaller and smaller as we grow together and not apart.  It is a beautiful thing.  Yet something to also be prudent of.  I never want to let technology take over my life and be glued 24/7 to my phone.  Knowing myself, I won’t be.

But who would have thought twenty years ago that this would all be possible? 

An autumn drive through Shenandoah National Park

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“But I got a great deal else from the experience. I learned to pitch a tent and sleep beneath the stars. For a brief, proud period I was slender and fit. I gained a profound respect for the wilderness and nature and the benign dark power of woods. I understand now, in a way I never did before, the colossal scale of the world. I found patience and fortitude that I didn’t know I had. I discovered an America that millions of people scarcely know exists. I made a friend. I came home.”

― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

I can’t think of a better way to spend a beautiful fall day than to be outside enjoying the splendid fall colors. Fall is my uttermost favorite time of year. I love the incredible tapestry of colors that brighten even the dullest, cloudiest of days. The scarlet reds to the pumpkins oranges and the brilliant yellows are nature’s biggest delight. The air is invigorating and fresh and I feel incredibly alive doing what I love best: Being outside and taking it all in.

My husband’s family lives in the town of Warrenton which is located about 45 miles southwest Of Washington DC. We have been visiting Warrenton for years now yet have never made it to the Shenandoah National Park. With fall in full swing and the colors almost at their prime, today was the day for our autumn drive through stunning Shenandoah National Park.

We headed west on 211 for a lovely half an hour drive through the lush, verdant countryside. We drove through rolling hills, passing by farms, vineyards and orchards with the distant shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the spectacular Shenandoah Valley in the background. The colors did not disappoint nor did the low level of traffic. It was a weekday thankfully thus we were able to drive at a leisurely pace and avoid the bumper to bumper traffic that rolls through the scenic drive throughout the weekend.

We reached Sperryville, a small town on the outskirts of the Thornton Gap entrance to the park, where we saw stand after stand selling local products. The stalls were lined with buckets of red, yellow and green apples as well as round, plump orange pumpkins in any size or shape your heart desired.

As we approached the park, the foliage became thicker and the golden yellows and oranges of the trees were peaceful and serene. I longed to get out of the car and go for a hike, my most favorite pastime in the mountains. But of course that was an unrealistic dream as we were with our two young kids who would never had made it past an hour.

We reached the entrance to Shenandoah National Park and headed right in to our first of many stops at one of the 75 overlooks along the 105 mile stretch of the scenic Skyline Drive which curves around the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park.

The overlook was stunning even with the not so perfect cloudy day. I closed my eyes, breathed in a huge breath of fresh, clean air and relaxed. It was beautiful.  I can only imagine how brilliant it would be on a bright sunny days. I’m certain that the leaves would shine like gold.

We continued on our drive for another half hour stopping along the way to take photos. There are over 500 different hiking trails throughout the park which connects to the grand-daddy of all American hikes, the mighty Appalachian Trail (which passes through 14 states!).  Our journey through the park reminded me of Bill Byrson’s famous book “A Walk in the Woods:  Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail” (if you haven’t read it, it is a great read).

Photo of my husband Paul and I at one of the many outlooks in lovely Shenandoah National Park.  It is getting colder now, as the temperature dropped from 60 to 42 degrees F here.  We are at about 3,100 feet.

I love to take pictures of trees.  For some reason, they truly appeal to me whether it be a blooming, flowering tree in the height of Spring, a tall Douglas Fir reaching to the sky or this plain old skeleton of a dead tree left over from years and years of life.

I also like this picture of the small rural farms, orchards and vineyards dotting the landscape below.

We arrived at our destination, the Skyland Pass just in the nick of time for lunch. There is a beautiful, historical lodge located there that has a nice restaurant inside serving hot meals and offering its guests a sweeping view of the fall foliage over the Shenandoah Valley.

The restaurant opened for lunch at noon and we had a short wait for a table.  Had we arrived any later, we would have had at least a thirty minute wait which would not have been well received by our hungry children. Carloads and busloads of people were arriving as we paid our bill and headed back to town. I can only imagine what it is like during the weekend when all the people from DC head out to see the colors!  I’m sure it would be a crowded, annoying experience!  Nothing like the relaxing scenic ride we experienced today.

