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I am soooo in my happy place right now. It looks something like this:

I am away from home (traveling).

In a hotel room (not a hostel or staying as a guest with obligations).

I have absolutely no agenda whatsoever.

Even the bad version of a “caffe latte” served up by the hotel lobby isn’t enough to sway my mood when I fully embrace the deliciousness of just having nothing that I need to do. Last night, I indulged in a Big Mac for dinner (mmmm, love those–only allow myself to eat them when I’m traveling, however, due to the  imperial and environmental impacts of that company) and then I sat in my hotel room and watched The Biggest Loser (aaahhhh, trashy reality television) via the internet before heading out to CORE, the show that was produced by Anne Carmack and had contributors such as my lovely friends Christine Mason Miller andPixie Campbell.

To some, this might sound like the height of loser-dom. I don’t care. To me, being able to get completely and totally away from teaching, starting a new career, and boxes to be unpacked and the umpteenth new item of furniture to be purchased, and to just marinate in a hotel room somewhere with nothing that I have TO DO is incredibly lovely.

I am thinking as I write that in fact, it would probably be really good for me to just take a day to do something like this once a month–it would probably be good for everyone to do this. I was thinking about how I cite not wanting to spend the money or not having the time as reasons not to do it, and how in fact there are inexpensive ways of taking a retreat like this. I was thinking about how when I say I don’t have the time, something’s wrong with that. To say I don’t have the time already means that too much is going on.

I’m not getting down on myself, here–after all, moving takes time. Changing careers takes time. These are not lifestyles; these are temporary demands that do lessen once the boxes are unpacked or once the former job is no longer requiring my time and attention, thus allowing me to put my attention fully on the new path.

The common thread in all of this is paying attention–noticing. I don’t believe that there is a set way to permanently, never-again find challenges around managing time (or money, or relationships, or anything else). What I do believe is that there’s a valuable skill in developing the ability to notice–to feel tightening or constriction in my body, to feel that relaxing when I give myself the gift of nothing to do. Creating that space will allow me the ability to both live better and do more of the things I want to do, in the long run.

Mmmm…time to see what other junk is on the television. Perhaps later today I’ll add in finding a museum or visiting Little Tokyo. For now: rest.

Name:  Catherine Witten Boyd (Cath)

Age: Pushing 30

Profession: Author/Artist/Teacher/Wanderer/Daydreamer

Website: www.daffado.com

Current location (City,State, Country): Seoul, Seoul, South Korea

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel.

I don’t think I was bitten.  The the bug was passed from my mother to me in the womb.  I never remember a time in my life when I wasn’t acutely aware that there was something “bigger’ out there.  I traveled extensively in Australia with my family as a child, and spent the majority of my high school years saving for a world trip.  But after high school I did the sensible thing and went to University.  When I graduated I was offered a “once in a lifetime” chance to work with the Psychology Team at the NSW Institute of Sport, so once more I did the sensible thing, took the position, moved to Sydney, and put the travels on the backburner again.  All things considered, I should have felt like things were going well.  I was doing all the right things, and meeting all the right people.  But I knew that there was so much of the world that I wanted to experience, and so much of myself that I needed to learn about.  The turning point came when I got a phone call from my bestie who was teaching in Korea.  I told her how I was feeling and she told me I should go to her, that there was a position opening up at her school.  3 weeks later I was on a plane.

2.) What countries have you traveled to?

I’ve traveled extensively in Australia (my home country).  I’ve vacationed in Jamaica, New Caledonia, Bali and Japan.  I’ve lived, traveled and worked for several years in both South Korea and the U.S.  I traveled across China and have done extensive travel and volunteer work in South East Asia (Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam).

3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why?

I definitely feel connected to Asia.  It’s like I can’t leave – it keeps calling me back.  South East Asia, in particular, calls to me.  I love everything about it… the people, the culture, the natural environment, the weather, the way of life.  I love the simplicity.  I love the smiles.  And I love who I am when I’m there.  It’s like when I’m there I’m completely full of, and overwhelmed by love.  But not love for anyone or anything in particular – more like a feeling of wholeness.  It just feels good.  I can’t explain it any better than that.

4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler?

Both.  Definitely both.  I spend my life planning travels – but tend not to follow through on plans.  When I started traveling I would read extensively about the countries I wanted to visit, then I would book a flight and just show up.  I have a natural aversion to “tours” and far prefer solo, independent travel.  I’ve find that having no set itinerary means that I don’t miss out on things along the way.  When you travel, you’re bound to meet other travelers who know about sweet spots that you don’t.  You don’t want to miss out on doing something because you have a boat/train/plane to catch.  For me, flexibility is the most important thing.  When I’m vacationing, however, I’m much more organized.  Particularly when I’m vacationing with my husband or with friends.  When you have limited time, you don’t want to waste it searching for accommodation or figuring out the bus schedule.

In terms of routine, there’s nothing really special that I do.  I like to be relaxed and comfortable.  I always carry with me a sweater, shawl or wrap, and socks so I don’t get chilly during transit.  I also always carry with me a book to read, a journal, a pen and a camera.  When I first arrive I like to check in and then go exploring.  My first day in a new place is always spent wandering…

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps?

To experience a place on a deeper level, nothing really beats living and working there.  But If I’m only in a place for a short time I like to watch, and wander and write.  Particularly in nature.  I love immersing myself in, and being quiet with nature to provide a sense of closeness and connection to a place.

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? 

Travel is definitely something that I try to incorporate into my daily life, but I think that the definition of “travel” has changed somewhat for me over the years.  When I started traveling, a vacation or a weekend away didn’t count.  Travel was something that involved a more in depth, or more intense experience than what a vacation could give me.  A “vacation” was a trip that I took to see a place for a week or two – or maybe even 4 or 5 weeks.  “Travel” was an experience that involved a more flexible schedule – for me it was basically a situation where I could go to where ever I wanted for as long as I wanted until the money ran out.  Now, I’m more concerned about my family life and my work, and I don’t have the flexibility to travel like that anymore.  So vacations and weekends away and shorter road trips kind of fill the gap while I wait for the next big adventure.  And even the next big adventure isn’t a 6 month experience anymore – it’s a couple of weeks or a month at most.  But how it’s different to a vacation that I took 10 years ago is the way I think about it.  I approach my vacation, or my long weekend through the eyes of a traveler.  Through the eyes of someone who wants to do more than just see the sights.  I think that if you’re someone who wants to “travel” and you don’t have the time or the money to do it how you want, you need to approach the smaller things in a different way.   To take the road trip or the weekend away and treat it like a travel experience.  Because it all counts.  They’re all experiences that provide opportunity for learning and growth and freedom.

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers?

If travel is very important to you, you make the time and you put aside the money.  I know that there are people who would love to travel but perhaps can’t make it a priority due to previous commitments (school, mortgage etc).  I think you just have to take baby steps…  put a few dollars in a travel fund as often as you can until you’ve reached your goal.  And as I said before, take small opportunities to be a traveler – take a road trip or a weekend away.  Go camping, go on a short retreat.  Pitch a tent in the backyard, build a fort in your living room and use your imagination.  We’re all travelers. You can be the master of your very own ship without going anywhere.

8.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness?

