Original anecdotes, commentary, rumination, and occasional pontification.
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 – I’m in my spartan hotel room, two floors up. Parched, starving, and exhausted, I pull from my backpack a granola bag, open it, and pour a serving into my mouth. Granola never tasted so good—or dry. I drink the last of my “safe” water—a thimble’s worth from my one-liter, plastic canteen, …
FEBRUARY 10, 2022 – Upon entering the domestic terminal, I was assaulted by the same pandemonium that’d filled the international terminal—except “Wendy,” of course, had flown off to Never, Never Land. I had to navigate on my own. In a foreign land, “on your own” inevitably requires interaction with strangers. Amongst a crowd, who has …
FEBRUARY 9, 2022 – Wendy spirited me through officialdom as if she were Indira Gandhi herself. Despite my questions on the fly, I received no explanation as to what her true role was or why a baffling reception had been reserved for a 26-year-old, American vagabond packing two bags of granola . . . not …
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 – As I reflect after 41 years, my introduction to India was even more bizarre than it seemed at the time. The British Airways flight to Bombay (Mumbai) took over 10 hours. As we broke through low-hanging clouds along our gradual descent, I saw the Indian version of an uninterrupted Dickensian slum …
FEBRUARY 7, 2022 – During my two-month sojourn in NZ and Australia, I’d encountered many Europeans who’d ventured there via India. Time—and illness—on the Subcontinent seemed to be a rite of passage. No traveler had not experienced gastrointestinal problems, and everyone emphasized that no matter how much you heard or read about India, nothing could …
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 – As hours rolled by, I stared in wonder out the picture window of my compartment. Often, I imagined peering out the window of a spacecraft circling Mars just above the surface: the arid infinity outside was mesmerizing in its “other worldliness.” At a refueling stop in Cook (now a ghost town; …
FEBRUARY 5, 2022 – “Today,” I wrote, “is Easter Sunday, the 50th day of my ‘Trans Global Expedition.’” I then updated my family—the second time since leaving home. Smartphones—texts and email—were still a generation away. Aboard the Indian-Pacific I printed a 62-page letter on small pages (removed along sidelong perforations) from a pocket notebook. The …
FEBRUARY 4, 2022 – Even back then Sydney, capital of New South Wales, was the big, splashy city of “Down Under.” I spent several days there, impressed by its busy harbor, cosmopolitan feel, world-class modern architecture—including the harbor-front Opera House (and a recital inside)—and expansive botanical garden. But naturally, I was drawn to . . …
FEBRUARY 3, 2022 – From the sea, I turned to Kuranda in the rainforest along Queensland’s northeastern “fringe.” Other travelers had recommended Kuranda as a “Bohemian outpost in Eden,” and the pathway was well established. Joined by Karen and now my romantic interest, Debbie, we hiked to the heights of towering waterfalls and admired the …
FEBRUARY 2, 2022 – Having lived much of life at 45-degrees latitude, I noticed that at 17-degrees our sun is a different star. Its zenith is nearly overhead and motivates an early start before one’s energy becomes non-renewable. By 8:00 I was in queue with other “pilgrims” where tour boats lined up to catch and …
FEBRUARY 1, 2022 – Like most visitors in those days, I traveled “the eastern fringe”—the coastline between Sydney in the southeast and Port Douglas in the northeast, well above the Tropic of Capricorn. The big attraction was the Great Barrier Reef, yet much else influenced my itinerary—from Kuranda, a Garden of Eden deep in the …
JANUARY 31, 2022 – Heavy hearted, I boarded the Qantas 747 to Brisbane. Ahead lay unmeasured time filled with untold adventures, but I couldn’t imagine how they’d compete with the experiences behind me. For a month I’d been ensconced in Treasure Island[s], and it was hard to let go. Yet, this was the rhythm of …
