The two weeks since I left Myanmar are best described as an amazing hodgepodge of activities. On my way back I swung back through London, and got to experience this English countryside thing for the first time. My friend Daisy (I met her on the Flash Pack tour in Morocco) lives in Hungerford, which is a picturesque village about 90 minutes outside of London. The Main Street is absolutely adorable and includes some charming antique shops (not shockingly they have older stuff in England than we do in the U.S.) as well as equal amount of quintessential local pubs. Daisy led me on her daily walking route, through the beautiful countryside and then along an equally picturesque riverbank, dotted with homes and a few old stone churches. You kind of feel back in time.
As we walked, Daisy told me about a black mark on Hungerford’s history, due to he now infamous “Hungerford Massacre,” which occurred in the 1980’s, when a mentally unstable person walked down the streets of the town randomly firing a rifle at people and taking 16 innocent lives. Following the tragedy, the gun laws in England were severely tightened (including a ban on semi automatic weapons altogether) and the incident remains one of the deadliest mass shootings ever in the UK. It was a timely anecdote to hear as an American, and also frustrating to be reminded that much of our current gun violence is actually preventable. Sigh…
Tangentially, I also recently learned that in England it is illegal to attack someone who is breaking into your house, in defense of your property (self-defense is different). A British friend explained that their strategy is to make the intruder a cup of tea and try to convince them to leave. Ha! Although I wouldn’t be shocked if that has actually happened at some point… those Brits certainly love tea and hate conflict.
I digress…. back to Hungerford! After our walk, Daisy showed me the true Hungerford Sunday Funday experience. It was faaaantastic! English pubs are just the best! They all have such a cozy and welcoming vibe, and to people of all ages, families, and even dogs! Also, get this- most pubs don’t have TVs and the focus is on conversation and community building. What a novel idea! I realized pretty quickly that Hungerford doesn’t have a lot of American visitors and I kind of liked being a novelty show. Daisy’s parents even came out for the viewing of the American in Hungerford! 
Upon meeting her parents, it was obvious where Daisy gets her contagious personality- her parents are great people and I have no doubt their family home was full of laughter (like all the time) while Daisy was growing up.
A few days later I headed back to good ole DC, realizing I’d been gone for seven weeks during this travel stint- guess I’d lost track! I was glad to be heading home, if for no other reason than to dump some of the excessive luggage I’d been lugging around. It was an Epic Packing Fail. In my defense, it’s not easy to pack for seven weeks (did I even know I’d be gone for seven weeks when I packed?) and to account for weather in Finland and Myanmar alike. Oh, the trials and tribulations of Teha’s Travels! (Not complaining, I swear!)
At home, I spent a day going through mail and doing laundry and, of course, I motored over to my brother’s house to see my nieces and nephew (and you guys too, Seth and Keke). No offense to my family and friends – as you know I adore you- but it’s my nieces and nephews who I miss the most when I’m traveling. I think they were just a little excited to see me too! 
No rest for the weary though… I had an upcoming Travelling Trio adventure to tend to! You may recall our last adventure was to Portugal in October. For a March destination we’d tossed around Costa Rica (all of us are dying to go) but schedules didn’t allow the time so we decided on a domestic weekend trip to… Richmond, Virginia. An obvious second choice to Costa Rica? I have to say I was certainly not complaining about not getting on another plane and the train ride was quite lovely (and convenient!) So, I’ve driven through Richmond a few times (meaning I know what route 95 looks like there) and I’d seen the University of Richmond during my college touring (the dealbreaker was a HUGE lake separating the girls dorms and boys dorms- it seemed like an unnecessary barrier). But, until now, I hadn’t actually spent time in the city. And, I have to say, I liked it a lot! In fact, the entire Traveling Trio was pleasantly surprised by good ole Richmond! It’s definitely a lot more happening than I expected- a smidge edgy (this surprised me) and with a lil’ industrial feel, including lots of old warehouse based developments underway. Here we are being edgy! 
