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As I begin my trip south, I leave behind my winter skin, responsibilities, family, and the vestiges of my Oregon community. There is history in my life there. My children were born there. I was married there. I had my career and retired there. Deep friendships were forged there. Memories and losses, all woven into…
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I give thanks for the the fruits of darkness, which include my Christmas cactus and my amaryllis plant. I give thanks for the closure of an important chapter of my life, as I retire from serving abused children. I give thanks for the years of friendship with Lupe, even though she is now in a…
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As the days get shorter, like the birds, I prepare for the great southern migration. It’s my annual ritual, the trek to my desert sanctuary. My wanderlust takes on a purpose. I walk around in a fog this time of year. I’m not the only one. The symbolism of this Bible quote seems especially relevant…
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What happens when you get to the end of your rope and suddenly realize you don’t want to do whatever it is you are doing anymore? You can either stop doing it or develop a better attitude and love what is. I’m not giving up travel—heavens no! I’m just feeling my age at the moment.…
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Yesterday we made our way to Battambang, via a rural route that took us through a village of potters. We visited one home where the potter demonstrated her hand throwing method of making pots. In lieu of a potters wheel she placed the clay on a stool and circled it, tamping it down and smoothing…
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The trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh was long but comfortable. The Cambodian border crossing was bureaucratic but safe. In Cambodia (Kampuchea) they speak Khmer. The monetary unit is the riel, but they also use $US, with 4,000 riel to the dollar. You can only get $US out of ATMs, but if…
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Our last couple of days in Vietnam had me feeling nostalgic about this wonderful country I’d only just scratched the surface of. We spent our next to last day boating and tuk tuking around the islands of the Mekong Delta, whose name conjures up distant war related news stories of my youth. But it also…
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I wanted to come here to learn about the country we ravaged 50 years ago. Many Americans chose to defend the Vietnamese against the evils of communism while others protested the horrific violence which victimized them. No matter which camp you were in during the 1960’s and ‘70’s, in the U.S. you knew democracy represented…
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Hoi An is a magical little town with pedestrian streets, Japanese and Chinese bridges and temples. The streets are thronging with tourists from every corner of the world. It’s kind of a party town but in a very quiet sort of way. You can wander around and buy trinkets and lanterns, coffee, food and drink,…
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We are now in the south, having taken the night train to the pretty town of Hue, which has a decidedly more relaxed atmosphere than Hanoi. Sleeping on the lurching clacking train with 4 of us to a compartment reminded me of my college days. We drank beer and played cards in the dining car…
Not All Who Wander Are Lost 