the road is for wandering.

there are a lot of favorite lists that i keep: books, trips, stores, cookie recipes. the usual. but i also have a list of favorite roads.

i've spent a lot of time driving in the country, typically in europe, sometimes by myself, sometimes with company. erin and i have plenty of these in our memories (post-new orleans random water park in who-knows-where louisiana: you remember, erin). i am usually so taken aback by what i see and how i feel that i can't help but keep a specific list of these roads so someday i can come back to that very spot. those places are the ones where you feel like time has stopped. you feel like you are the first foreigner ever to discover this little town, this field, this stretch of empty road. the snippets of life you get to see, and the stops along the way are what travel is all about. authentic and rich and inspiring.

 

>> somewhere in burgundy, france <<

>> somewhere in costa rica <<

>> somewhere precarious along highway 1, northern california, near big sur <<

the journey is so good. is it the excitement of the unexpected treasures you hope to find, or the serendipitous ones you end up finding instead? when you wander, you take more in, you notice more, and you aren't too worried about getting to wherever you are going. (except when you realize you have 3 more hours and it is getting dark, and in this part of italy, nowhere is open. and you need food. so you find a restaurant that is closing and beg for some cheese and bread using charades. and after 20 minutes, it works. still, not a good situation.)

>> the perfect road tripping car, spotted in avignon, france <<

>> the road :: somewhere in provence, france <<

>> along the wanderweg, over the zurichsee, switzerland <<

>> somewhere in heidiland, switzerland <<

 

>> the greatest roadside attraction: honor boxes in the swiss alps <<

the smaller the road, the better-- the more you see on these little roads. my best advice to friends exploring europe are to get off the freeway. take the slowest route. the discomfort in not really knowing where you are going and feeling out of sorts forces you to look around-- it heightens your awareness, and opens your eyes to wonderful things.

 

>> somewhere in south africa, along the garden route :: close to where the atlantic & pacific oceans meet <<

>> rest stop in pully, on lake geneva, switzerland <<

when i'm alone, i pull over probably way way too often to sit, look, take a photo. take a moment. these are the best moments.

>> this is one of those moments :: somewhere in vaucluse, provence, france <<

>> a friend made during a long walk outside of pokhara, nepal <<

i'd like to take a biking trip, because doesn't that seem like the best way to move around the globe? not too fast, not too slow. have you done this? i do love trains but i get frustrated when i spot a village, a lake or a trail and can't stop to explore. the journey is all about being flexible, taking your time, and seeing what you find.

>> somewhere in new mexico, not too far from pie town <<

>> somewhere in basque country, spain <<

>> somewhere in the texas hill country, not too far from round top <<

 

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