This is one of my favorite parts. Laying out all my possessions and filtering through them, three or four times, until I am able to fit everything into one backpack.
I am finally hitting the road again. There were several reasons why I stayed longer than I expected. Mostly because of the wonderful people I met this year while living in Dallas and New Orleans.
My new path is not entirely planned. That is how I like it. This allows room for change if new adventures appear.
My current itinerary looks something like this…
February 21st-27th Berlin
February 27th-March 8th La Rocchetta-Claudio and Michelle’s farm in Italy (AKA my Italian family)
March 8th-18th Italy (Rome->Florence->Venice)-with my sister, dad, and my dad’s high school students
March 18th-??? If anyone has any great ideas let me know!
April 14th Have to get to Marrakech for a Moroccan wedding (YES!)
April 16ish-May 1ish I really want to travel down the Dalmatian coast. Specifically from Split, Croatia ultimately ending on Corfu, Greece. Anybody who is free and wants to come let me know!
May and June (this is where YOU come in!)-I have a dear friend on the island of Corfu in Greece who has offered me an incredible deal on her apartment there. Some of you will remember when I stayed in this apartment almost 3 years ago. It is a magical place-an upright piano adds to the calling of it!
Maybe this will inspire you…
Anyways, I want to make it clear that anyone and everyone is welcome to come and visit me and stay in this beautiful place. It is not necessarily modern but there is certainly enough room for about 5-7 people to sleep comfortably.
This is my official invite to anyone who would like to have a summer adventure on a beautiful Greek island. It is also my opportunity to give back to all the people who went above and beyond helping me when I travel.
PLEASE PLEASE if you are absolutely serious send me dates ASAP. I’m very surprised at all the feedback I’ve gotten from people who would like to come. I need to make sure that there will be enough space!
So, I’ve been experiencing thoughts of anxiety about this Europe excursion being the right thing to do. Mostly because I still crave SE Asia with all of my being and this adventure includes a lot of places I’ve already been to.
So, why am I doing it? If there was anything I learned from this time in Dallas and New Orleans, it is that there are amazing people all over the world. During this time in Europe I will see friends that I met in Russia, Thailand, Italy, Greece, and Morocco!
This is important for me to remember. I am not living this way to please all of you. I am not traveling to gain some kind of recognition. This is my life. This is what I worked hard to be able to do. So I’m going to do what I want to do! I’m not going to worry about time, money, and what other people think. Is this an easier excursion from last time? Maybe. It’s too early to tell. Anything can happen!
Maybe, due to the adventurous nature of my Uncle, I’ll freeze to death in a German jail for trespassing in an abandoned mansion in East Berlin. Maybe I’ll find a teaching job in Rome and never want to leave. Maybe I’ll meet a traveller who inspires me just as my Travel Companion last year inspired me to cross half of the globe via the Trans-Siberian Railroad!
There are so many things that could happen! I have been giving into the thoughts and ideas that a persons life has to be lived in a certain way. I forgot about spontaneity, serendipity, and finding happiness in the small things. I forgot that, for me, travel provides the strongest sense of well-being and fulfillment I’ve ever experienced in my life.
Now the plane has pulled up to the walkway and I am about to board. No this is not the glorious adventure of the Trans-Siberian. This is something brand spanking new that I am creating on my own.
I have a blank canvas and this time I’m holding all of the brushes.
This picture was taken by Todd. He and Manus were waiting for this moment. I was completely horrified and begged him to delete the photo. I am forever grateful that he did not. I think this picture represents a lot for my new adventure.
All alone, in a barren land, caught with my pants down.
Life is good y’all.
Zorba's Caravan 
And the adventure continues; have fun, be safe and enjoy!
Reblogged this on Zorba's Caravan and commented:
At the moment, I am preparing for a new trip and my little pep talk at the end of this post from 2 years ago (to the day) really inspired me and I hope it does for you too!
Love the updates! I’m thinking May 19-28. Let me know if that works. ❤
Beautiful post, Medora! Keep painting that canvas for us as you adventure onward.
“I cannot rest from travel; I will drink
Life to the lees. All times have enjoyed
Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those/
That loved me, and alone….”
— Tennyson, “Ulysses”
Love it, Sweets! I enjoy your posts, not to live vicariously through you, just to watch you as you unfold and blossom into your womanhood. It is a blessing to be counted among your friends and family! I find after all those years traipsing all over, dragging my children along with me, that the only place I truly desire to be is HOME. For many years, that place was wherever I found myself, somewhat like a snail, self-contained where I hung my hat…now it is my nest, my center and my community in a more tangible manner. I still make the occasional excursion for work/visiting, less and less though as time moves on. The less I travel, the more I build and create here on the Island. It is a time of transformation for all of us. Letting go of that which no longer serves us and stepping into that place of service. Your’s is out there, locating your tribe, seeing the world in it’s myriad of accutrements. Mine, here, in front of me as I stand still. Both of us using attraction rather than promotion, candles to the moths, teacher and student simultaneously! Have a safe and wonderful journey, don’t worry about the destinations, suck it up like a sponge and wring it out in your music, your writings and the All that you Are! Love to you, namaste’, JOY!
Medora, Love your post. It sounds like you’ve come full circle, back round to yourself! Well done my dear. xo Constance
great to have you for supper and meet your friend, Steve. love ya & stay warm in Berlin:)
The best blog you’ve written. Go girl!