Day two in Mumbai, India

I went to bed last night with a “plan” of how my day would be today… This was it:

Wake up at 6, shower, get ready, take a taxi to Gateway of India, get on ferry to Elorra Caves, maybe walk around that part of town for a bit, take taxi back.

That did NOT happen.

Instead, my day was so much more fantastic, it almost brought me to tears thoughout the day and nearly brings me to tears to think about it as I prepare to write about it right now…and I’m not an emotional person.

This is what DID happen:

I woke up at 6, showered, got ready and went down to the front to ask the reception the best way to get to Gateway of India. The receptionist told me I could take the local train which would take me 1.5 hours, or I could take a taxi which would take me 1 hour. Considering I wanted to get on the 9am train and it was nearly 7am, I told him I would rather the taxi. He told me to walk to the main road and take a right and that there was a taxi stand there I could get a driver from.

I walked to the main road and saw a line of tuk-tuks.

Unsure if this was the correct kind of taxi he was referring me to, I began to ask the men standing with their tuk-tuks if they could take me to Gateway of India. You would think I had made the place up as nobody seemed to know what I was talking about. The tuk-tuk drivers flagged down a local who appeared to be my age to try to use him as a translator. The translator talked to the tuk-tuk drivers for a few minutes and it seemed to me that nobody in the tuk-tuk group wanted to work this morning. The man who they had flagged down then told me that the tuk-tuks would not take me the whole way because it was too far, but that I could either take a tuk-tuk half way and take a taxi the rest, or just take a taxi the whole way but it would be upwards of 700 Rupees one way. I told him I’d rather just take the taxi, so he advised me that if I keep walking in the same direction and I’d see the taxi stand.

I walked down the same street, around a bend, and back up to where I had been nearly five times before already and didn’t see anything that looked like a taxi stand, so I asked someone new. The gentleman who helped me the second time told me to walk back the way I had come from and that the stand was right on the bend on my right hand side. He said the taxi would either be black and yellow, or blue and yellow.

I began to walk back.

As I was getting to the bend, I saw two black and yellow taxi -ish looking vans and I met eyes with an older gentleman sitting in the back of one who just happened to look up from his newspaper as I looked over at him. We smiled at each other, so I said a prayer and walked in front of all the incoming cars in order to make my way across the busy street to him.

“Are you a taxi driver?” I asked him

“Yes, where would you like to go?” he replied

“I’m trying to go to Gateway of India, though I understand it’s pretty far away.” I responded

“It’s no problem. You are a guest in my India, I will take you where you want to go.” He assured me. “Have a seat”, he said patting the backseat of the car where he had been sitting, “I will take you there, and if you want, I will take you site seeing and bring you back too.”

“Well, how much will that cost?” I asked him.

“For you, 1500 Rupee”

Considering it’s an hour drive and that’s only 20 US dollars, I agreed, and got in.

As we took off onto the crazy road, my driver began to share with me that he had been in Mumbai for 42 years and that he had been driving taxi for over 20 of those years. Before driving taxi, he parked cars for hotels (Valet?). He told me about his small village 1500km north and about his wife, children and grandchildren.

His grasp of the English language was not 100%, but I understood 90% of what he was saying to me which is more than good enough.

I then told him I intended to take the ferry to see Elorra Caves when we arrived at Gateway of India.

He looked at me strange and said, “Elephanta caves? Elorra caves is a 7 hour drive in the other direction.”

Considering I don’t feel confident about anything I say here, I said “sure!”, and we continued on our way.

Something told me I was in good hands and that wherever we were headed would be amazing.

As our journey continued, the driver, who by then I found out’s name was Tiwari, began to ask me how I wanted to plan the day. I told him I wanted to go to Gateway of India, get on the ferry to the caves, check them out, and then I would maybe want to grab a bite and head back.

Tiwari told me the ferry alone was an hour in each direction, but that “no problem, I will wait for you at the car whenever you return”.

This seemed ludicrous to me.. Drive me an hour to a place where I will take an hour to get to my destination and then check it our for at least an hour before taking another hour long ferry back …. that would mean him waiting at his taxi for at LEAST 3 hours for me if not longer… so I invited him to join me and told him I’d pay his way.

Ohhhh my, GAME CHANGER!!!

Tiwari was so excited at my offer, and we made a light plan for the rest of the day as we drove toward Gateway of India.

