POC – Page 4 – BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling

We Did It! Buying an RV BOLT Style

October 30, 2016October 30, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, WOC, Women

Kathy and I have a simple formula for realizing our dreams. It works really well as we pursue our vision of living a “home free” life of world travel. We used this formula for realizing our current dream of spending a year traveling the U.S.A. visiting national parks, African American historical sites and other spots of interest.

The first step is gratitude. We give thanks to the Universe and to all the ancestors, angels, bodhisattvas, Gods and Goddesses for the abundance in our lives. This practice centers and grounds us in a place of openers and trust.

Next comes intention setting. For us this involves lots of talking, prayer and meditation. We finally came to the clear intention of buying a used RV and traveling North America for a year or so.

The next step is crucial. ACTION! Having formed the intention we began to move towards it. We (Kathy especially) did lots of research while we were still in Asia. What kind of RV? How to buy a used RV? How to live full time in an RV? We budgeted, planned, watched videos and read lots of articles and blogs. We waffled between class A or C, we debated about length, year, models and mileage. By the time we boarded the plane to come home, we had decided to trust the Universe to lead us to the RV that would be right for us.

And It did! We landed in Atlanta, Georgia and began our search. We looked at many RVs. Some were too small, some too big. Many were out of our price range. A few were poorly cared for. We found “Winnie” in Mobile, Alabama. I knew it was ours when the beautiful and brown teenaged boy came out to show her to us. Our 1994 Minnie Winnie DL model Winnebago is clean, well cared for and has low mileage. It’s an oldie but a goodie, perfect for us. Right now it’s at the mechanic’s where they are getting it road ready.

We can’t wait to take Winnie out on the road and to share more adventures with you!

How about you? How do you realize your dreams? Also, we’d love to hear your suggestions of spots to visit this year and please follow us and let us know if we are in your area. We’d love to see you.

Boundlessly Homeward

October 8, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, credit cards, family, Fun, Gay, generational, healthcare, hospital, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Medical, Medicare, Obama Care, Old, pharmacist, POC, queer, retirement, Spain, spiritual, Thailand, Travel, travel, tropical disease, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

In one week Marci and I will board a plane for a twenty-four hour flight back to the US. We haven’t been home in a year. As a matter of fact, we celebrated our one year on the road anniversary two weeks ago. We haven’t really yearned to return to the States. We of course look forward to seeing our family and friends but we dread the “noise” of the United States. Those conversations about who is winning as if speaking about a horse race instead of a yet still undecided national election. Or the seemingly daily shootings at schools or during unnecessary police encounters. And the ever-present advertising of fast food, fast cars, fast acting nasal spray. Everything wants to be fast in America. But Marci and I have embraced slow. We eat slow. Our food is prepared after we order it. We move slow. Most days we never use a car. We travel slow.

But we do have a plan. The fact is the US is much more than all those dreads, that have recently caused both of us to moan and doubt our ability to cope as individuals and as a happily married unit. For us, the United States is a place of unbelievable beauty. We have traveled to the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Parks. And as we find every time we travel anywhere on earth, the US is place of astonishing kindness. Like the apparently homeless woman we met a a rest stop who shared her homemade jam inspiring us to share our morning coffee. We three had a breakfast picnic before Marci and I drove onward to eventually meet some friends in New Orleans for Essence Fest.

There is without a doubt a system of racist policies and racist actions in our country, the results of which slash our hearts. But we decided we were not going to allow those things to keep us from enjoying the beauty. So we are buying an RV and touring the country for a year or so, visiting National Parks, museums and chatting with women of a certain age about their relationship to our country.

This trip home is not the end of our international travels. North America is just another continent and once we are ready we will move on. But while we are home we will explore America from a black, queer and elder perspective. These things inform our choices and inspire us. We know we want to attend several women festivals throughout the year beginning with one of our favorites the NIA Gathering. We also want to visit Underground Railroad sites. We’ve left lots of free time in our schedule so that we can take suggestions and move slowly and boundlessly.

We invite your suggestions and hope you will continue to follow our travels as we return home.

If you had a year to travel North America where would you go? What would be your first three stops. Please share in the comments.

Save Money with Pharmacists

August 31, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, credit cards, family, Fun, Gay, generational, healthcare, hospital, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Medical, Medicare, Obama Care, Old, pharmacist, POC, queer, retirement, Spain, spiritual, Thailand, Travel, tropical disease, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

One of the valid concerns people have when contemplating long term travel is what will they do about medical issues. We are not getting any younger although some of us may be healthier now than when we were young and much more foolish about our bodies. Health considerations, even if you are in the best of health will pop up during your travels.