Richmond also has the laid-back vibe of a college town but combined with the maturity of an epic historic location, and with the confidence and character that goes along with that. The people are also really friendly- with a southern charm that isn’t over the top and almost seems more midwestern at times. We had a jolly old time exploring the city, including it’s bourgeoning restaurant scene and historic highlights, such as a ridiculously fancy brunch at the Jefferson Hotel (Page had us on a waiting list and we got the green light at the very last minute). 
I then headed up to New England for the main event of my March America fly-by. I spent a few days visiting my New Hampshire nephew contingent (and upping my snowman game) before heading down to Boston. 
Hugo was NOT happy when he came home from school and Frosty was no more. The hard knocks life throws at a four year old! 
So, I’ll be honest that it would have been slightly more convenient to remain in Southeast Asia in between trips to Myanmar and the Philippines. Even with my shoddy sense of geography, I know that much. However, this was not an option! It turned out that on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, my most amazing Dad was to be the honoree at a large and prestigious gala in Boston- it was an extremely well-deserved tribute to him following a 40-year career in social services, during which (according to personal testimonies at the event) he’s impacted gazillions of lives. Obvs, I HAD to be there! Those of you who know Mark Kennard understand completely… my Dad is just THE BEST! He really is. And, his acceptance speech was absolutely incredible (I may be slightly biased, as he may or may not have referred to me as “our 8th Wonder of the World” in the speech). Here’s the man of the hour! 
The whole family was very proud to be there, especially at the head table with THE Honoree! Here are a few pics of some of my Dad’s entourage (which included Baby Theodore strapped to Tobi’s front!). 
Of course, Seth was trying to hog the spotlight during the red carpet photo shoot. Brothers!
Conveniently the next day was was St. Patty’s day, and what better city to celebrate in than Boston?!? (Okay, yes, Dublin is better…but still pretty solid in Bean-town!) We jumped right into the festivities, including joining an impromptu parade with a bunch of bagpipers. It seemed totally normal at the time and we blended right in! 
I stayed with my friends Porsha and Dennis the next night and was entertained by their hilarious kiddo, Makayla, and her sidekick, Gatsby. Porsh and Dennis moved to Boston from DC last year and it was great to catch up with them. 
Then it was back to DC for packing once again (in true consultant fashion, I implemented some process improvement measures as a result of of my lessons learned from last time). I was planning to arrive a day early for my next Flash Pack tour (the Philippines!) but Mother Nature intervened and instead I spent an extra day in DC, playing in the snow with a real cast of characters.
Thankfully I was rebooked on a flight that got me there JUST in time for the first tour activity. The flight did have an 11 hour layover in Doha, an airport I’ve become very familiar with, and just to kill some time I went on the free bus tour of the city that Qatar Airlines offers. I already did this tour during a layover in December and not much has changed but the sites were far superior to those of the airport. 
Now, I’m finally here and ready for whatever adventure the Philippines has in store for me! (I guess I could look at the trip itinerary to see what that is but why ruin the fun?!)
I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experience the country while it’s still seeping with raw beauty and history, literally everywhere you turn. It’s rare to experience the authenticity of a place (both the good and the bad) before the tentacles of tourism creep in and alter things. Kind of like finding that elusive ‘sweet spot’ time to visit Cuba.
We toured around bustling Yangon the next day and even had our first street food experience, which was delicious. Thankfully Josh knows the spots to try- not sure I would have been that adventurous on my own (and there were still some menu items I was not adventurous enough to try). 
We were up and out the next day, flying to the city of Bagan, of which I knew nothing about. This was our first experience with Myanmar domestic air travel and I soon realized that it’s really more like riding a bus than flying. The flight times are all “ish,” and there doesn’t seem to be an actual set time. Also, you get a sticker of a certain color, which is how they tell which fight you are on. And, you will almost always stop somewhere along the way, for just enough time for some people to get off and others to get on. It’s very efficient in that way, and they seem far more concerned with getting you there in one piece – keeping the eye on the prize… I like it. Doesn’t this boarding pass exude confidence? 
