Sometimes I need a trip. I just need to get away
And when life gets busier I need it to be alone, so I can sit with my thoughts, turn them over, examine them, and find the answers I need. A good trip facilitates that through distraction – I can focus my conscious brain elsewhere while my subconscious is free to work.
In a sense my trips are a bit of a carrot dangling from the stick of my life. They keep me moving forward.
The last few weeks haven’t been bad, to be honest, but I’ve been looking forward to this break — a lot.
Since the conflict with Iran exploded, several people close to me have asked whether I was still going. My answer has always been an unqualified yes, but there has also been an unspoken qualification they haven’t heard: I’ve been watching the news closely.
Armenia shares a border with Iran and I’ve been checking regularly for any involvement, and there hasn’t been any. Every booking, however, has been refundable. I have prepared a bit more than usual for this one.
So my friends, this is finally happening and I’m really on my way. I burned my 7 hour layover in Istanbul and I’m in the air right now, on a Turkish Airlines flight to Yerevan.
The irony of that isn’t lost on me.
I knew almost nothing about Armenia when I booked this journey, and I still have a lot of learning to do. the ticket before truly committing to this journey. With a 24-hour cancellation window, I quickly did some research and watched a few videos finding that the history there is deep and rich, it has great food, and it’s not the most-traveled country in the Caucasus. These things all appealed to me.
As a bonus, I’ve never been to a former member of the USSR, which makes it even more intriguing.
Finally my initial inspiration came from an Armenian friend who has noticed my several trips to Türkiye. I decided it’s time to bring in a little balance.
Yes, my friends, I’m on my way to Armenia, and it’s about the most excited I’ve felt for this type of trip in a very long time.
I can’t wait to tell you all what I find when I get there.
See you very soon.
With love,
Butterblogger
butterblogger 