Started the day with birds singing and trees waving against a huge rock wall - felt like I had woken up in a castle! Slept in so just grabbed a banana and an orange to keep me going and made it to the beginning of the programme. Donald Miller is talking on Joseph and John McColl is talking about time. Followed up with conversation groups. After lunch a workshop that involved clay and painting for a Church service. Definitely found people to connect. Lots of walking and healthy salads so I hope it pays off health wise. Funny trying to time co-ordinate the time differences from the other side now! Off for an early night to catch up before I start travelling again.

New Zealand sure is a LONG way away!

Saturday went so quickly - but I did get lots done. Bronwyn sorted and packed my clothes and chaffeured me to the airport.There were a few moments of minor panic but eventually I got to that BEST moment -where you are on the plane - waiting for takeoff and anything not done is going to be left undone.
Straight away the lessons started. Large as I am I was paired in a two seat setting with a larger woman who took up a good portion of my space too. Then the pair ahead in the bulkhead with loads of room reclined fully on us. Their young adult daughter was calling out and talking nonstop. I thought I needed to be patient, show understanding and practise tolerance. However it turned out that after several hours of non-sleep my walk down the back revealed many single occupants sleeping over three seats!It turns out the lesson was to ask for what I needed! I got a seat at the back with an empty seat beside me. I enjoyed the recent New Zealand film My Secret Wedding and other lies. Check it out - an inter-cultural marriage scenario. The rest of the day was spent at the airport until evening and the trip to Charlotte and Asheville.

Got the tickets!

Rain and sun meant lots of rainbows today. Getting the last minute laundry done was a challenge but a Country Music special gave a great musical background to the morning. Multi-tasking was the order of the day so I think I got twice as much done in half the time. Even a last minute hitch to the insurance didn't throw me - apparently I put 2011 instead of 2010 for my thyroidectomy and they were not going to pass me!. Well - I have too much evidence that this trip is meant to be to get upset and sure enough all was resolved. Now I just need to get myself through to Asheville for the next part of the adventure. I arrive at 8.40 Sunday morning so I hope to connect with some facebook friends. I am not sure if I can fit in a Church service? Brunch? Book browsing at Malaprops ? Then I go to Montreat for the conference Being Spiritual in a CrazyBusy world with Donald Miller as the keynote speaker. But there will be a few adventures and new friends before then.

Let the Adventure Begin!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Who knows how many miles will be covered before this journey ends? Much of my trip is unknown as yet but here are the details so far:

Basically I am having an American Summer - June and July in Canada and the US.

LAX to Asheville with time to meet friends before going to Montreat.
Attending "Being Spiritual in a CrazyBusy world Conference with Donald Miller as the Keynote Speaker
Asheville to Halifax for the Virtues Project Global Peer Mentoring Conference at Mount St Vincent University.
Halifax to Prince Edward Island to explore Anne of Green Gables Country.
Halifax to Boston to the Dedham Square community June 8th
Boston to Seattle for the wedding June 18th
Seattle to Oklahoma - "where the waving wheat it sure smells sweet"
Dallas to San Francisco to meet my daughter Bronwyn and support her running her first marathon over the Golden Gate Bridge.

There is room for adventures here! I am ready to go on Roadtrips or plane trips or a Tiki Tour of the city I arrive in. I will post links to items of interest, write about my experiences and generally travel with an attitude of Gratitiude. A heartfelt thanks to those who have encouraged me thus far.

What is your favourite point of interest if you were going ahead on this trip?