So, Bagan is Temple Central– I’m talking about more than 2,000 temples! They are literally EVERYWHERE you turn, giving the spot a truly ethereal quality. 
These temples are not new construction, either. Most were built between the 9th and 13th centuries and it is estimated that there were once 10,000 of them! Today most are just to look at and only a few dozen are restored and kept up. We went on a templing bike tour, which was a great way to take in the beauty of the place as well as navigate the dusty, rocky roads between the pious icons. It definitely could not have been easy to haul around the materials needed to construct these massive structures back in the day. I could barely haul myself around! (Luckily I could just blindly follow Josh).
We took in some additional Bagan beauty (as if we needed it) with a sunset boat cruise. I’m not sure pictures can really capture the beauty of Bagan: 
Next, we hopped back on the airplane-bus travelling to another stop along the route…a small town called ‘Heho’ (yes, the Naughty By Nature song was in my head incessantly). Upon arrival, we embarked on a breathtaking trek through the surrounding mountainside dotted with cabbage patches and, of course, a few temples. 
We stopped in one of the villages for lunch hosted by a local family, in a traditional two-room hut that houses their entire extended family. We could see the food being prepared over a single flame, and later we all agreed that it was one of the best meals of the trip. In true Burmese fashion, the village people were all super-friendly and seemed fascinated by our group (I don’t blame them- with representatives from seven countries, we were a motley crew). After lunch I enjoyed hanging out with three little guys, and despite not speaking the same language… it’s amazing how the common language of silliness brings people together. 
The next day we were off to an elephant conservation camp! This was a highlight of the trip for many, myself included (despite not having known we were doing this in advance- love it when every day is a surprise). So…the elephant situation in Myanmar is very sad. There used to be tons of logging taking place there and the country actually has one of the world’s worst deforestation rates. Additionally, there was gross mismanagement and corruption in the logging trade, contributing to the country’s ongoing conflicts. A national logging ban was implemented in 2014 and since then, the logging has decreased significantly…which has actually been a very bad thing for our elephant friends. So, the elephants were a critical component of the logging industry- hauling all the wood around, as elephants do. But elephants being used in this way are bred and used as worker elephants. Problem being that worker elephants can’t just stop working and go back to the wild. Doesn’t work. So, there’s a huge population of endangered elephants that are kind of left high and dry now that they aren’t logging anymore. To further confound the situation, there are unfortunately still some bad eggs out there- hunting elephants and using the majestic animals for personal gain (aka making money on things like elephant rides). It’s a sad state affairs.
Okay, so I have to say, there is something incredibly regal and captivating about elephants when you’re interacting with them, and especially when looking them in the eyes. The way they look at you….you almost feel like you should bow down to them. And, they just exude this wisdom- you can tell that they totally get everything that is going on. It’s fair to say I will never think of elephants the same way again… these animals are really something special. 
Our home for the night was an awesome hotel that was boat themed and the next day in true fashion we embarked in two water vessels for a spin through the waterways that make up Inlay lake, consisting of extensive “floating villages” and beautiful views. 
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in a floating village, clearly trying to cater to whatever tourism comes through. And I clearly blended right in as a local.
Our home for the evening was a beautiful and rustic lodge in the very remote village of Samkar. Since we’d made good time, apparently, Josh was able to take us on a walking tour of the village (in the past it’s already dark when groups have gotten there). As Josh led us through the dirt roads and villagers came out of their homes to greet us, and the children running around seemed especially fascinated to see us. Josh spoke to a few of the villagers and learned that for many it was the first time they had seen light-skinned people. Wow. Somehow that possibility had not occurred to me. 
On that note, many of the women and children Myanmar apply a mud-paste substance called ‘thanaka’ to their faces. It’s said to be good for the skin, serve as sunscreen, and make their faces appear lighter. It’s almost impossible (based on my efforts- may actually be impossible) to find sunscreen in Myanmar that doesn’t have bleach in it, as their goal is only to lighten their skin. I wondered what the Burmese would think of the concept of a spray tan? 