Marci and I have spent a year in South-East Asia. This is a tropicalclimate filled with tropical diseases , like those in the old movies. And although Marci has not really gotten sick, I have suffered through unknown rashes and infections. The good news is I am fine. The great news is it cost me less than fifteen dollars to handle the most expensive health scare. That is for less than $15 I was completely cured of a skin infection I thought would send me home to the United States and my Mama’s loving house since we no longer have a house of our own.

The thing is health care just does not cost that much in other countries. I am not talking about democratic socialist nations of Europe although there too healthcare is much more affordable than the United States. I am talking for profit businesses that offer western trained doctors and if you prefer it western solutions and medicines. I have no preference. When I am sick, I just want to be well. The western solution to my skin problem would have cost closer to $100 dollars but that is still less than my deductible would have been at Kaiser and that is with Obama Care or the Affordable Care Act.

But the real stars of affordable healthcare are pharmacists. These women and men will look you over and prescribe the answer in a matter of minutes. I was on my way to have lunch when I thought I would show a pharmacist my itchy arm. He gave me a topical medicine to try for two dollars. Later that evening I had completely stopped scratching. Two days later my skin looked better than ever. It worked. And still have some medicine left over.

When I was in Spain I went to a pharmacist because someone told me to. I had terrible canker sores and could barely open my mouth not that I needed to, I didn’t then and still don’t speak Spanish, to my great regret. The pharmacist who didn’t speak English took one look inside my barely opened mouth figured out what I needed. He handed me a bottle while miming for me to rinse my mouth and gargle with it 6 times a day. I nodded and paid him. The next day I could talk and more importantly, smile without pain. A few days later I was back to my old chatting laughing self.

Pharmacist visits are faster and much less expensive when compared to going to the doctor or clinic. No waiting rooms means no waiting. Just explain your problem and let her figure out the cure. Eventhough Marci and I live in the shadow of an award winning hospital with an outpatient clinic, I always try the pharmacist first. So far so good.

There are few places where you will be unable to secure routine healthcare as you move through your adventure traveling across our beautiful planet. The price will vary mostly in line with the cost of living overall. The US notwithstanding. Keep a credit card handy. Consider travel insurance. Have a quick checkup and discussion with your home doctor. Then get on a plane. The world awaits, warts, canker sores, upset tummies and all. Enjoy.

Have you ever had to see a doctor on an international trip. Share your story with us in the comments. Thank you.

PAY ATTENTION

July 10, 2016May 22, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

Pack Light: One of the greatest gifts I ever received from travel was when I walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This was long before Face Book and Twitter but the internet was available and I joined
a few chat groups about the walk before actually embarking on it. The one piece of advice I read over and again was not to bring much, the Camino will provide. I was living in a Buddhist monastery at the time and didn’t have much so I was thrilled to follow the advice although I still carried too much.

Even so my watch broke at the airport the day I left. I lost a book during a layover in Amsterdam. And I arrived in Madrid with one backpack and a brand new 2-person tent and a disposable camera. (Told you I over packed.) But an amazing thing happened. Without the book I was forced to chat with people. Without the watch I had no way to schedule things so my days were free. The camera had a limited number of snaps so soon I was free from taking photos. I simply was. I was one woman on the Camino. I was one person walking westward. I was one human drinking coffee in small cafes near tiny villages. I was free to be. And I was.

BTW the Camino did provide. I didn’t use the tent once.

Be Present: When I was in Peace Corps, there was this young woman who I sat near during our daily trainings. Everyday she would glance around the gazebo we used and shout “We’re in Fucking Africa!” and grin with such joy her body shook. Everyday the rest of us had a reminder to be present and realize we were privileged and how terrific our lives were. At that moment no matter what else was happening we had an opportunity to stop and appreciate where we were and how beautiful it was.

present moment

Turn Off Your Toys: When we were in Bali, Marci and I were invited to a Balinese funeral. I had read a few things about these funerals and really wanted to go and record the experience so we could show our friends. But as we walked up we realized that this was no place to document our travels. This was one of those things we would have to talk about but not tweet about. And for us that was perfect. I felt more relaxed once I didn’t or couldn’t photograph the happenings. It was certainly photo worthy with people dancing and entranced to the point of waving knives around. But it was also so personal that I would have felt intrusive if we had taken a few pics for the blog. Instead we felt welcomed and the community seemed quite proud to share their ritual with outsiders. We smiled politely and watched. It was one of the best times I have had on this never-ending journey of ours. We are grateful.

Share with us a time the world opened up and surprised you. Were you seeing it through a camera lens or were you letting you mind wander? Did it sneak up on you in the early morning? Were you making your way home after work? Leave us a comment. Thank you.