At the beginning of my days as a gypsy I was a solo traveler – though, let it be said that even when you’re traveling ‘alone’ you actually have to make an effort if you want to be by yourself.  I loved traveling alone.  It is the most empowering thing I’ve ever done – perhaps will ever do.  For me, traveling alone relieved me of the pressure of trying to please people.  Also, being someone who likes to just wander with a camera or sit and write, I could make the time to do this without explanation.  And, or course, it gave me the best opportunity to really get to know myself.

In those days I never felt lonely.  The last solo trip I did was across China.  I got the boat from South Korea to Tianjin, and from there went to Beijing, Xi’an and then all the way down to Lhasa, Tibet.  The “plan” was to keep going – Nepal, India…  But I’d already met my husband, and I missed him terribly.  I hated being there without him because I thought he would love it.  I felt like he was missing out.  So I went back to him.

Since then, all my travel has been with my husband and sometimes with friends  – which I adore. 

9.) Do you notice that travel allows you to tap into a different side of yourself, a side that normally is hidden or has less permission to show up in day-to-day life? If so, why do you believe that the experience of travel makes it easier for that side to come out?

Once upon a time, travel tapped into a ‘me’ that I’d kept neatly hidden – even hidden from myself.  But once she was out and I’d gotten to know her more, I didn’t want to put her back.  I gave her permission to stay.  I think it’s important to let these sides of ourselves, as much as possible, filter into our day to day lives.  It’s all part of growth.  All part of the journey.  It helps us to live real, true lives.

10.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip?

I was going to answer this with a simple no.   But then I remembered a rip to Australia I took a few months ago…

The trip home was to attend my grandfathers funeral, so it didn’t exactly start out as a positive experience, but the trip back was one of those times when everything that could go wrong did…

My first flight was delayed due to weather, resulting in my missing a connecting flight.  My airline had no available flights going out for the rest of the week, so they put my on an Eastern China flight via shanghai.  In Shanghai we were delayed getting off the aircraft because people dressed in white jumpsuits and hats and gloves and booties got on to check our temperatures sci-fi style as a swine flu precaution.  Half the people on the flight were kept in quarantine – luckily I wasn’t one of them.  I ran to my next flight and made it back to Seoul.  The last bus from the airport had already left so I took a taxi (for a $200 fare – we don’t live close to the airport and it was 2 in the morning) which crashed on the way home.  My very first taxi accident ever.  Not a good time. 

The whole experience utterly reinforced a need to be patient and flexible when traveling (and always).  And to just breathe.

11.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life?

Travel has made me who I am.  Without it, I wouldn’t be here.  Not this version of me at any rate.  Travel provides an opportunity to learn such things as patience, tolerance, and empathy in a way that I don’t believe you can get in any other situation.  It taught me to really see when I look.  To listen to my heart.  To let go.  And to love.  To full blown let it all hang out love.  To “be” love.  To take it into your whole body and then let it shine out of you from every pore.  That kind of love.  And that’s stuff that I never want to lose.

12.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you.

To me, courageous travel means going beyond your limits.  Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.  Testing your barriers and your beliefs.  Something that I’ve learned through travel more than anything else is to question what I thought I knew.  Courageous travel means not only learning something new from the places we go, but bringing that into our day to day lives.  It means stretching ourselves.  And it means remembering that when we get home – not separating our traveling selves from who we are when we get home, but learning how to incorporate the new stuff with the old stuff.  Courageous travel is about allowing ourselves to grow and change from our experiences.  Not just seeing it, but living it.  Even if you’re afraid.  Even if you don’t think you can do it.  Courageous travel doesn’t just talk about a single (or several) traveling experiences – it talks about a never ending journey of growth and discovery.  We are all travelers in this life.  We need to approach every day as an adventure and a chance to learn something new.

13.) Where are you planning to go, next? When?

My husband and I are going to be hippies in Australia over Christmas and Into January – It’s my big three oh and we’re road tripping… we’re back in the US for 5 or 6 weeks early next year, and I’m off to Bali for a friends 30^th in May…  I’m also hatching a secret plan to see some of India in March – we’ll see how that goes

14.) The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list? 

Pretty much everywhere I haven’t been before (laughs).  No, seriously, India, Nepal, Peru, a good chunk of Africa…. Spain…  I’d love to go across Russia.. should I go on??

Cath is a photo taking, artful mess making children’s book author who loves hugs and hammocks.  Find out more at www.daffado.com

This is a guest post by Jenia Laszlo, a courageous traveler originally from Belarus, who left her homeland 10 years and has since then lived in Hungary, Switzerland, China, US, and most recently Tanzania and travelled to dozens of other countries. She recently crossed the line from the corporate into non-profit world and, like so many of us, is constantly searching for the answers to elusive questions, “What am I doing?” and “What’s next?”

We wanted to travel big for our honeymoon. At least Paul did. My heart kind of jumped when he casually announced at a dinner with friends once, “Oh, and after the grad school and the wedding we are going to travel for at least six months”. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop, honey”, I said.  

Travel for at least six months? Where? How? That’s a looong time to spend travelling. We’d already done relatively long travelling before – namely, three months in China and Tibet before the grad school, just two years ago. But six months? That just seemed like way too long. Why? I could not explain. Just… too long. Like, we had to deserve it first.

“OK, I said, but I want to be doing something. Some kind of a project, something cool to do. Something to look back at. Like, can we volunteer?” So we did a bit more talking, and it seemed like a mix of volunteering, learning a language and travelling around seemed like it would be a good thing to do.

It was a very, very busy time for us when we were making plans for these six months. Paul was putting a lot of time and effort into finishing his masters program and running a club, and I was working at a fairly stressful job and was planning my wedding – in Belarus. While physically staying in Boston – seven-hour time difference, and contractors there just don’t function very effectively over internet, like I usually do. Oh, and 30+ people were coming to the wedding from abroad – their first time in Belarus, which is not exactly a destination wedding location. No pressure.

It was busy, busy, busy time which meant, thankfully, that there was not much time to ponder this decision. No time for hesitation, for self-doubt, for what-ifs. There was no agonizing – it became evident that we would be going to Africa, just because it’s cool, an obvious place to volunteer at, and because I’ve never been. A couple of weeks spent applying, then some quick interviews, and boom – we had offers worked out! In the same city, and for the same time frame! It is only now that I am realizing how amazing it is, that it all fell into one place.

So, what is it like to live in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania? We live in a small house, which consists of a living room and a bedroom, plus a small kitchen. There are four houses surrounded by a fence, and the landlady, the guard, the cleaner and the helper live in the same compound as us. It’s a bit like a hotel – the cleaning lady comes every day, and also makes the bed (it will be a bit of a culture shocking going back to the US, I’m sure…) In the morning, we get picked up by company drivers of our two respective NGOs – not an arrangement that every NGO would have, so bonus points for this experience (public transport here is not a very comfortable or safe experience). Office time is… kind of resembling the corporate office life, which is what I did not really expect. Time in front of the computer, time in meetings, time on the phone – expect it’s on African time, polepole (slowly). Evenings are spent going out with fellow volunteer consultants, public health people, and occasional other non-NGO folks. There is the Irish Pub trivia night on Mondays, salsa on Tuesdays and Thursdays, U.S. Marine House parties, and occasional cultural events (any cultural event becomes The Event in Dar). On weekends, there is the beach (white sand, Indian ocean – amazing!), scuba, trips to Zanzibar. It becomes normal quickly – yet there are so, so many things to observe about how local people live their everyday lives.