In the hour it took us to get to our destination we talked a lot about everything under the sun while he simultaneously pointed out our surroundings.

Tiwari and I spent the entire day together!! We walked around Gateway of India, jumped on the ferry to Elephanta Caves, explored the hand carved caves which is said to be one of the enigmatic heritage sites in India, met some furry creatures that I fell absolutely in love with, and then we drove around town and had a delicious Indian lunch, stopped for some beers and whisky, and then he drove me back to my hostel.

I was a whirlwind of emotions when I got back to my room this afternoon.

I will see Tiwari again tomorrow morning at 5am as he will be taking me to the train station for my departure to Goa. I told him I’d call him again prior to my return on the 4th of September in Mumbai so that he could show me more of this city he loves.

I have so much to look forward to!

I also have two more beers and some whisky to enjoy before bed!!

Mumbai– You’ve been awesome!! See you again soon!

Day one in Mumbai, India.

My first day in Mumbai has been great 😁!!

I landed 🛬 just after 4:30am 🌅 and got to my hostel around 5:30am 🚕. Check in time is not until noon, but I had given the hostel a heads up that I’d be arriving really early and they said they would accommodate me if they could, or store my bags until check-in at noon if they could not 🤞.

When I arrived, the man at the front desk told me he had beds available both in the mixed dorm (what I had booked) as well as an all female dorm. He suggested I take the bed in the female dorm because it was a bottom bunk and it would save me having to climb up and down every day. I took his advice, was shown to my room 🙌.

I put my bags 🎒on the floor next to my bed, kicked off my shoes 👟and crawled into my bunk fully dressed (I wasn’t about to dig though my pack for something to sleep in 🤷‍♀️) to grab a few extra hours of sleep 😴.

I got out of bed around 9am (7am Abu Dhabi time), took a cold shower 🚿(that took some getting used to 😬 ), had breakfast at the hostel, and then ventured out into the world to find a sim card for my phone📱.

I think I was warned about this city just enough 😳.

The smell here is truly hard to get used to 🤢. A combination of rotting meat and fish, human and animal waste, trash and pollution. Honestly, when I walk by a street cart and smell delicious food, it’s hard not to stop just to breathe for a little while 😷.

The roads here are insane! There are no real “lanes”, just cars, trucks, tuk-tuk’s, scooters, and bikes going in every which direction 🌪 making crossing the street a test of trust and faith 🙏 . I had been given a heads up and some advice on how to do it though, so I did fine. Never in my life have I slowly stepped out 🚶‍♀️ in front of an oncoming car 🚘 and walked, slowly, to the other side 😲.

I spent the morning eating my way around town (I couldn’t just smell the food and not try it!) and then came back to the hostel for a mid afternoon nap in the common room among other backpackers also napping, playing ping-pong 🏓 and listening to music. When I got hungry again I ventured back out to find food, and just as the sky began to open 🌧 up to drench the already muddy streets, I dipped into a restaurant called More’s Kitchen for Butter Chicken, naan, basmati rice and an ice cold beer 🍺. Everything I have eaten has been delicious with the perfect amount of spice!! Side note, it has been about two hours since my last bite of food, and my stomach still feels fine, yippi 🙌!

The weather here today was mostly partly cloudy 🌥 in the mid to high 80’s with mild humidity. A lovely break from the Middle East desert heat 🔥.

Tomorrow I plan to get up early ⏰ in order to get to the Gateway of India before 8:30 am and take a 9am ferry 🛳 to explore Elorra Caves.

If this is one of the hardest cities in all of India to acclimate to, I think I’ll be just fine 💕.

Day One- Al Ain, UAE

I woke up on Thursday the 18th and began to pack a few things I thought would be necessary for my trip. I knew the basics (towel, shower gel, shampoo) were taken care of through my Airbnb accommodation, so I just focused on what clothes I would be most comfortable walking around the extreme desert heat in while also simultaneously being completely covered, and a few basic snacks.

I said goodbye to the kids ad their nanny and walked down the stairs to catch a taxi to the Crown Royal Plaza Hotel on Yas Island where I had booked my rental car. I met Edgar and gave him all the identification he had asked me to bring. Because I do not have a local UAE phone number, I also gave him the name and phone number of my brother. He looked at the name, then looked at me and back down at the name.

“You’re Mr. Andy’s sister?”, he asked me.

“Yes, we have different surnames, but share the same mother.”, I responded.

“Oh, well what did we quote you per day for the car?” he asked.

