Comments on: Travel Bookshelf: The Geography of Bliss http://missmoveabroad.com/travel-bookshelf-the-geography-of-bliss/ what will you take with you, what will you leave behind? Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:50:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Zoltan LaPlace http://missmoveabroad.com/travel-bookshelf-the-geography-of-bliss/comment-page-1/#comment-328 Zoltan LaPlace Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:03:59 +0000 http://missmoveabroad.com/?p=183#comment-328 Although when you travel, you are always somewhere (GPS-wise) those places are always imagined (not imaginary). The subjectivity of imagined geographies aren't mapped sufficiently well enough at this time. Maybe one day we'll have travel guides to the places that are not really there. Although you wouldn't want to book a hotel recommended in a travel guide written by Jorge Luis Borges, you would find other valuable information in such an imaginary guide to a putatively real place. Pema Chodron, wise Buddhist nun that she is, recommends not geographies of bliss, but going to the places that scare you. Although when you travel, you are always somewhere (GPS-wise) those places are always imagined (not imaginary). The subjectivity of imagined geographies aren’t mapped sufficiently well enough at this time. Maybe one day we’ll have travel guides to the places that are not really there. Although you wouldn’t want to book a hotel recommended in a travel guide written by Jorge Luis Borges, you would find other valuable information in such an imaginary guide to a putatively real place.

Pema Chodron, wise Buddhist nun that she is, recommends not geographies of bliss, but going to the places that scare you.

]]> By: Kathy Mueller http://missmoveabroad.com/travel-bookshelf-the-geography-of-bliss/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Kathy Mueller Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:01:01 +0000 http://missmoveabroad.com/?p=183#comment-14 That was a well thought out reply and has made me question my own happiness when traveling. I definitely get a huge shot of happiness when in the presence of natural beauty, like the California coast around Sea Ranch/Gualala. I loved living on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in the mid '60s before the tourists came. One of my favorite trips of all time was a safari in South Africa. Seeing those animals in their natural setting was thrilling. On the other hand, I love the energy of big cities -- London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, and most of all New York City. I love walking wherever I am. Like you, I like a project, but I'm not a writer. I just like to have a plan of what I want to do and see in any particular place. I have found that I'm not good at having no schedule whatsoever. Sorry for the long reply, but you are good at making a person think. That was a well thought out reply and has made me question my own happiness when traveling. I definitely get a huge shot of happiness when in the presence of natural beauty, like the California coast around Sea Ranch/Gualala. I loved living on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in the mid ’60s before the tourists came. One of my favorite trips of all time was a safari in South Africa. Seeing those animals in their natural setting was thrilling.

On the other hand, I love the energy of big cities — London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, and most of all New York City. I love walking wherever I am. Like you, I like a project, but I’m not a writer. I just like to have a plan of what I want to do and see in any particular place. I have found that I’m not good at having no schedule whatsoever.

Sorry for the long reply, but you are good at making a person think.

]]> By: missmoveabroad http://missmoveabroad.com/travel-bookshelf-the-geography-of-bliss/comment-page-1/#comment-13 missmoveabroad Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:08:21 +0000 http://missmoveabroad.com/?p=183#comment-13 What an excellent question! And a hard one to answer. My happiness level in any given place relies on so many variables, including who I'm with (or how I feel about being alone) and what I was doing. Being alone can be lonely or it can be liberating. I remember a waiter at the Sano Banano restaurant in Montezuma (Costa Rica) telling me, as he showed me to my table for one, "Mejor sola que mal acompañada." (Better alone that with the wrong company.) I'm also happier (wherever I am in the world) if I feel like I have a project or a purpose. Maybe that's why I became a travel writer--to have something to do when I went on the trips I am compelled to take. What about you, Kathy? What an excellent question! And a hard one to answer. My happiness level in any given place relies on so many variables, including who I’m with (or how I feel about being alone) and what I was doing. Being alone can be lonely or it can be liberating.

I remember a waiter at the Sano Banano restaurant in Montezuma (Costa Rica) telling me, as he showed me to my table for one, “Mejor sola que mal acompañada.” (Better alone that with the wrong company.)

I’m also happier (wherever I am in the world) if I feel like I have a project or a purpose. Maybe that’s why I became a travel writer–to have something to do when I went on the trips I am compelled to take.

What about you, Kathy?

]]> By: Kathy Mueller http://missmoveabroad.com/travel-bookshelf-the-geography-of-bliss/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Kathy Mueller Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:32:15 +0000 http://missmoveabroad.com/?p=183#comment-12 I'm curious. Of the many places where you have lived and/or traveled, which did you find had the highest happiness quotient and in which places did you find yourself the happiest? I’m curious. Of the many places where you have lived and/or traveled, which did you find had the highest happiness quotient and in which places did you find yourself the happiest?

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