(Writing a blog, however, is completely different. Pictures help. And it's voluntary. You don't have to read it! Lie to me!)
This past week, while I was in Vancouver, I started wearing this amazing hand knitted throw thing of my Mum's. It's like a long thick scarf, with three huge buttons, one of which (depending on the tightness you want) you do up kind of on your shoulder/across your chest. It leaves one shoulder exposed and just kind of hangs there in a cool way. Xstina was with me when I trolled it out of my Mum's room (I can always sniff out the stuff she has that I like. She does not always get it back...).
“Hey, can I wear this? Does this look absurd?” I asked, tossing it on with a black tube top, skinny Diesel jeans and Chinatown slippers. She looked me up and down.
Chinatown slippers - 5 bucks. Since I was 22, no matter how many fancy shoes I buy, I end up wearing these almost exclusively in the temperate seasons....
“No – it's awesome!” She said. I studied myself in the mirror, liking how the throw had kind of a bohemian vibe that mixed well with the rocker-y look of my outfit. I sucked in my cheeks a little bit, affecting a new age drawl.
“It makes me think 'I've just been to Peru.... the sunset over Macchu Picchu is amazing.'” Xstina burst into laughter, and then mimicked the voice.
“Oh, yes – you simply must get down there. Mmmm, yes. Amazing.” For the next week we called it the Peru douchebag sweater.
Narcissistic self portrait - the only shot of the Peru douchebag sweater I have.
Because we all know that person – the bore who comes home from their cliched life-changing spiritual awakening in India/Morocco/Japan and then wants to tell us exactly why it made them a better person. The implication is that you, who have not been there, are a bad person. Or at least worse than they are.
You know what? This trip has probably made me more selfish, more oblivious to the real world and more irritating to talk to.
At least I know it.
The whole thing reminds me of this amazing silk scarf I bought in Varanasi....mmmm, yes – right on the banks of the Mother Ganga. You simply must make it down there.....
Posts
17 comments:
My mom was talking about Europe which she has been to twice. We were all gathered around when she said "The last time we went to Europe....".
Now we start a lot of comments with "The last time I went to Europe..."
as if we go there every weekend.
Did your mother make the throw thing? If so (or if not) has she got a pattern for it? I'm looking into making more knitted clothing for myself and this is the type of garment I'd really wear hehe.
Holly x
great blog! lol i liked this one!
join my blog:)
Is it that fantastic scarf with the gold accents I saw you wearing when we were experiencing the ghats in Kathmandu?
hmmm...really? I actually find it annoying how much people seem to *want* to hear something pithy and inspirational from me when I get back from trips to interesting places. I always feel like a douche because I have absolutely nothing to say, even if I did experience something. Part of it's pride - I'm afraid of sounding like a bad cliche. But I also tend to think it's one of those things that *would* bore people, so I'm reluctant to try and put it into words. I wonder if my reluctance to talk makes it seem like I've had more magical experiences than I have?
Your right. I can tell. I enjoy your wit and travel tails and I have shared them on my FB page with my friends. I don't mind hearing about others' trips and have shared some of my own on my blog, but I agree that it is hard to convey your experience to someone else in a way that doesn't sound trite. The name you gave your scarf is hilarious and your Mum's scarf is too cool--which says something good about you both.
Syrimne - I bet they only want soundbites though! :)
Amanda - No, it is the black chunky knitted one above... The silk one I actually did get in Varanasi! Ha!
Holly - hell no. She won't even sew a button on when one falls off... we leave that to S.
Dandy - HILARIOUS. That is exactly like my mum and I!
That's funny. I went on study abroad to Rome, and it was a complete disaster of epic proportions. My friends wanted to hear all about it. Maybe it's only fun to hear if it was bad... like a shaudenfreude kind of thing? Nobody wants to hear that you went and had fun without them.
Actually, I love hearing people's travel stories. Which is why I'm reading this blog. :)
I like trip stories but only if I haven't heard them before. It is after the third or forth retelling when they start getting stale beyond all measure. Blogs are great, check in when you want to, cool pics, low chance of repeats.
What the douchebags (usually yuppies who pretend to be bohemian) tend to leave out of their "spiritual rebirth" travel stories is how they stumbled into a quaint (i.e run-down) cafe in a tiny village and demanded a half-caf skinny latte from a bewildered teenage employee and then threw a fit at having to drink REGULAR coffee (that probably came from beans that weren't even roasted the same day! horror!).
I also like to hear people's travel stories (both about places I have and haven't been), and look at people's travel pictures.
But, I'm told most people hate it! I don't get it, but fine. So I usually don't say much, other than a curt "It was intense, amazing, I want to go back," which, as opposed to show-offish, just sounds rude. It's basically a lose-lose situation.
Can you tell I hate coming back home??
talk away! people who have problems hearing what you are saying should put in their earplugs! i cannot travel this year so love hearing you talk about the world...
Those shoes are fabulous :)
Nothing like a douchebag sweater to keep you warm when it's cold out...
I quite enjoy reading travel accounts. It depends on how interestingly you can present something. Photos help, though.
I'm sure I'm not alone in that I really enjoy reading about your travels. You're pictures and your perspective are very interesting. Many people only dream about living life they way you've found the courage to live it.
I love your blog - please keep posting!! I think the difference between a great travel story and a boring, tedious one is the storyteller. A person needs a certain wit and interesting perspective.
Post a Comment