Blog
Family | Day 85 of my 2023 Journal
Our psyche evolves, stabilizes, and thrives with other people. We are supposed to be close to our parents, siblings, children, spouses, cousins, and friends. Family is important. We have to take it seriously.
Cinque Terre | Day 84 of my 2023 Journal
Ten years ago, we visited Italy in our first van conversion; we went for one day to Cinque Terre. This time we wanted to come back to walk the trails along the coast between the cities and enjoy the beauty. we were in for a surprise!
From Verona to Cinque Terre | Day 83 of my 2023 Journal
I believe teenage girls need their mothers much more than our society appreciates and that the way we raise children in institutions, pushing them to grow āresilient,ā āmature,ā and āindependent,ā is all just a huge hoax tearing families apart, numbing and dumbing down emotions that are pure, true and natural.
Maintenance | Day 82 of my 2023 Journal
One advantage of living in a van is the number of things that need fixing/maintenance is much smaller compared to living in a house. Another advantage is once you start, you just have to finish. Otherwise, there is nowhere to live.
The fair city of Verona | Day 81 of my 2023 Journal
This is a general warning for everyone who loves Shakespeare. For everyone who loves literature. Maybe for everyone in general. Do not visit Juliet's house in Verona. Don't go anywhere near it. Not if you hold your view on humanity, dear.
Pausing | Day 80 of my 2023 Journal
It is sometimes emotionally complicated to stop. I remember someone said: āVacation is doing something you are not usually doing.ā Now we do not do vacations, but sometimes we do pause.
Personal freedom | Day 79 of my 2023 Journal
Personal freedom is about waking up with loads of options, but more importantly, about having the courage to choose between options and knowing what to do with the freedom.
Murano | Day 78 of my 2023 Journal
Before we went to Venice, I almost booked a place to stay in Murano, not Venice. It looked almost the same. From Venice, you take the public boat and have one stop at the cemetery island before Morano. On the map, it looks much like Venice.
Guggenheim | Day 77 of my 2023 Journal
Why do we do what we do? It is obvious that traveling is an adventure and from the outside, it looks like a lot of vacation. The first part is right, but the second is not. It is not a luxury project, nor an escape.
Birds, bridges and walking | Day 76 of my 2023 Journal
The feel of Venice is closely connected to walking. The experience of walking between houses, alongside canals, over bridges, over piazzas (and repeat) from narrow darkness to air and water, beauty upon beauty, over and over. Sometimes, there is a dead end. Sometimes, a surprising piazza.
Saint Marks Basilica | Day 75 of my 2023 Journal
It is funny how walking from Dorsodura, where we live, to the Saint Mark Basilica is a journey from a good tourist experience to something like hell.
Arriving in Venice | Day 74 of my 2023 Journal
Ten years ago, we visited Venice for the first time. Our youngest son was just a little one, my hair was still short after cancer, and I still had many side effects after the treatment. My first visit to Venice was a clear example of the very good mantra: When you know what you donāt want, you know what you do want.
Some days, we are just practical | Day 73 of my 2023 Journal
It is not all beach, UNESCO site, amazing nature, and repeat. Some days, we are just practical. These days are not to be taken lightly. They are important. A simple day well lived. Nothing fancy. The best of days.
Overwhelmed by mosaic | Day 72 of my 2023 Journal
Some days on our journey are so packed that it is simply impossible to reflect on them the next morning as my 365 challenge asks for. Sometimes, I have to let time pass, just do things slowly and not focus on my inner life, just allow things to settle.
Dante Alighieri and Donald Duck | Day 71 of my 2023 Journal
Ravenna showed up on our travel itinerary because of a Donald Duck story. It is funny how things are connected.
Yay, snow! | Day 70 of my 2023 Journal
We have crossed the mountains from the coast and sunshine to the coast, crossing a landscape of snow. And we lived in SantāOleo for three days looking at the mountains. Our exploration of Italy would not be fulfilled without actually visiting the snowcapped mountains.
We are not on vacation | Day 69 of my 2023 Journal
We are grateful to have a life from which we do not need a pause. We have created and allowed ourselves a life with freedom enough to decide how we want to live today, what we want to do, and where we want to go.
Almond blossoms, flowering magnolia trees and snowcapped mountains | Day 68 of my 2023 Journal
Traveling from Sicily to Copenhagen between the beginning of March and late May will give us three months of spring. Being Danish, escaping six months of cold and rainy winter is just amazing.
Strategies versus rules | Day 67 of my 2023 Journal
As anarchists, we are not much for rules. As self-directed, we donāt do rules. The structure of a rule is not flexible and can never take into account all of the perspectives, possible circumstances, and special contexts
Crossing The Mountains | Day 66 of my 2023 Journal
Crossing the Italian boot west to east was a humbling experience. I have said it before, but it is worth repeating. Mountains really are big.
Where are we now?
Want to stay up to date with our travels and podcast? Then sign up for our weekly newsletter
We hate spam too. Unsubscribe at any time.
Ā
Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad
Cancer-surviving psychologist, former single-parent; co-sleeping, yogi, gluten-free, primarily plant-eating; happily married, stay-at-home, organic barefooted hippie and mother of four, living in a bus, knitting teddy bears and learning languages, counseling and enjoying sunsets.
Coaching: Do You Need My Help?
I advise personally and from the heart, present and releasing.Ā I know the way out of the darkness and the frustrations, the way to your true self, the way you must go to live an amazing life.
Ā Ā
Ā 
Ā 
Ā 
Ā
Listen To Our Weekly Podcast
Conversations about Unschooling, Traveling, Parenting, Money, Freedom, and what it means to live a self-directed life.