“178.60 Dirham per day, sir”, I responded.

“Well, I’ll give you a ‘friends and family’ discount for this trip since you’re Mr. Andy’s sister. I’ll give you the car for 157.59 Dirham per day.”

Sweet!! We’re off to a good start already!

Edgar finished up the rental agreement and gave me all the details about the process of crossing the Oman boarder (which we planned for the 20th) He told me what fees to expect and then gave me two recommendations of places to see while I’m there.

“Green Park, it’s called Mubazzarah Park, and Jabel Hafeet Mountain! Make sure you check those places out!” he told me.

I told him I would and then walked outside to inspect the car and begin my journey.

As I drove away from the city of Abu Dhabi and into the desert I saw vast desert. White sand as far as the eye could see. There was hardly any traffic at all and the speed limit hovered from 120km/h to 160km/h. I toggled around with the radio and found plenty of local radio stations that gave me the authentic feel of driving though the middle east. As I got closer to the city of Al Ain, the ground began to change dramatically. What was once vast flat lands of white sand were now a redish brown sand that the wind had formed into several unique sand dunes.

I arrived to Al Ain around noon and since my check-in at my Airbnb wasn’t until 2pm, I decided to go straight to Al Jahili Fort and begin to site see. I parked near a Starbucks Coffee Shop along the border of the Central District Park, went inside for a restroom break and an iced latte, and then walked through the park toward Al Jahili Fort. I knew it was on the premises and figured it wouldn’t be too hard to miss considering everything I had read about it’s massive size.

The park was beautiful. The grass was well maintained and there were several beautiful water fountains to admire during my walk.

Then I saw the fort standing taller than the date palms and trees that surrounded me, and I walked towards it.

Al Jahili Fort was amazing! It’s one of the largest traditional forts in Al Ain. The different elements of its ancient mudbrick fortification provides a strong physical and visual link to important local and regional events in both the nineteeth and twentieth centuries.

Al Jahili Fort is of special significance because it is strongly associated with Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, also known as Zayed the First, who ruled from 1855 to 1909. The construction of Al Jahili Fort itself is dated to have began in 1891 and completed in 1898. It’s date of completion, 1316 AH, (1898 CE) was inscribed on a wooden panel at the enterance of the fort, which displays the following two verses:

A door of goodness opens in this glorious chapter, Where joy and happiness reside.

The blessings of honour said, ‘Mark this house, A house of high standing built by Zayed bin Khalifa.

The oldest parts of the fort are the multi-tiered round tower and the old fort. These were constructed in size and layout for it’s defensive features. The courtyard and interior walls are dated to have come shortly after and were used to gather people and livestock during raids.

The entire fort was open for exploration, and I was the only person walking around the grounds admiring it. There was also an air conditioned exhibit within the fort that tells the story of Mubarak Bin London (birth name Wilfred Thesiger). This is a permanent exhibition that highlights the story of British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, known in the Arabian Peninsula as Mubarak bin London, who enjoyed an international reputation as an explorer, photographer and writer of travel literature.

The exhibition is filled with photographs taken by Mr. Thesiger as well as a 5-10 minute movie clip in which Mr. Thesiger himself discusses the details and experiences of his journey crossing the Empty Quarter to Abu Dhabi from October 1946 to May 1947. While I sat watching the clip I was offered dates and hot tea. It was a pleasant way to close up my visit to Al Jahili Fort.

Around 2 pm I began to walk back to my car to go check into the Airbnb. As I walked toward the car attempting to pull up the directions, my phone was unable to connect to any kind of signal. I popped back into the Starbucks to grab some water and use their Wifi to pull up the driving directions and was on my way to the apartment.

Al Ain is filled with round abouts instead of traffic lights. While I did find this slightly intimidating at first, the controlled chaos was something I acclimated to very quickly and, frankly, think I prefer over the 4 way traffic stops we are so accustomed to in the US.

I checked in with Elena and Victoria, my Airbnb hosts. They gave me my key and we talked for a little while getting to know each other. Elena is from the Philippines and works at the local university, Victoria is from Malaysia and works in real estate. They have been living in Al Ain for 4 years and have still not been to the places I was planning to visit during my stay.

I decided to lay down and relax for awhile. 2 hours of walking around in 46 c weather (114 f) will really take the energy out of you. Around 4pm I decided to get up and hit the Al Jimi Mall. Elena and Victoria told me there was a place there called Volcano that had really good local Arab food.

