On the last day of January I cleared out my apartment and said goodbye to New York City, the place I'd come to know as home for the last 3 years. I was excited, scared, and cold. I rented a car and with a few belongings and my beloved Derby Blue, I drive upstate to the frozen town of Redwood, New York. After 3 months of an artist residence there - and just when it was beginning to thaw! - Derby and I flew to Oregon to stay in Nick's college house during his last month of school (from where I flew to California to see my family and Florida for a family wedding of Nick's).
Back to the suburbs of New York to stay at Nick's dad's (on the couch, in his high school bed, in his sister's room) and his mom's (on the murphy bed, on the pullout couch), back and forth from the city to stay with friends.
Next we departed for our trip, flying from JFK to Dusseldorf, and finally to Nice, where we were picked up by Markus the English farmer and driven to Villeneuve Loubet, where I slept in an illegal caravan at the edge of the farm's property. 2 weeks there then a rented apartment in Paris, then a little room in a big chateau in Sacy-le-Petit. Next I flew from Paris to Palermo and took a train to Balestrate, where Nick's sister Danielle has graciously let me stay in the room atop her 3 story house. Are you tired yet? I am.
When Nick and I started planning this trip it was last October. I had been living in the same place for 3 years, in a job where I wasn't happy, and my "gypsy blood" (my mother's words) was kicking in. Now, after 7 months of travel I long to have a home base. I want my own place, or at least my own room. I want to have my things around, my things that I miss: My silky comforter, my little gold jewelry box, and most of all my dog Derby Blue, who's in California being taken care of by my brother.
You all keep asking me "Why are you ending your trip?!" but I want to be home now. I want to get a job where I can write and start making money again. I haven't been employed since December and my savings will not last forever. I want to be able to sit on my couch and read without feeling like a guest on borrowed time in a borrowed room.
If you don't understand that's ok, because it's something that I have to do for myself. I have had an amazing 7 months and I appreciate everyone I have met and the great hospitality they have showed myself and Derby. Nicole of betterFarm, Aliah, my best friend, for letting me stay at her apartment for a weekend while she was away so I could feel like I had a home, Ian, Nick's roommate, Nick's wonderful and giving parents Steve and Fran, farmers Fabrice and Markus, Rhea for her friendship, Hermine of Chateau de Sacy, and Danielle, Nick's amazing sister, for her understanding and patient hospitality.
For the past week I've been securing a place to stay in New York, searching apartments, and applying to jobs (and going to the beach - I am in Sicily). Tomorrow, after just over a week in Sicily, I fly from Palermo to Munich to Berlin to New York.
I fully support Nick's continued travel. After just graduating college and being in the same place for 4 years, I encourage him to keep going. To keep moving east, like he plans to. I'll continue to follow Nick through Barnstormers and I know you will too. To follow me and my adventures in New York, go to Sugarheart. Thank you for joining me in my travels, you have all been a part of it.
