I'm an idiot. Where did I go wrong? I failed to include my most valuable piece of travel advice; an art-inspired concept that has fused both of my worlds together. My beloved Portland Trail Blazer jersey.
I did a few minor modifications to the #1 Jerret Jack Jersey that I purchased for $10 at a local thrift shop. Since Jack was no longer playing for the Blazers, I replaced the number on the front of the jersey with an embroidered piece of fabric displaying the Blazer logo, and transformed his #1 into a #4 with white acrylic paint on the back.
The Blazer jersey is now a celebrity in my 1500+ photos. I’ve received many odd looks from locals and fellow travelers, but it’s well worth the embarrassment. The vibrant red mesh has been photographed everywhere, in all forms. There are shots of me sporting the jersey (many times in a skirt), waving it across my body or simply just shots of the jersey against a foreign background. It has made everything worth photographing.
I’m not saying you have to bring a Blazer jersey with you, in fact, I’d be quite surprised if you did. Grab anything to replace yourself in a photograph. A key chain, a stuffed animal or a can of your favorite beer. But please, please, please, leave your Los Angeles Lakers jersey at home. They are strictly banned from crossing into international waters.
...and the guardian angel, courtesy of Larisa. I feel terrible for leaving out such a symbolic item. Before leaving on my journey, Larisa passed along this beautiful silver stone with a relief of an angel on the top. I placed it in a zipped pouch attached to my messenger bag in fear that I would loose it. Since it wasn't visible, I'd often forget I was carrying it with me. But it meant so much.
There were many times when I cleaned out my bag and I'd dig around in the pouch thinking I was grabbing some baby baht, but in fact, it was the angel. A little reminder of home and of my friends...worlds away. Always made me stop and smile and think about how far I've traveled and the meaning behind all of this. It's my reality and it's been fantastic. Thank you, Larisa. Much love.
