Do you sing on Road Trips?

Recall many a road trip cruising those long, lonesome highways (made more lonesome when I'm driving alone). Oh, what the heck. Why not sing at the top of your lungs? I confess to loving ABBA songs. No one can criticize your music choices when you're in your own automobile. My car, my music.

One time after spending several glorious days at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, you'd think that the music of choice for the drive home would be a mix of the amazing musicians we'd just listened to, such as Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Emmylou Harris. But, no, we sang at the top of our lungs along with these lads



Trust me, there's nothing like driving through the mountains singing "Glad All Over." Why? Because you really are.

I have an awful singing voice. That's never stopped me from singing on road trips. In fact, on road trips when I'm really tired and just trying to make it through, singing 1: Keeps me awake; 2: Makes me smile; and 3: Lets me pretend that I sound pretty good.

Hope your next Road Trip is filled with music that makes you smile.

Paris the Non-Tourist Way

I've never been to Paris and I hope that I get there one day. Recently, I read Julia Child's book, My Life in Paris, and found it enthralling on many levels. Ms. Child's love of life, her strong opinions (many of which I agreed with), and, of course, her divine outlook on food and cooking have inspired many of us for years.

Glancing through today's edition of USA Today, I couldn't help notice this article about apartment rentals in Paris and "living the Paris lifestyle." As a sometime traveler, I find something so appealing about getting to know a city's neighborhoods, its shops and cafes, and, surely, its people. Staying at most hotels makes it more difficult to get in the flow of the culture you're visiting.

Friends of mine will be traveling to Paris this Spring. On the recommendation of coworkers/friends, they've lined up an apartment to stay in during their visit. I can picture them sitting outside at a cafe, perhaps just a few doors down from their apartment, enjoying an espresso and croissant. More than the food, though, they hopefully will feel as if they belong to, not just in, Paris.

Deep Travel

Been meaning to let you know about this book, recently reviewed here in the Sunday New York Times. The book is In Motion: The Experience of Travel, by Tony Hiss. "Deep Travel," as conceived by Hiss, can be as simple as a walk to your favorite coffee shop. Or a trek in the Himalayas. The point being, deep travel lifts us from our routines, awakens a sense of wonder, and can give us a laser-like view into the world around us that we otherwise never notice.

Beware: The Times reviewer (William Dalrymple) calls In Motion an "interesting and ambitious but flawed meditation." If you love travel, especially via walking, you might find enough joy and interest in this newly published book.