Jenny recently referred to me as “well-traveled.” Honestly, I scoffed. In the last few years, after having finally gotten my hands around the steering wheel of a reliable car, I’ve made the rounds to some nearby places. Yes, New York is 12 hours away and, yes, New Orleans is 14 hours away. Still, they weren’t in any way foreign or exotic. I’d been to New Orleans before and I’d lived two (horrible) summers of in New York. I’ve not been east of New York, not west of New Orleans in the south or Milwaukee in the north. Also, most of the places I’ve visited have been for “rocket trips”-I’ve graced most cities for less than 24 hours. Plus, there’s not really anything all that unique or mysterious about places like Atlanta, Philadelphia or Chicago and the highways I take to get there are all ones I’ve traveled a multitude of times. I realize that my list of places I’ve been is far longer than some people’s lists. However, when it’s compared to the list of places I haven’t been and all the roads I’ve yet to travel-I look pretty damn sheltered. Even in the states, I’ve been to less than half the states. I want to visit almost all of them, though some more than others.
I’ve not been to Texas. Everyone I know who has been to or lived in Texas promises me that I’m not missing anything. I say the same thing about Florida, though, and people still go. I want to experience the kind of heavy heat that makes you start sweating the minute you open the car door. I want to see cacti! I want to smell to know what breathing dry air feels like-it’s a totally foreign concept to me. I want to two-step in an old barn-turned-bar, hit up South-by-Southwest, confront a rattlesnake (at a very safe distance and I most certainly do not want to touch it), and camp out under the stars as I make my way on I-10 through the very middle of the state.
I want to live in Colorado even though, you know, I’ve never been there. I want to be out-numbered by Subarus as I circle my way up to mountaintops. Then, I want to not to break my neck as I snowboard by way back down. Renting one of those “ski-in” chalets sounds like the most glorious thing ever, even though I doubt I have the athletic coordination to manage skis. (I know what you’re thinking. But, I’ve heard that if you can surf, you can snowboard. Since I haven’t killed myself trying to surf, I imagine that means I’ll survive trying to snowboard.) This might be the strangest thing ever, but I want to see mansions in Colorado. I picture these magnificent structures made of pine and river rock with steps made of flagstone. I have no idea what exactly flagstone looks like, but it my head it’s beautiful. Also, Colorado seems like a state with a lot of greens and oranges in its landscape. I’ve grown up with a lot of blues and greys, so I welcome the change.
Then there is the entire west coast. From cold green dampness of Washington and Oregon, through the forested part of California, all the way down to the plastic-y, beach-y part. I want to take one long drive that lasts a week or two and see it all. Apparently, Seattle is one of the few places in America where lavender grows as successfully as it does in Italy. I want to see it, and maybe try for myself. I want to kayak through choppy black waters (and hopefully not die.) and surf off rocky, cliffed beaches. I also want to see the Full House house, go down that super curvy road and hang out with the California set of surfers. I’ve heard they’re a million times more chill than the ones in Florida.
Of course, it’s important to note that I can’t imagine flying to any of these places. I would consider it, of course, if I were making another one of my rocket trips. But, ultimately, I’d love to drive all the way out there. In other words, I’d be hitting other places along the way. I’d spend a day at the cowboy museum, check out the memorial for the Oklahoma City Bombing, do the St. Louis Arch and, of course, take a stroll around the Grand Canyon. Basically, in a whole month I probably still couldn’t cover all of the United States that I’m most eager to visit. Then there’s my international wish list! But, I’ll save that for another day.
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