Although Skyline Drive continues and meanders on throughout the breathtakingly beautiful Shenandoah Valley for another sixty-five miles, at 35 mph it would have taken us hours and our kids, who were behaving nicely in the back of the car, would have gotten really restless. (I must admit that they were watching “Rio” on the DVD player! I know bad mom, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do!).

Finally, we were home, me feeling a bit carsick, yet happy with our visit.  It certainly was worth the drive!   Not only did we find some beauty and solitude to fill us up with joy, we also just so happened to get our holiday card picture!

I hope to go again when the kids get older and actually do some hiking. There are plenty of places to stay in rustic cabins or either by tent. The only thing with camping is that you’d better watch out for the bears!  I’ll never forget reading this quote in Bill Bryson’s book:

“Black bears rarely attack. But here’s the thing. Sometimes they do. All bears are agile, cunning and immensely strong, and they are always hungry. If they want to kill you and eat you, they can, and pretty much whenever they want. That doesn’t happen often, but – and here is the absolutely salient point – once would be enough.”

― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Two moms, Four kids and a trip back in time to Colonial Williamsburg

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My sister Jen has lived in Southern Virginia for over ten years and I have visited her annually since her move. Her home in Gloucester Point is only a short twenty minutes from Williamsburg yet I had never visited perhaps Virginia’s most historic, number one historic place: Colonial Williamsburg.

Of course I’d heard of it before and wanted to check it out but the time never seemed right. Once kids came along, the thought of going to a huge tourist destination like Colonial Williamsburg seemed out of the question. I could only imagine the meltdowns, tantrums and boredom on my young children’s face. I’d have to wait until they were older.

A timely article in the Washington Post made me change my mind. The article, called “Williamsburg: Actors bring to life the nuanced tangle of history, heroism and daily living” intrigued me and light a spark of fresh interest in my mind. The article discusses the use of reenactments to teach people about the past. There are revolutionaries, slaves, wig makers, blacksmiths and even a real working plantation. What a better place to learn about history than a real live “living” museum?

Of course I’d heard about Colonial Williamsburg before yet didn’t fully understand what it was until I went there. Per Wikipedia:

“Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia’s capital”.

Colonial Williamsburg was opened in 1930 by the project’s founder, Reverend W.A.R. Goodwin with the help of the Rockefellers in effort for the public to have a living museum in which “the future could learn from the past. The major goal of the Restoration was to re-create the physical colonial environment and to facilitate education about the origins of the idea of America, which was conceived during the decades before the American Revolution”.

My sister and I had no idea if four young children ages three to six would be able to do Colonial Williamsburg and actually have fun. We knew it would be crowded and there would be a fair amount of walking. Yet we were ready for the challenge!

We left her house at 9 am thinking everything would go smoothly. The kids were packed in the car, we had snacks and water, and had already purchased discounted tickets online. All we had to do was redeem the tickets which would only take us a few minutes, right.

That was the first mistake we made. We drove to the overcrowded visitor center where my sister waited in a painfully long and disorganized line for almost an hour before we got the tickets. I waited with the four hyper getting near naughtiness kids. Thankfully there weren’t any major meltdowns…yet.

The visitor center is located about ten minutes away from the actual entrance to Colonial Williamsburg. Thus we had to load everyone back up in the car, drive again and find a parking spot which was fairly easy since most people must park at the visitor center and take a shuttle bus.

An hour and a half after we started, we finally arrived at the entrance to Colonial Williamsburg to see a small, relatively unknown ticket counter with no line, where we could have redeemed our tickets, avoiding an hour of extra hassle and waste of time. Oh well. Next time we’ll know.

By that point it was already past twelve and knowing we had four hungry kids on our hands, we had to make a beeline to the nearest place to eat. Being in a touristy place, there were not many affordable options. We had to settle for the quickest, easiest place which of course wasn’t healthy and was way overpriced. I paid $26 for two kids hot-dogs, chips, lemonade and a kid’s size BBQ pork sandwich for me. It wasn’t great but it did the job until we were attacked by bees! Our lunch was a stressful, quick affair as we swatted at bees, did the dance to get away from them without getting stung and scarfed down our food as quick as possible so we could get out of there. Oh well.

