wondering the world

I've been paging through "Don't let the World Pass you By: 52 Reasons to own a passport," and it gives me reasons to reflect. Geared to the average non-passport owning American who may not have ever left their home state, this book reads like a "Get off Your Ass! and see the world" tirade in a rather puerile tone, interspersed with comments by travelers and suggestions and lists of things to do and places to see. I had hoped for more from Lonely Planet Publications, but then it has at least spurred my thinking onto the topic of the wonders of my world, those I have seen, and those I'd like to see. Hmmm...the Pyramids of Giza were the greatest disappointment of my traveling life. If you ever go, take my advice and rent the horse or the camel. The grounds are not only overflowing with other tourists by the busload, but there are hawkers everywhere, devoted to hassling you into giving them money, to ride on a camel, or just have your photo taken with one, to buy postcards or other souvenirs and cheap trinkets- it was the worst experience ever- far from inspiring. The pyramids of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras however, were spectacular, and much more peaceful. I keep swearing that I'll stop climbing things: I've been up the stairs of the Statue of Liberty, up and down all those pyramids, trekking in northern Thailand (oh my god, was I ever in bad shape for that!), and up Mount Sinai on New Year's Eve, 1995. There are 2 routes up the mountain, both culminating in the 700 Steps of Repentence that lead to the top (where you can buy Coca Cola and snacks, by the way). We accidentally went up the hard way. But it was a clear and beautiful night as we walked down the easier path. I've seen the Aswan Dam, Erie Canal, and Niagara Falls (yes, we even spent a night of our honeymoon there in a jungle-themed room complete with mirrored jacuzzi. It was awesome). But as amazing to me as Niagara was a cascade in Guatemala I don't know the name of. The falls weren't that high or that wide - but the waterfall was hot water, from a nearby hotspring. Parts of it were too hot to stand under, but we lingered there for ages, enjoying the best quality shower we'd had in months (if anyone out there is a die-hard Survivor fan, in the Survivor Guatemala series, one of the reward challenges consisted of a spa treatment at this place, next to these falls).

One of the favourite places I've been is Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee. I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but if you're in Tennessee, you just have to go to Graceland (like the song says, "we all will be received in Graceland"). I had a total blast, even if I didn't pay extra to see the automobile collection or the Lisa Marie airplane. I'm also glad I got to see Stonehenge, (don't even ask about the time Michael and I tried to get to Giant's Ring in Northern Ireland, it's a bit of a sore spot), and this place not far from Dublin where St. Kevin hung out in a cave. Fatima, Portugal was surreal, as I'm sure Lourdes would be. Pilgrims walking or crawling for miles to see the site, where in addition to the chapel there is also a wax museum depicting the 3 children who saw a vision of the Virgin.

I collect places as I do postcards. Yes, I have been priveleged. I have also seen unspeakably horrible places like Auschwitz, Birkenau, Majdanek, Treblinka. I learned much from these places too, but I would not want to go back. And the most intense place for me, unlike any other, was Israel. It kept pulling me back. It has a way of making complete sense, and none at all. The first time I visited Jerusalem, I saw pious Jews praying so close to the Wailing Wall, they nearly scratched their skin against the stone. Before long, the call of the muezzin came clear from the speakers of the Dome of the Rock just above, and beyond that, church bells from the many churches in the Grove of Olives. I backed away to try and absorb all of this, thinking of all who have focused their lives on what is represented in these few city blocks of space, the religious centre of the world to Jews, Christians and Muslims (and don't forget the Ba'Hai's just up the road with their spiritual centre in Haifa). And it seems insane. How can this be? And if there is a god, and if god has a home on earth, this must be it.

Jerusalem is not my favourite place in Israel. Well, my favourite spot once was a kibbutz called Be'it Ha'Emek, but that is a very long story. I loved many places. The road to Tiberius is beautiful, and I love the sign you pass telling you that you are at sea level, as the road continues downward. I loved Eilat, I always had good times with good friends when I went there. I never spent much time in Tel Aviv except changing trains and buses, which I did a lot. Oh, except for the first time I went there, when there was a foiled terrorist attack on the Tel Aviv beachfront. I was on the beach that very day, wondering what all the helicoptors were doing up there in the bright blue sky. I liked shopping in Haifa. But my place was in Nahariya, a small town near Lebanon. In the winter, the scent of eucalyptus on the night air was intoxicating.

winter wonderland

It's a picture-perfect winter world outside today, everything covered in a layer of fresh snow that fell during the night, silently. Naomi looked out the window and was, of course, ecstatic. "Mommy, Mommy! Look it's snowing! Mommy, get up!" I am not, however, a winter person. I lived overseas for several years in several places, all of which had no, or very limited amounts of, snow. I often wonder why it is I came back to Canada 11 years ago, and I often regret it, especially this time of year. I still don't want to stay here for life, it's too damn cold. I am a cold-blooded person, my hands and feet are freezing most of the year, like a lizard's. I am happiest barefoot (and Michael is all for having me barefoot and pregnant again, he jokes. I was so happy when I was pregnant, huge and happy. I thought it was hilarious to be 60 lbs heavier. Not so funny now, when I still haven't lost it all 4 years later...). But I need socks from late August until June. My feet are very accurate gauges for the outdoor temperature. I hate sleeping in socks, I wish I could wear sandals all year long. I am just a little bit SAD. I used to be much worse.

But Naomi helps bring some joy to the season I would not otherwise feel. She's right, it is pretty outside. But luckily her dad took her out to play, while I can remain my indoor self. It rather worries some people that left to my own devices I can stay indoors for days on end without even really noticing. She will go out and make snowangels gleefully, eat handfuls of snow, and eventually come in with cherry-red cheeks. I'll be here, huddled by my space-heater at the computer.

Anyone out there who has travel tales from Nepal, please share! We are still looking for contacts in the Pokhara region, with the university or any hospital. I am planning to do community health research while we are there, and I hope to find support over there to this end. If we can't link up with anyone suitable in Pokhara, perhaps we will stay closer to Kathmandu after all - Pokhara just sounds so beautiful, although we will visit both while we are there. Naomi and I read our National Geographic magazines together now, and have been looking at pictures of elephants in Chitwan National Park. I told her mommy and daddy rode elephants in Thailand, now she wants a try.

How it all started...

If it didn't start in the womb (my mother's or mine?), I guess it began for me shortly after my daughter was born in 2003. For my husband, it came in a moment of clarity this past September, and then we suddenly knew what we needed to do. Without trying to sound overly cliche, or new-age hippy-ish, we need to go to Nepal.