My Four Month Odyssey

14 States and 2 Countries in 4 action-packed months

Instead of lotus-eaters, sirens, and cyclops, my Odyssey included babies, jaguars, and art making. 

Phase 1: late June in Indiana

The impetus for the trip was learning that my older sister was pregnant and wanting to support her and her husband after the baby was born. It’s the type of help my parents would have happily provided, but in their absence, I stepped up. Knowing very little about babies, my first stop in Indianapolis to spend time with my college BFF Sylva coincided with some baby 101 like changing a poopy diaper for the first time. My friend’s youngest was 13 months old at the time and had just started walking so it was a cool phase to see in person.  Sylva and I biked around Indy, painted murals, and created the magic of college without crippling stress about grades. 

During the whirlwind of splendid summertime in Indianapolis, I felt a familiar pang in my gut. It was the same type of feeling that prompted me to buy a one-way ticket to Hawaii six years ago. That subtle, subconscious spidey sense has served me well and I realized Indianapolis was seducing me. I’ve been told “seduction” and “Indianapolis” don’t typically live in the same sentence, but that’s genuinely how it felt to me. The weather was lovely. Biking around a city full of vibrant arts, culture, and food scene was delightful. And most of all, spending day in and day out with my bestie from another teste felt sublime. 

We conversed over coffee, collaborated on projects, and cooked together, all the while laughing and bouncing ideas off of each other. Serendipitously, I had ordered the book Power of Two, which talks about creative duos, and our yin-yang synergy has been developing over the past 17 years of friendship. That type of connection is pure magic! One of our projects was painting a mural on her garage door. It was super fun and came together seamlessly. 

When I initially thought about how much I enjoyed Indy, I imagined simply visiting more often. However, as the next phase of my trip developed, so did my imagination about my future. 

Phase 2: July in Ohio

Next up: Baby Bootcamp! My sister gave birth at the end of June and I met her brand new baby when she was two days old. I stayed in NE Ohio for a month to give my sister and brother-in-law two helping hands. We all learned and implemented the 5 S’s of newborn soothing. Plus, I had some cheat codes from my friends with kids. 

The newborn phase was wild and crazy. I learned a lot and was able to make food for my sis, who makes a fabulous mamma. Balancing my own needs became a challenge, but I was able to take a day off here and there. I went to the Cleveland Art Museum and other places to get out of the house. I took long walks with the baby in a carrier and she slept like a…well, baby. 

One of the funniest things about my niece is her propensity to snort over and over when she’s upset. I took a lot of videos and watch them whenever I need a pick-me-up. My parents saved a lot of items in a box labeled “Future Grandchildren,” which we found cleaning out their house. My sister became pregnant after the accident that took my parents so her evolution into motherhood included a lot of emotional land mines. We are regurgitating lots of quirks and tricks our parents used with us, so in a very direct way, the baby’s deceased grandparents are a big part of her life. 

My parents saved the crib and changing table bedroom set they used with us. Plus, a lot of toys and books we used as babies. We laugh a lot together at the baby antics and also when we feel like we are losing our minds. It’s a tribute to the laughter-centric upbringing we experienced. 

Saying goodbye to my older sister was hard because it was so easy and fun to be around her. The baby was four weeks old when I left on the next leg of the journey. Still in the “blob phase” of her young life. A sleepy, darling cherub. 

Phase 3: August in Brazil

The next destination took me and my younger sister to the Southern Hemisphere. We journeyed to Brazil with a group from the Piedmont Environmental Center. It was an absolutely epic trip that my parents would have loved. They took us to Brazil 20 years ago so it felt like the perfect way to carry on their legacy. Plus, the trip fell on the one-year anniversary of the accident. For all of the above reasons, Brooke and I headed into the Brazilian Pantanal, which is a wetlands area in SW Brazil, close to the border with Bolivia. The Pantanal is a wildly biodiverse region full of birds, reptiles, and JAGUARS. 

We started in the most remote place and then as the trip progressed, we crept closer to civilization. First, we stayed at the Jaguar Ecological Reserve and spent several full days exploring the Cuiabá River. Even the drive to the boat launch was full of wildlife encounters.

The big ticket item was seeing jaguars and boy, did we see them! They like to hang out along the riverbank, which is very helpful for humans motoring around looking for them. I honestly never knew the difference between the big cats and where they lived. I will never forget the jaguar. One was about 15 feet away at one point. Rippling, majestic rosettes glinting in the sunlight. 

photo by Brooke Baldi

The birds we saw could take your breath away. I bought new binoculars in order to take advantage of the world-class wildlife within view. Several people in the group are avid birders, so I learned a lot over a short amount of time. Birding is something I’d love to do more. It’s something my dad really enjoyed. We did it together a bit, but I can see myself developing the hobby as a way to posthumously bond with my dad. 

After dinner, we went on several night safaris to look for nocturnal critters. We drove around in a big open-air aquatic vehicle and the guide shone a spotlight all around looking for reflections that could be eyes. We saw tapir, ocelot, night jar, and coatls.

