Mona, the Mariner, and Me

I haven't posted for a long while, because I've been traveling! Got back last week, jet lag is gone, and I've caught up with the pile of things that awaited my return, so now I can sit back, stretch out, and start writing about my trip.

In seven weeks, I went to Paris, New Jersey and Los Angeles, took a cruise to the Mexican Riviera, went hiking in the San Francisco area, then went back to LA and NJ for a few more days before heading home. I spent time with friends and family, and met some terrific new friends, too.

I made a few notes while I was traveling, and took a few pictures (not nearly enough- I'm going to have to work on that!), and learned a bit about myself. I had an absolutely wonderful time, and can't wait to get going again, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how nice it feels to be home.

I'll take several posts to write about my trip, but for now here are a few highlights:

• The Eiffel Tower is a wonderful folly! It doesn't belong in its setting, it's a whole lot bigger than I thought, and the hourly light show at night made me laugh with delight!

• I strained my neck in the Louvre, looking at the ceilings. No guidebook had prepared me for the beauty of the actual building.

• Waking to the sound of your ship's horn, then opening your eyes to a sea of fog- hauntingly lovely.

• There's nothing in the world better than hearing your grandchild laugh and laugh and laugh- especially when he's being entertained by one of his sisters!

• Meeting new people and making new friends are always a highlight of my travels, and this trip was no exception. But, this time I also found that returning to your old 'hometown' can be nice, too.

• I had a chance to fulfill a long-held wish: to hike along the Pacific Coast Trail in San Francisco. It was even better than I had hoped it would be.

That's a nice way to begin writing about my trip. In future posts, I'll reflect on the people I met, the things I saw, and lessons I learned about myself.