I am Off on Another Adventure!
Some of my readers have become aware that I will soon be embarking on a new travel adventure, so I thought it would be a good idea to update everyone.
I left my little yurt near Pahoa, Hawaii, which was home for a year, on June 1. I will be visiting my friends on Vashon Island in Puget Sound, Washington, for three weeks. Then my first stops will be Iceland and Scotland.
How did all this start?
It began about three years ago (in 2014) when I first heard about the Camino de Santiago for the first time and then over the next month, I was hearing about it again and again from other unrelated sources. So, I took it as a “sign” that I should make the Camino pilgrimage and began making initial plans to do so in the fall of 2016.
Circumstances changed and it took an extra year to launch, but in the meantime I managed to keep adding places in Europe that I also wanted to visit:
Estonia because they are famous for a special style of knitted lace shawls, which I just love.
And then…
Scotland because that is where the Shetland Islands are and they, too, are famous for their lace shawls so fine that one will fit through a wedding ring. And well…Scotland! Why not?
And then…
Southern England because my friend Annie lives there and we could have a nice visit before I begin my Camino. (Of course, on the way, I will have to hike in the Yorkshire Dales because that’s James Herriot country.)
And then (after a month in Spain)…
All the fascinating countries between Spain and Estonia: Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark…I might as well make my way around the coast of Europe visiting countries that have lots of knitters–at least until my EU visa expires.
And then (after few weeks in Estonia)…
Why not take the Trans-Siberian Railroad to Russia’s east coast? Why not? Well, I won’t get there until mid-December. Hmmm…shades of Dr. Zhivago…Am I crazy?
And then…
Wouldn’t it be cool to come home on a leisurely passenger-carrying freighter?
But then…
Going to Thailand and warming up on a nice beach for a while would be pretty nice as well.
As you can see, the deeper into the trip I get, the more nebulous my plans become. We will see if I bail out at some point, or—more likely—run out of money.
Stay tuned…I will keep you posted!
Other Blog Posts You May Find Interesting
Quest for Fiber: Chinchero Textiles
I enjoyed visiting Centro Textil Llank’ay the most. The women were very welcoming and since we were the only customers, we had a nice visit with them. One talented young woman was knitting a very fine chullo (hat) and manipulating three colors of yarn which she ran around the back of her neck.
Choquequirao Hike Part III: Down and Up—Again!
The hike up seemed to get longer as we got closer to the finish. The last 15–20 switchbacks seemed interminable. I was stubbornly refusing to ride the horse and I made it to the top on my own—worn out but thrilled at the accomplishment.
Turning Drudgery into an Adventure
I got to thinking about how challenging this marathon voyage might be when I booked it. I wondered if I was biting off more than I could chew—would it be too much for me?