Finally, by almost one o’clock we were there, fed, and ready to see the sights! I was concerned that the kids were going to loose interest at any moment given the bad start to the day but to my delight they embraced every minute from then on. The actors at Colonial Williamsburg were the key ingredient. They kept the kids interested and engaged in every building we entered. There was always something new to learn and something to see. The kids even received a kid-friendly map that showed all the sights for kids and allowed them to get a punch in each place they visited. After three punches, they received a free souvenier which they loved. Then, it all became a game for them (being a parent, I’ve learned that having some kind of game at a museum or historic site is key to keeping a child’s interest in being there).

Here are some of the highlights of the places we visited:

First stop at the Weaver. Here the kids saw a live demonstration of how people in colonial times made wool and dyed yarns.

Here are some of the dyed yarns and threads:

Next stop: The colonial garden where we saw all the plants and vegetables grown and learned about how the colonists watered their plants (below a photo of my daughter learning how to operate the watering bottle):

The working well:

Fragrant English boxwoods for sale (my most favorite type of shrub):

The lovely pomegranate opened and waiting for the birds to eat:

The historic courthouse:

Just when the kids started to misbehave…

The ox drawn carts:

Cool historic buildings along the Duke of Gloucester Street. Here is a brew pub:


A stop in the Bindery where the printer prepares newspapers, books, and more on his fully-operational colonial press. Apparently kids as young as thirteen would come here to start an apprenticeship which was one of the better jobs in a town that had no school.

A stop inside the milliner and tailor where beautiful clothing was custom made for men and women. (My young daughter loved the gowns!):

The 18th center silversmith who was an artist in his own right during the days:

Next we stopped at the wig maker where I was asked if I was looking to be fitted for a wig! In Colonial times, the very wealthy and affluent people which made up only 5% of the population wore wigs to show their status.

Here are lovely wigs for women:

And an entire wall in case you don’t want one custom made:

We continued our walk down towards the Public Gaol (prison) where I knew the kids would enjoy checking out the old cells. Back in Colonial times, the jail owner lived and ran the jail, with his entire family of 14 children living within the small jailhouse. The children would have to walk past the creepy cells every night on their way to bed. I wouldn’t think they got a lot of sleep with the prisoners nearby! (Note: I did not get a good picture of the jailhouse as the lighting was poor).

After our creepy visit to the gaol, we reached the last place we had time and energy for, the historic Governor’s Palace and grounds. Here is a picture of the majestic entrance to the Governor’s Palace where the governor lived and you can do 35-minute tours of the full-restored home. With young, restless kids we passed on the tour and instead opted for the gardens out back which have a huge maze made out of fragrant hedges.


The gardens and maze:

At the end of our stay, I think we worn them all out!

After a long afternoon of walking and exploring life in Colonial times, it was time to head back and get our tired children home. All in all, the day visit was much better than I had anticipated and my almost seven-year-old son said he loved it with a big grin and thumbs up sign. Next time we visit, we will definitely return. There is so much more to see and it truly is fascinating.

If you go:
– I highly recommend skipping the visitor center altogether and going directly to downtown Williamsburg where you can easily park and walk over to the small ticket window to buy your pass and get your map for the day. It will save you a lot of time and hassle.
– I would either pack a lunch or eat outside of Colonial Williamsburg on the main square. There are tons of restaurants and sandwich shops which are much nicer and cheaper than inside Colonial Williamsburg. The main square is only a block away.
-Plan to arrive early in the morning, right when it opens to avoid crowds. Going during the week is your best bet and not during high season if you can help it. It was still relatively crowded for a mid-October day yet we were still able to get into every place we wanted to and not be pushed out by crowds.
-If you have children, you can rent colonial costumes at the visitor center so they can dress up for the day. There is also a horse and carriage ride and tour and a Kid’s Corner and orientation walk. (We didn’t do any of these things but would consider it next time we go).
-Definitely bring a stroller for young kids and wear good walking shoes!
-Finally, make sure you get a punch kid’s map to keep them busy and interested. Without the map, I bet my kids would have lasted not even an hour.