After a delicious lunch that cost me 5 AED (1.36 USD), I headed south to the Al Ain Zoo.

I arrived just before 5:30 and was told there was a bird show at 6pm. I entered the zoo and hustled towards the bird house to catch the show. I just knew it would be my chance to see some form of Falconry, and I was not left disappointed!! They had several birds of prey showing their hunting skills! Falcons, Eagles, Owls and Vultures!!

After the show I walked around the zoo admiring as many other animals as I could before the zoo closing time of 8pm. As the sun began to set the winds began to start up giving a slight breeze of relief from the days heat. I decided I needed a drink.

A true rarity! The white tiger was so desired for it’s fur that its species was completely poached out of existence. It is currently 100% extinct from the wild and now only a very few survive in Zoo’s around the world.

I could have hung out with this Penguin all day…

One of the worlds most beautiful creatures with an equally stunning background.

I did a quick search and found a Trader Vic’s close by. Considering my desire to feel anything close to home, I decided to head that way for a taste of something familiar. I had two drinks, enjoyed some live music, and then drove back to my Airbnb accommodation.

I showered off the day’s sweat, and drifted immediately off to sleep excited about the next day’s adventures.

Almost time to say goodbye to Yas Island..

It’s almost time to move out of the extended stay hotel and into an apartment. The hope is that we will begin to move on Thursday or Friday of this week.

While I’m excited to move, I’m also a little bummed since this extended stay hotel offers breakfast every morning and dinner four nights a week.

In the new place I’ll have to cook all my own food…or perhaps just eat less.

The new apartment is larger than our current accommodation and also has a gym and a pool (actually two). Something the apartment offers that the hotel doesn’t is several grassy areas with jungle gyms and swings and things for the children.

One thing that doesn’t exist in that neighborhood, however; a hotel. No hotel = no bar. So, I will have to get more adventurous and learn a few more bus routes!

In the meantime, I have four or so more days here on Yas Island, so I will do my best to inhale it all in before we depart.

American Independence Day in Abu Dhabi

The extended stay hotel dining area decorations

Right this moment I am sitting in the extended stay hotel dining area. This is the hotel that we have been living out of since our arrival on June 18th.

There is a small American flag as the centerpiece on each table, red, white and blue balloons beautifully displayed around the dining area, and even large glass vases filled with water and dyed for our patriotic pleasure.

The hotel served up hamburgers, french fries and mac and cheese for dinner last night in celebration of America’s independence. They also brought in a popcorn machine just for the night.

This morning, as I came down for breakfast, they had pancakes available; also in celebration of the 4th of July.

To top it all off, shortly after I sat down I was graced with the company of two American Marine’s I have come to know the last few days. Perry, who just arrived two days ago, and David, who has been here one year and is having his going away party tonight (He leaves Saturday night).

I couldn’t help but have a little laugh…. There is nothing quite like sitting with two American Military men eating pancakes to celebrate the 4th of July while in Abu Dhabi.

Also, all awhile the news on the TV’s rattle on about the potentially extremely high shock of the cost of our presidents parade on the tax payer…

Needless to say, Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans.

May your celebrations be filled with fun and true reflection.

Be well. Be happy.

Watering my own grass

There is that saying, “The grass is always greener…”. I’ve heard it a million times, and I am sure you have too, but did you ever sit down and think about what that means? Like really think about it….?

In the last year or so I’ve come to realize that the grass is only green where you water it.

I had a similar routine for years; I would spend a few years single and having a great time. I would party without a single care in the world, take spontaneous trips at a last seconds notice, and talk openly about how I loved my freedom and didn’t need anyone else to make me happy. I felt grateful that I didn’t have to report back to anyone or ask permission to do anything at all. If I wanted to stay out all night, I would. If I wanted to stay in all night with a face mask on and a glass of wine, I could do that too.. I could do whatever I wanted, and I loved it!!

And then eventually I’d meet a man I wanted to invest some serious time into and I’d suddenly stop and spend all my time with that man. Before too long I would realize I felt alone and secluded from all the fun, and I would begin to think about the grass all my friends were frolicking in and I’d want that back. So, without warning I’d break another heart and jump back over the fence.

And then the cycle would begin again. This went on for years.