We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and the next day boated on over to a town called Phekone, swinging by a few waterfront temples on the way. 
We enjoyed another beautiful sunset and the next day traveled to Pan pet village for another scenic trek (life is very rough). There we met some villagers, including women wearing brass neck rings…who most people have only seen photos of in National Geographic. So, in eastern Myanmar there are many women in the Kayan state who wear these rings (although apparently it’s far less popular than it used to be). The rings give the impression that the women have extremely long necks, but they actually just compress the shoulders downwards. 
Nobody knows for sure why these neck rings became a “thing”- explanations range from keeping evil spirits out, to protecting against tiger bites, to making them less attractive and less likely to be taken into slavery. A woman we met has four children and 8 grandchildren and only one granddaughter has chosen to wear the rings. She has until age 18 to decide if this is for good, because after that age you add rings and your neck becomes physically unable to hold up your head without the support. So, it’s a lifelong commitment. 
We headed back to Yangon the following day and wrapped up our trip with a bicycle tour of the town of Twante. We took the ferry to the other side of the river to get there from Yangon, a reverse commute to the masses of villagers heading into the city to sell their wares. Apparently the ferry was a gift from Japan and has been a life-saver for people residing in the villages. I can’t help but think that a bridge might be a nice next step, but I don’t see that construction starting anytime soon. 
In Twante, we cruised around the streets and stopped for lunch at a local establishment. We also visited a village pottery studio and I added pottery-maker to the list of careers that I will not be pursing in the future. 
I don’t know what happened…but somehow it was the last night of our trip, all of the sudden! It felt like we had just met in Yangon! We enjoyed a final meal together and reflected on all of the magic we’d experienced together. 
I was glad to be staying an extra day and I used that time to visit a Burmese photography exhibit in the stunning former headquarters of British colonial rule, the 
As I walked through the formally abandoned building, rich with beauty and history and packed with tourists and locals alike- I thought about why we were all there. We knew it wouldn’t be perfect inside, but it was somehow the imperfection we sought. We knew it had been the site of tragedy and injustice and tears, and we didn’t want those stories to go away or be glossed over. We wanted to see it, and feel it, and let it in… and maybe even let it change how we thought of the world, just a little bit. As I made my way to the exit, and thought sadly about going to the airport, I realized it was the magical country of Myanmar that had done exactly that.
I then embarked on my maiden solo voyage using London’s public transport system. I’d also been forewarned that this was complex to navigate and that Londoners were mostly “heads down” and wouldn’t go out of their way to be helpful or friendly. But my London opposite-world experience continued. I actually felt like people were much more helpful than people would be on the DC Metro…strangers carried my suitcase up stairs for me! At one point I was waiting for an elevator (aka lift) in the station along with several other suitcase laden travelers and a women with a stroller. In the States I’m quite sure that those who had been there first would have gotten on and the others would have to wait. But here, stroller lady got priority without question and then stroller lady worked with the other riders to arrange a Tetris puzzle that would allow all of us and our bags to fit. Teamwork with a Capitol T!
It was a blustery London day and the tour ended at a pub, where I sat and chatted with a new friend from the tour over fish and chips- she’s from Brazil and her name is Alathea. This confusing during introductions when she said “I’m Alathea” (pronounced Ala-Teha) and I replied “I’m Teha” and she said “No…I’m Alathea” to which I responded “and I’m just Teha.” Soon after we sorted this out, two gents timidly approached our table and asked for a favor…they work for a market research company and were testing a new hard cider. They had the nerve to ask if they could give us each a free pint of cider and ask us a few questions on camera. AND, as if this weren’t enough of an imposition, they also wanted to PAY us ten pounds for the huge inconvenience. Um…YES and YES! Alateha commented with glee that these things just don’t happen to her. I admitted that these things seem to happen to me all the time. Here we are with our paychecks: 
So, while planning my day that morning I’d checked out a last minute theater ticket app and entered a raffle for a first-row ticket to see Kinky Boots for 20 British pounds (which is equivalent to $28). I checked the app at the designated time and saw that I had not won the first row raffle (and I usually pride myself on my raffle-winning skills) but I was offered a 7th row seat for the same price. I guess that would have to do! 
