on-the-roadness

i am a traveler-in-training.

i suffer from chronic and extreme wanderlust.  i want to go everywhere and experience how people live and the beauty and truth that surrounds them.  problem is, i am not a very good relaxed traveler.  i like things to work on schedule and be just so and i'm picky about the bed i sleep in and showers and such.  as you can imagine, this disposition causes anxiety on the road and in foreign places.

i am inspired by jeanine stewart's journals of her honeymoon in india.  i want to do this, be like this.  i want to just go and be and let it roll out how it rolls.  i'm taking baby steps in my own little world...my (travelling) job gives me lots of practice and i'm figuring out little things i can do to increase comfort while reducing the need to control on the road.

here's my beginner's list:

1.  say a proper goodbye (above) to your home, your loves, your pups, your base.

2.  pack at a necessity:luxury ratio of about 4:1.  big bag, lip balm, gingermints, money, ipad, camera:  necessary.  tiny b, journal/sketchbook and you are beautiful sticker stash for expressing gratitude:  luxury.  (although the more i travel, they are seeming necessary.)

3.  when it comes to food, do your research beforehand.  finally, a travel characteristic i can excel at.  i am a vegetarian and i get a little tired special-ordering and/or physically removing the meat from meals (ew!).  in the land of eating animals and bbq (i.e. virginia), this means i frequently eat at the nearest whole foods food bar.  which is totally okay with me.  more research almost always uncovers local gems, like when i discovered barbara kingsolver's totally off-the-beaten-path and fantastic restaurant.  or artichoke moussaka.

4.  stay nourished.  fast food is anti-nourishing.

5.  spend some time staring at the sky no matter where you are.  i'm amazed at how the sky looks different in different places.  and yet, we all share the same sky.

6.  maintain your familiar bedtime routine.  for me that means reading and tea.

7.  every day:  yoga (even 15 minutes, often upon getting out of weird hotel bed) and a walk.

8.  be proactive about staying healthy.  build up your immune system, drink lots of water, wash your hands.  i drink kombucha every day and take extra vitamin c and b12.

9.  learn to experience schedule interruptions and unplanned chaos as part of the story.  take a breath and stay present in your unique journey.  (this is when staring at sky helps.)

10.  say a proper goodbye and gratitude to the place that held your life temporarily.  say hello to home.