For many years, I lived in capital cities of Europe and the Middle East while working for the US government, followed by a short stint at a global company in London. When I moved home to the US in late 2015, I realized I had lost touch with my own country. Who were these Americans that I had worked on behalf of for so many years?
Inspired by John Steinbeck’s 1962 bestseller “Travels with Charley”, I decided how to reconnect with my country: I would duplicate the spirit of that famous trip. For three months, I will travel around America to talk to my compatriots, see the countryside, and discover how the US has changed over the the past 56 years since Steinbeck made his voyage.
Steinbeck had Charley, an aging Standard Poodle. My faithful canine is a one-year-old Hungarian Vizsla.
I purchased a "Reissued" 1961 vintage Shasta Airflyte travel trailer to live in on the long journey. Shaped like the trailers from the 1960s heyday of glamping, it has all the modern conveniences of home.
Finally, I put my affairs in order and set off to study America. The travel adventure finished successfully in early December; stay tuned for news of the book!
