It's a Wonderful Life


“Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.” — James Thurber 

No question about it. This hasn’t been an easy week – a massive tooth infection, a hacked credit card, and a dog with diarrhea. And yet, it’s been such a good week too: three rainbows stretching across the sky (make that four – another one has appeared as I write), unconditional puppy love, a lovely meal out in a third-floor restaurant overlooking the harbour, and support from family and friends.

We tend to think of holidays as an escape from real life, but they aren’t really. Now six months in Europe is not your typical holiday, but many of the same rules apply. We take life with us wherever we go, and we make choices about how we respond to it. The huge advantage of travel for me is that I feel fully alive. There is no routine to fall back on. Finding a dentist becomes a learning experience as I make phone call after phone call to figure out the system. No details for now as I’ll be devoting a whole post to dental care and customer service in future. Suffice to say I am grateful to have found a dentist with a wicked, understated sense of humour and friendly, courteous staff. And I am super grateful that the second antibiotic is working its magic.

My credit card has been hacked on three occasions over the last 20 years. It’s always a worrying experience, but I’ve had incredible service. BMO Mastercard’s emergency call line works like a charm – no delays and efficient staff. They normally send out new cards to clients’ home addresses, but they made an exception in my case, and I had my new card within 3 days.

Travel can also involve immersing oneself in the local culture. Attending the Christmas pantomime in the UK is a happy experience but wondering how Gilets Jaunes’ roadblocks and riots or the UK’s potential exit from the European Union will affect my travel plans isn’t. It’s not carefully curated experiential travel, but it is real life.

The dog is well again, and Torquay is windy but calm. There’s a lesson in all of this, however. Despite the ups and downs, life is to be lived and enjoyed fully. It’s a wonderful life.

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