I made my goodbyes to Maggie, Henry and England and took the overnight coach, via ferry, to the Netherlands. One of my closest friends lives in the Netherlands and I was excited to see him and looking forward to meeting his new girlfriend. The first evening I met his new girl and she is adorable. I hope that I get to know her better over the next few weeks I will be spending in the area.

The three of us went to the Floriade World Horticultural Expo. This special expo happens once every 10 years in the Netherlands and I am very glad I got to experience it; and better yet with pleasant company. Being as it was an "expo" there were some very commercial pavilions - what expo doesn't. There were many interesting things through out the grounds and I found a lot of "living" (flora) inspiration for my feng shui practice. I really enjoyed my time wandering through the various gardens and exhibits.

On Tuesday my friend and I explored the Kinderdijk Mills. Currently 19 windmills stand ready to pump water to higher ground. Over the years the Dutch have mastered the battle against the water and the information at this UNESCO World Heritage site is very informative. Through modernization, the mills are not used for everyday use; however they are all functional and can be put to use if the current system fails or becomes strained - though I don't think they could actually handle the capacity needed for an extended period of time.

The remainder of the week I explored on my own, relaxed, and caught up on my blog. It doesn't make for exciting travel content, that's for sure.

On Saturday I got to enjoy my friend's son's football (soccer) game and enjoyed witnessing their first win of the season 5 - 3. As I enjoyed the game, not being able to say much for encouragement as my Dutch is limited, I reminisced about the sports my children participated in. A parent's enthusiasm and encouragement of their child knows no cultural borders and the time spent at the field was exciting.

That night I had to head to the server farewell party of a game I play. It was good to talk to my gamer friends as we shot off fireworks and discussed our plans on the new merged server. I anxiously await the opening of the merged server and can't wait to see my friends on the otherside. I know I will not be playing with them for another 10 or so months, but it was great to chat with them for the few hours and look forward to building my "Reckless" avatar upon my return (starting her over from level 1).

The next day the three of us ventured to Apenhuel. Apenhuel is a zoo dedicated to apes. Many of the primates roam freely and you can get quite close. Usually when you think of monkeys and apes in a zoo they are confined to a small area in the park. This park was as large, if not a bit larger, than some of the larger zoos I have been to. The habitats were amazing and I found myself looking behind the scenes to see how they managed to keep them all enclosed in the park. Great day at the zoo!

Netherland Photos Here

I have always found it hard to share of myself with others and there are times that I have shared more and less through these posts. Today I was inspired by an acquaintance who recorded one of my favorite songs, "Your are my Sunshine." The song was done wonderfully in a country style and his voice and timbre was a melding of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. He removed his FB post too soon as his self doubt crept in, an artists/creators common demon, before I could post a reply to his comment of my comment. We then private messaged back and forth a bit. I understand his trepidation at giving of himself and not sure of how it will be received nor if it should be received. I encourage him to continue doing what he is doing, not just for my selfish reason of being touched by his musical gift, but for his growth as a person and artist.

So now, I take my own advice. At least for today I give a bit more of myself than I usually would, not because I think what I have to say has any value in and of itself, but because it might have value to someone to know that there is another that fights similar struggles as they do.

This week was full of the ups and downs of emotional detoxing. The build up of needed emotional release over the past 2 months, the disappointment and joy in relationship changes, the exhilaration of completing the first part of my journey, the fear of the upcoming portions, the feeling of internal isolation, the feeling of bare emotional exposure, and so much more all accumulated into one ball of confusion. The need for release was overwhelming and I found myself wishing for a shoulder to cry on but afraid to ask for it. I considered going back to the US while I still had the money to "start over" properly and the regrets I would harbor if I did. I contacted friends and family via FB, Skype or e-mail to purge the feeling of isolation. I took long hot showers to pull the ever flowing tears from my eyes. I lay awake at night wishing there was someone that really understood me and how I ticked and that they were nearby to share my fears and doubts while not casting judgement on my fleeting, flittering thoughts. I walked and infused my senses at the beauty of the changing Autumn colors. I sat and contemplated my relationships and interactions with others. I planned, organized, and anguished over the next steps to my journey. So here I am regurgitating those feelings and find that they are not as profound as they were last week. Their bite has subsided to a mere throb, perhaps they will be but a fading bruise by the next week. I now find the strength I need to continue, no longer paralyzed by the overwhelming sense of emotional feeling, y I feel the fear of self doubt coursing through my head as I publish this post. I overcome and I grow as a person and creator. Thank you Jay.

