The Trip to Nowhere

The Trip to Nowhere

There are many good reasons to get on a plane or pack up the car. But travel writer Pico Iyer makes an ironic case for not. His The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere, is a tiny book I read in one sitting this weekend, and it gave me pause. Quite literally....

Dining Alone: Getting Past the Discomfort

Here’s a picture I never thought I’d see: me, alone, at a nice restaurant, happy. By this I mean really alone. Without a book or device. Dining alone is almost a sport for me because of the challenge it presents. As a major introvert, I can assure you that...

Private Space: Travel’s New Guilty Pleasure?

I slept with a man who wasn’t my husband. Before you jump to the wrong conclusion, I’ll add that it was on an international flight and we never touched. Am I the only one who feels a little exposed when I’ve had a lovely, prolonged chat with my...

My Moment of Regret in Chengdu

I stood at my 38th floor hotel room window, looking out on the very bright lights of Chengdu’s high-rises. “I should go out,” I thought. “But it’s raining. And I need a little time to myself.” So I closed the drapes and opened my computer. I’m not proud of that...
The Stranger in the Next Seat: Rock-Star or Bore?

The Stranger in the Next Seat: Rock-Star or Bore?

Last week I sat in the San Francisco Chinese consulate office amid a large crowd, and I did something unusual. I asked the man next to me a question. Serendipity struck: He was a United Airlines flight attendant and I was there on United business, too, for an upcoming...