A few days after we arrived in the extremely remote part of the Pantanal, we drove closer to the entrance and stayed at a different lodging spot. Instead of focusing on boat touring, we spent a few days doing land safaris. The next part of the trip involved flying to Alta Floresta, a tiny town with one flight per day. We stayed at an eco-lodge called Cristalino Lodge, so named for the Cristalino River we explored for several days. I also really enjoyed swimming in the river. It had been a while since water fully submerged my body, and it felt amazing. Plus, we were experiencing a heat wave without access to air conditioning. The wildlife viewing and delicious food at the lodge more than made up for the physical discomfort. The tour guides were absolutely fabulous. As someone who has worked in tourism, I fully appreciate their expertise and customer service. It’s a lot of work!

The crown jewel of the animals we saw was the Harpy Eagle, which is the most powerful bird of prey on the planet and extremely rare to see. In a 9-month season, a harpy eagle may be spotted 1-3 times. So we were extremely lucky to see one during a three-day visit. Absolutely awe-inspiring power with such a charismatic head plumage.  Birding is addictive!

photo by Brooke Baldi

Phase 4: late August-early September on the East Coast

The journey back from Brazil was long. I’m thankful that the time zone was not a factor since Brazil is due south of the US. I spent the next 10 days visiting several people along the East Coast in Maryland, Washington DC, and New Jersey. I ping-ponged around to work with their schedules and it was a mix of reconnecting, adventuring, and being creative together. Spending time in person with people nourishes my soul. So does listening to live music, and visiting museums. 

My original plan for this trip was going to be three months long (ending right after the Brazil trip). However, the people subletting my apartment asked if they could stay through September, so I looked into ways I could spend the month of September on the mainland. This turned into applying to an artist residency in Maine and then crafting travel plans to make my way up the East Coast and eventually rent a car to drive through Maine. The additional leg added a LOT more chances for visiting with people and I’m very glad it all worked out.

I spent a week with my friend Gina and her endlessly entertaining Italian husband Giacomo. Gina and I met in person two years ago when my family came to New York City. We were in the same online group called the Musery, which was a major turning point in my creative journey. This time around, we spent a day in the city and went to the Museum of Natural History. Plus, we drove to spend Labor Day weekend with her parents in Delaware. It was a really lovely interlude to vacation in Delaware. We rode bikes, chilled at the beach, and ate delicious food. Lovely weather and lovelier people!

Phase 5 September in Maine

I flew into Boston, rented a car, and then moseyed up to Maine for the next chapter in this epic adventure. My artist residency started on September 10, so I had several days to make my way to Eastport and decompress along the way. On my first day in Maine, I crashed hard and relaxed even harder. The preceding weeks of travel caught up with me, which was bound to happen. I relished the chance to stay in and rest in order to build up my strength.

On my way to Eastport, I stopped in Portland and then Mount Desert Island to see Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. These are places I also went to first with my parents. I hiked the Beehive trail in Acadia, ate a few popovers at Jordan Pond, and soaked up the majesty of the national park. I continued heading East, to the furthest eastern city in the US, which I realized is the counterbalance to living in Hawai’i, the furthest west in the US.

The experience at the Tides Institute StudioWorks Artist Residency warrants its own post, which you can read here. 

I spent four weeks following my creative whims, working in many different media, and letting the energy flow freely. Part of my focus included processing inspiration from my time in Brazil. I stayed in a house one block from the studio, which overlooks the Bay of Fundy with 20-foot tides.

The phrase EAT SLEEP ART summed up how I spent my time. It was magical to be able to devote so much time to creative play. It felt like I was back in art school again, working late into the night, and couldn’t wait to get back to the studio the next morning. 

After the residency ended, I drove back to Boston and then flew out the next morning. 

Phase 6 October in Ohio and Wisconsin

The denouement of my odyssey included me starting to head west and making stops in Ohio and Wisconsin along the way. Of course, I wanted to see the baby again, and she was so different this time around! Wiggly, smiley, and social. 

My sister and I enjoyed a week of autumnal walks, running errands, and showing the baby her first waterfall. I worked on a Halloween costume for the baby to be a harpy eaglet because why not?

Early October was a great time to be in NE Ohio and see the changing leaves shine bright. 

From Ohio, I flew to Wisconsin to catch up with my childhood bestie. We almost unhinged our jaws from chatting so much lol. The weather cooperated for walks along the lake, biking to the Art Museum, and checking out the China Lights exposition at the Boerner Botanical Garden. It was an action-packed weekend that also included plenty of downtime to drink tea and chill on the couch. I knew it would be a perfect ending point in my journey!

Traveling back to Hawaii felt surreal. Four months is a long time! I’m very proud of myself for planning the trip. It vastly exceeded my expectations. It’s the type of multilayered trip my parents taught me how to plan and enjoy. Now it’s time to rest up before the next adventure!