Then: Mumbai (Bombay), India
Photo By Arian Zwegers
Taxis of India
Photo By Jonathon E. Shaw
I lived in Mumbai, India for not quite a year and it was my first step into the other-worldly experience that is India. After traveling all over that country, and living in other Indian cities as well, Mumbai is the place that absolutely captured my heart. Vibrant, fast, youthful, exotic, festive, the perfect melding of east meets west, truly the embodiment of the #yolo mentality, in my opinion. The reason it claims the top spot in the 'Then' category when so many others offer compelling reasons as well, is because it also represents comfort. I was my most comfortable in Mumbai. The routine of traveling every week to this terminus, to "downtown" to see friends, have lunch, catch a movie, get away from the work we were doing during the week comforts me. It was my favorite place, for the chaos and the routine, for the western elements mixed in with the modern Indian elements, and my deepest friendships to come out of India came from Mumbai.
Now: Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Wednesday Night, End of Sailboat Races
Lake Hefner
Personal Photo July 2014
I now live in Oklahoma City, and while I could choose from many other places I have traveled in my 'current' life, I choose Lake Hefner for a few reasons. Primarily: Sailing. I love to sail and I jump at nearly every opportunity that presents itself to get out on a sailboat. I learned to sail on this lake and I now make a point to get out there twice a week, sometimes more. The reason I keep going out again and again is that the racing quenches my thirst for sport, and for competition. It also satiates my social side, as most boats must be sailed by a crew. The one I crew for, a J24, uses a 5 person crew, so there's great camaraderie there. My favorite place anywhere in the world is outside, and this outdoor space offers everything one could want: wind, water, sun, beauty, calm, excitement, competition, camaraderie and sport. Perfection.
