As most of you already know by now, I'm back in Cali. Since you've asked, and as a fitting end to the blog, here are a few musings in answer to the usual post-trip questions...

"Was it worth it?" Even with the unexpected car-accident expense (big bummer!), the answer is yes. I gained so much more on this trip than I ever expected. I expected challenges, an increase in self-confidence, to do a lot of writing and meet a lot of people. All of these things happened, and more! I didn't anticipate the extent to which traveling ALONE would be so meaningful for me. This may have been the most significant part of my trip...the gift of being able to explore in total freedom...with no one to dictate when, where, or how...and no one's interests to manage but my own. This trip was the first time in my life that I had that kind of freedom, and it was exhilarating. So many prickly "stuck" emotional things in me began to break-up, shift, move, dissolve, and grow as a result of having this freedom. I feel like I know and embrace myself more now than at any point previously in my life. These are the kinds of changes which are the hardest to describe and the most significant. It is very exciting!

"Was it as wonderful as you said in your blog?" I was just asked this the other day and the answer is an emphatic YES! Of course there were lonely moments, times when my feet hurt, nights when I had a hard time sleeping. But all of those occur at home, too. Instead, what I found was that, because I was on the road, little annoyances became just part of the adventure and didn't bother me nearly as much as they would have at home. In being open to all the new sights, sounds, people, thoughts and feelings that came my way during my travels, I also was more flexible, more relaxed, and more accepting of detours and delays. The frantic drive to do-it-all-now! was gone, and I let each day take its own shape according to my mood, my energy level, the weather, and the unique rhythmn of the specific time and place I was visiting.

Me and the rooftop folks @ 24-hour bistro in St. Petes

"Where are you going next?" Whatever the destination, the next trip can't happen soon enough! Lots of ideas for future trips have occured to me. At present, I am hoping to take a cheaper trip to Alaska sometime next year. For my next big trip, I am currently considering a Mediterranean jaunt that would include the islands of Greece, of course, Rome, and perhaps the north coast of Africa.

So thank you to everyone for sharing this journey with me...I loved having you along! I look forward to sharing pictures when I see you all next...and, as I already have, catching up with the events in your lives. Love you all!!