The experience turned out to be way harder than I expected, but also way richer, too. There was this… expectation in the back of my mind that I would waltz into Tanzania and everything would be perfect. Sure, there would be difficulties, but I would overcome them courageously and gracefully. Not so fast. Save the world syndrome? A little bit hard when you see how many aid organization are there, and how few signs of tangible improvement are there. Hard to feel significant and self-righteous when the realization suddenly dawns on you, that you are just trying your best, and like everyone else, don’t really know what you are doing, and aren’t really sure if what you are doing is actually doing any good. Having fun all the time? Easy on that one, too – especially after getting sick… with annoying regularity, of once every couple of weeks. Like-minded souls? Yes – but Dar es Salaam turned out to be an even more transitional place than Geneva, with a lot of people coming for short periods of time – as short as six weeks. You start a friendship, and shortly after that they are throwing a farewell party.

The good stuff? Perspective – a lot of it. A completely new level of realization of what is considered “problems” back in the States: doing shopping at a mall or sitting in traffic suddenly comes into a very different focus once you are in a city with practically no malls and have to do most of your shopping on a scruffy local market, and have to walk in dust to do that. The pace: the slowness of everything finally stops being a source of frustration and instead becomes a space where you can contemplate things that you never had time to contemplate before. The people: the faces that are sullen and then grinning when you don’t expect them to be. The people who have hopes and dreams and go through so much adversity – and I might have come with a lot of ideas about how I’m going to teach them what to do and how to save themselves, but they have this way of reminding me ever so often that in fact, there are plenty of things that I still don’t know, and that it humbles me greatly.

So, Africa – a long-time dream turned into reality. So different from whatever I secretly imagined in the back of my mind. So much scarier, more real, and so non-perfect. And such a more powerful lesson on how to live my life.

Jenia started blogging about her experiences of working, traveling and living throughout the world only a short time ago, and she is looking for curious, courageous, cool readers from around the globe. She is also looking for article ideas – so if you ever wondered about travelling or living in Africa, leave your questions in the comments and she will do her best to answer, either here or on her blog at jenialaszlo.wordpress.com.

photo credit: Denise Andrade

Name: Lisa Field-Elliot

Age: 38
Profession: traveler. seeker of beauty. connector (photographer and writer)
Website: doorwaystraveler.com ; twitter.com/doorwaystravelr
Current location (City,State, Country): Santa Barbara, CA, USA

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel.

I honestly think that I was born with the travel bug, but didn’t quite know what it was. I just loved adventure and the opportunity to make new friends. It wasn’t until I was in college, and took my first solo trip to Alaska to work at a camp for Easter Seals, that I fell in love with the idea of afar and the possibilities that travel brings; and I tapped into how very badly I wanted more of it.

2.) What countries have you traveled to? Chile, Italy, Greece, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, and India.

3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why?

Having just returned from India, I’d have to say India. I had an inner knowing, a deep ease and familiarity in the experience of it all–the people, the aesthetic, the spirit. Something powerful woke up in me there, something raw and honest, that was always a part of me and that I never want to lose. But really, I’ve never not felt a connection when I’ve traveled. There’s always something, tangible or not, that speaks to the knowing parts of me–no matter where I am.

4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler?

I have some basic routines. I make lists and inevitably run too many errands before a trip. As a mother, when it’s a family trip, these errands multiply exponentially, so I try and begin preparations at least a week in advance. I have learned not to drive to the airport and to always arrange transportation both ways. I always carry-on those things I don’t think I could live without. Namely, my photo gear, laptop, medicines, snacks and non-replaceable comfort items (favorite airplane socks and sweater…). In India, I found 101 uses for my headlamp and highly recommend one! I also believe it to be wise to bring a stash of your favorite meal replacement bars, enough for one per day, because you never know how your body will respond to new food. Having some local currency before the trip is comforting, too.

When I am on the plane, I try to follow as natural a rhythm as possible. I set my clock to the time zone that I’ll be arriving in and attempt to sleep during the appropriate hours. I brush my teeth, wash my face and simulate my home nighttime and morning rituals. I eat very little, drink a lot of water, and get up and do some yoga bends every couple of hours while I am awake. Yep, I’m that one looking weird in the back of the plane!

As for the first day somewhere, that really depends on the amount of time-travel that’s occurred and what time of day it is. I do try to keep it simple. Eat healthfully and get a massage if possible!
And lots and lots of water.

All that said…I am totally down with drop-of-the-hat trips, anywhere, at the mere suggestion and opportunity. And I’m pretty good and finding what I need wherever I am if there isn’t as much time to pack and prepare.

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps?

For me, travel is all about connecting. Connecting to real people and to the ways that we are the same. I have conversations with anyone and everyone, be they verbal or gestural depending on language barriers. Laughter and smiles work anywhere! I ask drivers about their families, try to attend local festivals, and eat a little off the beaten path. More than all that, I like to find somewhere that we can be of service and really make that deeper connection. In both Bali and India, I have been fortunate to work with NGO’s that serve children and families and the connections made in those places will stay with me forever. There’s nothing quite like seeing your children play badminton barefoot in the dirt streets of an island village with newfound Balinese friends…

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? 

I wish I could say that I have some method here, but I don’t. All I know is that travel for me feels as necessary as food and water. As a family, we’ve both stretched ourselves financially as well as planned frugally to make a trip happen. I am currently asking in a big way for there to be more of it in my life professionally. So far, it’s working! I think it goes back to the same principle that applies to all things: living as your true self and serving your heart. Everything else follows. If there is travel involved, then it will come.

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers?

I think that money and time are barriers if you allow them to be. It’s all perspective. And there are always choices that can be made to make it more possible. From house swaps to service opportunities, the internet is filled with creative means. And social media has made reaching large numbers with your fundraising goals so much easier.

– optional question — Have you ever traveled with children? If so, what can you share that might be helpful?

Give them a voice in the agenda. Hand over the guidebook! Allow time for rest and make sure they are fed and hydrated. Also, find a way for them to connect to children their own age. Look for a school or an NGO to hook up with and set them free to have their own experience. When my children were younger, parks and playgrounds were like gold.

8.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness?

Both. I am either traveling with my husband and two children, now nine and thirteen, or alone. When traveling as a family, we’re pretty harmonious. I tend to be the one that wants to get out and see. see. see.
My husband points out the benefit in being still for a while longer. The kids remind us to have fun! We balance one another out.

As for traveling alone, I don’t experience loneliness. I love the anonymity of solo travel–the freedom to be in the moment without any past or future story is so potent. And I am more than happy to strike up a conversation with anyone I meet…

9.) Do you notice that travel allows you to tap into a different side of yourself, a side that normally is hidden or has less permission to show up in day-to-day life? If so, why do you believe that the experience of travel makes it easier for that side to come out?

