I’ve tried to write a new journal entry about my upcoming journey a few times over the last week, but each one sounded like a giddy teenager and not really reflective of who I want you to think of when you think of me.  After all, these blog things can go two ways; becoming a diary that you assume others care about (and we all know the old cliche about the word “assume”), or a place that offers others benefit from your experiences.  It is without-a-doubt my hope that this is the latter.

I have been thinking about this particular trip for 22 years.  I know this precisely because it is closely akin to the trip I wanted to take the summer before I married David in 1987.  All the wedding plans were complete, and seemingly out of my hands.  I guess you might say I thought of it as a bucket list item and getting married was……

Fortunately for me, getting married was not anything near “the end” for me, but a new awakening that has continued to fuel my wanderlust.  David used the political climate of 1987 as a reason that I not spend the summer overseas, inferring with its unpredictability I might not get back in time for our wedding.  Today’s political climate around the world is even more unsettling than it was then, but we agree that it is worth the risk as any delay in returning stateside would not cause a wedding to be can canceled.

David promised he would take me to Europe as soon as it was feasible and we took our first trip in 2002.

My mother and I celebrated Mother’s day by going to Paris for ten days in 2006. I have been attempting to venture back the last three summers, but with moving into a new home, a child graduating from high school and the other having her tonsils removed, life was not accommodating.

I’m not sure what my adventure would have panned out to be had I taken the trip in 1987, but I’m confident this one will be far richer as 22 years of seasoning can do for a one’s outlook on life, and for me,  my passion in life as an artist. I am traveling solo this time because coincidentally David was offered the opportunity to travel with his brothers and fulfill a lifetime dream of his own.  He is going to be on a aircraft carrier in the Pacific, a guest of his brother who is a Navy officer.

I’ve discussed this with several friends and dream or not, this is a working vacation for me.  As an artist, these working ‘cations have several facets.  Obviously, traveling to Italy is an artist’s paradise.  Not so obvious though is that I see things differently when I’m alone versus traveling with others as tourist.  I love being a tourist as much as  anybody, but when I’m observing the world around me, just for me and my artistic muse, the vision changes and is mentally digested in ways that feed my vision for my own original art.

So follow along and I will share with you my big adventure.  The kids and I are meeting for lunch on my way to catch Marta (Atlanta’s train) to the airport.  The flight is overnight and I have a new super dooper neck pillow that boasts guarantees of sleep while sitting up. My list of things not to forget in my single carry on is ever growing and you can be sure there will be… adventure.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 11:58 AM and is filed under Journey Notes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.