My seat and the show did not disappoint- both were amazing! And apparently my row was celebrity-central that night. I was chatting with a group of six women in my row before the show and noticed the two ladies sitting next to me staring and whispering. They later told me they couldn’t believe I’d met the band “Girls Aloud,” which is apparently a British Spice Girls-esque band. The group had apparently broken up so it was BIG NEWS that they were together at the show. Oh the drama! One of my seat mates exclaimed, “I can’t believe there are celebrities sitting next to us! This NEVER happens to me!” I refrained from commenting this time.
On Friday I met up with Bhavika (aka B) who I’d met in July on the Flash Pack Vespa tour in Spain and she took me to the Tate modern as well as other assorted sites, before we met up with two other fabulous females from the same trip, Emily and Sacha. The four of us went to a super-cool bar that is World War II themed. It’s underground (and actually hidden with a secret entrance) and decorated as a bunker. You wear a bad-ass uniform jacket while decoding various clues, selecting a series of smells, colors and tastes, and radioing in the selections…which end up being the components of individualized hand-crafted cocktails. They claim to never make the same one twice but who knows. Mine was delicious so I do hope they make it again! 
The next day I was excited to FINALLY meet the infamous owners of my favorite tour company, 
I then met Rob at his cricket club where there was a big rugby game on TV, but I forgot to watch the game as I was too busy chatting with people. The next morning Rob had a soccer (aka football) game that I went to watch. It’s with guys (aka mates) he went to high school with and they still play against other former high school rivals! I was immaturely entertained hearing grown men on the field (aka pitch) saying things like “lovely shot mate!” The “British language” really never ceases to entertain me!
Essentially she cooks delicious food and people come to her house to enjoy it. The kicker is that often she doesn’t know any of the people (nor do they know each other) and most attendees are just individuals who want to enjoy a “proper Sunday lunch” and potentially make new friends. It’s a popular concept in London apparently and a “brilliant” idea. Emily is an out of this world chef and the consummate hostess, so it’s not at all surprising that her lunch club has been so successful! 
I saw Emily and B again a few days later for a delectable “afternoon tea” at none other than the infamous Harrods. I knew the Brits were known for “tea time” but didn’t realize it was a thing that many restaurants offer in the afternoons. A very cool experience with two very cool ladies. 
I checked out the London museum on my last day in the city and was horrified to learn more about all the city has been through over the years…fires, plagues, wars etc. Talk about a resilient city! I have to say that my time in the city made me leave wanting more, which is exactly how I like to leave a place. I especially need to see St. Paul’s cathedral next time, as Tom Cruise had it occupied this trip for filming Mission Impossible 12 (or whatever number we’re on now).
As I walked into the cathedral at 5:30 on-the-dot, the woman at the entrance stopped me. I explained “Oh, I’m just here for the concert” to which she replied “This is a religious service.” At that point my deeply seeded Catholic guilt came out (odd since I’m actually not Catholic) and I feared if I turned away at that point I’d be struck by lightening. So…I sat through an entire mass. There was actually a choir, but it consisted of middle aged to old men- definitely no children. Whoops! It’s such a beautiful place that I definitely did not feel bad for myself. 
The next day Louise and I got sucked into some Winter Olympics viewing in the morning. As explanation, I’m minorly obsessed with the BBC’s coverage of the games as it’s SO different from how the Games are covered in the U.S. First of all, there are NO commercials and they actually show LIVE coverage, that includes showing athletes who are NOT from Team USA. What a novel idea! I will say they definitely focus on events where Team GB has any shot in hell for a medal, but that’s only a few events anyways. I learned that Ireland only has five athletes at the Winter Games and has never won a medal. Louise read me a headline from a local publication, about an Irish skier’s “success” in their event the previous day. I assumed that meant they had made history and medaled! Um…not exactly. Success is apparently defined as (and I quote) “finishing the run with no major issues” and placing in 56th place! Once again…perspective gained.
