Could this be the magic...

I've been reading a lot about finding myself lately. You'd think after 51 years on the planet, I'd know something about life. Anyone that says they do are kidding themselves.

Life is a huge mystery. It's wrapped candy on Christmas morning. It's wide eyed, over-the-top, magnificent beauty.

But sometimes it sucks. :)

Travel, to me, is like taking the wrapping off the candy and standing there in wide-eyed wonder at what's there before you. It's taking chances and visiting places you never would have dreamed existed. That's kinda one reason why I hate rigid schedules - though it looks like I have one at the present for this trip.

Even travel sucks sometimes though. Like the fact that I have two stops on my way over this year. That's going to suck mightily.

But then, there's the magic. Like flying home from my last trip and meeting two amazing men from totally different backgrounds... we talked life, philosophy, religion, and even sex before the flight was through. One was a psychotherapist, and the other an engineer. Funnily enough, the psychotherapist was downing drinks one after another. Maybe that old addage about people going into psychotherapy to fix their own problems is true? However, I won't take away anything from the gentleman - he was truly a lot of fun to chat with. I miss them both and haven't heard from them since.

It also took me 2 weeks to get over jet lag from talking almost 15 hours straight. LOL

Buttermere in the Lake District was a beautiful surprise.

Meeting strangers at the B&B in Keswick and having one drop me at the train station out of the goodness of his heart another.

Then, there was the B&B proprietess near the laundramat who rudely shut the door in my face when I asked if she might have some change for the washers. There wasn't really a change machine in the laundramat.

I tend to see them mostly as anomalies, though.

I love walking into Ripon Cathedral and feeling the age of the place settle in my bones.

Or the gay guys I met through Sarn who were eversomuch fun! I miss them even now. Perhaps I'll make an effort to drop by their hotel in the fall. :) They run a boutique hotel in London.

The best parts of travel are definitely the surprises - not the plans.

Which is, I think, a lot like life.