Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Calgon, Take Me Away*…To Block Island


 If I could spend a week anywhere in the world to escape, there are two places I’d go—Block Island and Wyoming.

Block Island is a tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Rhode Island. It’s a fairly unpopulated, non-touristy summer destination for people who want to relax, hang out by the beach, bike ride and explore the one-road main street in town. You get there by ferry. There are no major businesses or stores (other than small ones), so it’s quiet and peaceful—other than the murder that happened on the beach in front of my uncle’s house one of the times my husband and I stayed there. Because my uncle rents out the house during high season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), we tend to visit off-season, either really early in the summer, or right after school starts. It’s still warm enough to swim, but there are even less people there than usual.

When I dream of escaping somewhere to write, I dream of going there—taking my laptop, sitting on the beach and writing during the day; then moving to the wide, wrap-around porch to write during the evening. Walking on the beach to work out plot points (or to ponder that murder), sitting in the run-down bar to talk to the locals and work out dialogue. Letting the waves lull me to sleep.

My other fantasy escape is Wyoming. I’ve never been there and I have no idea what it’s like. But when life gets too hectic, too much, I dream of running away to Wyoming. What I’d do there, I have no idea. Probably ride horses. Maybe write. Hopefully decompress. Or maybe become so bored and lonely I’d hop the first flight home to be back with my family where I belong.

Where would you go?

*For the Brits: “Calgon, take me away” is an advertising slogan for bubble bath.

7 comments:

  1. I like where I live, Jen. Northern Minnesota is great. I have lived in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Germany, Ethiopia, and Southern California.
    Minnesota feels the best to me. Rural. Trees. Lakes.

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  2. Sounds lovely, Ana. I like where I live too, but there are definitely other places I'd like to see.

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  3. Block Island sounds lovely, Jen - apart from the murder, of course! I'd love to work and sleep to the sound of the sea - as long as it wasn't rough, of course!

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  4. Well, the ferry ride always makes me seasick, but aside from that, the ocean is lovely there, Paula.

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  5. Jennifer, Block Island sounds perfect. I think I'll go there!

    It also sounds like the perfect setting for a book, and there's a murder mystery built right in.

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  6. Really, Jen? Block Island? My parents have rented a house there for a week every summer for as long as I can remember. I find it far too chock full of type-A East Coasters for my liking. Since I like that kind of beach-y setting though, I'd opt for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You ought to check that area out. It's much like BI, only "slower" -- 'cause you're in the South and all...

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  7. Exactly, Debra! I keep wanting to go back but can never find the time. One of these days.

    Outer Banks is too far away, Daphne. I'd rather stick with BI. And I like those people! :)

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