P.S You might have noticed, but if not, I have added links to past posts to the respective photo album.

The sailing course over, we all left Cowes together on the ferry to South Hampton. Vicky and I sad our goodbyes to the sisters from Ireland as they headed to the airport and she and I caught the shuttle to the train. Vicky and I traveled together towards London and we parted our separate ways. The final parting from my week of sailing left me feeling a bit empty; however, I was heading to the home of a friend of my sister and mother, so all would be well.

I made my way by tube and bus to Maggie and Henry's (the dog) home and my home for a week. Maggie insisted on feeding me well and took me around to the nearby sights and was a great host. Maggie and Henry do a bit of volunteer work for the Pets As Therapy organization and visit various adult care homes and schools as part of their commitment. Maggie also helps organize Help for Heros, which helps various other organizations that assist injured veterans. Quite a full plate for this retired police inspector.

Since I had been to London, albeit briefly, before, there were a few things I did not need to "see" on this trip and it was wonderful that Maggie took me around to some sights I might not have seen at all.

Our first day out included a boot sale (sort of like a flea market) and a visit to Syon House and Garden. There was a special photo opp for Henry at the Garden Center and so I left Maggie and Henry as I went to explore the house and gardens. The house is used by the current Duke of Northumberland and I had previously visited Alnwick Castle, which is another residence of the Duke. Alnwick Castle is a location where the learning to fly and the learning about quidditch scenes of Harry Potter were filmed (I know I forgot to tell you about my journey there in the previous Edinburgh post. I also went to the Rosslyn Chapel, made more noticeably famous by the author Dan Brown. I would recommend taking a look at both places). Near the very end of the house tour, a guide came up to me and started telling me all bits of interesting tidbits about the house and showed me into some closed off rooms. Yahoo for the special insider tour, wish I would have had that guy with me the entire time!

The next day Maggie and I headed to Windsor. Again, I left Maggie while I went to explore the castle. WOW! best describes the grounds and the castle. There was so much to see from the dollhouse, which even had working plumbing, to the cathedral. The guided audio tour was very informative and each room had a person available to answer any questions. After my tour, Maggie and I enjoyed some Starbucks before heading back home.

The next day I headed out on my own to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Ok, maybe you have figured out by now that I like Harry Potter. If not, it should be clear to you now. The studio tour was fantastic! It was great to see some of the sets and props that were made for the movies. It did take me a bit to get used to a pleasant Draco's voice fort the audio tour. If you are a Harry Potter fan, the tour is a must see/do thing. Unfortunately my camera had taken a dive to the ground a few days before and though I could use it, when I had to change the battery, I could no longer turn off the flash and oooh, I hate the flash. Luckily it had lasted most of the tour, but still was irritating to be flashing about the place at the end.

Not yet done with the London area, the next day I headed on my own for the city center. I enjoyed taking the tube and walking around the city. I spent a bit of time at the Globe Theater and walked to the Tower Bridge (passing the London Bridge) and experienced the London Dungeon, which was a bit of history with a lot of special effects and theatrical bits (nowhere near Halloween Horror Nights but still fun).

On Thursday my host took me around to some memorials and in the afternoon I treated her to Mamma Mia on the stage. We enjoyed the show and were dancing and singing in our seats. I know she really liked it because she had a huge grin in her face the entire time.

Friday was my last day in London and I made my final stops to Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament, the London Eye, and Buckingham Palace before I caught my bus that evening.

London Photos Here
Harry Potter Tours Photos Here

The first part of my trip done, I now prepare to head to the "mainland" of Europe. I find myself not quite ready to tackle language barriers that I know will come. I also am a bit homesick, which I find strange because I am not the type that usually gets homesick. When I was a little girl I was the one that hated to go home and always wanted to stay longer, so it is a different feeling for me (it even took my sister's help to recognize what I was feeling). I also now need to make decisions on the route I will take through Europe and need to get a good center before getting organized.

