CATHARINE MARTINET
I also wanted to interact with other people as they lived their daily lives, to challenge myself in the face of my shyness.
Travel
Wanderlust–Spring 2003
BY CATHARINE MARTINET
Just like so many other people who have cystic fibrosis, I often do combat with one kind of bug or another. One bug that I’ve never been able to kick is the travel bug. The good news is that this particular condition has been a beneficial one for me. Ever since I first hopped on a plane at the age of eight, the feeling of lifting off the ground has always filled me with a sense of excitement. This feeling of wanderlust pursues me even beyond my waking hours.
A few days ago I dreamed about taking a trip to Prague with a friend of mine. I was anticipating this trip with great excitement, since it is a city that I’ve long wanted to visit. The moment for our departure had arrived and my friend and I were making our way through airport security when, much to my embarrassment, I realized that I forgot to renew my passport! Sadly, I had to send my friend off to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities without me. While the destination in this dream was new to me (I had just read an article about Prague) the theme was not. Such dreams are artifacts of my travel experiences from long ago, when I was not so good about planning ahead. Sometimes my oversights did affect the logistics of travel, while other times my health was what suffered. Since those days, I have learned to make lists, and to check them more than twice.
Bearing in mind the demands that cystic fibrosis brings to one’s life, simply thinking about taking a trip can be a daunting experience. That is why good planning is essential to ensure a pleasurable journey. There is an African proverb that says: The day on which one starts out is not the time to start one’s preparations. To the other tips you are likely to find in this issue from more experienced travelers I will add this: I have found it useful to consider weather patterns as well as to think about the demands of my itinerary. Never again will I travel to London in the off-season, when the chance of encountering a freezing deluge is greatly increased; nor will I endure another 4th Of July parade in the steaming bayou country of Louisiana. I had a fantastic time on both of these trips, but the weather took its toll on me. I realize that people do live and thrive in climates and surroundings that are not optimal. After all, I live in an area that is known for smog. However, when one travels, there is a certain expectation that sightseeing outdoors will be included. Consideration of the climate, weighing it against one’s own health demands will only enhance the journey.
In spite of the crazy mishaps that occurred during my early days of travel, I am glad I had those experiences. To me, they were all part of learning about myself, growing up and developing a sense of self-confidence. It might seem silly, but I was terrified the first time I boarded a plane for Europe, by myself, at the age of 21. I was shy and sheltered; deep within, I harbored certain knowledge that I was ill prepared for foreign travel. Still, there was something else inside of me, a longing to see the world, that gave me the tiniest bit of courage, allowing me to set foot on the plane. To this day, I am glad that I did not allow my innate timidity to keep me from seeing some far away places while I was still healthy enough to do so. American poet James Lowell wrote, “The wise man travels to discover himself.” In retrospect, this was true for me; in meeting the challenges of foreign travel, I learned so much about myself in addition to broadening my horizons.
Many people wait until they are retired to travel to their dream destinations. I never felt comfortable waiting that long, so I made it a priority in my life. I would save my money and go on a two-week vacation every couple of years. Now, when my life feels confining I can think back to the day that I spent in the Accademia in Florence, Italy, awestruck by the power of the slave sculptures created by Michelangelo. The figures seemed to be pushing themselves out of the blocks of marble that contained them. I remember racing through the Louvre to find my favorite paintings before my tour bus left me behind, as well as spending a more leisurely time in the Prado, visiting favorite works of Goya and Picasso.
The opportunity to see the great works of art and architecture that I studied in college was one reason I wanted to travel so badly. I also wanted to interact with other people as they lived their daily lives, to challenge myself in the face of my shyness. I was rewarded with some memorable encounters: talking about popular culture with young adults in Paris; dancing at a bonfire in Barcelona during the feast of Juan Carlos; discussing apartheid with a South African man who was on holiday in Europe. I draw on these experiences when I feel apprehensive in social settings and they give me courage.
These days my destinations are less far-flung and my itineraries are more inclined towards quiet visits with friends and family than hectic museum-hopping excursions. Happily, the distance one travels from home is not necessarily an indicator of what will be gained on a trip. I have felt the same transcendence at the edge of the ocean whether it is thousands of miles away at Ireland’s Cliffs of Mohr or a few hours away in Big Sur, California. The carpet of wildflowers at our local poppy reserve is just as stunning to me as the intense color of autumn in New England. The search for a new horizon, even if it is brief and close to home can fill a person with a sense of majesty. Author Kent Nerburn wrote to his son about the value of travel:
“If we don’t offer ourselves to the unknown, our senses dull. Our world becomes small and we lose our sense of wonder. Our eyes don’t lift to the horizon; our ears don’t hear the sounds around us. The edge is off our experience, and we pass our days in a routine that is both comfortable and limiting.”
I still have places to go, museums I wish to visit, sights to see and cities that I hope to explore. Yet, there are places that I’ll have to see through others’ eyes. I am lucky that I have friends who share my wanderlust. Some of them have recently regaled me with tales of their visits to Thailand, Cuba and Cambodia, places I don’t have the physical or financial resources to visit. Countless books and videos have taken me to faraway lands or helped me look at familiar places in a different light. One friend recently gave me the most beautiful description of evening falling at Mount Hood – as viewed from her hospital window! I don’t mind being an armchair tourist. I just love to explore the world, be it through books, videos or tales from my friends. But, maybe I’ll renew my passport, just in case.
Catharine, 42, lives in Burbank, CA. She is a Director of USACFA. Her email address is: cmartinet@usacfa.org