Waddle On

The duck is versatile; it can fly, it can swim, and it can walk on land.

The duck is my anointed spirit animal. But if you ask my friends (looking at you – sloth, baboon, llama, camel, kangaroo, and lemur), they’ll tell you I am neither versatile, nor can I match the colorful beauty of a full grown mallard. They’ll tell you the real reason: that I’ve been doing the duck face since long before it was a thing. During conversation, moments of uncertainty, or when the music at the club is just right and I’ve had a couple whiskeys, out comes the duck apparently.

Whatever. Versatility is overrated.

Anyway, as of today this duck has returned to Europe after a four year hiatus. In the past six weeks I have quit my job, moved out of my house, and am now sitting in a hostel in Reykjavik eating meat soup and bread. Iceland is my first stop, then I continue onward to various places over the course of about three months. Not entirely sure where I will be or what I’ll be doing for parts of the trip, but I figure the uncertainty will make it more fun.

Over the past week I resisted the idea of doing a blog. It seemed hyper-cliche, tedious, and would likely take away valuable time which could be used doing just about anything else. But a conversation with my Deet-Deet (grandmother) compelled me to give it a shot. When she was my age, the world was nigh impossible to traverse in the way I intend to over the next three months. I feel a duty to make the most of this trip for her sake, and for all those who came before me and were not afforded a chance to see the world. Keeping a written narrative will allow me to compile my thoughts, share them, and revisit them when memories have faded.

My aim is to make this less of a cookie-cutter travel blog in which all 7-10 of you readers would be subjected to meticulous updates of my every doing. Travel blogs are a dime a dozen and tend to come off as self-serving (selfie-serving??).

No, my goal will be to tell narratives that inspire me, and perhaps might just spark your interest as well. This world has a great many humans, each on a journey wholly unique to themselves. At the moment my own journey is in a bit of a flux. I see this blog as an outlet to channel my wonderings and wanderings into words, overlaid by the stories of people I meet, framed by the old world history that makes Europe such a fascinating place to spend time.

Follow along if you like! That’s all for now – this meat soup is getting cold. Valar Morghulis, friends and enemies (which reminds me, if anyone has tips for watching Game of Thrones while abroad, let a guy know).