That night we went “out on the town” with Louisa’s fabulous friend, Fiona, and ended up at an authentic and infamous pub called O’Donahues, where we saw a “proper session” of folks jamming Irish music with an array of impressive instruments. It was pretty phenomenal and also cool to see the photos on the walls of the dozens of celebs worldwide who have been there to enjoy the music.
I met up with the handsome and mostly funny Rob in Vienna (as a refresher- he’s a Londoner I met on the India & Nepal tour) and we enjoyed exploring the city together. We stayed at the 
The hotel room had a random woman’s picture on the door and the one photograph inside the room was mysterious. I really wanted to know who was in the photograph and may have mentioned it to Rob just once or twice. More on this later… 
We started off strong by enjoying schnitzel at a little cafe at the outdoor market by our hotel, Nushmarkwt. We then headed up the Main Street by our hotel, which appeared to be a mostly typical shopping area with lots of high-end stores, except for a massive cathedral smack dab in the middle of it. It was our first glimpse into the grandeur of the city that we would see so much more of in the days to come. 
The next day we enjoyed a perfectly Viennese breakfast at Hotel Beethoven (think hearty dark bread, sausages, smoked fish, etc.) and embarked on a free walking tour. It happened to be pretty darn freezing that day and I may have thought Rob was over-preparing when he was putting on layers before the tour. I mean, I had survived below zero temps in New Hampshire just a few weeks ago… this was nothing! In hindsight, I think the big difference here is that in New Hampshire I spent most of my time indoors and by a roaring fire. Not outside, on a walking tour. 
Ok, back to Austria! First off, the country is so rich with history, it’s hard to know where to start (or where to turn when walking the streets). We quickly realized there was a lot more to see than the high end shopping street (Cathedral and all). The museum district is stunning and our guide informed us that later that evening much of it would be closed due to high security and protests because of a “ball” taking place that would be attended by members of the far right. Here’s the security preparations: 
We did not let that stop us from staying in the area that afternoon and checking out the “Sisi Museum.” Okay, if you haven’t heard of Sisi, don’t worry, you aren’t the first. Or second. (I can’t speak beyond Rob and I). It was a fascinating museum, though, featuring an iconic Austrian figure… Empress Elizabeth “Sisi”… who was thrust into marriage at age 15 with Emperor Franz Joseph and was apparently not aware of what she getting herself into with the whole situation. In many ways it seems she was ahead of her time, questioning the royal and wifely duties that those before her had seemingly embraced without question. She was a troubled soul throughout her life and spent most of her time trying NOT to be in the Hofsburg palace that we were touring- but on the days she was there, she had to spend FIVE HOURS sitting patiently while getting her insanely long hair done (not sure what one is doing to hair for that long without electricity…fanning it dry?) and she had a strict fitness and food regime that by all accounts she was over the top about. She even had her own set of rings in her little 19th century workout area…like the kind used in male gymnastics. I thought that was kinda bad-ass! After the museum, shocker of shockers, we stumbled upon some anti-fascist protests. There was a lot of security but it all seemed peaceful and really did enhance the whole Vienna experience! 
The next day we toured the Schönbrunner palace, which was the main palace inhabited by Sisi and Franz Joseph as well as their predecessors. It has something like 1,700 rooms but I think we only saw 50. What a spot!
It’s hard to imagine actually living there, especially with the MANY chandeliers lit by candlelight. It must have been quite the staff to keep that operation running. 
So, I admit I’d been feeling just a little bit bad for Franz J, as he had been madly in love with Sisi, who after having their children didn’t seem to want to give him the time of day. They even officially had separate bedrooms. THEN, in an exhibit at the palace there was a reference to Franz’s “long time mistress”…just a passing comment. Ah-ha! I give Rob a lot to credit for noticing the name of the aforementioned mistress was familiar, and was, in fact, the name on the door of our room! Double Ah-ha! 
