A few thoughts on my grey hair ...

When I started our Walkabout in January, I had considerable trepidation about how I would keep up with coloring my hair. With underdeveloped countries on the itinerary, options would be few and far between for hair salons, and I didn't have room in my one suitcase for hair dye. So. I had it cut very short before the trip and I am now fully un-dyed.

For the most part, I love not seeing grey roots peeking out all the time and spending no time at all on hair upkeep. Every once in a while I'll walk past a mirror and see the white haired person standing where I'm supposed to be and think "what's Barbara Bush doing here?", but other than that, I'm used to it, and it feels kind of freeing in a way. When you get away from our high expectations for looking younger, thinner, and as perfect as possible, you find so many more important things to spend your time and energy on. And interestingly, I feel happier with myself and healthier than I have in many years.

The only annoying thing has been that whenever I step onto a crowded bus, men immediately try to give me their seat. It's like the parting of the Red Sea! I have become an old lady without the benefit of having grandchildren, which is utterly unfair. But since men in the US don't tend to be quite as accommodating as South American men, I suppose I should just relax and enjoy the ride.