Places and Postcards

And I realized something in that moment — something small, but deeply felt. I could’ve visited Singapore a hundred times, walked its streets, eaten in its restaurants. But I would never have seen it the way I saw it that night. From that quiet perch on a moving ship, removed from the noise and hurry, I saw it more clearly. Its shape. Its light. Its stillness. All the things we miss when we’re too close, too busy, too distracted.

Sometimes the best adventures start with panic, involve tiny boats, and end with Spanish-style architecture and cupcakes under $2. Next time you want to go to Europe, maybe… check Bataan first. 

Passport in one hand and my bag in the other, I stepped out of Dublin International Airport, blinking into the unfamiliar light like a...