I've been asked, many many times this trip in particular, if I am moving back to the states...ever. No one, not even I, can look into the magic 8 ball and get all the answers; but my standard response at the moment is a quizzical brow and a definitive 'No'.
Right now I know very particularly that 'out in the world' is where I belong. Spreading my wings and catching every breeze I can.
In preparation for my upcoming trips, I received many vaccinations yesterday. The shots left me with limited use of both arms for a day, as well as leaving me feeling woozy and generally uncomfortable. (My host taking me to Woodberry Kitchen for a dinner of Soft Shelled Crabs and Deviled Eggs made me feel a lot better, though!) I should be starting anti-malarials today or tomorrow; but given my sensitivity to all medications, and the fact that I am trying to cram-in as many 'hellos' and 'how ya beens' as possible into the next few days, I'm not sure I should take them.
At the vaccination center, they gave me a print out of information and travel warnings for Egypt, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. After reading them, I decided I'm not reading travel warnings anymore. If you start reading those things, you'll never book that dream vacation to whereveritwas because somethingbad happened once and could happen again. People, somethingbad happens whereeveryouarenow pretty often. Go to whereeveritwas and have fun. You only have about 26,000 days on this planet - don't waste them!
I leave Cairo for SE Asia two weeks from today (which is crazy, as I still have a trip to Florida before that happens). I have been vaccinated, have tickets, have blank pages in my passport, and am ready to go spend nearly a month in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I will RIDE AN ELEPHANT. I might even learn to surf. I will learn a lot about Balinese Hinduism and Balinese cuisine. I hope to learn a few words of Thai and Balinese. I may take a cooking class in Northern Thailand. I will explore Singapore's food stall / street food culture (I am SO excited to try every thing K.F. Seetoh described in the Top Chef Season 7 finale!) I will be taking Benadryl like it's my job (my coconut allergy is going to be an issue. I'm hoping I will develop immunity by the time the trip is done; but last week in Baltimore there was coconut curry sauce on my dish and I broke out in welts and felt like there were fire ants biting me under the skin of my face - endure anything in the pursuit of good food, right!?!).
Overall, I will have FUN! and really, isn't that what life is all about?
All photographs were taken by, and are copyright of, the blogger.
2 comments:
Amen, amen, amen on the "just go"! Something bad happens in our backyards!
I can never get over how many people don't travel out of fear of the unknown...let alone fear of somethingbad. I mean, travel SMART, absolutely, but TRAVEL!
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