Meandering mortality

Once again I have a day to meander around London town, this great city with so much charisma with so much history inside every crack and corner.

I have traveled a lot these past few weeks. From South Africa to London to Germany and Switzerland to Scotland and back again and still the adventures are not done. I have 2 full days left here in London and then I'm headed state bound. And once I'm back on American soil I will constantly be moving still for another handful of weeks.

It's hard to sit down and focus when your traveling so much. You would think it would be a great time for rest and relaxation for reflection, but honestly it's not. Your going every single day all day and sleeping whenever you find the chance, or the most comfortable couch, bus seat or long plane ride.

The struggles of traveling like this: it doesn't help my health. With the inconsistent meals it's hard when your allergic to things, with the no sleep, lots of caffeine and different water and trying-to-catch-the-next-bus-stress you know your face is going to be breaking out. And when you get sick do you take a night off and sleep? ... Instead I traveled to the other side of London for curry :S why? Maybe I just couldn't resist the offer of good, authentic curry or maybe it was the fact I have less than a week in London or for the fact that is was my birthday. But whatever it was, something inside me talked me into going out when I shouldn't have. Travel struggle number 2 the consequences of bad decisions are usually immediate and harsh.

After traveling internationally since I was 13, after traveling to over 11 different countries you'd think I'd figure this out by now. But I still pack too much, still spend too much money, still make bad decisions and still don't get enough sleep.

But even if my bags weigh more than I do, even if I just wasted 15 pounds because Nick and I missed our bus to Southampton, even if I am coughing and sniffling as I drink this double-shot cappuccino - these adventures are making my days.

I have no idea where I want to be, or what I want to be doing come January. For the first time in my life - I have no idea what I want (or at least it's not very clear). But these days, of meandering around London are making my days; making my life. And I love everyone of them, thankful for yesterday, anxious for tomorrow, so happy I'm sitting in this wooden chair inside this coffee shop on London's street today. These days, these days of being exhausted because I have met so many amazing people and seen so many spectacular sites, these days of having a sore back because my bags are heavy with clothes and arts and crafts and medicines to keep me creative and healthy. These days of crashing head-on with life, with the way life is suppose to be.

These hectic adventure days I lead may kill me sooner than if I would have stayed on my front porch, but I will die I little wiser, a little happier.

Sick in Scotland

I've been sick all day, it's no fun when you have the sniffles, but no worries I couldn't stay in bed. It is my last full day in Scotland.

This morning I sat alone, at a giant wooden table, looking out the front window, a massive arched window that opens up to the garden and woods - it was the greatest place for my porridge and figs with the leaves still in autumn colors.

Then I worked in the kitchen all morning. I made oat flapjacks in time for everyone when the came in for tea time, and then I helped with lunch (which was a quiche) and I also helped a friend bake a cake (a birthday cake, for Paul) it is an orange and almond cake covered in dark chocolate! I can't wait to try it!

this afternoon was quite lovely. I actually wish it could have lasted more than a few hours. Isabella, a woman from Portugal, 20 years my senior, a woman with wild black curly long hair streaked with Gray, she has wide loving eyes and a massive smile - I love being in her company. Anyways she and I took the car (which was an experience considering she usually drives on the right side of the road, needless to say we laughed a lot). And we headed to Findhorn, a village just down the road from us that sits right on the beach.

I fell in love instantly with this small fishing village with quaint beautiful homes, glorious gardens and numerous sail boats - it looked as if it fell out of a movie. We had fiddles playing in the background as we got lost only a couple times, driving in the last rays as the sunset turned the sky hues of blue and punches of pink, it lit up the water that caressed this small place. It was an afternoon full of mini adventures that I'll never forget.

We made it back it back to the new bold house and now I actually must dash. I'm going out for dinner, don't exactly know where or who with, but the time is coming near and I am excited to be eating.

And I'm sure I'll tell you all about it.... My last Scottish night....

Gardening with strangers

Yesterday I arrived at the Newbold House on St.Leonards road, just outside of the small village Forres. And too be honest, I had no idea what I had just gotten myself into. Honestly I felt like I checked into a middle-age hippie counseling center. Obviously my mid-western cynicsm glasses were on, but I dug in and it turned out alright. I helped cook dinner, a venison pie and sautéed kelp - which was divine - and local and organic. Had good conversations meeting the community and with hot tea and a hot shower I slept like a rock.

This morning was splendid. I worked all morning in the sunshine in the garden, such a great feeling. This garden here is quite large, a third of an acre I would say. Pulling weeds from the rhubarb and corn and cutting different leaves for our lunch salad. I remember my mom gardening all my years while living at home, when I was little we had a veggie garden and then as I grew my mom created beautiful flower gardens all around our home; I loved having them there, I just never did the work, nor did I want too, although the only thing mom ever wanted help with was the watering. (pretty sure her gardening time was so she could get away from us kids, not for us to join in, haha)

But now as I garden, as I had my knee high rubber boots on, with gardening gloves and a beanie warming my head, as the sun shone on me and the brisk air reddened my cheeks - I loved every second of it. Having my hands in the soil and working hard, being able to see the work when it was completed was so satisfactory.

The community here is one in it's own, a mixed blend of different individuals, I feel as if I'm living life from some novel that was once written. There is only 12 of us here, some live here full time, some are here for a season, others are just stopping through for a short while. I am here for the shortest time by far, only 4 days - while everyone else is here for weeks, months or years even.