In 2010 I moved to San Francisco after a pretty dramatic break up with a guy I had been dating for several years. When we met he was amazing, but as the years passed by I began to feel completely taken advantage of. He was in a band and his band came before anything else and often required the assistance of my pocketbook. He also was mostly staying with me in my one bedroom apartment but was never contributing to rent, utilities, or groceries. He eventually began making a documentary that circled around a bunch of conspiracy theories and little by little I began to feel unsafe in my own home (He insisted on keeping a loaded shotgun in my home!!! WTF!!). Needless to say, I had to end that and get far away. So I took off to California.

When I began my journey in California I was living on a couch on 18th and Shotwell and googling (literally) “where to make friends in San Francisco”. All signs pointed to a park in the Mission District called Dolores Park, so I set out to find it. After a few days of wandering the city trying to find this park (this was before smart phones), I found it.

The first day I spent at Dolores Park I was wide eyed; observing. I saw people laying on blankets, reading books and magazines, drinking water and beer, listening to music, and even smoking joints (I was not in Pennsylvania anymore, that was for sure!).

So, the next day I went back to the park with a blanket to lay on, some beers to drink, and my journal. I did this nearly every day for about a week when I finally met a group of men who were on a blanket next to me. There were about 7 of them, and then me. They were all highly educated and very friendly and vowed to show me the city. And boy oh boy did they!!!

From using public transportation, to partying in the Castro District, the Mission, the Tenderloin, and Downtown, to every single street festival and drag show we had a BLAST! They showed me love in ways that I had never felt before. They quickly became my San Francisco family and I will forever love each and every one of them. They taught me the importance of watering my own grass, and that is something I’ve been working on ever since.

I have, of course had bumps in the road. Gave some men too much of my time who didn’t deserve it, gave other men too little of my time that did, and through all of those experiences I have learned a lot about myself, and what my grass needs to stay green, yet I never really put myself first to keep it that way. I spent my time having fun and not necessarily nurturing my own soul.

I traveled and worked and traveled and worked until eventually I began to feel that dissatisfaction with my life again. I did what I always have done and began to look for a new place to live. Where would I want to go next? What would it take for me to pick up my life and move it again, now at 33.

And that’s when I was approached with this opportunity to live in Abu Dhabi for 3 months.

The universe has shown herself again!!!! In my moment of need, she showed me a promising path!!!!

So now, here I sit, in Abu Dhabi.

Currently living in an extended stay hotel, life has been wonderful. I’ve been running at the gym nearly every day, eating healthy, drinking tons of water, rotating my time between the beach and the pool, meeting friends and enjoying the occasional scotch or whisky (as opposed to my previous routine of over indulgence).

When I talk to friends from home they all mention that I seem to be ‘beaming’. That my Aura has changed and that I appear to be so happy here.. and it’s true.

I’m watering my own grass.

In 15 days we’ll be moving into our new apartment in a neighborhood of Abu Dhabi called Al Reef. Life will certainly change for me as the feeling of being on ‘vacation’ will surely come to a close, but I hope to take that opportunity to get the house set up, continue on my road to good health, and begin to really explore this city as I will be closer to town and therefore closer to public transportation.

There is a list of places I want to see and things I want to do while I’m here in Abu Dhabi, and its just about time to start exploring those places.

As each day goes on, I remind myself of how important it is to water my own grass. No snarky text message or projections from other peoples personal dissatisfaction can take me down right now. I’m on a cloud of self care and I don’t intend to come down from it anytime soon.

Even if you’re not in a position to check out completely like I have pretty much gotten the chance to do here, please remember how important your own grass is. It needs watering, and even the occasional fertilization (not always the easy part of grass care, but necessary non the less), and of course, gentle touch and lots of love.

Be well. Be happy.

The changes we come to know

My first morning sunrise in Abu Dhabi 19/06/2019

It has officially been one week since landing in Abu Dhabi and starting this new journey of exploration. Since getting here, every day has been hotter than the day before. This is a trend that is expected to continue though the summer, and as of yesterday we finally hit 101.

With this extreme heat, efficiency of appliances is very important here. From the air conditioning to the escalators.

I have spent the last week observing these different machines and am absolutely fascinated every time I notice another little built in efficiency that I hadn’t noticed previously.

The first thing I noticed was the air conditioning.

