Comments on: The Grand Adventure

By: Emma

Emma — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:01:46 +0000

Interesting point, Marianne. I tend to feel most comfortable with travel because I don’t do routine too well. My man is the opposite of that. In short, we’re destined to remain somewhat at odds with each other forever.

By: Marianne

Marianne — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:08:32 +0000

And here’s another side to this story – when my man and I travel we get on better than ever because the only thing we really ever fight about at home is his refusal to plan, to stick to routines or to be predictable. On the road his MO becomes the only MO possible and I fall back into a lifelong practice of letting myself go with the flow when traveling. Sometimes at home I really do need to know whether he is free next Thursday night, but when we are traveling I never do and that makes both of us very happy.

By: Emma

Emma — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:26:23 +0000

Thank you, Judi. What a saga that trip must have been. And what an ending!
I shall try not to seethe too much with jealousy that you are visiting NZ.
But I probably will anyway. Enjoy it!

By: judi hendricks

judi hendricks — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:22:19 +0000

Nicely written, Emma. More importantly, nicely thought.
The post was very poignant for me because I’m getting ready to return to New Zealand after 30-plus years. I, too, was working for the airlines. My then-husband and I were on a two-week self-drive tour. He, being born and raised in the South, was having a particularly hard time with language and accents. My favorite was the morning he asked for biscuits for breakfast and received a strange look and a packet of chocolate chip cookies.

But two things I remember above all (besides the fact that NZ is probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been) :
1. The constant fighting with my husband. We were already separated; I’m not sure why we thought taking a vacation to a foreign land where you drive on the “wrong” side of the road was such a great idea. We did get one of the very best photos of us together that was taken during the 13 years of our marriage.
2. I learned something important about myself on the Routeburn Walk. Namely that I could do a three-day walk in two days without enough food and with a pulled ligament in my knee, over trails where looking down made me nauseous… and that would be the thing that gave me the courage to get a divorce and get on with my life.

By: michael.offworld

michael.offworld — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:02:52 +0000

This happened to me also. Traveling with my wife and children. I never overcame the tension that came up until I was home again and able to hide behind my work, stuff, and commitments.

I’m going to remember this post the next time we travel.

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:54:29 +0000

This is good work Emma. What you are saying really resonates with me. It has been a long time since I was “on the road” and having a travel adventure. I miss it, and the lessons that it teaches you about life and yourself.

Thanks for this.