The Road to Hana and Happiness

If The Scenic Route to Happiness concept had a birthplace it would be the Road to Hana in Maui. I had the opportunity to experience this drive for the second time last weekend in Hawaii. The journey was magical in a completely new way.

Maui’s Road to Hana stretches 52 miles including 59 bridges, 46 of them only one lane wide, and boasts approximately 620 serious curves. The sunny coastline is often in view, but a rainforest atmosphere prevails along the picturesque route.

The last time I took the journey I was alone, grieving the loss of my parents and looking for solace in nature. The dangerous hairpin turns, breathtaking vistas and climbs to waterfalls made me feel alive again.

This trip on the Road to Hana was totally different. I was a passenger with my fabulous friend Elizabeth behind the wheel. I was able to really focus on the magnificent scenery and not on my driving skills. The mood was so cheerful, despite the passing showers and Thelma and Louise references. I am filled with gratitude for this new journey along the historic Hana Highway.

The Scenic Route always delivers perspective. Nature’s gifts can soothe, inspire, excite or terrify depending on our personal view.

What’s your view of adventure? How do you get off the beaten path? Where does nature affect you the most?

Traveling Through Time

This week my friendship worlds collide. East meets West -- youthful enthusiasm meets soulful reflection, all with a backdrop of stunning mountains, rivers, wildlife and cowboys. There are not many things I value more than travel and friendship. I am indeed on my scenic route to happiness.

I traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to see friends visiting from Singapore. Well we met in Singapore, but they are from Australia and Taiwan originally. This adorable couple in their late 20’s shares my passion for travel. The last time we met on the scenic road was taking in the natural beauty of Myanmar. This visit included a Wild West Rodeo and a sunrise eco-wildlife tour. Seeing the American West through the eyes of my friends from Asia made The Grand Tetons seem even more majestic.

By the greatest of coincidences, one of my dearest childhood friends was also passing through Jackson with her husband on their RV Trip of a Lifetime. What are the odds? I hit the jackpot on spending quality time with inspirational friends in a glorious natural setting. Taking in magnificent scenery with a friend you’ve shared 45 years of experiences with is like coming home.

This brief trip was all about perspective, and great meals. While we experience things differently through stages in life, the beauty of nature transcends time. For me a trip to Jackson Hole is an easy five-hour drive. For my friends from Singapore it is the chance to rough it in the wilderness (limited internet) during their US tour. For my childhood friend, it is a special stop on the retirement adventure with her beloved husband. For all of us, Jackson Hole is awe-inspiring.

How does the beauty of nature affect you? How do you like to travel? With which friends would you like to hit the road? When is your next adventure?

Edge of Genius

Today I stepped on the edge of genius…

The setting was a rainy day in New York’s beach paradise, The Hampton’s. My dear friend Jim Allman, former DEVRIES GLOBAL and Sotheby’s bigwig, took me out to Jackson Pollack’s home and studio near East Hampton.

The famous artist and his wife Lee Krasner moved out to this picturesque hamlet as newlyweds in 1945. They didn’t have a car or even heat, but what they did have was a shared passion for art.

Pollack created a studio in a barn out back and his wife took the upstairs of their home for her work. The result was a new perspective on art.

70 years later, I felt the raw passion of Pollack’s fluid movements flinging paint onto canvass, as I stood on his studio floor, even in the mandatory unattractive slippers. The planks of wood, covered with edges of countless masterpieces, made up their own Pollack original.

I still can’t believe they let me stand on this magical spot! I’ve stood inches from some of the world's greatest art, but this was a truly intimate artistic perspective.

When have you stood on the edge of greatness? How did it feel? How can you recreate that emotion to serve as an inspiration when needed?