You have the very spiritual one, the one who wants to make an astrology chart and talks as if she is pyscho-analyzing everything (she happens to be from San Francisco) and you have the yoga teacher from Italy who doesn't know much English, the health guru from Portugal, the intense-feisty woman from Amsterdam, the 21 year old frenchie who is trying to find herself, an italian man who is dating the local marine biologist, and the local woman who is an artist running a bed&breakfast with her life-partner and one of the main people here happens to be a hysterical, very opinionated Irish woman. Then you have Shawn, a local scot who has traveled the whole world and doesn't seem like he'd end up at a place like this, due to his manliness and 'go-get-em' attitude but he loves the simple life and nature and is great for conversation & then Seth an American who fell in love with a french woman and Scottish yachts but ended up here due to being abandoned by both his love and economic wealth. And finally my favorite, is Janet, a woman who is stunningly beautiful with her sun-kissed face and wrinkles she's spent decades traveling the world, she's a wind-surfer who was raised as an army brat but spent half her life as a gypsy. All of the people in this community are really beautiful individuals, that make my smile - all of them still searching for something. They all just happen to be searching inside themselves, or searching nature and traditions; not realizing they haven't found what will fulfill them for eternity.

It's lovely being here, away from it all. A good place to spend a couple days. And now I must go, I'm full from my turnip burger lunch and it's now time for me to go explore this Scottish land; there are forests, beaches, villages, castles and lochs that are calling me.

Hello Scotland....

I wish I had my camera with me right now. I wish you could see what I am looking at. I pulled my window shade down, I was exhausted as I boarded this plane, my 4th plane in 14 days. But then I gasped out loud when I pulled that blinder back.

I am currently flying above the UK, headed straight north towards Iverness, Scotland. And below are massive mountains and numerous hills, painted brown, decorated with lakes - with the sea to the west the rugged vastness just continues to unravel in every direction I can see.

Maybe I'm just a lost American, maybe I'm just a prideful girl. I don't know exactly what put me on this plane, all alone 3 days from my birthday heading as far north as I possible can on this small chunk of land. But honestly I have that feeling in the pit of my stomach. That same feeling I had when I was 19 on my solo venture through guatemala and Mexico. I wouldnt want to be anywhere else but in this exact spot. This adventure makes me smile like a dork and puts more butterflies in my stomach than Cupid.

no time to write when its adventure time...

Ok honestly I have no idea how so many travelers have 'travel blogs'. I thought that would be easy, telling stories along the way, but it is ridiculous actually. I mean don't get me wrong I have numerous stories for you like how Switzerland ended for me and my 3 comrades - how we hiked up a massive hill to explore a castle in the middle of the night on 'all hallows eve'. Or how I spent my last week in Germany helping coach basketball camps which were an adventure all in their own considering basketball hasn't touched my fingertips for a year or for the fact that I don't know a lick of German. But I could go on and on about those camps, about how fun they were, how much I loved being back on the court, how I fell in love with each of those kids or how proud I am of the work Christian and Janis have done there.

But then again I don't have enough hours in my life to describe being back in London to you. How I spent every second of the last two days going so that we could see all the major sites in London, all the ones I've already seen plus Buckingham Palace and London Tower Bridge and riding the London Eye and more. So yes its obvious I could fill you with stories of events that have happened, adventures I've partaken in, world wonders I have seen, but do you realize I could probably double those stories while trying to explain to you the things that are on my heart and the things that my mind have been thinking?

I wish I could describe my 3 travel buddies, my british bearded, pipe-smoking, tender-hearted, star wars lover, Mr.Mack; or the out-going, kind hearted, strong-willed leader my friend Christian is, and his wife, my dear friend Janis who is the most adorable, hospitable, loving woman you could ever have the honor of be-freinding. All 3 are ridiculously incredible, all of them opinionated with strong characters, all of them God-fearing and people loving, all of them made me smile and laugh and feel so blessed to call them friend.

But I mean as much as I tried to think of my beloved mates my mind has continually been wondering back and forth to things in front of me; like culture and the differences between south africa and europe and america, like food or fashion, like lifestyles, traditions, societies, even discrimination, cultivation, education and sophistication. As well as the things in front of me; like my future and the upcoming travels and the responsibilities that need to be handled or how God still hasn't pointed me in a direction for January.

My mind and heart are just as much all over the map right now as I am physically.

4 days ago I was in Germany, 7 days ago I was in Switzerland, less than 2 weeks ago I was in South Africa, in 1 week I will be flying to America, and in 3 days I turn 23. But tonight I am in London and tomorrow morning I will be in Scotland.

So with that said, that hectic schedule, the fact that I have been in 6 countries in 2 weeks and in one week I'll have 2 more to add, the fact that I have traveled over thousands of miles, and jumped between languages, currencies and time zones that is the only excuse I have for not sharing all my stories with you - that is my justification. And why I still have no idea how all those travelers do it, I'm actually thinking a lot of those travel bloggers go to these amazing places and then spend a handful of hours on their laptop everyday instead of truly immersing themselves in cultures and relationships. But maybe someday I will master it, maybe even on this 3-month travel period I have committed myself too!!

But tonight I will go to bed, smiling for the dreams I have achieved, peaceful for the God I serve is so good and loves me more than I deserve and anxious because yet again I have another adventure awaiting me in a few hours and just a bus, train and plane ride away.

So good night... for now....