Surrey, and these amazing women ...

Tonight, thanks to Cathy, I found myself sitting in her lounge with a most marvelous group of women. 

We came from Macedonia, Sweden, America x2, England, France, Bulgaria and New Zealand. 

And I found myself adoring both them, and their stories. 

There was so much laughter.  I had met some of them last week, and enjoyed them already.  Tonight was just MORE.

I love that, that where ever I go in the world, I find these marvelous women.  Full of stories and laughter, and kindness and this incredible fellowship ... from the road perhaps but from being women too.

And one of the other marvelous things I'm enjoying about England, are the charity shops.  It's how I met Cathy.  She runs one of them but ... it's also how I met this exquisite Italian L Medici handbag, Italian leather, built to last forever ...  that I so very much couldn't afford in real life but couldn't resist in the world that is secondhand here in Surrey. 

It was beyond reasonable and, just by way, it fits 3 bottles of red wine inside of itself, so very easily.

That Fern Photograph ...

Ferns were the object of my photographic desire when I reached home.  No explanation, I just found myself falling in love with them ...

This photograph, there was so much wrong with it but I love it.  I'm tempted to get it printed Huge. 

There's been a wee bit of blogging done by my self tonight.  I'm trying to turn my curious gaze away from all that is wrong in the world and find some kind of peace of mind. 

But wait ... there was something I almost forgot.  This article was out there this morning and I loved it.  It opens with, and yes, I added (or girl) ...

Date a boy (or girl) who travels. Date a boy who treasures experience over toys, a hand-woven bracelet over a Rolex. Date the boy who scoffs when he hears the words, "vacation," "all-inclusive" or "resort." Date a boy who travels because he's not blinded by a single goal but enlivened by many.

Lena Desmond, extract from Date a Boy Who Travels

Andy Campbell ... an inspiring bloke

I read about Andy Campbell this morning and had to share news of him with you ...

I've embedded his introductory video below but he introduces himself over on his website, starting with this: 'On the 7th of June 2012, eight years after becoming paralysed, I set off from London to travel 30,000 miles around the world in a wheelchair.
Following an idea never before attempted, the record-setting two year adventure will cross four continents and almost every type of natural environment on the planet, from seas to deserts and everything inbetween.'

Sir Richard Burton, a quote

After a long and toilsome march, weary of the way, [the wanderer] drops into the nearest place of rest to become the most domestic of men ...

But soon the passive fit has passed away; again a paroxysm of ennui coming on by slow degrees, Viator loses appetite, he walks about his room all night, he yawns at conversations, and a book acts upon him as a narcotic.

The man wants to wander, and he must do so, or he shall die.
Sir Richard Burton, Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah, 1855