Through the creative orchestration of time, money and movement, my journey was a wondrous adventure, full of excitement, natural beauty, challenges, miracles, joy, surprises and remarkable expressions of hospitality. The experience was exhausting, exhilarating and excruciatingly tranformative. Pondering my freedom to travel, I often think of the words of Maya Angelou, "I am the dream and the hope of the slave".

Tears of joy had unexpectedly sprung forth and as I closed the chapter on an odyssey that was the most joyous and exhilarating experience of my 2007 China journey. Hai Yan introduced me to a traditional Chinese Sunday ritual, the gathering of cultural enthusiasts in local parks to share their talents. Imagine a Disneyland for lovers of the arts, replete with makeshift music schools, impromptu dance performances and myriad choral offerings, all for free and open to everyone.

It started innocently when I joined the Magic Bus, one of New Zealand’s independent traveler’s networks, which provides hop on–hop off transportation along 24 different routes, as well as access to numerous hotels/hostels and activities/tours along each route. I chose the three-week Kiwi Encounter route through New Zealand’s North and South Islands. The Franz Joseph Glacier was, according to our guide and the locals, not to be missed. Having never seen a glacier, let alone climbed one, I decided to give it a try, along with 20 other brave souls on our bus.

My love of travel was instilled by my mother who, as a child, often envisioned living and working in Africa when she grew up. She shared those dreams with me, and even though she never made it across the great waters, she traveled throughout the U.S., many times with me in tow.