I think I just touched on that in the question above. It is the absence of story. Of the external reminders that inform us of who we are in our everyday lives-be they our homes, our stuff, even the people that we share our lives with. Travel enables us the opportunity define ourselves only from the moment we are in.

10.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip?

Not really. I’ve generally found something of value in each experience. Well, there was this one “resort” hotel in Scottsdale, AZ. Let’s just say we left early. What we learned: do a little more research next time…

11.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life?

That travel is essential to who I am and the work I am meant to do in this world. That I need more. I dare say, we all need more.

12.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you.

Courageous travel means to show up in a new place exactly as I am-willing, open and ready to connect from the heart. It’s a daring to be free.

13.) Where are you planning to go, next? When?

I am looking into opportunities to connect in Jordan and Uganda in the first half of 2010. Summer will find us traveling as a family back to Bali (where our daughter will be doing a service trip) and then on to either Thailand or New Zealand. Fall in London, perhaps?

14.) The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list?

Hands down: Istanbul, Turkey and Marakesh, Morocco are whispering loudly in my ear. Maybe sooner than later?

Lisa Field-Elliot seeks travel, beauty, and connection. Anytime. Anywhere. She shares her experiences, in words and images, at doorwaystraveler.com

Name: Mandy Bartok

Age: 28
Profession: freelance writer, educator, tour guide
Current location (City,State, Country): Uruma City, Okinawa, Japan

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel.
I guess the travel bug unofficially bit me in the 7th grade, when our social studies teacher offered us the chance to request a pen pal from another country. I went home, pulled out a map, picked four different countries, and requested a few names. A few months later my first letters from Ireland, Japan and Korea arrived. I was hooked. I loved seeing the letters in my box with foreign stamps and strange handwriting. As someone whose parents had never left the country and weren’t planning to take me anytime soon, it was my first window into that wider world. (And I still write to – and visit – my Irish pen friend today.)
So when the chance came up for me to actually travel and participate in a student trip to the UK and Ireland that my brother had turned down, I jumped at it. I spent three weeks overseas and came back hating the concept of large group, big-bus travel but absolutely dying to get back on the plane with my backpack and explore again.

2.) What countries have you traveled to? The UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Burkina Faso, Russia, Turkey, Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, and Canada. It looks like a lot but I still have so many to go!

3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why? Ireland touched me from the first time I set foot on her soil, and I’ve been back seven or eight times since. My great-grandfather came from Co Mayo, in the remote northwest, so I guess you could say there was that familial sense of belonging and even three generations removed, I always feel like I am going home when I travel there. Now, though, it’s more the close friends I have there who give the place its special meaning, rather than some long-lost family connection.

4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler? I don’t really follow any routines, except to always pack my passport and money in the same pocket in my backpack. If I don’t, I forget where I put them and the resulting panic attack – though quick – is never enjoyable! I’m usually a planner, and a fairly detailed one at that, especially if I’m responsible for more than one person on the trip. Normally, I get a guidebook or two and do my research well in advance, planning out my time so I hit my own personal highlights. The last trip I did though was an organized adventure tour and it was so liberating in a sense to let someone else deal with logistics. Truthfully, I didn’t even open my guidebook until the 2nd or 3rd day of the trip, and only read the history section and a few other bits. And the best part was, I hadn’t built the trip up so much beforehand that there was none of the disappointment that can descend on you when you get to a place you’ve learned so much about and it doesn’t live up to expectations. That’s my plug for spontaneity, I guess!

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps? In the past year, I’ve started cooking on each of my trips. Nothing serious, just a half-day cooking course in each place I visit. Most of the recipes will never be replicated in my own kitchen but it’s always a fantastic experience and I meet a lot of friendly people that way. Other than that, I like to do walking vacations. There’s nothing like seeing a place on foot, traveling over mountains and through valleys at a slow pace, to really appreciate the scope and beauty of a region.

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? Well, lately, travel has been very much on the agenda, thanks to my husband’s career with the Marines and my current work. Part of his recent assignment was to travel around Asia over the course of a year and I was lucky enough to be able to tag along! That translated well into my current occupation as a freelance writer, since most of my pieces are travel articles for local publications. We’ve moved and his job has change but I’m still writing, so I have somewhat of an excuse to hop on the train or plane. I also just got a job as a contract tour guide leading trips in the Asia region so that will definitely make travel a large – and welcome – part of the agenda.

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers? I think the ultimate question to ask is “How much is it worth to you?” or “How badly do you want it?” For me, travel has always been a priority in my life, since I was a teen, so a good portion of my money every year is earmarked for it. I don’t need new CDs, or $5 lattes, or 30 pairs of shoes, so all that savings goes into my travel fund. I’d give people all of those hints on money savers but in the end, they actually have to want to travel before they’ll consider overcoming those barriers. I sometimes feel that lack of money or time are merely the excuses we tell ourselves and others until we are ready to face our possible fears of travel.

8.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness? Most of my travel is with others, as I find myself becoming way too lonely on my own. Sure, there’s the occasional flaring of tempers – no matter who my companion is – but I think setting aside some individual time, like an afternoon in the park or a solo cooking class or museum visit, is a good antidote to having a constant companion. And then, when you meet up again for dinner or whatever, you have a whole host of new stories or observations to share.

9.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip? I took a group trip to Ecuador a few years ago that turned into a nightmarish misadventure thanks to my pre-assigned roommate. The country was gorgeous and the people were so welcoming, but having to spend two weeks rooming with someone who actually appeared quite mentally unstable and adversarial was exhausting and colored my impression of the trip. And with only six of us on the trip, there was no avoiding her! You’d think it would have taught me to stay away from all group travel but I just returned from a small group trip to Turkey which completely rehabilitated the idea of group travel in my mind. My roommate was amazing and the group got on beautifully. It taught me to try everything twice, that one bad experience can be a fluke and it’s always worth giving something another chance.

10.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life? I’ve learned that travel is an active experience, not a passive activity. I think there are those that travel and come back not having really learned anything and that to me is the greatest shame. I’ve learned that when I travel, I want to return having learned at least five new things, whether they are about the place I visited, the people I met, or myself. And I’ve also learned that travel is an addiction, and no matter how much I say “I’m not going to do this for awhile” at the end of every long trip, I’m dreaming of my next adventure within the week.

11.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you. Courageous travel is just believing enough in yourself to go to the place or do the activity that has previously scared you. It’s different for everyone. For me, courageous travel may be about getting from Point A to Point B in a third world country where I know two words of the language and am on my own. For my mom, it might be just boarding the plane by herself for a first journey to another English-speaking nation. Anyone who knows they are afraid of something and does it anyway to conquer that fear and not let it dictate their life is a courageous traveler.

12.) Where are you planning to go, next? When? I would have actually answered this one “home to the States for Christmas” if I’d gotten to it yesterday! Now, though, I’ll be leading my first tour to China at the end of November for my new job. Hopefully, it’ll help to turn 12 more people on to the joy of international exploration.

13.) The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list? It’s a list that constantly changes, I think. Lately, I’ve had a strong desire to hit the Scandinavian countries, Norway and Denmark in particular. We just moved to a tropical island and I’d love to get back to somewhere that falls below 70 degrees! But India still swirls at the edge of my subconscious so hopefully that will factor in sometime soon. I’d also love to do a city break to Sydney, something much more feasible now that I live in Asia instead of on the East Coast.

