Roads with Henley

I am often asked if I’m scared about traveling alone. Actually, instead of asking this polite question, people (usually of the older and boring variety) often assume it is scary to travel alone and make a remark alluding to lack of intelligence and responsibility that would make me want to do this. Well, it’s always said much more passive aggressively than that. Even better. 

You could wear a seatbelt every time you’re in the car, a life vest every time you’re near water, never have a drop to drink or try a recreational drug, never fly in an airplane due to the risk of engine failure at 35,000 feet, have six locks on each of your doors, never walk the streets at night, and never talk to a stranger, but none of those things will save you from a fly away broken bat to the carotid at a Red Sox game, getting hit by a car while using the crosswalk on a Sunday stroll, or crushed and drowned by a molasses spill (that really happened). Sure, we can avoid a heroin habit and trying our hand at the unicycle on top of the Prudential, but otherwise, it’s pretty tough to predict your death if you haven’t noticed. While you’re worrying about how not to die, you’re not living. 

There are a few things I worry about, though. Not scared of! Just things that could put a damper on the day, like bear attack, for example, or car trouble leaving me deserted and then later, broke. 

There’s about a dozen vehicles I’d choose to take on a road trip before my own. Is a 2006 Subaru Impreza hatchback the ideal road trip car? Nope. Would I rather be driving around and sleeping (practically living) in a vintage Volkswagen van? Ummmmm YES. But alas, we must make do. However, any car I would choose would likely be a lot older than what I have now, so I’m going to hope a sprite, young age of nine and a recent oil change will save me.

Another thing I worry about is how we’ll exercise on the road. I once saw a young woman jogging down the street with a big beautiful German Shepherd gliding by her side. They looked like a damn commercial for antidepressives or tampons. I often think about them when it occurs to me how ungraceful Henley and I look running together, him six feet behind, choking because I’m dragging him in a tug boat fashion. We walk great together, though. We have a quick, matched speed that gets us from A to B efficiently and is speedy enough to be considered exercise, rather than a meander. But then I, like most beings, run faster than I walk. Henley, on the other hand, manages to jog at about the same pace as his walk, while just breathing heavier to trick you into believing he’s running.

Healthy eating will be tricky too. I’m a big believer in good nutrition and that keeping an every day healthy lifestyle is the best and only medicine most people should ever need. However, mental health and happiness is a big part of good health. Pizza and donuts make me happy. Therefore, pizza and donuts are healthy for me. Are you following? Good. Also, food is such a big part of culture and experiencing a new place, so I’m not going to choose raw vegetables over a popular local dish. It will be challenging to find the balance on this trip, but it will be fun trying. 

The only other thing I’m nervous about...brace yourself, it’s real scary...is finding a way to shower and shave every day. Okay, I was being sarcastic about it being scary, but it really is a little. 

So to answer the question: No, I’m not scared to travel alone.

Don’t become a heroin addict or unicycle for the first time at great heights and let the rest of life just happen.

E&H

“If it’s both terrifying and amazing then you should definitely pursue it.”  

Erada