Golden H.S.

4. Travel

Kinda wish I had an airhorn sound effect to announce smut [Bababababaaaaaaa] I tried to close caption an airhorn.  That did not work.  =/ 

I placed my bookmark in between the pages of the current bodice ripper I picked up from a bookstore in Milan. I set it in front of me to look out the window at the scenery as it passes in front of my window. Such vibrant shades of greens and browns against the blue of the cloudless sky pass by as the train cuts through a wooded area somewhere in the interior of Italy. I was about two and a half hours from my destination to the coastal city of Amalfi. So far, my trip has felt truly unreal. There was beauty everywhere I looked. It was the basis for #nofilter. Everything looked stunning, reflected in the clear water and touched by the golden sun. It was incredible. I was able to visit some friends in Germany, Marie and Johanna, whom I met 10 years ago. We met in a bar in Chicago and hit it off immediately. We had so much fun I had them leave their hotel to stay with me in my apartment for the rest of their time in the city. In between classes and work I showed them around. They were really interested in American politics and pop culture. We made a special trip to a Walmart just so they could see a store they often heard about. We had a great time during their stay and kept in touch. They met up with Mark and I when they were back in town a few years later. He adored them also. It felt really special to visit them in their home country and have them show me around. It was also nice to see some familiar faces since I had been alone for the first four weeks of my trip. It didn't matter that I was on the other side of the world. I still saw pity in their eyes when they asked about how I was holding up. We took a two day trip to stay in a cabin in the Bavarian Forest. I spent the rest of the week with them in Hamburg. They showed me around, they have incredible art museums and historic buildings. In the evening we went dancing in a couple clubs. We shared lots of laughter over good food and drinks.

From Germany, I snaked my way down via trains and buses staying in cities I had only ever seen on maps. I felt so in control to be able to decide my every move, and explore whatever notion I fancied. I didn't have anyone to answer to and I was having the best time I could. I was exploring the architecture that was older than I could fathom and learning about the history and culture of the places I was staying.

With the constant travel and things to do and explore I kept my mind occupied on 'what's next' and not focus on the emptiness. I was finally feeling a sense of peace unlike anything I had felt in a long time.

I didn't have time for loneliness, there was always so much to explore and do. I spent much of my days walking and exploring, always taking my sketchbook and journal. If anything, I learned my brain cannot be trusted as the storage server alone for all the memories. While my trip so far had been amazing I was excited for what lay ahead.

Much like the scenery, the food only got better. I sat on the train smiling contently with everything. When I picked up my book to read, I was back to the steamy sex scene where the heroin is being stripped naked buy the long haired, broad-shouldered, muscle bound, protagonist.

Whew, it was getting arousing fast, and I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks. My body was reacting to the mental pictures I was getting. A movement across the aisle and a few seats away from me caught my attention. I looked up. I met eyes with a handsome forty something man in a button-up and dress pants. With the exception of the short dark hair, and dark features. I felt like I was looking at the main character from the book in my hand, sitting across the aisle from me. Which immediately had me picturing him as the book described him...in the nude.

I'm not usually so unaware of my surroundings, I don't know if it was the fact that I was more in my head playing out the images the book detailed or if I was tired from all the travel but when my eyes refocused, I found myself licking my lips while staring at this man. He was looking back at me with a knowing grin, and I could have sworn he was trying to tell me something with his eyes. I just wasn't paying enough attention to catch it.