I remember hot and humid summers as a little girl growing up in Pennsylvania. I remember our house being freezing cold, and then stepping outside into the summer sunshine and it being thick and hot, and then going inside an establishment and being blasted with cold air the minute you walked in (the “cold section” of the grocery store was always the worst!). There was never comfort, just two extremes; hot and cold. I never understood why people kept the temperatures so drastic… but I was a child, so I didn’t have a say in it, so I just had to deal (I had these kinds of feelings a lot as a child…perhaps that is what has made me so “controlling” as an adult).

Here, in Abu Dhabi, it is hot and, believe it or not, insanely HUMID (yeah, I thought the desert would be a dry heat too)!! Because of the intense hot weather here (and, if I’m being honest, probably because of the amount of money this country has), they have several appliances that are much more efficient than anything I ever saw in my travels before. Yes, you walk into a business and it’s cooler inside that business, but it’s not ridiculously cold. In fact, after a few cups of tea, one might even wish it was a tad bit cooler. They also do not have air conditioners blowing on high the second you walk into an establishment the way they do back in the USA. The air is circulated thru the buildings in a way that not once have I even felt my hair blowing in any kind of air conditioned breeze. Indoors is simply a nice, reasonable well circulated temperature.

Also, outside they have air conditioning too! Back home in the USA every time I would sit outside in the summertime at a business they had these giant misters that they would turn on that would keep people cool by keeping them well misted with water. Here, they have a machine that is on wheels to keep it mobile and has a large filter on it to catch the water droplets. So they simply roll it to where they want it, plug it in and pour water into it and voila!! The machine blows out cool air instead of a wet mist because it blows through the filter. Nobody sits soggy.

The washer and dryer in our apartment is also amazingly efficient. First, it’s ONE unit!! One machine that does the washing AND the drying. It’s ideal to me for two reasons; 1. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, so even people with small spaces likely have room for one (back home in Oakland, California I live in a 650 sq. ft studio), and 2. There is a setting on the machine that will put the items into ‘dry’ mode immediately following the ‘wash’ mode, so no soggy mildew smelling clothes if you get distracted during your laundry time! Genius.

The kitchen also has a gadget that I think is awesome!!! It’s a conventional oven that is built into the cabinet (I love when appliances don’t take up counter-top space), and it has a setting that turns the conventional oven into a microwave!!!! Never in my life have I seen a multi-use appliance like this! I have, instead, gone into many homes over the years and noticed how many appliances people have. Usually they have a microwave, a conventional oven and a toaster (the list goes on and on and on when it comes to appliances Americans “must have”) resulting in cluttered counter-tops and/or cabinets. This is a single appliance that can toast your morning bread, heat up last nights dinner leftovers for lunch, and cook a casserole for dinner! It’s awesome!!!

It also really makes me wonder what else can be created that can have multi purpose….

Malls are very popular here in Abu Dhabi. While they do have services for delivery (Uber Eats and Amazon.com to name two that are likely familiar to most of you) like we do in the USA, as well as online shopping available from all major retail stores, their malls are thriving here unlike ours. Back in the USA our malls are now mostly closed store fronts and empty parking lots, but here, its totally different. It is a place to gather, socialize, eat, pray, and shop. They have prayer rooms all over the mall so no matter where someone is, when the clock strikes at a prayer time, they can go.

So here we are, in the middle of the desert, with these giant malls. How is that efficient, you might wonder. Well, here is the thing; The temperature, as I mentioned above, is cool and well circulated. Also there is very little need for artificial lighting because there are so many skylight style openings in the roof that allow the sun to light up the walkways (the lights are on sensors for gloomy days), the escalator even has a sensor on it that (get this!!) slows down to nearly a crawl when it’s not being used, and speeds up when someone is about to walk onto the escalator. I literally sat on a bench and watched this process with pure excitement for way to long…

There are also many other efficient things that they do here in the UAE that I have not seen in my previous experiences, and I will continue to observe and share with you as I can.

For now, It’s 1:30 in the afternoon and I just got back from the gym so I’m going to throw on my swimsuit and walk over to Yas Beach with a friend I met a few days ago. It will be both of our first times vising the beach despite the fact that I have been living here for one week, and they have been living here for ten years!!

Be happy. Be well.

Sarah

The journey begins!

The plane has landed and the journey shall now begin!

Before my departure, many of my friends asked me why I would want to travel to the Middle East. They were likely asking because, like I once thought, they were under the impression that the entire Middle East is a war zone. After I was approached by my brother with the opportunity to live in Abu Dhabi with them for a three month period, I began doing some research. I quickly discovered that not only is Abu Dhabi a young city, it is also a safe city, in fact, the safest city in the Middle East for women.

