Cultural Whiplash

I coined this 5-week period of my life as one of “cultural whiplash.” I’ve been zipping about Oregon, North America and Italy at rapid clip—each time quickly re-orienting myself to a new cultural and geographic reality.

It started with a close friend’s wedding in Nashville, TN (shout out to the happy *Robuck* couple) complete with honky-tonk bars, Elvis’ own gospel singer and historic hotels. My flight path then took me through Toronto, Canada for a short visit into settler’s history, International Hockey Museum and Brazil Day samba celebrations. Next up was Rome, Italy and a rainy foot tour of the Trevi Fountain, Palatine Hill, Coliseum and Pantheon. Following a high-speed train and high-speed Peugot convertible I was dropped into Tuscany for bucolic glory, reveling in the open top sunshine, wine tastings and succulent steaks tucked into beds of fresh truffles. The final Italy destination was the Amalfi Coast, a land of aquamarine extremes, sensational seafood and high-end euro-tourists. Finally, a quick stop through rough and tumble, gritty, smog filled, pseudo-African Naples on the way back to Rome.

Zoom! Roma to Portland, Oregon.

Zoom! Portland, Oregon to Pendleton, Eastern Oregon: land of cowboys, man-meat, boots, whiskey and old west manners.

Zoom! Welcome home: it’s Portland and it’s glorious and it’s passive aggressive and its beer is unrivaled.

Putter putter: I’m driving south along I-5 to Albany, Goshen, Eugene, Roseburg. There’s a beauty queen who is two C-sections and about 4 1/2 inch heels past her prime, Here’s an Oregon businessman who struck gold outfitting fastfood restaurants up and down the West Coast but still humble as a fern.  Welcome to Medford, it’s hot and the food ain’t great but we can jump curbs in our 32-foot RV.

Putter, putter: Welcome to Grants Pass, quirky bears [statues of bears that is] abound, the stately Rogue River cuts through downtown and here we are stationed at the impressive but under-hyped Taprock Restaurant and Resort with Southern Oregon’s best waitress (no joke—Jennifer won by a popular vote!).

This week it’s Klamath Falls, Lakeview, Harney County (Burns/Hines), then Bend, Oregon. Or it’s supposed to be; at the moment that is all in question due to mechanical troubles with the RV.

These travels and the subsequent roadshow are making me weary of the packing, unpacking routine that has gotten old. The road itself has been great and I love every facet of the cultural acclimatization it demands.  All this travel makes me hungry for my upcoming voyage but, for the time being, I’d really prefer to nest into the bosom of Portland fall, encircled by my friends and enjoying the simple charms of sleeping in the same bed for a few days in a row.

Haze of different Oregon towns and hotel rooms. The last semblance of a routine I’ll have for the next couple months.

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Here’s some good news: I bought my tickets today: IT’S OFFICIAL!!! I’M OFF TO MALAYSIA!!!

(more updates on Malaysia & SE Asia coming soon)