Where in the world is Su the Discoverer?

One more sleep....

When my daughter was a young girl, she enjoyed a TV show called "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?"  Carmen was a young lady who traveled the world, and shared what she learned about the geography, culture and climate of each country she visited.

These days, it seems "Dora the Explorer" is a popular TV character, albeit for a younger crowd.

It seems that there is a great deal of interest in learning more about our world, at least amongst young people.

Me?  I'm just a wanderer, adventurer, discoverer.  "Just".  To some that's a big deal, because not many (I guess) are interested in stepping outside their small, comfortable world and into the world of unknown.  Why I wonder?  Is it fear?  Lack of confidence?  Or lack of curiosity?  So often I hear people say "I will live vicariously through you!"  to which I am sometimes (rarely, actually, depends on the person) tempted to say "You chicken shit!".  Because I know for some people it's fear.  They're afraid of what they don't know, and their fear overcomes their willingness to act.

A few years ago, I took a little online quiz from Career Management called "Kingdomality", and confirmed what I already knew - that my personality type is "Discoverer".  I thought it would be fun to take it again, and what do you know?  The same result.  So I guess it's true.  I'm a Discoverer.  Mostly for myself though I think, I don't anticipate finding any new stars or planets any time soon.

This next trip to New Zealand will most definitely be another journey of Discovery.  Of Exploration.  I will be visiting places that I didn't before, and with a new and more experienced perspective.  A whole different perspective.  The whole reason that I'm going is to discover and explore, and with a few more years of travel experience under my belt.

But mostly what I'm hoping to explore is a new perspective.  I'm going with a friend who has never been before, and interestingly, we weren't really close friends before we started planning for this trip.  But we've discovered (there's that word again) how similar we are, and I am so looking forward to spending time with her, and seeing the country through her eyes.  Even more than that, I've learned which way is up on a decent camera, and a little bit about how to take a half decent picture.  So I'm really hoping that I'll be able to come back with more than a couple of really good photos.  Mind you, New Zealand is probably one of the more photogenic areas of the world, and you'd have to probably really have no clue how to use a camera to not get good pictures.  But I'm looking for the stunning ones.   The ones that people say "Wow!" when they look at them.

I'm hoping to discover the inner artist in me.  I know, I know, I shouldn't have to travel to the other side of the world to find this.  But it will definitely help.  If there's no one around that I know (for the most part, except for my travel companion), then I can really feel free, no inhibitions, no expectations.

So, where in the world is Su the Discoverer?  Inside her head.  Outside her norm.  On the other side of the planet.  Behind her camera.  Looking around, up, down, behind, beside, from someone else's eyes, from below, from above.  Discovering.  Playing, Learning.  Stretching and growing.  And hopefully everyone who lives vicariously through me enjoys the ride.

Four more sleeps, and feeling so grateful

This may be a bit of a sappy post, but since it's my blog, and I don't really care if anyone ever reads it except for me a few years down the road, I'm going to indulge and blurt.

With Christmas only a couple of days away, and the only plan in the works for that blessed day to pack for my upcoming adventure, I have to think about how many people are stressed about the holidays.  In fact, I almost allowed myself to be stressed about spending Christmas Day alone, yet again.  So many times over the years I have spent the bulk of the holiday season at home alone.  It's a difficult time for so many people, and in past years, I have allowed it to be difficult for me, too.  But this year, I have opted to approach it a bit differently.

Many times over the years I have envied those blessed with monetary wealth and their ability to celebrate the Christmas season in the style that I would so have loved to celebrate.  With lots of decorations in a big fancy house with lots of people around all the time, food and wine overflowing, lots of parties, plenty of gifts for everyone and maybe even a few for me.  The past few years Christmas has been spent largely on my own, with only a couple of gifts for my closest family, and simple meals with modest decorations.  Mostly what I saw was what others had that I didn't, instead of seeing what I had that others didn't.

Perhaps it is the reason that in the past few years I have chosen to travel at Christmas time, to avoid feeling "left out" by choosing to leave others out.  Perhaps it has been my own way of celebrating the season and giving myself the ultimate gift of freedom.  Perhaps by cherishing the ability to travel, the willingness to explore the world on my own, and sharing my experiences in my photos and my writing, I am giving others something that they don't have.

So this year, as I prepare to embark on another journey, I am reminded of how many people look at me quite differently than I see myself.  How many people might actually envy me for being able to go somewhere new and different, for not having to spend days shopping and wrapping and decorating and baking and entertaining and the stress of trying to visit all the relatives and the exhaustion that follows.

This year, I'm reminded to feel grateful for all the gifts that I've been given, not just this year, and not just for Christmas.  For all the gifts that I haven't ever had to unwrap, that were never put under a tree or in a stocking, they have just been there all along, but I didn't choose any of them so they are gifts all the same.  I am ever so grateful for:

           Wonderful and loving parents that are still fairly healthy and independent, and still married after more than 60 years.
            An amazing, beautiful, very intelligent and caring daughter who has been blessed with a loving husband and two adorable, bright children
            A large family of very good people
            Countless supportive friends that are good and decent people
            Citizenship by birth of a free and respectable country
            The ability to earn a good living
            The health to enjoy the benefits that a decent job affords me, like travel
           
There.  Maybe some year I will also be blessed with a special someone to lovingly share Christmas Day, but for now, I'm feeling like packing for a trip to New Zealand isn't such a bad way to spend it.

The countdown has begun - T minus 12 days

There are so many things I should be doing right now.   It's only 13 12 10 days till I leave for New Zealand.  That's less time than I will actually be there.  Oh boy, which will go faster, the days leading up to it, or the time there?

Make sure all finances are taken care of.  Make all packing decisions - which clothes do I take?  Still haven't finalized travel to Toronto airport.  Finish Christmas shopping.  Clean the house.  Plan the first couple of weeks back at work.

It has often come to mind that there should be an app that helps plan travel.  A really good one that's flexible and not just one person's idea of how to plan for one kind of travel.  Maybe I'll work on that.

At least all (most) accommodation has been booked, and all (most) tourist-y type of events (i.e. cruise in the fjords) has been booked.  Sometimes I really think I should have been a travel agent.  Or maybe a travel planner/escort.

I'm especially looking forward to seeing the things I missed the last time I was there.  Like....

The Maori experience in Christchurch
The Catlins and Nugget Point Lighthouse
Milford Sound (last time I saw Doubtful Sound)
Penguins - I really need to see penguins

...and so much more.  A side benefit is that now I have a little bit more confidence in the photos that I take, how to take them, how to work with them afterwards to ensure that my viewers see the same thing I saw, even if the camera isn't able to capture exactly that.

But the best part will be in seeing old friends that I really don't get to see very often, making new friends, and meeting new friends that I've only met online till now.  This is what traveling is all about, connecting with the rest of the world, understanding what is different and what is the same, experiencing new culture, new food, new vistas, and reveling in the wonderment of what is possible.

This is going to be so friggin' awesome, and LIFE IS GOOD!!!