The trip from D.C. to Abu Dhabi was surprisingly easy considering I was traveling with two adults and their two small children (Ages 22 months and 6 years). We flew Etihad Airways. Our plane was an 787-9 Dreamliner, which was very large and quite comfortable. The customer service was excellent and the on board entertainment was sufficient enough to keep even the antsiest of kids entertained for hours. They also served us three complete meals which were tasty and relatively healthy.

When we arrived at the airport in Abu Dhabi, getting thru customs was the easiest experience ever. 1st, there were no lines, and 2nd, the customs consisted of showing your passport and visa to get stamped, and then getting your photo taken for facial recognition (they have one of the most advanced biometrics systems in the world). That was it! We collected all 10 of our bags from the baggage claim, walked outside to where the taxi’s were, the driver loaded up our bags, and we headed to the hotel.

When we arrived to the hotel it was just about 9pm, and the entire family was exhausted from the long day of travel. All any of us wanted to do was lay down and get some serious sleep. Of course though, once we walked through the hotel doors, we got excited and stimulated all over again.

If you’ve ever been to or looked up anything about the city of Abu Dhabi, you would learn that everything here is elaborate and quite stimulating. This made going straight to bed quite difficult, so my brother and I decided to hit the gym to blow some steam while his wife got settled in to our new hotel home with the kiddos. After the gym we grabbed a snack outside at a neighboring hotel. Beside us sat three women in full hijab’s sitting back and enjoying a hookah.

(I can definitely get back into the hookah while I’m here!)

When we got back to the hotel room, I showered and went to bed excited about what the next few weeks would bring.

I slept with my blinds open, as I often do, so that I can be woken up by the rising of the sun. When I woke up to the sun rise this morning, I felt surprisingly refreshed and ready to start the day. It was just past 6am.

After about an hour I heard my nephew rustling around in the other room, so I opened my door to let him in so he and I could begin to enjoy the morning together. We hung out on the patio until my nephew looked at me and said, “Sarah, can we go back inside? It’s too stinkin’ hot out here” (😆). We then played some games that only a child with his imagination could ever think up, and then decided that since the rest of the family was still sleeping, we would take off to the lobby for breakfast. When we returned to the room the rest of the family was starting to get up and get ready to head out and explore on our first family mission; the grocery store.

We boarded the bus to Yas Mall where the closest supermarket is, and headed off.

Again, the efficiency of this place floored us.

1st outing in Abu Dhabi- Destination, Yas Mall

At current, we’ve all arrived back to the hotel and the kiddos and their momma are taking a much needed nap (surprisingly there were no meltdowns while we were out).

Once they awake, we’re off to the pool!! It’s currently only (yes, only) 95 degrees F outside, so we want to make sure we take advantage of the outdoors while it’s still bearable to do so!

Be Happy. Be Well.

Mexico

Taking a journey to a new and far away place is not easy for anyone. But some people never give themselves the freedom to spread their wings and fly.

The first time I opened my wings to a foreign land, it was 2014 and I went to Mexico. I had been working for an Insurance Broker in San Francisco, California, but was beginning to feel stagnant. I had a conversation with my boss at the time, and she told me that when she was my age she was in the middle of a divorce and that her parents had encouraged her to travel Europe for six months.

She never went.

She was now in her 50’s and it was still a life regret of hers.

She looked me in the eyes and told me that if I really want to quit my job and travel, that now is the best time to do it. I went back to my desk, typed up my resignation letter, researched for an apartment in Isla Mujeres on Craig’s List and bought a one way ticket to Cancun, Mexico.

Over the next few days I was in correspondance with a woman in Mexico regarding the furnished apartment I wanted to rent from her for what I thought would be three months. After consistently insisting that I wire her a large sum of money for the apartment before I get there, I began to have a few reservations in my mind on the legitimacy of the whole transaction. I asked around to friends for advise who also felt that it was likely a scam and that I shouldn’t send any money.

I kept with my mantra that most people are good, and I wired her the money she asked for.

A few weeks later I was saying goodbye to my friends and jumping on a plane to Cancun with my final destination being a small island off the coast of Cancun called Isla Mujeres.

When I arrived on the island of Isla Mueres, there was a man waiting for me with a cart. The woman I was renting the apartment from had sent him to meet me so he could show me to the apartment and hand me the keys. He put my luggage in his cart, and we began to walk. As we walked to the apartment he pointed out several places to eat and drink, and told me which beaches were the best beaches on the whole island.

