Fantasy Voyage

Wanderlust is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world. The term originates from the German words wandern (to hike) and Lust (desire).

I didn't get my first passport until I was in my early 30's. I think it's because traveling from California is so difficult. I'd been to Mexico numerous times, but you didn't need a passport back then.

The first time I left the country I went to the Dominican Republic. It was unbelievable and I was instantly hooked on seeing new places and meeting new people. I never wanted to go home. Fast rewind to about 6 months before when I began my "risk-taker" personality when I moved to New York from L.A. with no job and $2k in my pocket. I made it there, so... I guess I can make it anywhere?

It's no secret how I feel about where I am in my life right now. I'm not in a good place. It's pretty much impossible to get to the Siddha Yoga Meditation Center here because it's the opposite direction of my house and there is no Metro close enough to get there. My spiritual self is suffering. My emotional self is suffering for lack of real friends and family close to me. My financial self is suffering due to a lower salary and higher cost of living. Let's get this straight, I'm NOT spilling all of this to complain, I'm spilling it to get out some issues that I need to resolve and then take the steps to do so.

This last trip to Ireland further affirmed my feelings about seeing the world. I'm truly at my happiest when doing this. The research and planning before the trip, the new people and culture, the history, the stories, the lifestyles. I feel like a sponge. Every time I return home I bring a piece of wherever I was with me. For instance, I now use Maui Babe in the summertime because I discovered it in Oahu. The super rich landscape of Scotland made me realize how beautiful old countries were. Venice deposited in my brain the need to wander through small streets and just walk in anywhere and talk to people. In Ireland I regained my taste for locally grown, fresh, additive & preservative free food (and Jameson - hey! it's made with barley!). I could go on for pages about all the things I've learned.

I sort of feel lost when I return to the States, like I don't belong. Sad and bewildered. Can anyone else relate?

Slán a Fhágáil

I had the most amazing birthday of my life. I landed on Friday at 6:30am and went straight to the hotel. That day I visited the Jameson Distillery and had my first Irish Coffee on Irish soil. After the tour I went back to the hotel area to meet up with a friend from Dublin. Vicky landed shortly after and we headed up to the Dublin Mountains.

Johnnie Fox's was SO MUCH FUN. I ate pigeon. We danced, laughed, did Irish car bombs and kept going until closing. The band even dedicated a song to me!

The next day we visited Co. Wicklow, Avoca, and Glendalough. (The reason I'm being so brief in description is because I've attached my album of pictures below.

We visited the National Leprechaun Museum, Grafton St., St. Stephen's Green and Temple Bar. Also an evening of Food, Folklore and Fairy Tales at the oldest pub in Ireland, The Brazen Head (where the entire room sang Happy Birthday to me - that's the birthday cake above).

Unfortunately, on the morning of our last day, I sprained my ankle. BAD. It was super swollen and blue, but I powered through (stupidly) because I couldn't bear to not have a great last day.

Vicky was super patient and cool with me. That's a real friend. :-) (and so pretty, you'll see that in the pix as well).

Upon landing back in DC I went straight to the emergency room and ended up on crutches.

After my time in Ireland, I've been thinking about what I learned. The people there are SO NICE. It goes without saying that if you are nice to people, they are nice to you, and then nice to others, and so on and so forth. We could use a bit more of that in America. I've also decided to really embrace local, healthy, clean food. No processing or additives in the meals I ate over there, and I felt great. I wish good clean food was as easily accessible over here without going to "Whole Paycheck".

It's now snowing really hard out and we're expecting about 10". A far cry from last winter, but I'm happy to see it on the ground (it also makes me feel less badly about not being able to make it to the office).

LINK TO PIX OF BIRTHDAY 2011 IN IRELAND