Wow, we cannot believe we have been on the road for ten weeks now, and in the USA for six of them!

We spent another couple of days in NYC and were lucky enough to arrange a catch up with an old friend whilst we were in Manhattan. It was a really nice reminder of home.
The pace of travelling is amazing and crazy at the same time; after being on the road for such a long time we have both become very reflective and grateful for our home. There is definitely part of both of us that wants to keep exploring the world forever, but there is a stronger pull for family, community, living our values, stability and routine! I guess that is what they mean when they say travelling helps you find yourself – both of us are regularly seeking similar experiences everywhere we go. For me, I look for new ideas, innovation, socially conscious businesses, young people, universities, yoga, bookstores and businesses that sell ‘low tox’ products. I have also realised how much I love down time – time to chill at our accommodation, meditate, listen to music, read, write in my journal and reflect on the day.

Boston was incredible – we were staying in Cambridge, near Harvard, which was the perfect place to rejuvenate after the whirlwind of Manhattan. Our time there was very chilled. On our first night we went to ImprovBoston after being told Boston was the birthplace of improv. The performance we went to was only $5 and opened with a skit by a professional improv group, followed by an open session where anyone could get up and have a go, and closed with a performance by ImprovBoston teachers. We were staggered by the quality of the show; the energy was high and everyone that participated made a great contribution. Both of us haven’t laughed like that in aaaaaages! We agreed that we want to attend more improv when we return home.

Other highlights of Boston include going on a student-led tour of Harvard University, visiting the Harvard Bookstore, going Candlepin Bowling in Somerville, eating sandwiches at All Star Sandwich Bar and biking to the North End and wandering through the tiny streets. On our last day, we treated ourselves to a massage and a hot tub session, which was so rewarding and relaxing.

We are in New Orleans at the moment which has been a really beautiful and interesting change. The architecture here is out of this world. Every street we walk down looks like (and probably is) out of a movie. We have explored the Garden District with a walking tour guide, ventured to Frenchmen Street for some live music and walked Magazine Street and the Mississippi River. We also visited the French Quarter on our first day and stopped by Cafe du Monde for their famous beignets. Whilst the French Quarter wasn’t really our ‘thing’, we really appreciated the history and architecture in the area.

One last thing – we have stayed mostly at AirBNBs so far (with a few hostels and hotels thrown in here and there). It has been an excellent way to get a more “local” experience, which is what we are both seeking.

Now, some photos!