And upon further investigation it was evident that the black and white photograph on our wall was of Franz and mistress lady! I was so glad to have solved the mystery and actually thought it was kinda cool we were in the mistress room. Way cooler than the Sigmund Freud room across the hall!
The next day we covered any remaining parts of the city on foot…although the buildings and statues are so incredible, it was hard to know which ones we’d already seen! Rob had to head back to London that night (work schmerk) and I stayed for one more night and enjoyed the little classical music concert in the hotel. The next morning I was off to check out one more Austrian city…Salzburg. It was an easy train ride and well worth it to see the quaint and Sound-of-Music laden city. 
I took it all in by roaming around for two full days. A few hours after I arrived, Rob messaged me “do you hear it?” I was confused at first and inquired as to what he meant. “The music!” he replied. Duh! There is actually a lot of music everywhere in Salzburg, mostly in the form of church bells from the several cathedrals. 
I spent much of my time in Salzburg in the hills, exploring the areas up by the unbelievable castle that overlooks the city. 
I found many walking trails and a few hidden-gem sunset viewing spots up there. I also did a self-guided Sound of Music walking tour but I have to admit it wasn’t quite the same without Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. I also have to admit that nothing I saw looked all that familiar to the movie. (I declined to take the official SOM bus tour as I had such a short time there that I wanted to see it on foot as much as possible. It’s such a beautiful city that I stand by my decision.) 
My Austria adventure was punctuated by finally trying apple strudel…purchased from an adorable old lady at her cart, as I hauled my luggage to the bus stop headed to the airport. 
I reflected on my Austria experience later that day, as I nibbled on the strudel while gazing at a stunning view of the Alps from the plane window. And, I couldn’t help thinking about how grateful I am to Ms Harney…for teaching me to stretch my limits, look more broadly at the world, and, especially, not to be limited by the card catalog.
So, for ten days it was too cold to go outside for more than a few minutes…which resulted in a lot of time inside and lots of “opportunities” for family bonding. I had the option of two locations where I could participate in this bonding: my parents’ house (which includes my mom and dad) and my sister’s house (which includes my sister, Tobi, her husband, their three children, and two cats). Over the ten days, I found a great balance toggling back and forth between the two houses- the chaotic and exciting environment of Tobi’s and the relaxing and excitement-lite environment of my parents’. At my sister’s I loved hanging out with my adorable nephews, and especially meeting my brand new nephew, Theodore! How cute is he?!
I even came to enjoy the 7am wake-up calls of two shrieking jumping beans (named Felix and Hugo), who jumped on both me and the bed with MUCH gusto every morning I was there.
As much as I enjoyed this, I needed a break every few days and enjoyed the solace of my parents’ spot. I also loved spending some QT with my parents and was even there the day my dad came home from work for the last time before retirement. After so many years of grabbing his briefcase (and gym bag) and heading to the office, he was dunzo!
Now, if you who know me at all, you know that I have just a lil’ bit of energy and this being-stuck-inside thing was bound to have me bouncing off the walls. This could have resulted in a disaster over ten days [namely me going bonkers]. Have no fear… Planet Fitness to the rescue! This was a clutch move that contributed pretty significantly to the success of the visit…that and a few (short-lived) outdoor expeditions.
Despite the farewell blizzard I made it back to DC, where the next week and a half flew by and soon I was scrambling to pack the morning of my next adventure! Where am I going, you may ask? So…this trip kind of morphed along the way as I discovered that it’s super-cheap to travel to and around some European cities during cold and dark January. What a perfect time to hit up some new places! And after braving the New Hampshire weather, I was certain Europe would feel like Cancun.
Upon takeoff, the WOW flight attendant announced that most passengers on our flight were transferring in Iceland and heading to Europe. She also said that, despite the delay, she was “99% certain” that all the connecting flights would wait for us. PHEW! Then we landed…. and the same lady got on the loudspeaker to let us know that if you were headed to Stockholm or Berlin, well, those planes didn’t wait. 99% certain? How lucky of me to finally be a one-percenter!
