In 28 days...I'm going to be 30...
30...
30...
Ha.
(I chuckle as I write this.)
Hi. I'm Namaste. I'm 30.
I guess this is kind of a big one. Last night, I was out on the town with one of my closest friends. She's turning 30 on Thursday, and we were being rather glitzy with her crowd of friends here on the People's Republic of Manhattan. A very fun time. Talk of turning 30 dominated the conversation, of course. She's turning 30 on Thursday, yes she is. On Friday, she's flying to Africa to hike to the top of Kilimanjaro in honor of her 30th year. Maybe it's just me, but I have some rather kick-ass friends.
Since I'll be just up the road in Jerusalem by the time my birthday comes around, I've actually considered going to Cairo for my 30th birthday. Walking through the Valley of the Kings and getting my pyramid action on seems like a fitting thing to do for a girl like me. If I do this, I will no doubt download "Walk like an Egyptian" to my Ipod and play it over and over again until I perfectly nauseate myself and everyone around me.
Over the past ten years, the anniversary of my birth has been celebrated in some really interesting places. Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, New York (a few times), Vail. I specifically remember that I wasn't able to celebrate my 24th birthday because I was writing my first paper in graduate school. I spent the entire night locked in the library. There, I would get intermittent phone calls from Bro, who took it upon himself to throw a proper party in my absence to celebrate the anniversary of my birth for me. I'll never forget when he called to tell me that it was time to blow out my candles. He put me on speaker phone as all of our mutual friends at home sang "Happy Birthday", then proceeded to eat my cake from afar and tell me how delicious it was. Hilarious.
That said, at the moment I find myself extremely travel weary. I'm not broken, but damn, I'm tired. I'm tired of flying across the world at record speeds. Am I one of those people who is running from something? Or do I really just have a short attention span and a need for speed? Either way, it is what is is, I guess. I won't be planting any gardens any time soon. The ironic thing, of course, is that my thirtieth year is here already, and my travels in life are really only just beginning. What's a little side trip to Cairo?
Ha.
As the time grows nearer, I'm sure I'll get even more sentimental and sappy about this whole turning 30 thing. For now, though, I have yet another train to catch in a few hours. A few days in Manhattan was just what the doctor ordered. But before I can leave, I have to get in a morning run along the river.
Wish me luck.
Namaste
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4 comments:
"I'm tired of flying across the world at record speeds". But dear, you're flying around at speeds that have been quite normal for yes, over 50 years now. About 600 or so cruising. They've retired the Concorde which was barely able to do much above Mach 2 by the mid-late 1970's. Or about the time you were born. So no record speed for regular air travel for at least a generation. Unless you were flying in the also retired SR-71.
But much luck on all your travels. No matter how fast the donkey's may take you! Cheers, 'VJ'
I already know your 30th will be so much better than mine was! I do love the "absent birthday" story. Happy celebration in a few weeks. Might as well start now.
For someone who is about to turn 30, you have sure accomplished a lot, and are well traveled and intelligent and awesome. And, that's more than a lot of people can say. I hope that when I turn 30, I can have the same sense of self.
Nothing to wish you luck for. 30 was (is) the best year of my life and will be for you as well. Trust me...
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