PRAYER TO THE ANCESTORS

July 3, 2016May 18, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

We enjoy the best days of our lives because of the past struggles of our ancestors

UNKNOWN

Since we’ve been traveling Marci and I have discovered that our entire lives are actually prayers to the ancestors. Mostly prayers of gratitude. It is the knowledge that without those black survivors we would not be here in this place. Where ever this place may be. Without them we would not have the wherewithal to live lives of travel. photo-0421-2014-chinese-forget-ones-ancestors

Once we began living our dream, we discovered we owe it all to someone other than ourselves. Sure we sold our things and actually got on the road. But none of this is possible without my mother who worked as a cashier at a grocery store and sent two of her three children to college. Or Marci’s mom Muriel who lived and died a communist and socialist, who worked in a finance office, a place that was the antithesis of what she believed in. To them we are of course grateful.

But it is the innumerable others. Women and men who live and died knowing their dreams would not come true in their lifetimes. The ones who knew vicerally that one day in a distant future their children’s children would have choices and freedoms unknown before. We are most grateful for them.

I read somewhere that the pyramids were built over generations. Those who began the project never saw the end result. So to begin something like that takes a different level of faith. A faith that someone will carry on the work. A faith that what is being created is worth the effort of generations. Dreams are like that. They need faith and constant tending even in the face of death.

With faith that our every moment is witnessed by them. We say thank you to our ancestors, with whose faith we have achieved our dreams.

To whom do you owe more than you realized? Tell us about your ancestors and parents. Drop us a comment. Thanks.

The BOLT Love Affair with Kuala Lumpur…6 Reasons Why!

June 11, 2016June 11, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, WOC, Women

Kuala Lumpur is not a city I expected to fall in love with. It’s an enormous city, one which I knew absolutely nothing about. I saw it as a brief stop on our way to more beautiful places and exciting adventures. How wrong I was!

This is our third visit to K.L. and without a doubt it will not be our last. I thought to share with you the top reasons why Kathy and I love this city. I do have an ulterior motive…I hope you will be inspired to come and see K.L. for your self.

Reason #1: The Diversity
Kuala Lumpur (and all of Malaysia) is a really wonderful mix of ethnicities, religions and cultures. Ethnic Chinese and Indians as well as Malays are the main groups. For me, it’s not just that there is ethnic diversity, it’s that it is acknowledged, celebrated and respected. We see this in the museums, billboards and all walks of life. There is even an ongoing musical, Mud, that joyfully tells the K.L. story of inclusivity.

Batu Caves, Site of the largest Hindu celebration outside of India.

Reason #2 Religious Freedom and Sites
Malaysia is a Muslim country where freedom of religion is constitutionally guaranteed. We greatly appreciate this, especially visiting the many beautiful and varied places of worship found in K.L.

Reason #3 The Food!!!!!
I really don’t have words to describe the party in your mouth that is the eating you can do in Kuala Lumpur! From our personal favorite, Southern Indian cuisine, to the devine nasi lemak, delicious dining is a definite reason to visit K.L. By the way, you can find pretty good pizza and burgers if you get a hankering for western foods.

Reason #4 It’s a Rainforest!
Kuala Lumpur is the only city with dedicated space to preserve a rainforest. Bukit Nanas is right in city center. It’s an amazing spot with suspension walkways, beautiful views and a great chance to exercise.

Reason #5 Great Transportation
K.L. has truly amazing and inexpensive public transportation. High speed tains, monorails, reliable public buses and even a free hop on hop off bus for tourists makes this city easy to explore.

#6 The Sights, Sounds and Shopping
Day or night, Kuala Lumpur has some of the best sightseeing spots we’ve experienced. The museums are great, there are beautiful and historic neighborhoods like Brickfields Little India and Chinatown. K.L. is also home to the world’s largest twin towers, the Petronas Towers. Shopping is great here too. Lots of bargains in Brickfields and Chinatown and there are plenty of high end malls and stores as well.

So, I could probably find a 100 reasons more why I love this fabulous city but I have to get ready for our plane to Beijing, China. Hope you enjoy this post and will seriously consider a trip to Kuala Lumpur. If you have any questions or comments, as always we love hearing from you.

The B in BOLT…Reflections on Traveling Black

June 6, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, WOC, Women

This is a post I’ve wanted to write for a while. I’m trying to find ways to express succinctly what is on my heart and in my mind. Being Black is such a large part of who we are. Kathy and I are intentionally Black, consciously Black and unapologetically Black. It’s not about hate for non-blacks. It’s a love thing.