Mandy Bartok is a part-time French teacher, part-time writer and part-time tour guide whose finally starting to realize that her husband’s full-time commitment to the US Marine Corps is starting to work out in her favor.

To “live loud” had been my promise to myself as I returned home from a seven 

week trip to Spain and Italy this past summer, filled with my best intentions to 

bring more gusto into my everyday.  Life has its own itinerary however, and as 

resolute as my journal entries had been on the plane back to 1. Dream bigger, 2. 

Get organized so dreams have space to happen and 3. Believe that they can, 

along with other, more developed points, I got home and sunk into a funk I could 

not shake.  I hit the ground running with deadlines to meet and I kept telling 

myself that I would soon be ‘feeling’ again, the enthusiasm from Cinque Terra 

quickly becoming a memory.  I suspected my soul was still playing in Venice.  

Hadn’t I called it “Disneyland for adults?”  

Thinking my soul had gone (Ah, perception!), the dark hole that remained was to  

teach me something more about her friend, life.  Life is really good about hitting 

low when your up so high, say like, from a trip of a lifetime.  I’m recalling some 

Eastern philosophy pearl I read once, something like, to the extent that we have 

joy we also have pain.  Wisdom is so irritatingly crystal clear in hindsight.  I’ll just 

give you the events as they transpired.

Ego was stealthy.  It was ‘in the house’ and perpetuating guilt, telling me I didn’t 

deserve so much good, that it is just not possible to have so much and to want 

more.  Because that’s what Spain and Italy did- they made me hungry for 

more.  Under the quiet guise of a well planned trip that took three years to put 

together, ‘responsibly created,’ with few credit card charges, life generously gave 

me more than I could ask for so I could then learn how to ‘handle it.’  More good 

awaited at home with artistic opportunity and my lack of enthusiasm now 

screamed, spoiled!  I took the bait.  Two weeks passed and I tried daily to 

appreciate my life, but could not.  I dared not share this with anyone for fear that I 

would be judged as an ingrate. No matter, guilt was my judge and old habits of 

being hard on myself took hold.  I posted photos to my blog hoping that the sweet 

energy people usually offer me would pull me up and out.  Even my husband, 

who is my #1 FAN could not, would not give me the time to feel sorry for myself.  

Why should he hear “I just feel bad I can’t get excited about anything,” on the 

heels of a soul soaring adventure that dripped in pleasure and passion, for crying 

out loud!   There it is again….LOUD- and we’ve come full circle. 

Life brings you up against yourself, you know?  The passion could not speak with 

the choke hold of guilt, born of poor programming, childhood messages, self- 

inflicted doubt and judgement.  Flailing in darkness, it is impossible to see the 

why or how guilt spawns.  It doesn’t even matter because tracing it to it’s 

beginnings will leave you blaming, hating and really sad.  In doing your best to 

‘grow’ and ‘evolve’ guilt mutates, like a virus and rears it’s ugly head when your 

guard is down.  It manifests in new warped ways- better to stay quiet about your 

joy lest your friends think you’re bragging, feeling the need to minimize how great  

life is because it doesn’t seem right to be so happy when there is just so much 

pain in the world.  Or the big one- that it is all just too good to be true and holding 

on to fear that at any moment it can be taken away.

Life is full of contradictions that can’t live without each other and ironically, we 

wouldn’t have it any other way, beauty and ugly, dark and light, love and fear.   

When my children were born I was at once filled with abounding love and soul 

gripping terror too, that their fragile lives could be taken away from me.  That is 

our life package deal and to have that kind of love, we must boldly hold it up in 

the face of fear. 

The villain’s grip tightened and I cried big bucket tears that blamed me, (here we 

go again), for my weakness.  Shame and disgust (can I seriously move on?) 

moved in for a second attack, but not before ‘the victim’ hit me low, where it really 

hurts.  Thoughts like… nobody has died here for goodness sakes, your life is a 

life of privilege, just get over yourself already……why do we do this to our sweet 

selves?  And if there is a shred of compassion in the question, then life, with all 

her contradictions, hands you her grace card and it shines a sliver of light under 

the door that guides you in darkness, toward it.  It takes courage to turn the knob, 

a decision, a new perception, and I suddenly realize Sheroe (for my soul is 

courageous), was never gone.  Indeed, she was with me all along!  I did what I 

could not seem to do in the past, throwing open the door, I summoned bright, 

shining, love light for myself at 7, and 10, and 18 and now at 41.  I held us close 

and whispered, “We’ve been running scared too long.”  The little girl me, the 

young woman me and me now, decided together that we deserve so much more 

than we’ve been programmed to believe, and this filled us, in a new way, with my 

promise of color and beauty.  “Give!  Share!” my tears sang. “With pleasure and 

passion!” I answered back and they baptized me in the waters of clarity and 

wisdom.  Turns out, living is all about giving. 

In the peaceful, raw quiet that follows, the lessons continue and there is always 

more forgiving.  I walk into the forest and press my heart to the earth, I give 

thanks and feel the women of my tribe, my past and my present, breathe out the 

burden of our collective unworthiness. 

 I restate my promise to live loud. 

“Love Loud.”  I say. 

“You shouldn’t want so much,” says my old expectation. 

I hear the breeze from the sea in Venice travel through the trees and 

my soul, 

she is with me 

once more. 

Alma de la Melena Cox is passionate about creating experiences that feed her soul and travel is one of them.  She loves so much- her two teenagers, her husband Mike, her dog Augustus, being an artist……find out more at www.almaart.com.

Hectic schedules with my two middle schoolers and a full-time art career combined with 

the sun deprivation I feel during our long winters in a very small town in dry, Central 

Oregon, all make me, a California girl, enormously GRATEFUL when we go anywhere 

there is sun and a little moisture in the air. 

While the words, “We need a vacation,” still  linger in the air, my husband and I run to our Mac and before Expedia loads, we are  thinking, let’s book this thing RIGHT NOW before the money goes to the HOGS. 

You know, the Have to’s, Ought to’s, Got to’s and Shoulds in life, the inner adult that likes to 

rain on my inner child’s parade.  From the get go our last trip was different than our 

usual instant gratification trip to Mexico or a last minute Hawaii trip we justify by staying 

with friends.  The seed of our seven week Europe trip this summer was planted a few 

years ago and it grew in delicious proportion to our visualizing what it would be.  I 

imagined time standing still on trains, relishing moments with my family, deciding as we 

went along, where our next stop might be.  I saw our faces pressed against windows, 

awed by medieval castles perched high on hilltops and swooning to lyrical languages 

dancing in our ears.  All the conversations, debates about where to go, what our route 

would be, to book hotels or to wing it, in hindsight, was really that this trip had the 

promise of a unique direction and it had decided before I had a chance to see- that it 

was wanting to be more so it could teach me something about BEING MORE.  

