Marg V

Lessons From the Road

All my years of traveling have taught me a number of things.  Here are just some of them:

  1. Pictures:  Taking pictures is the right and expectation of every traveller. Add to this, once you have been on the road for awhile, things start to blend together.  Pictures help you remember all the sights and smells and food and animals and people – all the spectacular things that happened to you.  And digital pictures don’t cost a thing.
  2. Write It All Down:  Take the time each evening/morning to write down the things you have experienced during the day.  Make the effort.  Take the time.  If you forget to write it all down, you will forget it.  And sometime down the road you will be asking yourself what happened on what day and have no answer. Write everything down and leave lots of space.  When you get home you will be able to pencil in  comments, attach pictures in the appropriate spots, attach a map, or paperclip in ticket stubs/itineraries/postcards/letters ~ all the momentos of the trip.
  3. Pack Light: Take what you really need, and leave the rest at home.  Unless you are going to the back side of Borneo, there will be an opportunity to purchase any extra odds n sods along the way. 
  4. Find a Post Office: Once you have reached maximum load, find the post office and start mailing things home.  Chances are the packages will still be arriving long after you have arrived home.  Almost like an extended Christmas season during the summer (if that happens to be when you were traveling).  It will be up to you whether you decide to send your clothes home before laundering though.  😉
  5. Foreign Sunsets: When traveling, take the time to take the time.  Enjoy the sights. And pause a moment to see the setting of the day on another horizon.  It will make you appreciate life more – and appreciate what you have at home more.
  6. Keep them posted: Some people live vicariously through their friends/family that travel.  Posting on an internet site or periodic emails with picture attachements makes everyone feel closer, helps loved ones back home rest easier and shares your joys and discoveries along the way.  Remember to send something to yourself as well (beside the dirty laundry). Sometime in the future you will be able to look back and remember the whole trip again. As well, in the event that something does happen (heaven forbid), someone somewhere will know where you are.
  7. Go With The Flow: When traveling, do not get hung up on schedules unless of course it means missing connections, flights, ferries or other onerous/precise travel arrangements.  If you miss them because of your own silliness – yes it’s okay to be perturbed (at yourself), but if  you leave your traveling until Christmas Eve and the snow storm of the century moves in on you… give it a rest.  Mother Nature is calling the shots and there is nothing you can do about it. Getting snippy and snarky with everyone and anyone demonstrates your jerkiness.
  8. Pick 2 Points: Every day when entering into your travel journal pick a high point of the day and a low point.  Whether the high point of the day was snorkeling with sting rays and the low point of the day was having to get out of bed before noon – pick one of each and make a note of it.
  9. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff: If the map you have doesn’t show what you want, then get another one.  If the old lady in front of you in the lineup at the ticket booth misplaces her ticket – breathe deep. Nothing is going to make things move any faster  and it will just upset you more. 
  10. Gas Up When You Can: This applies to food, water and fuel.  When you get the chance to eat, eat!  When you get the chance to put gas in your tank, gas up! When you have a moment to sip some water, drink!  When you have the chance to use the bathroom, …well you get the picture.  Nothing sets the wrong tone more than just passing the gas station and then seeing the sign saying “Last Gas for 300 miles”. 
  11. Leave the Office AT the Office:  There is nothing you can do about things at home when you are on the road and worrying about what is going on back home just robs you of the pleasure of the voyage.  Enjoy the moment.  You’ll be back home soon enough and wishing you were still on vacation.
  12. ENJOY YOURSELF – I think this one is self explanatory   😉
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Published by Marg V

Welcome to my blog. As a bit of a background ~ I am a senior aged woman who lives on Vancouver Island, Canada. But first and foremost, I am a motorcycle enthusiast. Here on the coast, even though we are Canadian, there is an opportunity to ride all year round (although some days during the winter are "iffy"). I used to ride a relatively 'small' cruiser as defined in today's market - a Canadian Anniversary Edition 2008 Vstar 650 Silverado which was a bike I truly fell in love with. Although it was a smaller bike, to be honest I'm a smaller woman. I stand 5' 2" in my stocking feet and only have a 27" inseam, which rules out quite a few of the bikes out there. In 2013 I had the opportunity to upgrade to a monster cruiser - a 2009 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic. From there it was a 2016 Harley Davidson Heritage Soft tail. Come 2023 I lucked in to a 2022 Heritage which a friend promptly told me needed to be named Yaahl (Haida for Raven). Anyways - as we travel along this road we call life I'll reveal a bit more about myself (at some points it might prove to be too much). Come along with me.

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