Our blackness, not just our skin, but our thinking, our memories, our very essence goes with us everywhere we go. We have found great blessings traveling Black and a few challenges.

One of the greatest gifts of travel has been our heightened sense of appreciation for black folks, especially in places where there are not a lot of us. Walking down Crenshaw in Los Angeles, California I always smiled and gave a nod to my peeps. But seeing a black man or woman in Southeast Asia is a different experience. It’s an opportunity for conversation, exchanging experiences and most of all a chance to share a little black love.

And this is not an experience unique to Asia. Traveling across the U.S.A., visiting National Parks we rarely see other Black folks. We went days and miles on a trip up to Canada. We were delighted to meet a Black couple in Glacier National Park, Wyoming. We had a good laugh when we realized we were all from California.

Traveling Black in Africa increases our commitment to love and serve Black folk, all across the diaspora. It also is a great reality check for the privilege that comes with our American passports and lifestyle.

It reminds us of our commonalities, especially with other Black women.

Traveling Black strengthens our love for and connections to people of color. The Malaysian man, next to Kathy, in the picture above commented on their identical skin tone and the beauty there. Celebrating diversity is one more thing to love about traveling Black.

Sultans Water Palace, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

The biggest challenge so far in traveling Black has been an ocasional sense of isolation and of being on display, a curiosity. We felt this most acutely in Vietnam where our skin was often stroked, our hair frequently gently pulled. It never felt malicious or racist. I know racism and colorism exist everywhere, but to paraphrase the late, great Muhammad Ali, no one in Southeast Asia has ever called me or anyone I love a nigger. I for sure can’t say that about the USA!

Traveling Black is a chance to explore your entrepreneurial side. We love shopping and bringing back beautiful things from all over the world.

Charlotte and Pete Hill O'Neal, Arusha, Tanzania

New and Old Friends, New Orleans, Louisiana

Aida Ayers, Creative Solutions, Zanzibar

Traveling Black is a great way to make new friends and to connect with old. In this digital age it is very easy to make connections and stay connected. Black Americans Living Abroad is a great Facebook group for just that purpose. Nomadness Tribe and Travel Noire are both wonderful sites as well. One of the best parts about traveling Black is doing it with people you love and respect.

BOLT Reviews : Chiang Mai, Thailand ♡♡♡♡♡♡

May 29, 2016May 30, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, WOC, Women

My friend, Lecia, reminded me today that it’s been a while since we posted a BOLT review. We left, what feels like our second home, Chiang Mai on Thursday. It’s a beautiful day here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a great day to take a little time to share our opinions about Chiang Mai.

We both love Chiang Mai. The ancient part of the city, surrounded by a moat is so beautiful, full of sacred sites. We find it very healing. It is also very walkable, which is important to us.

There is also the Chiang Mai that is new, modern and fabulous! We are able to find anything we need or want.

The food in Chiang Mai is some of the best we have had anywhere, and very affordable too.

When we get tired of Thai food there are lots of other options to choose from.

And lots of fresh fruits and vegetables!

Accommodations in Chiang Mai are abundant and very affordable. For the last 2 months we stayed at a studio apartment with pool for less than $ 250 a month! It was simple and clean, no frills.

There are also plenty of beautiful higher end accommodations.

There is a lot to do in Chiang Mai. The city has frequent cultural festivals, many museums and there are beautiful temples at every turn.

We love our evening walks along the moat.

There are literally massages on every block and one hour is generally less than $ 10.

You can try something new, like this fish spa.

Thai people are very polite, friendly and helpful. It’s great staying somewhere long enough to get to know our neighbors.

The only thing that would make Chiang Mai better (for us) would be more visitors from home. If you are intrigued or have any questions we would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Uh Oh! Do-Over and Never Again!

May 22, 2016May 22, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, buddhist, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, life coach, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, spiritual, Travel, WOC, Women

Kathy and I have been traveling for eight months now. We’ve been extremely blessed with drama free experiences, good travel health and very few problems. We’ve learned a lot about what works for us, what we love and what we prefer to avoid.

Uh Oh!

There is a vast difference between economy class...

Economy Class Train Travel
While traveling through Indonesia we missed a connection to the “first class” train we had reservations for. An economy class train was leaving the station soon. Rather than wait a whole day for the next first class train we decided to hop on this really low priced train. I remember thinking “how bad can it be?”. Well, it was pretty bad. Economy trains make more stops so the anticipated 4 hour ride turned into 8. The seats were uncushioned, hard benches. We had to sit 3 across where even 2 people would have been uncomfortable. There was no air conditioning. I was pretty miserable for most of the trip. The upside was we were sitting with very kind and helpful local people. Locals travel this way all the time, it is not for me for long trips. The experience helped me see how privileged we are and also what I’m willing to pay more for. This Uh Oh! was a great learning experience.

