E.M.’s Sunday Ramble Prompt – 4/3/22

Here are the questions:

• When at the ocean, do you want to be in it, on it, or just look at it? (If you don’t like visiting the ocean, what is a hobby you enjoy on vacation or in general?) The answer to this is, it depends on where in the world I am. If the ocean is warm and there’s fun stuff to see, I’m usually really excited to go for a good snorkel. If the ocean is cold, I’d prefer to turn my head, meet the breeze and sail across it (or at least just look at it). I grew up in, on, and around the ocean, so anything that gets me that small bit of connection is a balm to my soul.

• Have you ever surfed or gone snorkeling? I have been surfing, but I decided rather quickly that the wipeout to fun ratio was too high for me. I LOVE to snorkel. I think, other than seeing all the cool stuff under the water, my favorite thing about snorkeling is the feeling of weightlessness just floating on the surface and the silence in my ears when I dive down to check out what’s under rocks or in crevices. For my PhD, my program took me on a field research class to New Zealand where we learned how to do research while snorkeling. That wasn’t quite as much fun because we always had something specific we needed to be doing, but being able to get into the water every day for a month and check things out was magical.

• When traveling, do you experiment with the local dining experience or pack a picnic/cook for yourself and anyone with you? That depends. Usually when I’m traveling quickly (just sight-seeing), I tend to not experiment much. I think it’s the worry of something not agreeing with me and ruining the whirlwind experience. If I’m going to be in a place for a while, most of the time my goal is to experience the culture and learn as much as I can about the place and the people who live there. With this goal in mind, I do a lot of traveling off the beaten path which includes eating. It’s much nicer knowing that I’m not in a hurry or just trying things for the sake of trying things.

• What is your biggest pet peeve when traveling? I really don’t like when people stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures or look at maps or their phones. Why can’t they just move out of the flow of traffic before stopping? This is especially annoying to me in tourist heavy areas.

• Are you someone who takes a lot of photos on vacation? If so, you can share your favorite vacation photos. (If not, share your favorite vacation story.) Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I guess, more often than not I am absorbing the moment instead of taking photos. Sometimes I’ll settle myself in a place and draw what’s around me instead of taking a photo. Below from top left (clockwise): San Miguel Island (California Channel Islands), Crystal Caves (Bermuda), Top of Haleakala Volcano (Hawaii), Jekyll Island (Georgia), Glacier National Park (Montana), spices at a souk in Dubai, building in Dubai.

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