Tuesdays by myself

It seems an unavoidable truth that when I travel, some days my introversion wins out over my extraversion.

 I inevitably long to wander by myself and enjoy the company of myself.

I remember this same sensation when we were in france and felt its familiar form seeping into my bones on Tuesday. Luckily, I make for fantastic company, so I was well on board with this plan for the day and could afford to take the whole day to make up a plan as I went.

This post is about a day I spent simply, with no touristy desires, and shall be told in the form of travelling quotations...

Phase one; where should I go? I do not know what I feel like doing, or where I feel like being. I do not know what to do.

“It is solved by walking.” – Algerian proverb

And so my mind was given time and space to tinker with its thoughts as I bundled up in a scarf and beanie and jacket, gave my head some music and stepped out into the cold (which just for the record I am continually surprised by when I step out of a warm apartment) and began to walk. I find it thrilling how quickly I become happy and excited by the dissonance between the chilling cold air and the heat from my blood when I begin to walk harder. It makes me laugh and grin and feel happily tired and alive; I look like a total crazy person walking along the side of the road laughing to myself. It's excellent. But I realised I had to choose where I was going. Did I go to the bus stop and go into the city, or did I wander and explore the small town near my brothers house that I could probably walk to within 40 minutes?

Phase two; The decision to wander.

“Half the fun of the travel is the aesthetic of lostness.” – Ray Bradbury

The decision was made as I saw a case of stairs winding from the road up into the trees and heard my brain say the familiar phrase "I wonder where that leads?" and of course, my feet were already leading us over the road towards the curiosity. I suspected these might be the notorious "fireman's steps" that my Dad told me about (supposedly exhausting training steps) and I remembered they probably lead into the town. Upwards we go!

CONQUERED!

Phase three; Streets be my friend.

“The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.” – G. K. Chesterton

Let's hope that eidetic brain function kicks in soon and that you took a good look at that google maps overview of this town before you left the house, because we have no internet or way to look up where we're walking... you're on your own here Lis. Excellent :D The next hour was a lovely walk with myself along the rainy streets, stopping of course to enjoy the gravity defying sensation of a swing that I found along the way (if you know my stories, you'll know I have an affinity for many odd things, one of which is swings. And I never miss an opportunity to swing on one), kicking up leaves, playing with a dog, admiring the Christmas-decorated beautiful houses in the winding streets and just generally happily accepting any little sights, smells and sounds the streets of the town had to offer me as I wandered along thinking my little thoughts.

Other people's houses

WARNING Seesaw ahead!

With other people's little suburban lives in them

Eventually I even managed to end up in the town I was aiming for!

Finding the coffee shop I had been told about, however, was a little less easy. Dad had mentioned this place that I apparently had to find, but had given me only the details of...

"It shall remain nameless... for I cannot remember the name. I think it's next to a store called Simplicity Decore"

Great. So now cue me wandering around Downtown Kirkland having now also forgotten the full name of Simplicity Decore and only remembering "decore". I stepped into an odd tea shop, took a little breath and hesitated as I realised how dumb I was about to sound... then proceeded to say it anyway...

"Hey! So, I realise I'm about to ask for help finding a place with really vague and unhelpful clues, but is there any chance you know a coffee place in this town next to a place that might have the word 'decore' in it?"

Biting my lip and thinking I sound like a complete moron, when much to my surprise the assistant's face lit up as the reply came back "Oh, yeah! <insert name, I've already forgotten it again dammit> I love that place!"

And suddenly I had directions, thus bringing us to...

Phase three; Coffee, Calvino and Company

“Most of my treasured memories of travel are recollections of sitting.” – Robert Thomas Allen

The door gave a pleasant tinkle as I stepped into the warm cafe from the street. The walls were lined with photos of their most faithful customers and the room was decked out with little tables and chairs, long desks and big squishy couches and sofas. A friendly young guy grinned at me from behind the messy marble countertop and asked what I'd like. Yes, this would be my home for the day. I ordered a cappuccino, already excited to eat the foam, and settled down into the depths of one of the large couches, and began to let my mind be enchanted and drawn far away by the words of Mr. Calvino. (A really good book full of insightful and odd short stories that I fall in love with and then later lose in another story to a guy I meet in the markets. I do this knowingly, but still lament my loss, sigh. This story is continued in another chapter.)

This cosy mental travel throughout time and countries through the words and thoughts of another took me through three hours and another large cup of "Mind Tea" before we met our next character; S. At some point when I was reading, a young woman and an older man sat down on the couch opposite me and also began to read. I stole a glance over my book to check out what they were each reading and scan my new companions. The young woman was beautiful, with the charm of an artsy dark haired, dark eyed, slouching-beanie clad 20-something, reading a book about climate change, the man was older, white hair and glasses, looked intelligent and confident, I forget what he was reading. I became lost in my book a while longer till I began to catch notes of a conversation drifting over the top of my book. I peeked over to see another young man crouched near me chatting to the girl about the book and an upcoming Christmas party they evidently both knew of before hand. The evesdropping and secret smile at their jokes soon turned to banter and chatter and before you knew it we'd all met and were roaring at jokes and stories as though we'd known each other for years.

These people had the feel of a home, something I could have had if I had chosen to stay here in America. But eventually night was rapidly approaching and it was time for us all to head off again. I saw them off and spent a little time packing up before giving the amazing tea maker another tip and heading out into the evening.

The view as I stepped outside. Isn't my town pretty?

Phase four; Little rattling bus home

“Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God.” – Kurt Vonnegut

I sat happily enjoying the little rattles, twists, turns and bumps of the bus I was beginning to know well; the 255 (the one and only bus I know how to take) and rode it all the way back to Forbes Creek Drive where I hopped out, thanking the bus driver for getting us all home safe, and shoved my hands down into my pockets and began the walk home.

It's odd, but the mile walk in the dark along the wet-leaf lined road from the bus stop to the apartment is almost my favourite part of every days adventure. It's the final round up to every day and has all the essential elements for an introspective scrubs-voice-over-style wrap up; Cold, warm clothes, the briskness of the walk, being solo, beautiful nature, little houses with dim lights and smoke wafting from chimneys, a full day of memories and experiences for my mind to mull over, music, happy exhaustion and just long enough to make you tired, but not so long that you resent the walk at all.

I had a lovely day of not being touristy, of being chilled out and happy and solitary, and a little bit melancholy. I'm going to miss this place. I'm going to miss travelling; the freedom of anonymity and impermanence and the spirit of adventure. So here is the final thought that I leave today with, my final quote and love note to a day spent wandering solo...

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.’” 

– Lisa St. Aubin de Teran