Do-Over…

On our second visit to Georgetown we rode the ferry instead of the very expensive taxi we took on our first visit.

We got to explore so much of Georgetown, including this beautiful Burmese Temple.

And all of our wonderful Chinese New Year experiences.

Georgetown, Penang Island, Malaysia

When we first got off the boat, landing in Singapore, we moved pretty quickly. We spent a day and a night in Singapore, 4 days in Kualu Lumpur and 5 days in Georgetown. Neither of us were crazy about Georgetown. We had yet to learn the value of slower travel, longer stays. I’m really glad we made a decision to visit Georgetown again. Exploring this lovely island town a second time, for a whole month was a wonderful experience. Now Georgetown is one of our favorite places, it’s even on our short list for a permanent retirement home.

Never Again!

Questioning our visit to the Tiger Kingdom, Mae Rim/Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Tiger Kingdom, Chiang Mai, Thailand

We visited the Tiger Kingdom on our first visit to Chiang Mai on a whim. We did no research. We just hopped into the cab of a friendly driver for what I thought would be a pleasant adventure. Had we done more investigation we would have easily seen that there is a lot of controversy about this place. Mistreated, drugged tigers are kept in small cages. Tourists (including Kathy and I) lie on, pet and take lots of pictures with these beautiful animals. I wanted to believe what the keepers say: that the cats are not drugged, that they grew up with people and are thus friendly. But I left with the nagging feelings that those things are not true. I have decided to never again visit attractions involving animals without first making sure the animals are being treated humanely.

The animals at the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia are free and happy.

Home free, serendipitous travel has great opportunities to find out more about oneself. I’ve learned that I like a certain level of comfort and am willing to pay for it; that staying long enough to get to know a place is best and that thorough research is a valuable tool in deciding where to visit.

What are some of your travel uh ohs, do-overs or never agains? Please share in our comments section. We love hearing from you!

White is Beautiful

May 12, 2016 by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, Fun, Gay, Lesbian, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, Travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

When I saw the photos of Lil’ Kim I felt for her and her struggle with colorism and her own self-identity. I wish I could say I don’t understand it or could never see myself doing such a thing but the truth is there was a time in my life where I stared in the mirror and tweaked at my round nose and sucked in my thick lips and thought I would look better without so much Africa on my face. Lil’ Kim just happens to have the misfortune of being blessed with the money and the time it takes transform a person of African heritage into a person who shows no sign of that heritage.

Twenty years ago I may have tried to whiten my skin and bleach my hair. But the products were very expensive in those days and their efficacy questionable at best. These days that has all changed and although it has been decades since I have thought of myself as too African looking I have seen with my own eyes how ubiquitous and inexpensive these products are.

The rise in skin whitening sales is hard to overstate. Even poverty seems to be little barrier to the purchase of these products. Indeed I have found it to be less expensive to purchase products such as face cream, body wash, even deodorant with whitener than it is to buy it without the added chemical bleaching agents. It is certainly less time-consuming with most of the store shelves choked in bleaching agents here in Thailand.

Southeast Asia is one of the most beautifully diverse places on earth. People range in all sizes and all hues. The skin whitening industry is taking a toll on the faces and skin tones of this beautiful multifarious region. Although mostly advertised to women, the necessity for white skin is also sold to men and children. And when we first came here and saw how much a part of everyday life skin-bleaching is I was appaled and insulted. I thought of these women as self-hating and wishing to be white. Although it can be argued that pursuit of whiteness in Asia is not a by-product of Western entertainment and beauty standards, it cannot be said that this practice is harmless. Whiteners have several side effects such as early onset of cataracts and osteoporosis. Another truth is there is a direct benefit to having lighter skin here in Asia. Darker women are less likely to be hired for front desk work even with the same qualifications as their lighter counterparts. Asian men have shown a bias towards lighter women when looking for a marriage partner. Eventhough corporations are only advertising a product, they have locked into a history of colorism which serves to buoy their claims of white is beautiful.

Yet not everyone is falling for this deceptive and dangerous trend. In fac fanon t in India the sales of whiteners has seen a sharp decline especially in the sale of men’s products.

But most interesting to me is what the women are
doing. So while ladies especially but men too are affected by these whiteness campaigns all over Asia and the world, in India another type of advertisement has taken hold and made good progress in fighting colorism. Dark Is Beautiful, a slogan by Women of Worth organization against whitening and skin tone preference and color bias. Turns out being brown and proud works.

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