On June 29th, 2009 our much anticipated flight took off to Madrid.  We spent two weeks 

traveling around many cities in Spain before spending three weeks in Barcelona.  Our 

last two weeks were spent in Italy- first Venice, then to the Tuscany region and finally 

Cinque Terra.  How we came to decide on these two cultures is probably stuff for 

another story.  I will say I don’t believe in accidents and knowing that our beloved Bruce 

Springsteen was playing in Benidorm on the Mediterranean in Spain on our 17th 

wedding anniversary was, to us, a sign that we had to be in Spain.  And Italy?  Well, can 

one really be so close and NOT go to Italy?  It seemed fitting and markers along the 

planning path directed us and set the tone for a trip that decided to take place in two 

cultures that LIVE LOUD- just to make sure I was listening. 

From the moment we landed, passion fueled an underlying narrative impossible 

to ignore- from dramatic displays of ardor between lovers as we squeezed tight in 

hot subways, to the volume people spoke with.  Buildings told stories, I could 

hear them, of artists whose greatness was measured by the span of their vision.  

Ardent bedsprings in our hotel hallways made me think that during the quiet 

‘siesta’ hours when businesses closed in Spain, this entire nation was 

responsible for raising the degrees outside under blankets of heat.  No wonder 

people spilled into streets hungrily at 8pm, in line like ants, one Tapas bar to 

another, all night long.  It wasn’t just the fervent displays of amore, the food and 

the entire food ritual kept up the seduction.  Even my daughter who dislikes pesto 

so much, in Italy ordered primi after primi of pasta al pesto because, as she said, 

“Mommy it is just SO DIFFERENT here!”  In case the message wasn’t reaching 

me, the Universe was now channelling my 13 year old.  I’m really not 

overdoing!  It seemed even the books I read had been dispatched by ‘something 

greater,’ into my hands, to amplify the zest- Julie and Julia, by Julie Powell, Brida 

by Paolo Coelho and the Red Tent by Anita Diamant.  Funny, I hadn’t 

remembered The Red Tent being THAT kind of a book 5 years ago, but in Spain 

it was- page after page after page….well, you get the idea.  

In Italy, hands danced in time to words, and no accident that women continually 

brought their hands to their chests so that I could glimpse waiters hovering longer 

over their wine glasses- it was an invitation, don’t you see?  But I digress, it 

wasn’t all sexuality, but yes, sensuality and the beaches in Barcelona 

opened my eyes so I could know.  It wasn’t the nudity, but the confidence 

women of every shape, size, color and age exuded, comfy and content in their 

skin.  People were dialed-in- you know?

Heaven sent gelato and luscious lobster punctuated the five colorful villages of 

Cinque Terra. I heard that farmers carved the terraces there with their hands and 

shovels to grow grapes and olives. “Well, of course!” I said out loud. One MUST 

teeter on cliffs, on the edge, unafraid to make exquisite wine and sumptuous 

oil.  From afar the farmer’s voices came close and whispered, “To what extent will 

YOU go to make your dreams happen?”  “How will you bring more pleasure to 

your life?”

Artwork left me silent but filled me with color and beauty and in tears I 

promised Picasso to take my art further and like the buildings, I heard him 

emphasize, “We paved the way for more greatness.”  Fields of Sunflowers 

against vivid blue skies in Tuscany, their smiling faces happily yelling “YELLOW!” 

as we drove by them so I would not forget to use the color of the sun more.  

All of it pointed to taking my life to a juicier level, to speak and create and do 

with more ardor!  I put my children’s mortification aside and I went topless in 

Barcelona and something gave way….the sea breeze on my skin whispered 

FEEL, ENJOY, LOVE…..more. 

Life was doing what it does best.  It was being abundant and it had my rapt 

attention.  In so loving what I saw, it expanded the possibilities of what I could 

bring to my life.  It handed me a gift, like it gives everyone every second we 

breathe, every moment we share, everyday that we see beauty or love.  In 

paying attention and being grateful for it, it expanded my own life and generously 

pushed me to see life through my soul’s eyes, to fill myself up with the wonder of 

every moment so that I could be more of who I really am. 

Alma de la Melena Cox is passionate about creating experiences that feed her soul and travel is one of them.  She loves so much- her two teenagers, her husband Mike, her dog Augustus, being an artist……find out more at www.almaart.com.

Photo credit: Thea Coughlin

Name: Pixie Campbell

Age: 38

Profession: Artist

Website: www.pixiecampbell.typepad.com

Current location:Bakersfield, CA

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel.
I don’t know exactly when I was bitten by a travel bug, but I think my sense of adventure began to call in high school, when I realized there was more to the world than my smallish town. I won a trip to Hawaii and that was big. Traveling to London at 23 was my first international trip, and I suppose it was then that I began to yearn to see farther and wider. I went to England to be in my friend’s wedding party; she’d moved sight unseen to England with her love and I figured I could be that courageous, too. 
2.) What countries have you traveled to?
I’ve been to Mexico, Canada, Scotland, England. A short list, with plans to grow!
3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why?
The odd thing is that I feel connected everywhere I go. I can picture myself living in each place I visit, I love to try that on while I’m there. I think the place my soul feels most at home is in Taos, NM. I love the historical/spiritual aspects that one can’t help but imprint while hiking in the high desert to giant moradas.  I feel awash with peace while I’m there. The food speaks to my soul and I could eat the entire town in one meal. It’s all about the food, really! I think that’s where they hide the enchantment spell.
4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler?
I’m a list maker, but that’s no guarantee for organization. With children to pack for, I pretty much put the suitcase out on the table about one to two weeks before we leave and take my time making sure we’ll have most of what we need and not a lot of what we won’t!  I have to see my entire inventory of clothes before I can pack myself.  And I couldn’t get around anywhere without GPS. I’m thinking about a trail GPS for off road needs. We’ve also give ourselves an extra day for flying to and from without making any plans on those days besides eating. When we are able do this, our trips go so much more smoothly. Gives the babes a chance to get their sleep right and we can decompress from flights and all that comes with traveling with children. Packing light is always a good idea, with PLENTY of snacks. 

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps?
Eating the local food is my favorite thing to do. Seeing live music is lovely, too. I like to see a place as if I live there, which means going to their farmer’s markets, small art galleries, holes-in-the-walls. And native flora, of course. I love to visit the trees, walk the sandy or mossy trails, and smell the air of other places. This must be why I love Maine so much.
 

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? 
I fly by the seat of my pants. If something comes up that I want to do, I try to find a way to pull it off. I have a difficult time saying no to myself once I’m convinced the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.
 

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers?
If it’s something you are called to do, find a way! Fund raise, sell something. I ask my parents to give me airline miles or gift cards for holidays if they must give a gift. It’s nice to have a stack of those sitting in waiting! 

8.) Have you ever traveled with children? If so, what can you share that might be helpful?
I seldom travel without my children, and the best insight I really have is to gather your patience. I’ve learned to pack secret treats to be revealed in damp moments and carry plenty of favorite snacks. A few well-worn travel songs can perk up car rides, and Christmas music cheers us no matter the time of year. Being prepared for setbacks and surrendering expectations in favor of just taking care of my kids’ needs is key for me.

