On the drive today, my friend and I were talking about where we want to travel next. We’ve been traveling together for nearly thirty years and have many favorite places.
We are aware that we are oldering. We do gentle walks instead of hikes. Beauty is important to us. We now require a layer of ease that was not necessary when we began to travel together.
We talked today about not enjoying places with crowds. We do not require the novel that was essential years ago.
I still love traveling to foreign places. I am curious about how people live their day by day in cultures different from mine.
I think part of this yearn to travel is because I’ve only lived in one state my entire life. For me, there is a wondering about lives different from mine.
Maybe it’s because I don’t speak Faroese that I feel a gentleness here. The conversations I have are that—conversations. We both agree to speak English as our common language. Then it’s a voice. A listen. A response. I’m not off darting and lunging on distractions, particularly those which involve the news.
COVID tests are free and easily available. Results are back within hours. For the first time in months, I am able to walk freely without a mask because of their excellent COVID strategy.
The beautifully maintained roads, no matter the size of village they lead to, have yet to go past a less than stunning view.
Even the gas stations have espresso machines, and pristine bathrooms. The soft serve ice cream is a bonus.
There is a sensitivity to “our fragile earth, our island home.” The wind turbines providing some of our power are sculptures. The water from the tap is cold and tasty.
And did I mention the sheep?
House of Grace 