As a forty-nine year old Asian female of Chinese-Indian heritage, I was the target of curiosity when I backpacked through India and Nepal for two years. Even now well-meaning folk have exclaimed, “You are travelling by yourself…but all alone?”This question was asked while I was on an island hopping tour from the lush tropical island … Continued
And I Carry On “It is all right if it goes wrong, just keep calm and carry on.” According to the movie, The Book of Life, I am supposed to carry on. I have no choice to carry on with my life. I suppose I can emphasize that my life has not always been perfect. … Continued
Free Yourself in the USA Every now and then, amid the glowing amplifier tubes and resonating floorboards of the stage, the world falls away, and the interlaced instruments pull you onto a higher plane of consciousness. Or unconsciousness… No longer are you selecting notes or willing your fingers across the frets. Chords, scales, and verses … Continued
One Room in the USA I have never left this country. I have not had fun new adventures in exciting faraway lands. I have not been able to tour historical monuments, view fascinating architecture, or visit famous islands. I have not had the privilege of playing the wide eyed foreigner, immersed in an enriching culture … Continued
My mum once said that I take after her grandfather, whom she thought of as being very adventurous. He was the one, who more than a hundred and thirty years ago left China and set sail for Singapore to start a new life.They say the middle child marches to his or her own drum beat.Took … Continued
Goats & Milk in Ukraine by R.J. Fox Before we went to get the milk, my finance Katya and her mother, Elena, decided that it was best for me to wait outside as they entered the small, village grocery shop outside of Dnipropetrovsk in eastern Ukraine. We were in search of edible meat and … Continued
“It’s called the Rainbow Gathering”, repeated the seemingly innocent blonde-haired girl, as we perched on the pavement amidst the hustle-and-bustle of Mexico City’s largest market: El Mercado de la Merced. “It’s hard to explain exactly what it is… I can’t even tell you where it takes place”. I felt that familiar sense of intrigue that … Continued
It’s nothing special to look at, the stretch of Interstate 5 that runs between Sacramento and the tiny California town about one and half hours north where my mom lives. Flat fields, often brown, fade away to low foothills, faintly purple in the distance. You pass the occasional almond orchard or cattle ranch, or perhaps … Continued
Greek Isles Dish Up Independence In 1975, a 22-yr-old serious and exceedingly responsible American woman left her medium-sized U.S. hometown for a trip to Europe. Three months later she came back with a fresh world view, a newly acquired sense of liberation and memories to last a lifetime. As the oldest of four siblings my … Continued
The walled city journey was turning treacherous by the moment. The busy streets, markets made all of us exhausted. We all wanted to rest, find some quiet place to sit and relax. There it was a, dark tunnel like structure that we entered having high anticipation. There was no sound around and the only sound … Continued