Where would I like to travel?
What kind of question is that? It is like asking what would I like to eat in
an all you can eat buffet? I want to
travel, well, everywhere. But there are
a few places that rank higher, or perhaps rank sooner on my list than
others. I have become fascinated with
Ireland. I love the idea of
Scotland. I have always wanted to go to
Finland. Of course, as a former Spanish
Literature student, I really want to go to Spain. In each of these countries I want to drive
around, eat food and meet people, and mostly, I want to hike. I want to walk all over the countryside,
experience the weather and the walkways, the mountains and the lakes, and feel
the dirt under my boots. I want to photograph
hills and clouds and waterfalls, lakes, rivers and rainfalls. I want to experience the country.
Right now I am not in a position to travel overseas, but I
can dream and plan. I read about places
to explore, and I try cooking foods from the different countries. I look at photo books, blogs, and travel
diaries. I listen to music, and play
with learning the languages. If I never
make it to any of these countries, I will have at least learned a few things
and inspired daydreams.
Ireland is a green country, full of fields and rainy
days. I could eat potato and leek soup,
bangers and mash, and corn beef all week long.
Everyone speaks English, but in some areas of the country the Irish
language is growing strong. To say hello
is to say “God to you,” (Dia duit) and
the reply is “God and Mary to you.” (Dia is Muire duit) I tried for a time to
learn a little of the language, but it is a hard one, with complicated
pronunciation rules and lots of consonants.
I still play around with the language, but I cannot imagine chatting in
Irish right now.
Scotland has always been a misty country filling my
dreams. Bagpipes inspire me, and I can
see me traipsing over mountains and dells, pipes filling my ears and green
grass under my feet. The castles and
moors have to be interesting, and I am hoping for a chance sighting of Nessie.
I have a friend from Finland. She lived in the USA for a while, and she
spoke so warmly of her country, and was such a strong ambassador of all things
Finnish, that I have to visit someday. I
want to see reindeer in Lapland, watch the Northern lights and enjoy a Summer
solstice of eternal day. My camera is
ready to take photos of the boats out on the waters, and of the many
lakes. I want to relax in a sauna, but I
do not want to jump into icy cold water.
Music and art is very important in this country, and I look forward to
enjoying both while there.
My Spanish dream is to walk el Camino de Santiago, and to
eat and visit all along the trail. I
want to live life slowly, in beautiful surroundings, walking everywhere and
enjoying nature. I want to stop in
little towns, eat the local meals and rest under the stars.
For now, I enjoy the city where I live, and the state it is
in. Everyplace is worth discovering, and
exploring. I walked today around my
neighborhood, on a chilly but sunny day.
The sky was so blue I couldn’t stop staring at it, and enjoying the
contrasts with the green bushes and trees.
I walked to the local library, checked out a book and walked home. It was a pleasant day. Adventure and enjoyment are found wherever we
choose to find them, whether walking through Spain, or our own hometowns. I will never give up on the travel dreams,
but I am not waiting around, I am enjoying every day in whatever location I
find myself. Adventure is what we make
it.
