Aimee’s World Tour

It’s all mental.  All in your head.  It’s how much you can mentally push your physical capabilities.  It’s how you see the world around you.

My latest journey is especially heavy on the mind.

With a myriad of travel adventures yet unwritten, I have to carefully stow them away for safe keeping while I take on this latest challenge.

Eighteen chapters lie before me in my Ace Personal Training Manual.  Thirty pounds still weigh heavy on my frame.  The freedom of the passport is futile as I return to the country of my youth.   And the price of prancing across continents smacks me in the face as I settle into my parents house and battle NJ’s public transportation or rather lack thereof.

It’s not so glamorous.  Nor mysterious.  But it is vital.

Without a solid base, my life of worldly experiences leaves something to be desired.

So on the bookshelf you go, your pages packed with colorful stamps, dates and cities – your wear and tear – your stories.

But you and I are always partners.  We will reunite one day.  I just have a few things to take care of first.

It may have been sensationalized as hell.

 It may sound like the plot of a bad Hollywood movie.

And maybe there are too many people selling Never Forget paraphenalia to tourists visiting the city.

But the truth is that it DID happen.

Everyone around here knows someone who knew someone.

And no, we’re not gonna forget.

Not today.

Not any other day. 

Every time I enter Port Authority I literally pause at the mini memorial located next to the escalators across from one of those magazine-candy shops.

And I remember.

9.11.2001

A marathon of public transportation and 34 hours later my mother is out on the driveway welcoming me home, trying to carry my heaviest piece of luggage. I give her my purse. It’s good to be back.

I had put a lot of pressure on myself in Thailand regarding studying and attending bootcamp. So much so that I ended up accomplishing nothing. Even more than stressed and confused, I was hungry for home. And yes, now here I am.

I really needed to touch home base.  Sometimes you have to go awfully far to realize that.  And then when you get what you wished for, all of a sudden you’re clawing to get out, to get to your next adventure.

Being home in New Jersey brings so many positives!  However it also has its handicaps.  No car. No public transport.    More or less stranded.  Leaves this world traveler a little pent up.  But then I realize – I’ve got my sneakers.  My ladies US size 8.5 adidas running shoes. 

As my feet pounded the pavement of Pompton Lakes around 2 am, I wondered what in the world I was up to.  Was I really going to get this certification?  Would I ever publish an article? And could I really lose this 35 pounds?  The more I ran, the more the stress melted away. 

Running has always made me feel better.  And in more than once sense of the word.  Whether it’s pumping endorphins or changing addresses, I run. 

Running can either help you find yourself or get you lost.  It’s not always the answer.    There are many sprained ankles, many failed attemps along the way.  It’s up to you to figure out when to run, where to run and how to run. 

And so I always have a pair of sneakers by my side, just in case.

August 25, 2010

I’m exhausted. Yes, I know I’m jet-lagged. And yes I just went hard at bootcamp the last two days. But it’s more than that. Back in the beginning of August I just wanted to return home. I was mentally done. No real permanent location after a while kinda gets to you. Here in Bangkok I have my own room and MAYBE there is other person on my floor so that I have the “shared bathroom” pretty much to myself. My view is even decent. But it’s not home. Something’s missing.

A few winks and suddently the world has shifted.

Countries. Continents. Currency.

But the love and generosity, the attentiveness and the compassion – they do not waver.

When u need only b polite u r kind.

When u need only b present u r helpful.

And now, when it comes time to thank, I have not the words.

My Polish family, take instead my smiles as gratitude, laughter as love, and confusion as a language thing.

Well my friends… I’ve stuck to my guns and will go through my plan to workout in Thailand until I’m healthy. Eat til I’m healthy. Study until I’m learn-ed.
6 more days in Poland and then I fly out. Got a direct flight off of skyscanner.com for $467. Just 10 and a half hours… that’s good for Asia anyways. Now have to track down and reserve SV Guesthouse for 2 months. And pick up an extra pair of sneaks.

laura’s home town on the beach…

feels like I fell out of a box of lucky charms!

fascinating…

I’m in love!