When I traveled back to Portland, Maine to have Thomas the Cat’s stitches removed, I decided to spend some time there. I parked near East End Beach along with multiple other cars and buses. In the morning I took Sophie down to the dog-friendly beach, where she loved being able to run off leash and play with the other dogs. Maggie was still with my parents recovering from bladder stone surgery. I think Sophie's overall favorite part was the sand. She loved getting wet, then rolling around in it creating a nice muddy coat, and she also liked to dig holes. She’d shove her body into the holes and push against the side as if she was a plow.
On the beach, I met another fellow traveler named Ronson who also came down with his dog. He was going out to a bar called Gritty McDuff’s with his rugby friends that night, and invited me to come along. I found it interesting that behind us on the wall at the bar was a picture of a rugby team from long ago; this must have been the local rugby watering hole. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, and I had a great time hanging out.
The next day my friend Kevin came to Portland. We spent the morning drinking smoothies while exploring local shops. For lunch we got sushi, bringing it to Cape Elizabeth, a beautiful spot on the ocean. There’s a tall, white lighthouse which makes it a popular tourist destination.
Even though the lighthouse is the main attraction, my favorite parts of Cape Elizabeth were the large, sharp rocks that made up the oceanfront.
They were open for exploration, with little caves and cliffs all about while the ocean ferociously sprayed us with salty water.
As I was out exploring, I got a text from Ronson saying someone was ticketing buses near mine. I rushed back and arrived just as a ticket was about to be placed on my windshield. The woman saw me approaching and asked if this was my bus. She told me I was lucky because it was a warning citation and handed me a piece of paper. Apparently RV’s can only park on the road for up to 24 hours before having to move. I was thrilled because the citation had a picture of my bus on it. She chuckled as she walked away stating, “you're the only one who has ever been excited about a citation.”
The next day I set off for Brunswick, Maine, a little town north of Portland where I would be meeting my friend Vanessa. We met at a place she found online that had a labyrinth in the woods. I love labyrinths, for me they represent the journey inward as you slowly walk the twisting path till you reach the center, which is where you truly find and see yourself. Then you slowly re-walk the same path, going back out into the world, but with a different and fresh point of view.
We each slowly walked the labyrinth, taking time to sit quietly in the center, taking in the beauty and peace of the woods. We spent the remainder of the day checking out little shops and getting lunch, the perfect reunion with my friend.
My next destination was Candia, New Hampshire, where there was a music event, Gardenfest, that I wanted to attend. A lot of people I had met last year when I started my travels would be there, and this would be my first time seeing most of them since then.
It was a gloomy, rainy day, and the event was supposed to be outdoors. The music ended up being moved inside, where luckily there was already a stage. The vendors set up under tents and the event went on.
It was nice to see everybody, I went back and forth between listening to the music and wandering around. There were multiple people who played including Nate Jones, Freddy Larrosa, the Garden House Band, and the main act was Paul Izak, who had flown in from Hawaii. I didn’t recognize his name, but once he started playing, I actually knew some of his songs. I listened to him regularly on Spotify. At the beginning of the event I was feeling nervous about being back after so long, but towards the end I started opening back up. I danced freely along with the music and was starting to feel like myself again.
It was great seeing everyone, but I was grateful to return to the woods afterward. I found a little trailhead nearby that didn’t have any signs saying “no overnight parking,” and figured it would be the perfect place to stop. Sophie and I went on multiple hikes through the luscious forest.
My friend Mike came and visited me in the woods. We hung out in my bus while he played guitar. Then we explored the woods. Mike knows a lot about mushrooms, and I’ve been wanting to learn more. Luckily, this woods was abundant with them, and we walked around for hours finding as many as we could. Sophie loved it too. She ran around freely while we explored, always staying close by.
After my time in the woods, I was off to my next gathering in Sandwich, New Hampshire, the Sacred Nectar Gathering, I had been looking forward to it all year. I arrived early Friday morning just in time for opening circle.
I floated in and out of a few different activities during the day, catching up with people along the way. Then I found my way to a rattle making workshop, which was the one I was looking most forward to. The rattle would be made of animal hide; we had the choice between bear, deer, elk and buffalo. I almost chose the buffalo but I felt called to choose the elk.
We used razor blades to cut out two identical pieces that would make up each side of the rattle. Using a hammer and nails, we made holes that we used to string rope through, tying the pieces together. Then we filled the rattle with sand, leaving it to dry so it would hold its shape.
The next day, I emptied the sand out, filling the hardened, hollow skin with corn and crystals before attaching it to a stick. I loved my rattle! I had been wanting more instruments, and this hand-made one was the perfect addition to my collection.
Every night at the gathering, in the warehouse where the stage was, there was music. Some nights I danced, while others I sat around chatting with friends and taking in the music. Other nights I would join the people at the little fire burning outside. Each night was as magical as the last, filling me with warmth and joy.
Every morning my friend Vanessa, who asked if she could keep her eggs in my fridge, would come over to my bus. We would make breakfast together while drinking coffee. It was the perfect way to slowly start every morning.
I loved the time I spent there. I did a women’s circle, plenty of dancing and was filled with beautiful music. Multiple people told me how strong and happy I looked, so much more sure of myself than last year. It was nice to hear, I felt that way too. Best of all, I was surrounded by so many beautiful people and carried the warmth of this event with me as I left, along with a radiating love.
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