Around the world in 80 Days

Ten years. That's how long it has taken us to travel halfway around the world by boat.

Photo credit : Tony Sparks 

Eighty days. That's how long it took us to go completely around the globe by land and air.

Vienna: Where the Music Is in the Streets

After the contrasts and surprises of India and Istanbul, Vienna felt different almost immediately.

If you missed Vienna, Part 1, you can find it here: [link to Part 1]

The streets were wide and orderly, the gardens formal, the buildings grand, and there were bicycles everywhere. People sat on benches simply enjoying the day. I especially loved the mornings, when the air was cool and the streets were quiet before the city fully awakened.

And for me, Vienna had another quality that made it special.

Music was everywhere.

Vienna's Quiet Welcome

Vienna has been quietly showing up in my life for decades.

As a child taking piano lessons, Mozart was one of the first composers I learned about. Later, when I studied flute, Vienna continued to appear in the stories of composers whose music I loved. It was never a place I constantly dreamed about visiting, but it seemed to quietly weave itself through different parts of my life until, somehow, we finally found ourselves there.

Oddly enough, what struck me first wasn't the music.

It was the quiet.

Early morning cobblestones

Nomads, Homeless... or Somewhere in Between?

"Where are you from?" the rug seller asked.

We gave him our usual answer.

"Are you nomads?"

Bob and I looked at each other, shrugged, and nodded.

"Yes."

He paused for a moment before asking his next question.

"Are you homeless?"

Again, we looked at each other. Another shrug.

"No... not really."

Lessons Learned in India in 5 Days

Five days isn't enough to understand India. It's barely enough time to realize how little you understand it. Trying to describe India after traveling from New Delhi to Jaipur, Agra, and back to Delhi would be like someone trying to describe the United States after driving from New York City to Washington, D.C. You might notice a few patterns, but you've only scratched the surface. 

For Mom: Remembering Jane Hunt

My mother, Jane Amelia Henry Hunt, passed away recently. There are so many people whose lives were touched by her, and so many different versions of Jane that existed in the memories of those who loved her. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, wife, artist, advocate, traveler, mentor, and friend. She collected people, created beauty wherever she went, and built a family that extended far beyond those connected by blood.

I have been trying to find the right way to honor her. The closest I can come is to write to her.

The Beauty of Raja Ampat – Part 1, above water

When I last wrote about Raja Ampat, I focused on one of its less attractive features: plastic. Unfortunately, the problem is real and impossible to ignore. But it is only part of the story.