Every journey conceals another journey within its lines...

"... the path not taken and the forgotten angle. These are the journeys I wish to record. Not the ones I made, but the ones I might have made, or perhaps did make in some other place or time. I could tell you the truth as you will find it in diaries and maps and log books. I could faithfully describe all that I saw and heard and give you a travel book.  You could follow it then, tracing those travels with your finger, putting red flags where I went. "

Jeanette Winterson

Sexing the Cherry

 This is the feeling I get when I sift through the dusty old objects in the many vide-greniers and brocantes that are held every weekend for most of the year around France. Fragments of memories decorate the stalls, calling out to the passers by as if searching for their lost home. Each object has a past life. Was one of them mine? Are these lives still carrying gaily on their merry way in some parallel universe? If so, how did these random pieces slip through the cracks into our own realm? Maybe they passed through the twilight zone with the adventurous sock that always leaves an orphan in the laundry basket.  For all the socks that have disappeared from my laundry through the washing machine, not one 18th century stocking has taken its place so far. I'm still waiting though ;-) I guess some things will just forever remain a mystery.

These little goodies are only some of the items I'll be sharing between the 3 winners of my giveaway, which will  be announced Wednesday. Other strays are sure to meander their way into the pile as I'm still ruthlessly decluttering tidying up a little before I leave for my India/Australia trip this Friday. 

It's not too late to enter. 

All you have to do is leave a comment HERE (on yesterday's post) and if you want a second chance to win, 'Spread the Word' by putting the giveaway on your sidebar. Don't forget to come back and let me know.

I still have to add a sliver of calligraphy to each package, for I couldn't have a giveaway without a word or two of my own hand.

This was just a sneak peek at some of what will be in the wee packages...

And of the journey? 

I humbly travel to Dharamshala next week with no expectations. 

NONE! 

In spite of my big plans. 

This is uncharted territory for me.

I take nothing but an open mind for a compass 

and a  blank page for a map. 

This is how I most love to travel.

There will be artists, women's refugee groups, Tibetan calligraphy and pigments in colours so vibrant they leave me breathless... but in what way we will link up I can't even begin to imagine.  I dare hope I'll find some pieces of wood discarded in a corner somewhere, relics of other lives, that require little more than a tender brush stroke and a word of encouragement to draw out their wings so they can fly out to the four corners of the Earth.

  

Your kind words of support so far really warm my soul. I'm shy. I'm nervous. I'm afraid I'll come back to you "empty handed." I know it won't 'happen' overnight, or even during this first three weeks in India ('You mean there's more planned?' laments Beaker from his position at the helm of the finances??) 

I may have nothing more than my tales of friendship and discovery with which to regale you on my return in December.

A thousand thank you's in advance though for making this journey with me.

If I'm lucky, I'll have some regular internet access so you and I 

can put those little red flags on that page 

and mark our map together.  

Cross fingers :)