People call all the time and say they want to book a vacation where there is no alcohol available in any way. That is not what real sobriety is about because if we want to drink, there is no place on earth we are safe. People who are spiritually fit can go anywhere, and I have done so with my sober tribe this May, June & July. We went to Italy, Greece & Africa and we saw miracles everywhere. Mainly we recognized that it was a miracle that we could go to these places when we were supposed to be dead from drinking. Traveling creates a new reality in your brain and if you are open to it, helps shift those old ideas around so you can discard them. Each trip is a renewal of spirit and a permanent fellowship bond with our travel family. It seems the farther you get out of town, the more you live in the moment and get your head where your feet are.
Running around Venice, Italy on private launches and water taxis was elegant, indulgent and thrilling. We were like Angelina Jolie & Johnny Depp in “The Tourist”! We even set out to the Daniele Hotel where we had sodas and basked in the luxury of this elegant hotel where we subsequently found out on the flight home was the same place the movie was shot. We were in our own movie. Sobriety Rocks!
Venice Highlights:
The pillows at the Hotel Pappadopoli; Glass Blowing on Murano Island, the private tour of the Art Academy, having our guide take us to a quiet holy spot in St. Mark’s Basilica where the saint is buried so we could hold hands and whisper the Serenity Prayer; Gelato; Paul & Lisa going where they said they couldn’t because she is in a wheelchair; the view from the terrace at the Hotel Daniele; meeting two of the 7 members of the Venice group at a meeting and bringing a gang to read the pramble.
GreekIsles Highlights:
The statue of Achilles at the Achillean Palace on Corfu; The chapels of Mykonos and hanging octopus drapery; The glory of sunset at the winery in Santorini, the French Jazz Brunch onboard Norwegian Jade; the erotic soap souvenirs at Katakolon!
Kenya,Africa Highlights:
Hakuna matata (Swahili for “there are no worries”)
A spectacular safari in luxurious tents with polished wood floors, granite counter tops, four poster beds with mosquito netting and hot water bottles at night; being in a vehicle surrounded by the
wildebeests and zebras just beginning The Great Migration from the Serenghetti, Tanzania to the Mara in Kenya; Seeing Lions on their honeymoon; watching the sun rise while in a hot air balloon over the jungle; seeing 16 elephants walk with their family pass our vehicle and barely make a sound; the staff bringing a birthday cake and singing Hakuna matata to David; reading A Vision for You at our daily
meeting.
I am bleeding gratitude these days and can’t believe what sobriety has brought me these 36+ years. It took over 3,000 photographs and am still eating them with a spoon! I am so grateful my job is to help people get
away from reality so they can be reunited with their magic, with each other and God’s wonderful world. I thought my life was over when I stopped drinking in my twenties. I had no idea it had only begun. God continues to blow my mind!