Get Some Journey JuJu!

Imagine catching up on your e-mails on your laptop while you sip cappuccino in a piazza in Italy. Imagine continuing to work as you travel for an extended period. In this information age, this isn’t a crazy dream, it’s a doable intention. In my last blog, I mentioned the international buzz that has been created by Timothy Ferris and his book The 4-Hour Workweek. He encourages his readers to strip their lives of the things that don’t give them joy (endless e-mail queues, endless to-do lists) and create a stream of income that can support them while they travel.

My life coach, Cynthia Morris, took off on her own odyssey in May, with the intention of travelling around Europe for at least six months, and working about six hours a day as she goes. As a writer and coach, her laptop computer is all she needs to continue to work while visiting exotic places and meeting interesting people. Cynthia plans to visit Portugal, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, to name a few. She’ll also be leading a tour in France in August. Her blog, Journey JuJu, is chronicling a trip that has already some unexpected but wonderful turns – she’s having a blast connecting with locals, thanks to networking websites, and seeing the world from their perspective, not as an outsider.

The idea of following the lead of Timothy and Cynthia definitely is appealing. Long before laptops were even invented, I travelled around Europe for two months. I loved the freedom of pulling everything I needed in a pack. I could go where I wanted and stay a few extra days if I liked the place. The thought of seeing new sights, trying different food, meeting local people, and spending time each day working in a comfy café – that’s appealing to me. When I was in Europe, I loved the Jungfrau region of Switzerland; the town of Rothenberg, Germany; Arles, France; and Florence, Italy.

Take some time to check out Cynthia’s blog, Journey JuJu. Then ask yourself where you would go. What would you do? I’d love to hear -- please post a comment.