“To me, travel is a triple delight: anticipation, performance and recollection.”
It seemed odd yesterday to be out and about by ten as that’s when I usually start to sit and ponder; instead, I was shopping for ingredients for the appetizers I was bringing to dinner. I made muhammara which I hadn’t made all summer. It’s a crowd favorite. I also made a spinach dip and carved a sandal out of bread to hold it. My sandal was a bit off center but still impressive.
Did I mention my guilt?
Today is perfectly lovely. The humidity is on hiatus, and the weather report says 60’s for tonight. I need to do a few errands then I’m going on the deck with a drink, my book and the phone. I always carry the phone with me now since I got locked out.
Last night was my Wednesday play, and I didn’t get home until close to 11:30. There was e-mail to check and a book to finish so I was up until nearly 2. Good thing as it started to rain around 12:30, and I would have missed it.
When I traveled during my twenties, I backpacked. Europe was filled with backpackers just like me. We all carried pages from Let’s Go Europe, and we stayed at the same cheap places, mostly hostels, but sometimes we slept on night trains, boats or buses. We carried cheese, bread, jam and peanut butter for those meals on the go. If we ate in a restaurant, it offered cheap and plentiful food. Wherever we stayed, we traded books we’d finished and got information about the next legs of our journeys. Because we were sharing an adventure, an expedition, it was like we had been friends for years rather than having just met over breakfast that morning in the common room. I wore clothes far too long between washings, but I didn’t really care. My money had to last the five or six weeks I was on the road, and it was better spent getting from here to there.
In my thirties, I gave up my backpack. I stayed in hotels instead of hostels. My traveling time was limited to a week or two at most so I always chose one country or one city for the entire trip. Most times I rented a car though there were a few boat and ride rides, in the daytime. I still brought pages from Let’s Go, but I added Frommer and a few others to the options. I stopped having to share a shower room, and my clothes were mostly clean. I never had to wash a single pair of underwear again.
My traveling has been about the same since then. I spend a couple of weeks in a single country and do all sorts of research before I go. I love the internet. I never stay anywhere grand, but I do treat myself well.
The flight to Ghana will take forever so I am thinking of flying first class, might as well be comfortable. I have come a long way from my backpacking days.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
July 22, 2010 at 10:25 am
I´ve never back packed in my life and that´s something I wish I had done. But it´s not to late yet! Backpacking is really popular amongst seniors over here, so one day maybe 🙂 But I can tell You that there´s no cheap place to eat anylonger here in Europe 🙂 🙂 Well perhaps in some of the old east european countries.
We have a really nice cool summer day over here now. The breeze is quite strong and the temperature is around 72. I´m bleeding all over my arms since I´m cutting down an old rose with thorns bigger than anything else I´ve ever seen 🙂 🙂 Well the pain sort of disguis the itching I have from all horse fly bites I got the other day 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
July 23, 2010 at 9:52 am
Christer,
No, it’s not too late to take off and see the world. Try here for some ideas on where to stay:
http://www.couchsurfing.org/
Yesterday was perfect and last night was nice and cool, but the ugly humidity is back. The paper says relief will be here by Monday!
July 22, 2010 at 3:33 pm
An Army buddy and I who got out of active duty within a week of each other backpacked to Maine, then out to California from May 1st to end of August and back through Texas to many states we always wanted to see. We stopped at Ft Benning, GA where we started our Army careers at basic training camp. We hitchhiked all the way and had fascinating experiences. The U.S. was a kinder place for being on the road back then and it was as much fun as Europe, maybe moreso because you spoke to friendly types at coffee houses and one night we stayed with a farmer in Iowa. I would love to do that again.
July 23, 2010 at 9:54 am
Z&Me,
I’d love an RV. I’d pack up the animals and we’d drive. On the way I’d stop to see all of the sits: Stonehenge made of cars, the biggest ball of twine-all the wacky places we seem to have.
From what I hear, you meet the nicest people in RV parks.
July 23, 2010 at 3:10 am
Even going business class is so much better than cattle class Kat. If I go anywhere I never stay at anything less than 4 & a half stars. Bugger roughing it anymore.
Well and truly over it at my age.
July 23, 2010 at 9:56 am
Pete,
I no longer rough it either. In Marrakesh, I stayed at a riad, and it was expensive but well worth the price. It had only five rooms and was in the old city down and around alleyways. I loved it.
Like you, I’m too old to rough it. I want comfort.