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"This kind of travel uses up every single resource you've got. Every bit of information you've learned in your life - you use! All kinds of skills you never thought you had. You have to be so resourceful, yet so dependent. So active, so aware, so intense, so willing to learn, to accept, to adapt. It's like being an actor. Each city is a new film with a new setting, a new cast of characters. Everything changes. language, money, location, customs, expectations, people. It is a whole new world - so different from the things you've experienced before, yet those past experiences are so necessary to survive. The challenge is incredible. The rewards, tremendous. You're changed forever. You've bonded with so many fellow travelers. All in the same boat, yet all so very different. Each with his or her own "life movie credits." The fact that you've touched each other's lives and make "guest appearances" in each other's movies is MIND-BOGGLING! One missed train, one changed mind, one minute's difference would change this whole world that you've created. Common goals - varied destinations. Yet paths cross. You touch each other's lives. You become part of someone else's world. This is nothing new, of course. It happens in everyday life. But traveling makes it all so apparent because every chance meeting is so important. So intense! You're constantly creating history. Your own personal history - and that of the people you join with."
- (Munich) July 1991

 

Thursday, June 20, 1991
2:30 AM

The Museum of Moving Images is incredible. I'm watching "The Seven Samurai." Now it's a look back at 100 years of film. Great stuff. This is the cinema exhibit. There's so much great stuff here -- from Eisenstein to television (which is coming up.) I just hope I can stay away. Not away -- awake! I guess I'm losing it. I had a very long morning at Victoria Station -- trying to call Amsterdam, unsuccessfully. Then trying to see which train and ferry I should take out of here. I've decided I'm leaving tonight. I'll get to see Keith for two hours. Oh well. I'm pretty overwhelmed. If I feel this way in London, where I've been twice and where I understand the language, I can't imagine how I'll handle the next month! Very intimidating. I'd better be up to the challenge. I hope Amsterdam is as great as I think it will be. I just hope I can find a decent hotel. I'm already spending too much -- in only six hours!

Friday, June 21, 1991
2:20 AM

This is so cool! I'm on the ferry to Oostende. I got a chance to get a little sleep, because I'm able to stretch out across three seats, but it's only 8:30 pm Detroit time, so I'm not sleepy! There's someone playing a flute in the distance -- The Halleluia Chorus. I'm in a much better mood. I'm really looking forward to Amsterdam. I think it was a good idea to go right on. I spent two hours with Keith. That was nice. He's a good guy. I hope I can meet some more guys! Haven't really met anyone, but the guy on the plane and a guy on the train from Gatwick. Life is cool sometimes. As long as I can secure lodging, I'll be okay!

6:30 am
What thoughts now? I'm cold! Had a two hour (3 - 5 am) layover in Oostende in an open train station. Then the train was late! Now, there are two of us in First Class. I don't think I'll like First Class travel if I can't meet any people. This other woman is a Computer Animation T.A. at Ohio State. That's fun. I still have not been in Europe 24 hours. Seems a lot longer. I do wish I had someone to share this with.

11:45 am
It's that "Casa de Missel - we win" feeling all over again. I scored a cool place in Amsterdam. It's a refuge for Dead heads and other 60s retro-types. I have a tiny cubicle called a room, but it's fine. The proprietor offers tea, coffee and weed to his guests! It's located on a busy sex-shop, drug paraphernalia street. This city is too much. Looking forward to expanding my horizons!

Tuesday, June 25, 1991
9:00 AM

On the Rhine River cruise. Too bad it's overcast. If it's too dreary, I may get off in Koblenz. I did stay at the Jundenherberge in Mainz. I met a guy named Scott from Louisville and Patrick from Sherbrooke, Quebec. We went into town last night and celebrated the Sommersnacht (or something) with thousands of others. Then it began to rain. And rain and rain. No coat this time. We all got so soaked, but it was definitely fun. Scott can be a real ugly American sometimes. But mostly, he's just assertive. I should take lessons. Anyway, I thought Mainz would be a sleepy little town and I would take it easy and get to bed early. Hah! We got on Bus 22 to go back to the hostel, but it was going the other way! We found out when it came to the end of the line and the driver told us to get out. He was pretty nice, though, when he figured out we were totally lost! He called us a taxi. Cost us DM2.50 each to take a bus to a taxi that cost DM23. We managed to get back to the hostel by closing time, though.

2:30 PM

The weather has improved somewhat. So has the company. I joined a trio of sorority girls playing cards. They're from Indiana University. It's so much nicer to meet up with people. Makes time pass - not really faster, but better. The scenery along here really is beautiful. Castles all over the place! And cute little towns, as well as very touristy towns. This was such a good idea. My feet and knees are aching so bad. It's nice to have a day off. I'm thinking about going to Warsaw. Yes, Poland! Both Scott and this girl, Katie, are going. You no longer need a visa, so I could do it. Scott says it's so cheap, but I don't know. Man, wouldn't that be great? I should call Auntie Ann and find out where my relatives are! I'll think it over when I'm at Lark's. I could easily do it by cutting down Berlin and Venice to one day each. May be worth it! I hate having money be a determining factor, but I'm running so low. I'm spending too much. You know, people think that a month traveling is a lot, but I've met so many people traveling much longer. Two women from Australia have round-the-world airplane tickets (with four stops allowed) and are spending five months traveling. Scott is traveling three months, then will stay on in London working for 6 months. Patrick is traveling for an entire year! He'll be working in France picking grapes in September, then going down to Spain and Portugal for the winter! What fun! I could do that, you know. What an incredible experience it would be. There's so much more to life Too many experiences waiting to be tried. I've got to learn some other languages. German would be helpful right now! That would make things even better. Why can't I be a linguist when I grow up? A traveling video linguist. Really, though. There are so many stories to be told from around the world. So many people, so many cultures, so many lifestyles.