It was there that all of the inmates were issued pink slips of paper (literally) with the name of the “hotel,” where we’d be staying. When asked about specifics, the WOW reps shrugged a bunch, repeated the fact that there were no more flights to our destination that day, and provided assurances that we’d be on the first flight the next morning. We were then ushered onto airport buses and driven to our “hotel.” During the drive we were quiet and defeated, looking like inmates not knowing where we were being taken, or for how long. We were dropped off at The Base “hotel” that was seemingly in the middle of nowhere…in snowy, dark tundra of Iceland.
I admit that I used the deadbolt to make sure no potentially assigned bunkmates could get in. By this time, it was 8am and still pitch black. I checked my phone and discovered that sunrise was scheduled for 11am and sunset for around 4pm. Yikes. I took a snooze and watched an episode of the Crown…and then it was light (only one light) out! But it was also lunchtime and I was hungry. We’d been told by the WOW reps that we’d be comp’d for all three meals that day. This meant we could spend 2,000 of Icelandic currency (I’ll call them ‘things’) on each meal. Unfortunately, this was not for use at the restaurant of our choice (not that there were any to choose from) and it was to be spent at The Base Hotel’s on-Base “restaurant” that was a 10-minute walk from the barracks. This was more of a trek than a walk, through the snow and ice….and on that day, also blustery winds. It would definitely have been very difficult for anyone with a physical impairment to get there.
Once I arrived, it was not surprising that the restaurant (more like a mess hall) was as strange as the rest of ‘the situation.’ I got a menu and realized that there was pretty much nothing I could purchase for 2,000 things (equivalent to $20). Shocker of shockers, I had to pay extra to get a chicken salad and soft-drink. It was clearly the Soviet-bloc ambiance I was paying for? At this point, I knew I had to do something that involved movement to survive this situation, but there was no Planet Fitness to be found. Instead, I embarked on a walk to the nearest “town,” that was about 2 miles away.
The scenery was beautiful, as it is in Iceland, but I had no idea where I was or where I was going, and was paranoid the sun would set at any moment (in which case I’d have been a real liability for WOW). I completed the walk (the ‘town’ was pretty much non-existent but there were some nice views on the way) and I returned to The Base “hotel” thinking it would be a long night. Here’s the town:
Then I remembered that the airport shuttle was picking us up at 3:30am, so the night would not be long at all. Phew! I trekked back out to restaurant (an extra-chilly venture after the sun was down!) got another chicken wrap (that was more than 2,000 things, of course) and headed to bed. I was surprisingly awake at 3am (I credit the time change) and, despite the early bell, folks on the bus were actually a little chatty this time! While at The Base “hotel” I’d enjoyed meeting Joanne from Munich at lunch and having dinner with Kenny from Chicago, and it seemed others had done the same. One sub-group of five strangers had even coordinated an excursion to the Blue Lagoon!
Danica’s amazing Mom, Marit, made a very smart decision to get out of dodge and take the train, in an effort to get to her elderly father and her daughter’s grandfather faster. We all exchanged information and hugged goodbye.
Hanna and I had officially met at 3:30am that morning, despite having crossing paths a few times at The Base “hotel”, at which time we were both in “what’s going on right now, eyes straight ahead” mode. Hanna is a creative, wise, and super-fun musician, who moved from Sweden to Baltimore three years ago. So, we’re practically neighbors and I have no doubt we’ll meet up when we’re both back in the area. Maybe meeting Hanna is the one thing I can give WOW credit for on this epic journey? Or maybe not. I actually suspect that we were just meant to meet and WOW had nothing to do with it 😊
So, at the end of the DAYS, my journey ended up taking 44 hours, which left me with about 16 hours to explore Stockholm before moving on to Brussels. I’ll fill you in on both cities in the next day or so. This is already so long… so much to say and congrats if you made it to the end!