9.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness?
I love traveling alone, but haven’t been gone for longer than a weekend without my son in the past four years. I have a 6 month old now, too, so it’ll be a while before I can hop a train solo. I don’t recall feeling lonely when I’ve traveled alone, I feel peaceful and independent. 
My husband and I just have to hash out our differences, which often have something to do with me trying to control an aspect of our trip or spreading our schedule too thin. We’re pretty good about taking responsibility for our foibles, and when we can do it in the moment, all is well. 
10.) Do you notice that travel allows you to tap into a different side of yourself, a side that normally is hidden or has less permission to show up in day-to-day life? If so, why do you believe that the experience of travel makes it easier for that side to come out?
What comes up for me when I’m away is the part of me that yearns to change. Traveling, at its best, reminds me of what I’d like bring more of into my life. The other side of that is that it reminds me of what isn’t working in my life at home-which isn’t all bad, of course. I love that being “away from home” brings the gift of objectivity about one’s daily life. I’m imagining that artists and lovers of life travel to learn things about themselves, to see themselves and the world through a fresh lens. 
Each time I pack for a trip it brings up the yearning to simplify my closet, my belongings, I feel inspired to streamline my whole existence. I love that.

11.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip?
I can’t say that I have. I learn something valuable and that can never be a negative experience. What I can say though, is that if a trip gets off to a poor start, I often question, in that moment, whether it was a good idea or not. When things aren’t going very well, my anxiety alarms may go off and I have to wind it down a bit in order to leave my home and open up to the adventure ahead. I do this often enough to know that it is a part of my process, just a quick conversation with my devil’s advocate and then I can move forward and embrace the fun.

12.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life?
It’s a vital aspect of my lifestyle and I want my children to be able to see the world outside of their backyard, often. These days, it’s how I stay connected to friends, as well. I can’t imagine never pressing up against my comfort zones and just staying home. This is how I retreat and stay renewed in my spirit. I’m also creating memories with my family.

13.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you.
Truly courageous travel, in my opinion, is traveling to third world countries! Just hearing about the preparations make me feel a little uneasy. Which likely means that I am meant to do it! Going to faraway places to be of service is very courageous. Muddling through unknown languages is courageous, too.

14.) Where are you planning to go, next? When?
I’m not certain! Since the year is drawing to a close, I get the fun task of sorting that question out for next year. Often travel plans begin with wanting to visit a friend or take a workshop, then we build from there.
The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list?
I would love to visit Scandinavia and the southern parts of Europe. When my children are older and I can travel alone, South America will be on the books. I’ve also never been to Yellowstone National Park, and I’d love to run into a wolf in the woods there.

Pixie Campbell is an artist and mother of two who is exploring all avenues of balance to keep herself and her family filled up.  Follow her journey at www.pixiecampbell.typepad.com.  

Name: Alma de la Melena Cox

Age: 41

Profession: Artist

Website: www.almaart.com

Current location (City,State, Country): Sisters, Oregon  United States

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel.

I grew up in three cultures, here in the US, in Mexico and in Peru.  My protective parents did the unthinkable at the time and put me (then ten) and my little sister on a plane to Mexico City.  Even though we had family waiting, the anticipation and flight was a huge adventure.  I felt so grown-up.  There was so much promise of excitement waiting for us without the watchful eye of our parents upon landing and the trip delivered!  My aunts lavished attention, took us to see sights we had not been to and I remember really seeing without the filter of my parents influence.  I think it was this ‘seeing’ with my own eyes that gave me the craving to see more.   

2.) What countries have you traveled to?  Mexico, Peru, England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany,   Switzerland and Belgium

3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why?  That is tough one, but I think Mexico.  Not only because part of my roots are there, but because I continually uncover magic there.  It is so diverse, so steeped in story and myth and the people are so lighthearted and kind.

4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler?

With exception to my last trip to Spain and Italy which took more planning, I am generally spontaneous. The only routine I have, if you can call it one is that I bring along a journal/sketchbook. 

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps?

 I get up really early and just as the town or city we are visiting is waking up I go for a run.  I love watching shops open, the sweeping, the getting ready.  I greet the locals and I imagine living there.  I also seek out places that sell fabric (mainly in bigger cities) and I find ‘threads in common’ with people shopping there.  I also find that travel with our kids, going to parks, and beaches has connected us to local families and the older generations in a special way, without language being a barrier.

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? 

My husband worked long hours as an attorney with limited vacation time and we both realized that if we didn’t make a major life change, he might not see our kids grow up as much as he wanted and travel, a passion, would be very limited.  When the kids were 5 and 4 we decided to change our life to how we wanted.  He became a teacher with summer’s off, we moved to a place we could afford on his new salary and I became an artist.  Travel is a priority for us, it expands us measurably and we see our kids grow in their appreciation of other cultures and beliefs with every trip.  We live in a big skiing area and we prefer to not spend our money there and travel instead.

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers?

I believe in the power of intention and the ability to usher big dreams into one’s life.  I would encourage day dreaming and an attitude of ‘anything is possible.’  Intend a trip, imagine how it would feel to take it even before the money arrives.  Ask the soul driven question, “ How do I get myself to Fiji (or wherever!)?  Listen, see and hear for creative solutions, stay open to signs, without dismissing them.  The Universe will conspire with you, just believe that it will.

– optional question — Have you ever traveled with children? If so, what can you share that might be helpful? 

Feed and water them well.  Buy them their own camera.  Encourage and support what they find inspiring.

8.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness?

Travel with my family-  My husband Mike, and I make sure to give everyone a chance to decide things on different days, picking restaurants, choosing routes.  If my daughter wants to shop and my son doesn’t, Mike and I each go with a child to do what they each want.  If we are all grumpy, we do a mandatory nap/rest time.

Travel alone, for business or pleasure- is wonderful because I relish time by myself and I love what I do. 

9.) Do you notice that travel allows you to tap into a different side of yourself, a side that normally is hidden or has less permission to show up in day-to-day life? If so, why do you believe that the experience of travel makes it easier for that side to come out?

Our life has predictability (school, sports, meetings, appointments) and is structured by routine that really benefits the kids.  Personally and professionally I benefit from a degree of discipline and focus too.  Even though my life is so rewarding and I would not trade it for anything, travel frees the ‘schedule,’ there are no ‘lists’ and disciplined eating or exercise can have a vacation too.  This all allows for unpredictable unfolding of events to occur, new discovery, inside and out.

10.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip?

Peru, my kids were 3 and 2, but I went alone and I was hanging on to a belief that going back as an adult would be the same as when I’d lived there as a teenager, I’d connect with my cousins, I’d still have lots in common with old friends, which I didn’t and that I’d see a life that would be ‘better’ than the one I had at home, convince Mike of it upon my return and happily move my little family there.  The grass is greener syndrome.

The good thing (the lesson) was that I embraced my life when I got home and made a huge list of what I was grateful for.

11.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life? 

When I experience something I love I know that life is creating a connection between what I am seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and/or feeling, with my soul.  Travel has brought me so much  connection, not only with myself, but with people and cultures and it expands my desire, continually, to experience more.

 12.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you.

“Courageous Travel”-  The ability to take yourself somewhere, real or imagined where your soul is nourished and it can soar.

13.) Where are you planning to go, next? When?

Lima and Machu Picchu, Peru and Buenos Aires, Argentina, July and August, 2010.

14.) The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list?

Indonesia (specifically Bali), Chile, Brazil, Thailand, Fiji, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, for now.