Everyone who knows me a bit knows that I love the sea and even though I was born and raised in the most land locked state in the union (Kansas), the ocean has always called me. One of the things I have always wanted to learn to do is sail and I decided to take a sailing course during my year long odyssey and booked a course through Girls for Sail in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

From Penzance I took the train to South Hampton and found my way to the ferry station to complete my journey to Cowes. I noticed a lady with a backpack on the shuttle from the train and wondered at that time if perhaps she was a student for the course as well. She was in front of me in queue and I overheard her asking for a return on the next Friday afternoon, the possibility was getting closer. I purchased my ferry ticket and made my way to where she was standing and asked. Yes, she was also attending the course. What a great way to meet my future roommate, Vicky. :)

Cowes is a sailing town and its inhabitants are all involved in sailing/shipping and usually in more than one way. If you look to the harbor from South Hampton or Cowes one is bound to see ships and boats of all sorts from huge tankers to small dinghies.

The course I was taking, as implied by the company's name, is for women only and offers women the opportunity to learn without the pressures of learning with men on board. Sorry guys, but it is true, most of you are competitive and that is not the best environment for us women to learn in.

Vicky and I made our way to our home for the week, "Diamonds are Forever"and met our instructor, Harry (Harriet). Vicky and I plopped down our bags and we headed to meet the other two students at a local pub for introductions and dinner.

While at the pub a wheelchair bound, 16-year old girl was escorted in by her friends and family as they were all celebrating her solo sail around the Isle of Wight - an amazing feat for anyone, in my opinion, but phenomenal considering that she controlled her boat by her mouth only. Congrats again Miss Isle, you are an inspiration to us all!

After introductions, dinner, drinks and fellowship, we all headed back to our boat and settled in for the night as in the morning we would set sail. I was excited and anxious and though I know it is hard to "fail" the Competent Crew course, I still wanted to learn as much as I could in the 5 days I had. Of the students on board, 2 of us were taking the Competent Crew course and neither of us had ever done any previous sailing, the other 2 were each taking their Day Skipper course and, of course, had a bit of sailing experience and later in the week, another Day Skipper would join us.

We had an eventful week in which I learned the ropes (literally) of sailing. I learned the difference (and the similarity) of a tack and a gybe. I learned what everything on board was called and what it did. I hoisted the mainsail, I learned the points of sail, how to read the tale tell signs, and how to tie a bowline (as well as many other knots). It was not an easy week. My shins were covered in bruises, my arms ached, and when I was at the helm my nerves were a bit frazzled. We also had some experiences that I think were not necessarily normal; however, they did make for a memorial course.

Girls For Sail Photos Here

After my course I can confidently say that I could see myself crewing a sailing vessel. I learned a lot and though sailing itself is quite an easy concept, it does take time to master and can be physically demanding but a lot of fun. I look forward to working under my favorite skipper in the future - I can't wait to sail along with you Shawn!

P.S. I was the only one willing to strike the pose for the camera. :)

09/26/2012
Due to bad internet connection for a few weeks, frustrations with the Webbly iPod app, and Snapfish issues, I apologize for the 3 week gap in blog posts. Luckily Weebly has updated the app with an added feature I needed during the frustrations, so all should be good going forward. I was going to give you a 3 for 1 special; however, I can tell you are getting antsy for a post, so here is part 1 of the last 3 weeks.

09/09/2012
Last Christmas I received a set of bracelets that have little charms on it. One of the charms is a wee bee. As I was on the train from Manchester to Oxford I was fiddling with that wee bee and noticed that there was a small crystal set for its head and wondered why I had not noticed this little jewel since I received the bracelets but was delighted in this surprising find. To my surprise, my next week in England would be just as delightful.

