Last year, I didn't get to the west side of Ireland. Had I had the time, I would have loved to hire a car and meander around the island. I REALLY want to drive on the opposite side of the windy roads here (I almost said the "wrong side", but that, of course, depends …
It's not my pattern to return to places I have visited. But, last year, when I was preparing to take my leave of this island, I knew I'd be back. I certainly didn't think it would be so quickly. But there is something here that sinks into your bones and calls you back. …
Where do I start?! How do I start?! I'm not sure I have the words to properly describe Antarctica. But here goes .... beautiful, peaceful, rugged, powerful, noisy, terrifying, overwhelming, inviting. Antartica is a vast frozen wildness that is both exceptionally peaceful and exceptionally terrifying. She is fruitful and barren, warm …
We flew into Ushuaia, Argentina after a short stop over in Buenos Aires. We were flying to the end of the world, or so Ushuaia sells itself. Port Williams in Chile is, in fact, the most southerly settlement in the world, and only a few miles down the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia, but Ushuaia …
Continue reading Tierra del Fuego, South Patagonia, Argentina
After a punishing 86 day work week, I laid down my pen and headed to the airport. Hopped on a super quick flight to Reykjavík. Got to Reykjavík at 6 a.m. in pitch black with a full, bright moon. A bit confusing. It was actually 1 a.m. at home and it sure seemed like 1a.m. …
All too quickly I am back at my desk, drinking my first real coffee in almost two weeks, pondering. I have been doing a lot of that over the last little while. Perhaps, I should continue the story before I get to the pondering. After the day in Derry / Londonderry, our group …
Continue reading Pondering on the Wandering: Ireland (North and South)
Derry. Londonderry. Derry / Londonderry. Even your name brings conflict. We started another sunny day by meeting our facilitator / discussion leader for a "brief overview" of the history of the conflicts of the city. Our facilitator is a well-respected mediator and peace builder, in Northern Ireland and other international conflicts. Our meeting turned …
This morning we headed to the Corrymeela office in Belfast to meet with our facilitator, Paul, and Sean, who works with Corrymeela on an educational program in school system in Northern Ireland. But before I get too far, I should tell you a little bit about Corrymeela. The Corrymeela Community started in 1965 as an …
I arrived in Belfast mid-afternoon after a quick and painless train ride from Dublin. The train skirts the Irish coast and meanders in and out towns, through the countryside and into Belfast. I met the rest of the group I will be spending the next week with. We are a small group from …
Despite the fact that I left my Ugandan maternity dresses out of my luggage, it was still overweight.....by a whopping 2.1 lbs. And had I not been required to pack a full change of clothes in my carry-on in the not-so-unlikey event that Air Canada forgot to put my bag on the plane (as they …
Desk Jockey Wandering 