JANUARY 30, 2022 – When people outside NZ think of that paradise, they consider flora, fauna, and geography. But of all the countries I’ve visited, none exudes the civility of NZ. This assessment overlooks historical injustices toward the Maori and the anomaly of the 2019 mosque attack, but NZ’s well-established, civilized reputation is otherwise fully …
JANUARY 29, 2022 – In those days, to venture down “The Most Beautiful Walk in the World,” a reservation was required—along with rain gear and sturdy hiking boots. Average annual rainfall in that region pushes 300 inches. Since most of the Milford Track follows a canyon floor, the trek can be a muddy slog from …
JANUARY 28, 2022 – I’d latched onto four facts about “Down Under,” two appearing in old National Geographic magazines: 1. “The most beautiful walk in the world” was at the south end of NZ’s South Island; and 2. The longest straight railway in the world (297 mi/478 km) stretched across Australia’s Nullarbor Plain. Well known …
JANUARY 27, 2022 – Blogger’s note: our younger son, Byron, asked me to post about my trip around the world–starting 41 years ago. Through the prism of my current circumstances, his suggestion inspires re-examination in fresh light. I’ll endeavor to make installments compelling without lapsing into “travelogue” mode. Photo credit: my grandmother, whose family friend, “Hoxie” …
JANUARY 26, 2022 – Every child, it seems, is put on the earth to bring grief, sorrow, heartbreak and yes . . . love and sweet joy to the child’s parents. Lately, I’ve been thinking about this combination of feelings for which I’m responsible. My parents have resided outside the instant realm for a while …
JANUARY 25, 2022 – Yesterday my good doctor announced that treatments of my disease are having the desired effect. This was good news against the other reality he revealed: last week’s CT scan showed that many of my of bones are like “Swiss Cheese” but will repair themselves over the next few months. The “Swiss …
JANUARY 24, 2022 – Woods are fraught. Little Red Riding Hood nearly met her doom there, as did other “Grimm” characters. Belleau Wood is where U.S. Marines were baptized by fire in WW I and in the Ardennes Forest a later generation of U.S. soldiers battled the last German offensive of WW II. We still refer …
JNUARY 23, 2022 – My two greatest fortunes are: 1. High-achieving women; and 2. High-achieving men who recognize and respect the high-achieving women. At home I learned this among my grandparents, parents, and sisters; beyond, I learned it by interactive observation. Now to the angels of my current circumstances: Chelsey, Kaitlin, Annie, Cecilia, Khia, Joy, …
JANUARY 22, 2022 – Periodically, I play a mind-game in which an alien lands next to me to inquire telepathically about life on earth. Always within two minutes I’m in royal trouble trying to explain matters—as I understand them. Invariably, the alien stands in silent confusion. In the middle of yesterday’s extensive treatment sessions, the …
JANUARY 21, 2022 – Yesterday, to avoid invisible Greek inside the elevator at the specialty clinic, I trudged up four flights of stairs. Because of the extreme cold outside, I remained bound under extreme wraps inside. Plus, breathing was labored because of my tight-fitting, double mask. My upward plod in the stairwell became an enjoyable …
JANUARY 20, 2022 – Blogger’s note: This post is dedicated to my wife, the ceaselessly caring, loving mother of the mensch and the philosopher. As in politics, so in families occurs an aversion to the loss of control. My grandfather Holman controlled family affairs with an iron fist, even after all the iron was out …
JANUARY 19, 2022 – Blogger’s note with respect to the (< 10%) breach of my 500-word limit: forgiveness asked instead of permission sought. Monday night, I met a new friend named “Lorazapem,” my ticket to a road-side oasis along the insanity route I’d described in Monday’s post. Hardly cured of my disease by Tuesday morning, …
JANUARY 18, 2022 – My path is rocky but overshadowed by the suffering of worthier souls. Suddenly, I’m racing down a superhighway of collective pain, and I wonder . . .What’s the purpose and destination of such an expressway? I grip the wheel so hard it breaks from the steering column. Upon the high-speed obstacle …