The long bumpy road

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Photo above of the kids in front of their beloved minivan Airport taxi. We don’t have a minivan yet they LOVE them. So whenever the maroon colored Airport taxi arrives outside of our house, they are thrilled.

It was a LONG LONG day. It always is when traveling with kids. I can fly for 24 hours and survive it. Yet when it comes to traveling by myself with the kids it simply wears me out. I don’t have just myself to look after but two additional young beings that are constantly needing something. It is exhausting.

A few days before we left, the typical cold came on. My son developed his annual case of croup last Sunday in which he wound up at Children’s Hospital ER at 1 am. It is always scary when he gets croup because he can hardly breathe and it is frightening as a parent watching the child you love struggle to breathe. By now we know the drill. We get him dressed ASAP, get the car running, throw on clothes and take him the ten minute drive to the hospital where he gets some medication and resumes breathing normally. After the croup, he is left with a terrible hacking cough that keeps us all awake for nights and usually is passed on to me. No matter how hard I try to not get sick, I find is impossible and usually wind up sicker than a dog before every major trip. Oh well. One of the “pleasures” of being around kids!

I didn’t sleep a wink the night before our flight. I never sleep well before a morning flight. There is always so much last minute packing to do for the kids. I also had my coughing son sleeping on the floor next to my bed. By 6:30 am, I was already awake with a stuffy nose and tired. I was able to pack everything up, finish a post, make sandwiches and get us all ready for the arrival of our lovely cab.

The flight was uneventful except for the crazy, roller coaster landing. It was extremely windy in DC thus our landing into Reagan National was like being on a fighter jet. My stomach lurched and the kids screamed in delight. No matter how many hundreds of times I’ve flown, I still get jittery in extremely turbulent landings.

We landed and got off the plane. I was alone with the kids thus the three of us had to lug our huge suitcase, two car seats, and Dora and Star Wars mini backpacks to the car rental shuttle. My back nearly broke! It is never easy carrying all that stuff.

The shuttle dropped us off at the Enterprise Rental office where we picked up our bright, cherry red Chevy Impala. No offense to those who have one, but it has the worst most uncomfortable seats I’ve ever sat on. I had to stuff pillows and shirts behind my back to keep it from throbbing.
(Unfortunately I’ve had a bad upper back and neck since I was 13 and have recently resumed physical therapy to try to manage the pain and continue being a somewhat normal human being!).

I jumped on 95 South and was instantly reminded that I was on the East coast. The speed limit was 60 but everyone was driving 85. I forgot about the crazy, aggressive driving out here. (Minnesotans are more passive aggressive. Plus they generally drive pretty darn slow which drives me crazy).

Stress hit me as I was nearly run over while adjusting my seat and trying to get my kid’s DVD players started. I held my breathe so I wouldn’t have a near panic attack after almost missed my turn. Of course I didn’t have a map so the last thing I wanted to do was get lost.

It was smooth sailing at 80 mph out of DC to 95 South until I saw the sign that said “Caution: Accident 5 miles ahead”. Oh no. The sea of red headlights were endless and I was in stop and go traffic for the next half an hour. Things were not going too well.

I called my sister who gave me directions on a back road. I got off 95 and headed towards 17 South, a country road that would bring me right to my sister’s home in Gloucester Point, Virginia. Unfortunately once again, I missed the turn and wound up driving on some even smaller country road the wrong direction. I was surrounded by fields of gold, old white Baptist churches and nothing. It was much more relaxing and quieter than 95 but we were in the middle of no where!

A half an hour later, I finally found a side road that brought us back to 17 South. We had gone at least thirty minutes out of the way and I was beyond exhausted. This was going to end up being an eight hour day.

The kids had to go to the bathroom and were of course starving. But we were in the middle of rural, country Virginia and there was nothing, and I mean nothing in sight. We were surrounded by deep forests on bumpy, country roads. No bathrooms. No gas stations. No signs of civilization whatsoever. We could pull over along the road. But that wouldn’t fly.

