It’s been tough to get back to sleep, and needing to be on a phone conference late in the afternoon Seattle time did not help matters. I had a look out the window of my rather swanky hotel room, while wearing a very plush robe and saw this.
Yep, the sky has a little light at 1:15 in the morning (the camera does not show it well). It’s a long time since I’ve been to Scandinavia, I think it was maybe 15 years ago when I went racing in Norway in the middle of the summer, Lillehammer if I recall correctly. Because the nights are so short in the summer you could drive by day light at 2 in the morning. Linkoping is a decent distance further south and the longest day is still a four weeks away, but it does not get much darker than twilight. 
I feel so lucky to have had the opportunities I’ve had to travel the world, and perhaps more importantly the wanderlust to do it. I feel so fortunate to be in the position I am today with such an exciting future ahead of me. I don’t care if I’m a nice hotel room in Sweden with a plush robe or a hostel in Cairns listening to the guy in the bed next to me slurp his noodles, it is all spectacular.
The time I spent traveling in the early 90’s was spectacular, it was a wonderful experience that is right at the top of everything I’ve ever done. As I repeatedly said in my diaries at the time, it’s not just about the trip it’s the people you meet and share the time with. And from all my travels the most memorable, the ones at the top of the list was months spent traveling Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia with Lili. No journey I’ve done since has come close to matching that one in ’92.
Wanting to see the world was inspired by my parents, especially dad, and I will never loose the desire to see what’s over the next hill. I love my life, and today it seems very rich and full.
People I know spend months in Africa, another is cycling through central America right now and another learned Japanese so he could live there. I visited 8 countries last year, and like these people I feel so damn fortunate.
4 Comments
Dave, I understand what you mean about the pleasures of travel. It’s very eloquently put here, it does make life very rich and full.
Dave, you’ve provided some excellent reading material the past couple of days. Who was slurping his noodles?
I did the RTW hostel trip in the mid 90’s, following the new trail and everyone else and hitting the three K’s. Kuta, Kao San and Khunking over 6 months. It was a an experiance that gave life long memories.
You make me think of it again.
About the people. A place us just a place, but other than architecture, people are what put a face on a country/state/city/neighborhood. When you add the goofy guy next to you from another country to the mix, things are sure to get interesting.
Coincidentally, I was mentioning to my friend last night how much I would like to visit Stockholm. I am jealous… Will you get a chance to spend any time there after the working part of your trip?
Another reason to travel – to make friends jealous. ;p