He showed me to the apartment and when he opened the door, it was exactly as it had appeared in the photos. I was extreamly relieved. The guy handed me the keys, and told me about a blues bar down the street that I was supposed to go to if I wanted to get a job. He said the woman who owned my apartment also owned two bars on the island and would put me to work if I thought I might want to extend my stay past 3 months.

I dropped my bags and headed over to the blues bar. I met a man who seemed to be managing it and told him my name was Sarah and that I had been told to come see him. He introduced himself as Mario, and then he gave me 40 pesos and asked me to run to the tienda to get some limes. I had just started my first job in Mexico.

Over the next several months I built many valuable relationships with both locals and tourists on that paradise island, and eventually left the island to explore other parts of Mexico. I traveled by bus from Cancun, Quintana Roo to Merida, Yucatan and back. Then I flew to Villahermosa, Tabasco and took a bus to Tuxtia Gutererrez, Chiapas. I spent several days visiting different Mayan ruins, learning about the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and hearing and seeing howling monkey’s. After about a week and a half there I took a bus to Oaxaca, Oaxaca and met an amazing couple who eventually took me into their home so that I could stay as long as I wanted without having to pay for a hostel. I fell in love with Oaxaca (and mezcal) and stayed for about two weeks. As my funds began to dwindle, I bought a ticket from Mexico City to San Francisco and promised myself I’d somehow make it to Mexico City before heading home, and I did. It was a very long bus ride, but after arriving in Mexico City I had about six days to explore Mexico City before my flight home.

All along the way I made friends and met people who were more than willing to give me advise on places to see, eat, drink, and dance the night away. I met people who provided me valuable knowledge to keep my journey going by providing me information on how to travel though Mexico most cost effectively. I even met people who took me into their homes and graciously fed me some of their favorite traditional (and non traditional) meals; and for all of that, I am forever thankful.

Despite what the media tells us, and what some people in our government try to feed us; Mexico is an amazing country with a beautiful culture and filled with absolutely kind and generous people.

By the time I returned back to San Francisco, I had been gone for 13 months and taken two trips out of Mexico to get my passport stamped. Through all of that time I felt welcome and comfortable around the native people.

I returned back to San Francisco with next to nothing, and so I began another journey, this time in my home city, of putting my life back together.

Why One Good Globe

I’ve always been drawn to travel; desired to see the world through people, culture and food. And while one would expect good graces and encouragement, I’ve often gotten mostly the same reactions from people; warnings and concerns.

I recently realized that I am not alone.

My first journey transpired when I was 16. I had just gotten my drivers licence and my first car, and I told my parents I was interested in driving from where we lived in central Pennsylvania to Arizona. My grandmother lived there, so it seemed like a logical destination.

I set a date, and began my countdown. A few days before I left my parents gave me their “safety” speech, and my father presented me with a AAA membership in the event that anything went wrong with the car during my travels.

The drive was long, but absolutely amazing. I stopped in small towns along the way meeting people who fueled me with encouragement. I had a few bumps, but the majority of the journey was as smooth as still water; flowing, yet manageable.

Long story short, I arrived at my grandmothers home, spent a week or so with her, and drove home more enriched than I had ever felt in my life. I vowed to try to do a cross country drive to somewhere new every summer; and I successfully did 4 more.

My last drive across country was in 2010 when I decided to move to San Francisco, California. I was 25 and itching for something new. I drove from central Pennsylvania to San Francisco in April of 2010 and haven’t looked back, until now.

While I have done quite a bit of traveling since moving to the bay area, I am now about to embark on the farthest and hopefully longest trip of them all.

I am headed to Abu Dhabi this week. I have told many close friends about this trip and have, surprisingly, gotten tremendous encouragement around it (likely because at this point the people who know me well wouldn’t expect any less from me), yet, when I meet strangers and begin to discuss with them my travel plans, they’re almost always trying to warn me to stay out of the Middle East and to try to find a travel partner to join me on my journey.

And that’s why I am here. To show the world that at the end of the day, we are all experiencing life together and ultimately, we’re living on One Good Globe.

I hope you’ll join me in this experience and find your own internal travel bug that itches you hard enough to get out of your comfort zone.

After all, we’re all in this together.

Be Happy. Be Well.