Oxford is a wonderful university city and is very accessable by foot and does offer a hop-on-hop-off bus if one would rather ride. The vibe in Oxford is very inviting and encourages curiosity. Oxford University is actually made up of 39 colleges, each with their own special flare and feel. I joined one of the free tours and learned about the history of the city and where the more notable colleges could be found. After the tour, I took to exploring some of the colleges myself. Some of the colleges are not open to the public, others charge a small fee to see their quads, gardens and chapels, and others are available for free; though many requested a fee, I was lucky enough to see many of the ones I went to for no cost by just asking the stewards for a look. For any Harry Potter fan, there are quite a few locations around Oxford that were used for on location filming.

From Oxford I took a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick. My error was to do both of these in one day as each really required a day on their own. Stratford-upon-Avon is rich in the history of Shakespeare. If not traveling by car, which I was not, I would recommend the hop-on-hop-off bus just for the transportation to Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's Farm, both must see locations in the area.

Warwick Castle, though a bit commercialized, has some great exhibitions. The town itself has some wonderful things to experience as well.

After my stay in Oxford I traveled through Bath to Exeter. I had never heard of Exeter before I picked it as my destination and I found it to be full of surprises and was glad I stayed there instead of Bath. There are many free tours of the city and the evening of my arrival I joined the ghost tour. The tour guide was one of the best storytellers I have met so far along my travels and there was more than once I felt goosebumps rise on my arms as he weaved his tales. The last stop on our ghost tour brought us to a pub in which we made our way to the basement to hear a ghostly tale and to view a skeleton (behind glass) that was found during some excavations there. Who would have guessed that a skeleton was in the basement of a pub?! The next morningI opted for the self guided walking tours of the town walls and medieval past in which I found catacombs at the cemetary and Exeter's Underground. The Underground is the medieval waterways and was a very interesting tour - not sure it is worth the normal entry fee but I was there duirng a Heritage Weekend, so the admission was fee. There is also a self guided Woollen Trail, which I did not have time to do before I left Exeter.

From Exeter I stayed the next night in New Quay (pronounced Key). New Quay was not really my type of place. Imagine New Orleans and Key West put together and you have New Quay - quite fitting merger of names ;). The hostel I stayed in was part of the bar below it and did not host a common room (that was the bar) nor a kitchen (that was the bar) as most hostels do. The night scene on the street was full of people partying to the max and many of them in various costumes (rabbit, cowboy, hula girl, etc.). I was glad that New Quay was just a stop over for me as I was ready to head out to Penzance early the next morning, unfortunately for me and 2 other girls, the first bus left without us! In our defense, the bus was not at the proper bus stand and it had the incorrect route number listed - apparently the lady at the counter thought we should have just known that was our bus. Since we had an hour and a half to wait for the next bus service, we went together to enjoy a full breakfast.

The bus ride to St. Ives was beautiful. Cornwall has rolling hills, woods with hiking trails, and a never ending coastline, which is a trail as well. As the area is long but not wide, you can quickly see all three within 30 minutes. Though I was traveling by bus, I think to really enjoy all Cornwall has to offer, a car would be best.

St. Ives was a bus stop for me, but I took an hour or so to explore the town center and the beach. The town itself is set on a hill overlooking the coast. The hill from and to the bus station was quite steep, but the views from there were great!

Next stop, Penzance! Because I was in the Pirates of Penzance and also worked costuming for the K-State Players production, I just HAD to go to Penzance and I am glad to say I was NOT disappointed! Though it was a bit hard to get to almost the Lands End, it is worth a stop over if you enjoy the feel of a town that is centered around the seafaring life. Now, don't get me wrong, Penzance is a modern as any other place in England, but you can feel the history oozing from its pores and if you look carefully you can find it all from fisherman to sailors to pirates. One of the treasures I found was the Admiral Benbow. This pub is decorated with artifacts from various shipwrecks that were along the Cornish coast and has been in existence since the 1600's. I was lucky enough, if you call it that, to arrive at the same time as a psychic medium and got to tag along as she made contact with various spirits. Unfortunately I was only to be in Penzance for one day as I needed to head to my sailing course in Cowes, so I did not get to see St. Michael's Mount up close (not open on Saturday and that was when I was there). St. Michael's Mount is accessable by foot at low tide and I was looking forward to walking across, but it will have to be another time.

