We recently took an extended road trip from the east coast to the west coast and back again, with stops in between. Along the way we visited 3 national parks and family. As usual, I find that traveling triggers a lot of thoughts in me. I think all told it was over 6000 miles.
I often wonder how I would be different if I lived in another location.
How would I be different if I lived in Oklahoma or in California or in Las Vegas or...every once in a while we saw signs: Home of [some famous persons, who no longer lives there and are now known throughout the world] -- how must it seem to no longer be a citizen of a particular place, but have a larger world view?
What styles of dress, speech, and cosmetic usage are prevalent there?
What dialect of Americanese English would be spoken? Would I begin to say words to fit in -- or maybe without even noticing -- such as 'aint' or using a double negative? Or, if I had moved overseas, outside the US to live, not just visit, how would it have changed me?
What would it be like to live in a small town or a big one? How would it change me?
Of course, this has direct bearing on my two Chinese daughters, for their lives have been inexorably changed by becoming American citizens and no longer living in China or with Chinese speaking people.
Scenic thoughts
As much as traveling by car is difficult, it also affords scenery that can be seen in no other way.
We always get a ridiculously early start. One day we were surprised to have intense, heavy, almost dangerous fog. At times visibility seemed about nil, but we were able to follow the car or truck in front of us that hopefully had better visibility than we did.
After about 2 hours of traveling like this, through a twisty, hilly section, the fog began to clear enough that it left foggy wisps in the fields, and we could see the landscape where we were traveling. It was almost surrealistic, and with the beginning of the morning light, it looked as if what we were seeing were northern lights. It was an incredibly beautiful view. I felt that it was poetry in vision.
Then there is the question: how on earth was this land ever traversed?
Looking for hours and days at desert or the plains or mountains with no end in sight, traveling at 70+ mph, I wondered how did the early settlers ever travel by foot or by wagon train across this terrain through days without end, not really knowing the terrain -- in incredible heat or cold.
The deprivations they must have suffered and survived are almost beyond comprehension. We have the luxury of maps and aerial views. How must it have seemed to be in an endless desert...or mountains without end...they must have been hearty souls, much heartier than I am, that's for sure.
Give me the protection of a car with air conditioning!
At one point we were stopped on a major highway with many other cars because a semi had overturned about 1/4 mile ahead of us. At the point at which we were stopped, they were trying to right the truck. There was no telling how long we would be there. We were glad to have a full tank of gas, so we were not sweltering in 100 degree heat, hotter because of the asphalt.
There's no place like home
I think I would enjoy living in many other places, but there is something to be said for entering your own home, even if you have moved it, and being able to spread out.
We are on the downside of summer now. My kids will go back to school in early August -- way too early in my book. I'm used to school starting after Labor Day in September. But the good thing about an early start is that summer begins earlier too, by the end of May.
I hope you are having a good one, and that all your travels are pleasant!
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
Originally posted 2010-07-13 23:43:15.
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