travel numbers

Sometimes, I can tell the exact progression that puts a thought in my head, and other times it's a mystery to me. I don't recall reading anything like this, but recently I just started thinking about various numbers and how they relate to my travel experiences.

1. Party of one. I almost always travel alone. I'm often visiting friends or family, but the actual traveling is done solo.

2. I was two when we moved to Massachusetts. Well, two and a half, really, but who's going to quibble? I certainly don't remember anything before that. Which is a shame, given that we were living in São Paulo, Brazil; Guyana; Grenada. These days, I better appreciate our old home movies (from 8mm to VHS to DVD), and enjoy seeing the beaches, the trip to the Corcovado, and the funny way my parents and grandparents look so young.

3. I've been to three provinces of Canada: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia (on the way to PEI), and New Brunswick (on the way to PEI).

4. At age four, I first flew alone. I thought it was the biggest kick: get on the plane, be spoiled by flight attendants (called stewardesses then, remember?), drink a Coke (!), and land in New York. Visit friend, then reverse.

5. Five states I've lived in: New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

7. I've been to seven countries on the other side of the Atlantic: England, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Norway, and Israel.

13. The thirteen countries I've ever been in are the US, Canada, Barbados, England, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Norway, Israel, Brazil, Guyana, and Grenada.

17. When I was 17, I went abroad alone for the first time. Thrilling and scary at the same time.

18. I've spent time in 18 of the 50 states. I'm not counting changing planes (hello, Atlanta), or that night I spent stranded after missing a plane connection: I can't even remember if it was Cincinnati or Cleveland, so I don't think that counts for much.

Oh, were you expecting a sequential list? Yeah, sorry, not so much. Though if you want to do that, feel free! And if anyone is inspired to write about travel and numbers, or about anything really, do say so.