Alma de la Melena Cox is passionate about creating experiences that feed her soul and travel is one of them.  She loves so much- her two teenagers, her husband Mike, her dog Augustus, being an artist……find out more at www.almaart.com.  

Name:Kat Selvocki

Age: 28

Profession: volunteer manager

Website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shinyredtype

Current location (City,State, Country): Brooklyn, NY, USA

1.) It’s often said that the travel bug “bites.” How old were you when you were “bitten by the travel bug”? Describe a bit about what prompted you to take the initial trip, where you were at in your life at the time, and why/how that travel experience caused you to crave more travel. 

 The travel bug bit me long before I ever started going anywhere! I grew up in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, and by the time I was 14, I knew I wanted to get out and travel. The summer I turned 16, I went on a school-sponsored trip to France, and then four days after returning, I left again to visit my cousins in Australia! Seeing how much more was out there amazed me, and I wanted to experience all of it. Looking back, those trips were an initial taste, though I didn’t necessarily get to explore the things I wanted to see. Traveling with a group will do that. My study abroad in college was the first time I was able to visit places on my own terms. It was magical.

2.) What countries have you traveled to? 

 France, Australia, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Canada, England, Scotland, Vietnam

3.) Of all the places you’ve been, where have you felt most connected to a place, and why?  

I fell madly in love with Prague. I lived there in fall of 2002, and I remember walking home from a restaurant my first night there and seeing the view over the city and wondering if I would ever tire of it. I never did. Even now when I  think about it, I can still picture the streets better than other cities I’ve lived in for longer! I felt so connected there, so creatively alive. I’ve been back twice and I always fall in love again.

4.) Do you have any routines that you follow for packing, flying, using a hotel room, or for your first day in a new place? Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous traveler? 

I make a packing list for every trip, and then usually pare it down once I see the piles on my bed. I pack about the same amount of stuff for a three or four day trip as I do for a two week trip. Comfortable shoes and layers are key, as any frequent traveler will tell you. I always pack a sweet snack and a salty snack for on the plane, and at the airport, I eat a sandwich and buy Gatorade/Powerade. I’ve found that really helps me from feeling jetlagged and nauseous after longer flights. I pack earplugs for the plane to aid sleeping. They really help! 

 My travel style once I get to a location is a mix of spontaneity and planning. I like to have a general idea of things I’d like to see and places I’d like to eat, but I don’t usually plan out exactly what I’ll do each day until that morning over breakfast. It’s always more fun to leave some things open to whims.

5.) What do you do to experience a place on a deeper level and see what it’s really about, beyond the tourist traps? 

I love walking the streets of a city, taking a map and my camera and meandering. That’s when you see people living their everyday lives and get a feel for the culture of the city. Thanks to living in New York City, I also know that public transit can be one of the most interesting places, so I try to get around that way if a place I want to see isn’t within walking range. While I’m exploring, I take note of coffeeshops and restaurants to check out and spend time there later knitting and people-watching. I’ve also found that sporting events or festivals are a really fun way to be a part of local culture. I planned one of my return trips to Prague around a hockey game between the two local teams!

6.) Some people experience travel as something that they do once a year for a vacation, while others feel that travel is something they are passionate about, and they incorporate it into their lifestyle in different ways. In what ways do you arrange your life so that you can incorporate travel into your lifestyle? 

I make space for travel by budgeting both my time and my money. I work a 9-5 job that allots me a certain amount of vacation time per year (which is quite a generous amount for an American organization!), so I save up that time to use in one or two bigger trips every year. Travel is also one of my budget priorities, so I generally save for that rather than purchasing a lot of new clothes or going out to more expensive restaurants.

7.) Many people cite lack of money or lack of time as the major restrictions upon their ability to travel. What helpful advice or encouragement would you offer to someone who wants to travel but who feels money/time to be barriers? 

In terms of finding time to be a barrier: I absolutely love international travel; however, I try to remind myself not to discount travel within my own country. Sometimes, when I feel the need to get away, a road trip or quick flight to a new city not too far away does the trick.

Regarding money: The most expensive thing other than the flight is usually accommodations, so I try to save money on travel by visiting friends, as I’m fortunate enough to have friends who live across the US and around the world. If you don’t have friends in other places, couchsurfing.org or hospitalityclub.org could be great options; I have friends who highly recommend both for finding free places to stay. Travel at off-peak times: for example, Australia’s summer may be gorgeous, but winter is fairly mild and also lovely, and flights are considerably less expensive. And like I said above, travel is a priority for me, so when I’m about to spend money on something expensive, I ask myself if I really need it, or if the money could be better spent on a trip. More often than not, the trip wins.

8.) Do you usually travel alone, or with others? If you travel with others, how do you deal with conflicts that arise? If you travel alone, how do you curb travel-related loneliness? 

I usually travel with others, and I’ve found that the best way to deal with conflict is to plan some alone time for each of you. Make sure to take an afternoon to catch up on journaling, emailing, or sitting alone in a place you find peaceful. It seems to me that the biggest conflicts come up when you’re spending every waking – and sleeping – minute together and need some space to breathe. Also, when you create your rough plan of things to see and do, be open to the other person’s wants, and try to balance that list so that you each get to see and do your top choices.

9.) Do you notice that travel allows you to tap into a different side of yourself, a side that normally is hidden or has less permission to show up in day-to-day life? If so, why do you believe that the experience of travel makes it easier for that side to come out? 

Travel allows me to spend time exploring and photographing, which I don’t make enough time for in my daily life. I also often tend to be more relaxed and spontaneous than my workaday personality! I think travel allows that because 100% of my time feels like mine. I don’t have to think about anything other than the present moment.

10.) Have you ever taken a trip that, on the whole, was a negative experience? What would you say you learned from that trip? 

I can’t think of a negative trip! They all have their ups and downs, yet on the whole, each trip was amazing.

11.) On the whole, what would you say you have learned from the overall experience of travel and the role that travel plays in your life? 

Travel teaches me to slow down, eat good food, walk more, look, and listen. It teaches me that even if I don’t know the language, I can still find my way. I find peace when I’m immersed in something new, which is something that a lot of people would consider chaotic.

12.) Define in your own words what “courageous travel” means to you. 

Courageous travel means exploring the places you’ve spent years reading about and wondering what they’d be like. It means finding a way to go even if you don’t think you have the time or the money, or if you don’t speak the language and aren’t sure how you’ll be able to get around the city or country. It means immersing yourself in somewhere new, even when you’re afraid. It means being open to allowing travel to change your perspective.

13.) Where are you planning to go, next? When? 

I’m planning a roadtrip to see my family and my boyfriend’s family over the holidays. My parents moved to Arkansas last year, so it will give me the chance to explore their area a little more. After that, I’ll be taking a trip with two of my best friends in the world to a to-be-determined destination!

14.) The most delicious question of all: What destinations are on your fantasy list? 

Italy, for family and food. Cuba, for the colors and the food. Egypt, to satisfy a lifelong fascination. Russia and the Baltic countries, for the knitting and the history. Antarctica, because why not?

Kat Selvocki likes baking, roller skating, photography, traveling, knitting, tattoos, and compound mitre saws – though not necessarily all at the same time.