The Full Circle of the Cosmos

October 15, 2019 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Dating, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

A year ago, I booked a trip to France that I planned for months. In the twelfth hour, as I drove up interstate 95 to the airport, a snowstorm in Ireland canceled the entire journey. In the days following, I felt sad and almost wounded to have this trip yanked away from me, especially at the last possible moment. The cancellation underlined the fleetingness of opportunity. I rebounded by booking trips to Canada, Cuba, and Scotland, countries that had never been on my radar before the day I didn’t make it to Paris.

What bothered me most was, still, the intention. I had trains and tours booked and memories and pictures planned. I envisioned myself on the hill overlooking Nice’s beach and eating a croissant by the Arc de Triomphe. Even with new trips, I remain haunted by reminders that anything can vanish even when it’s most guaranteed.

The weekend after my canceled trip, I saw flyers for Richmond’s French Film Festival. A month later, I attended a “Spring in Paris”-themed gala. I took a photo beneath an Eiffel Tower that I’d never see, at least not so soon.

The Bathroom Bandit of Thailand

June 19, 2019 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Humor, life lessons

This past spring, Sara and I traveled to Thailand for fun. On our sixth day, we stayed in Koh Phi Phi, an island in southern Thailand known for its pristine waters, lots of tourists, and Monkey Beach. Sara and I decided we wanted to snorkel while here, so on our last day we set out.

I used the bathroom before we left our hotel, but on our commute to snorkeling, I realized I needed to go again. I didn’t panic because I figured there would be a restroom at the pickup location. Of course, this was Thailand; American customs like public restrooms are not the norm. However, many tourist ventures catered toward typical Anglo-Saxon luxuries, so why wouldn’t there be a toilet?

After we checked in, I asked the tour leader if they had a bathroom. “No bathroom,” she replied.

In a flash, I envisioned the next six hours: a handful of basic strangers isolated on a tiny boat in the Indian Ocean, my pounding intestines and stricken body, sweating and in misery and not enjoying a singular second. I could not get on that boat without using the bathroom again; there was no hesitation in my resolution. I would rather just not go than be threatened by the future I saw.

The Traveling Liar

November 20, 2018 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons, Humor

My parents have never taken kindly to my travels. When I say “parents,” I mean my mom. My dad only cares that I’m financially secure. “Yes, Dad, I can afford this impromptu trip to Amsterdam, but I won’t decline your $20 for gas money.”

My parents’ apprehension does not surprise me. Until this year, they hadn’t been on a plane in 30 years or ever been abroad. On the other hand, I had talked of distant lands since third grade, so I don’t know why anyone was surprised when I hopped off to Denmark three years ago…and then Amsterdam…and then Qatar, Germany, Costa Rica, Italy, Portugal, Spain, etc.

Getting Off the Island

November 06, 2018 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

As frequent readers may know, I have a habit of taking weekend jaunts to far-off lands and returning just in time for important grad school meetings or romantic dates (not so much on the latter). This past July my friend Liza texted asking if I wanted to go St. Martin. Despite growing up in Virginia Beach, I don’t characterize myself as a beach person. However, I’ve harbored a growing affinity for equatorial sunsets after witnessing these miracles in Key West and Cuba.

“For how long?” I asked Liza.

We would leave on a Sunday and return on a Wednesday - two full days to lay out, sunbathe, explore the island, and grab some Instagrams.

Everything That Went Wrong in the $30 Airbnb

June 19, 2018 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

A couple of weeks ago, my friend invited me to her wedding. I brought my roommate Katherine as my plus one and booked an Airbnb for us.

I didn’t spend too much time on the selection. We wouldn’t be at the place long, just to change before the wedding and to sleep afterward. There also weren’t a ton of selections in the area, but I found a suburban two-storey bungalow for $50. The rental was a private room, meaning the host would be home, but that was fine; I’ve done that before in the States and abroad. Plus, I had a $20 voucher I could apply to make the entire rental $30. Amazing!

I forgot about the Airbnb almost entirely until a week before the wedding when “Mr. Xi” emailed confirming my arrival and informing me he would be out of town. “I’ll leave key in lockbox,” he wrote. “The code is 7133. Leave the key there when you go out.”

What My Coffee Addiction (and India) Taught Me About My Life

April 12, 2018 by astoldoverbrunch in Guest Post, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

What’s more clichéd than saying you’re addicted to coffee? It seems every person who holds down some sort of a job or responsibility, and who likes to stop at Dunkin’ on the way, says they have a coffee addiction.

My Paris Paradox: Time Travel and What Could Have Been

March 13, 2018 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

The week I was supposed to go to France, an article about my old favorite TV show, “Lost,” popped up in my Facebook feed. The article reflected on an episode that premiered a decade before and centered on time travel—a popular theme for “Lost” if you were a fan. In particular, the article mentioned the difficulty in writing the episode because time travel presents several paradoxes that either must be assumed impossible or else time travel must be assumed impossible.

The Grandfather Paradox stuck with me – essentially, you must believe there are certain truths that cannot be altered by time travel. For instance, you can’t kill your grandfather (before at least your parent is born), or else you forfeit your own existence, but you can’t not exist if you are the one changing your own future.

A Son’s Dream Is His Mother’s Nightmare

December 26, 2017 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

Weeks ago, I bought a ticket to Portugal and Spain. When I returned from Italy in August, I had already a promise to myself I made last year: I would always have a trip ahead of me.

I knew there would be another trip, but it wasn’t scheduled and I wasn’t sure where it would be. After a month of anxiety, a deal popped up to fly into Lisbon and out of Madrid. A few quick searches and consultations with friends who had been to these places, I dropped the $463 and danced. I was going back to Europe!

What I didn’t do was tell my mom.

Clothes, Blood, and Being Cheap

August 28, 2017 by Cazey Williams in Humor, Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

My recent trip to Germany was my third time flying Wow Air. As Sara and I have covered before, Wow is economy flying. You pay for the flight and everything else is extra, including seat assignment and water.

Luggage, of course, is no exception. When I flew to Copenhagen and Amsterdam last year, Wow allowed 11 lbs. of luggage within certain dimensions or else it was $48, and the prices increased from there. So I went to Copenhagen and Amsterdam with 11 lbs.

This year when I bought my ticket to Germany, my heart skipped a beat to see they increased the threshold to 22 lbs. I could go crazy. 11 more lbs?! What couldn't I pack?

Why I Wear Bracelets

August 15, 2017 by Cazey Williams in Cazey's Column, Life In Your 20's, life lessons

For some time now, I’ve worn bracelets. I’m often asked where I got them from.

In Costa Rica, a friend spotted the cuffs on my arm and asked where they were from. I think he was disappointed when I informed him I had gotten these specific wristlets from a fast fashion store in Boston. At least I traveled to get them?

“Oh, I thought they might be from other countries,” he said.