Oxford Photos Here
Stratford-Upon-Avon Photos Here
Exeter Photos Here
Cornwall Photos Here

This past week I had very spotty internet connectedness and though at times not having internet connection was a pain, it was also nice not to have access and contact with everyone this past week. Yes, the net allows me to keep in touch with my friends and family, but I find that there are times I enjoy not being followed so closely. I know it was my idea to keep this blog to keep everyone posted, but it is not always an easy task to keep up and each week seems to come upon me quicker and quicker. Perhaps not having internet and then having issues with Weebly and Snapfish have given me a bit of time for a needed break in sharing my travels and thoughts with everyone.

I have really been on the go this week and am anxious about my sailing course this coming week, I hope I am up to the task of being a crew member.

This week travel began in Edinburgh, Scotland. I arrived the day after The Fringe Festival had ended. During this month long arts festival, street performers, live shows, musical venues, artists wares, etc. fill the town of Edinburgh. Though the festival was offically over, many street performers and artist booths could still be found as well as the final performances of some of the live shows and without the huge crowds. All along my trip everyone told me how wonderful Edinburgh was and they were not mistaken. Edinburgh is steep in history and has many museums in which you can get that history from various points of view. I spent 3 days in the city but could have filled at least another day or two. I will warn everyone that Edinburgh is built on a hill so there are a log of ups and downs (would be the perfect place to train for the AT). Since this was my last stop in Scotland I did try the haggis and was not really impressed but nor was I disgusted.

For the Harry Potter fans that follow my blog, there is much attributed to the novels in the Edinburgh area. J.K. Rowlings spent time at the Elephant Shop Cafe where she wrote her notes about a boy wizard on napkins. In a nearby graveyard many names that are within the novels can be found, even Tom Riddle. The private school behind that same graveyard gave inspiration to the 4 houses of Hogwarts and just walking through the streets, one can definitely get a feel for Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, not to mention the HUGE banks that could have been inspiration for Gringots. I would definitely recommend Edinbrugh for anyone wishing to make a Harry Potter odessy tour.

While in Edinburgh I made a new friend from Shanghai, Tracy. Tracy (her Anglo name) is a 34 year old woman who just quit her position and took a month long holiday to the UK and was heading back home to look for a new job. I hope she made it home safely and wish her luck in job hunting.

With my Scotland tour wrapped up, I headed to England with York being my first stop. York is fairly small but chock full of character! The two "must see" things are the York Minster and the Chocolate Experience. I would also recommend taking a walk around the old city walls as well as wandering around the streets. As it happened I was there on market day, as if there was not enough shopping in York, the market was the icing on the cake! Fresh fruits, veggies, breads, eggs, meat, as well as crafts and clothes could be found. It was nice to have this option instead of the local grocery store.

I made another new friend in York, Eve (not her real name again). Eve is from Taiwan and was scouting out various towns and their Universities to complete her graduate work. She is majoring in Women's Studies and hopes to help bring about change in her native country. She too was heading home and I know she will be happy to see her family again.

From York I headed to Manchester. I have to admit, I was not planning on going to Manchester but one of my roommates in York LOVED it so much, that it sounded like a place I should check out. My first impressions of Manchester were not very good. It is a much larger city and has a different vibe than the last places I have been recently. There is a lot of clubbing going on and the surface seems to cater to the partying crowd. After getting through the top layers, one can find that Manchester does have a lot to offer. My favorite things were the Peoples Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the John Ryland Library (made to look like a gothic church but built as a library) - all free to the public. I also went through the football (soccer) museum because if you are in Manchester, you just have to do it! (free as well)

Edinburgh Photos Here
Northumberland Photos Here
York Photos Here
Manchester Photos Here

The weeks are now starting to fly by! Two weeks ago I wondered if I could really be away from "real life" for a year, if that was too long to be gone; that perhaps I should cut the trip off around 6 months. This week I wonder if a year will be enough. I give my sole to the universe and trust that it will help guide me to where I need to be, when I need to be there and that I will know when the time is right.