No, I’m not talking astral travel.
Some of you may know I’m a technician for the sport of fencing. (If you didn’t, you do now.) I also occasionally travel for business. There is nothing anywhere close to our lovely mountain home, so this means I have to drive or fly & stay in hotels. Most of the time at tournaments and on some business trips, my husband is my roommate. But on occasion, I have a roommate who knows nothing about my personal life. I like to keep it that way, too.
So, how do I manage to slip a little magic into my life when on the road & staying with someone who may be an acquaintance or usually, a virtual stranger?
First, I take my own soap. Nice though those little hotel soaps may be, they’re not infused with my intentions. By taking my own, I can do the same thing I do every morning: a little spell as I’m showering.
A small sachet under my pillow at night brings good dreams. It contains herbs whose scent I adore and is charged to calm me from a hectic day. Although it doesn’t do a thing to disguise my roommate’s snoring (I carry earplugs just in case), it does help me sleep in a strange bed.
Most hotels have some sort of nice landscaping around them. Unless you’re staying at the local dump fronting the expressway with nothing but road or parking lot in sight (and yes, I’ve stayed at many fitting this description), there’s usually one or two shrubs with a bench somewhere. A ten-minute escape to this bench is good for meditation or for muttering something under your breath. If you don’t mind anyone thinking you’re nuts, you can even wave your arms around if you need to.
If your hotel room has a balcony, this is another great place for meditation or a quickie spell away from those out-of-the-know. I carry a candle poured into a tin with a lid just in case I get the opportunity to sit out on a balcony (or screened patio) for a few private minutes.
I’m off to a tournament tomorrow, and won’t be back for a couple of weeks. Canucks: enjoy Canada Day. Yanks: enjoy your 4th. Brits: enjoy the upcoming bank holiday. I’ll ‘see’ you when I get back!