On the Road Again

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” 
― Pico Iyer


I have become a Pico Iyer fan.  Just finished reading The Lady and the Monk; his memoir of a year in Japan. Every sentence was delicious. His acute observations and delicate descriptions took me into the heart of Japanese culture. And, as in the eloquent quote above, he helps the less articulate like me, describe the yen to explore.

Planning is part of the journey. We are pouring over guide books, maps and articles in anticipation of the next journey.

First up will be Singapore. Our intention for this four day visit is to first walk China Town, visiting temples and shrines, ending on Food Street!

 Little India promises more colourful architecture and more food.

 and the Colonial District, with tea at Raffles of course.

All of the preparation also includes having the right gear. Our suitcases stay open in the "staging area"....the downstairs guest room, where we pile things neatly as we think about them, including appropriate, but less than glamorous travel wear.

After a few days in Singapore, walking our feet off and rewarding ourselves with tasty food, we are of to our beloved Vietnam.

Family, friends, food (again....still....more), recreation and our work are all alluring.

Our "family" meet us for breakfast some mornings at Ha Ba Gia. "Two Old Women" is the name of a delightful street cafe where we eat banh beo....rice noodles pancakes with a variety of toppings, both sweet and savoury. Sesame can eat dozens!!!

Our work will continue with Journeys of the Heart, http://ebtovietnam.blogspot.com.  Not all of the people we meet through our work are as terrified of us as this little boy to whom we delivered a bicycle last year.

In all likelihood we will have adventures that are unplanned and some of our expectations will be shattered along the way.

Won't you come with us along our journey? We will do all the work of packing, getting shots, taking taxi's, planes, subways, cyclos and motorbikes. All you need to do is keep us company from the cool comfort of your favourite chair and send us a message every now and then. At the bottom of these posts, you will find a button that allows you to comment...after you have identified yourself.

“And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, dimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.” 
― Pico Iyer