Finally, like an oasis in a desert we found a tiny little roadside gas station. It was definitely a thirdeye moment. They sold fried chicken livers to go! But they did have ice cream and a small outhouse with sort-of running water. Relief. Yet we still had another hour and a half to go.

Finally, when I was at my wits end we pulled into Gloucester Point, eight hours after leaving our home in Minnesota. I was tired, cranky and grumpy. Yet, the wine was waiting as was my sister and her family.

How to cure a wanderlust

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My family and I in the ’70s at Lake Superior during our annual fall trip to  Lutsen, Minnesota to see the splendid fall colors. 

I’ve always been a traveler, all my life, starting during the impressionable years of young childhood and blossoming over time into a full fledge passion and even obsession to see the world.  Simply put, I cannot sit still.  Not only am I rather type A (I rarely if ever watch TV…too boring, instead I prefer to read a book and let my mind do the thinking, and I cannot be inside the house for an entire day without getting stir crazy), I seem to have a problem with my insatiable quest and desire to travel.  I am a wanderlust and will always be.

I remember in my early twenties, after spending two stints living, studying, working and traveling abroad, that friends and family told me with knowing certainty that it was good to “get it (traveling) out of my system” and then I’d be cured.  I’d be able to enter the real world of work, marriage, family and the one or two annual trips to Disney or Florida.  Yeah, right, I thought to myself.   I knew even then that I am a diehard wanderlust whose passion for travel and seeing the world will never end.  My appetite for travel will never be fulfilled as long as I’m able to travel, both physically and financially.

Even before I get home from a big trip, I’m already thinking about and planning the next.  If I’m home for more than three months straight without leaving the state of Minnesota, I start to get antsy and sometimes the shakes.  I know in my heart and soul that I’ve got to move (I know Dad, I’m a lot like you!).   I’ve got to get out of here (as much as I love Minnesota I still start to feel claustrophobic when I’m stuck here too long.  I feel this isolated sense of being trapped and this burning desire to escape and see something else whether it be nearby Wisconsin or far away in Kathmandu.

No matter what anyone says, once a traveler, always a traveler.  I’ll never be able to cure my wanderlust and you know what, that is more than fine with me.  Traveling make me who I am.  I love to learn and to explore.  What better way to keep on learning than to use the world as your classroom?  I can’t think of any other way.

Here is my wish list of places I want to see next and why:

1.  Bhutan:  An isolated, royal Himalayan kingdom tucked away near Nepal is supposedly a true gem.  With very few travelers and a big cost to get inside (I believe the government charges tourists over $250 a day to visit), this undiscovered place is mysterious and is just waiting to be discovered.  I dream of doing a trek there someday with my dad.

2.  Kenya and Tanzania:  I have wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for over ten years now, ever since my father did it the fall before my wedding in 2000.  I’ve read about it, watches documentaries. and have endlessly dreamed of completely the climb before the snow melts.  With global warming, it is only a matter of time before the lovely snows melt off the top of Kilimanjaro taking away a vital water supply for the whole region and the mountains incredible beauty.  I would love to combine the climb with a volunteer stint at a nearby village.  This is on my “almost turning 40 list“.  We’ll see when I can get it done.

3.  Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand:  I lumped all these countries together because there is no way I could decide which one I’d most want to do first and I know that it would take months to see them all.  I’ve been to Japan but never to Southeast Asia.  I would love to go check it out someday!

4.  Guatemala:  I recently did a volunteer trip in Costa Rica and feel in love with its culture and beauty.  Pura Vida fit my life perfectly.  I am extremely interested in checking out nearby Guatemala, especially the indigenous communities and perhaps doing a volunteer trip there this spring.

5.  Antarctica:  I’ve been all the way to the southern tip of Patagonia on the Chilean and Argentine side and longingly wished I could hop a quick flight or boat over the last continent I have yet to visit.  I’ve always dreamed of seeing all 7 continents and I think the beauty and isolation of Antarctica (plus the penguins) would be sensational.

I have high hopes for continuing my quest to be a wanderlust and hopefully instilling this passion soon on my two young children.  I can’t wait to show them the world!

Are you a wanderlust too?  If so, where is your dream destination(s)?  Comments welcome!  thirdeyemom