7 days

In 7 days I will embark on my first solo road trip. I have traveled to the Philippines and Taiwan solo, and somehow this stateside solo traveling is more daunting. Perhaps the thrill of being a minority and having obvious reasons to be lost, like language barriers and cultural nuances that leave much lost in translation, are void in the stateside travel.

So, in 7 days I will depart via Amtrak from Jacksonville->Washington, D.C.->Boston. I feel safe on the train. There is ample opportunity to window gaze, choose my own soundtrack of music, and read. I have missed reading these past 2 months or so. Once in Boston, I feel scared. There, I hope to putter around Harvard, bike the Cape Cod Rail Trail, tour the Boston Symphony Orchestra, hop into a few museums, and then anxiously anticipate the arrival of my mama, who is flying into Boston mid-week. Together, she and I long to enjoy the brisk weather, learn more of our country's rich history, and make it into New Hampshire for a day or two.

And I feel a little nostalgic. Christina White, I miss the idea of you taking this trip with me deeply right now. North Carolina of 2006, Chicago-->Seattle of 2009, and Florida-->Colorado of 2010 were priceless. The Bible says a good friend is hard to find. I think a perfect road trip companion may be even harder. Sigh...How precious our 4 years of co-working together and road-trip travels together were. I love you, dear friend.

Road Trip 1: Rock climbing in NC

Road Trip 2; Chicago-> Seattle

Road Trip 3; Florida->Colorado