Tour Life...

... is hard. 

But it can also be liberating, enriching, and peaceful.

Courtesy of Punch Coffee in Nottingham

It's a gorgeous, sunny Thursday here in Nottingham - and I've only got one show to do today. That left me with an entire morning/afternoon to myself. It's made me think about how I wish I had my home comforts with me. I miss things like co-existing with Megan while she works from home, giving my cat Tetra some attention and play time, playing online games on my PS5, or meeting friends for coffee/food. Granted, I've brought my laptop, Nintendo Switch, Kindle, and a hard copy of Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett with me - so I'm not completely unmoored when it comes to days like today. 

Plus, Nottingham is quite a decent place to visit - and we've been blessed with decent weather these past couple of days. I've done lots of exploring - trying out the local cafes, strolling in some gorgeous parks, wandering in bookshops and museums... There have been numerous cities on this tour where I did a fair amount of exploration, and it would always leave me feeling refreshed and grounded.

There have also been stops where there wasn't a whole lot to do, or we simply didn't have a lot of time - by which time I would be exhausted from the back-to-back two show days that the weekly schedule demands of us. So I'd stay in my digs; on a bad day I'll spend the day in bed scrolling on my phone, leaving me feeling more tired than I already was. On a good day, I'd do something a bit more focused - like playing Tears of the Kingdom on my Switch or reading my book. 

I'm remembering our time in Llandudno, Wales - a quaint seaside town with not a whole lot to do, due to us being there in the middle of winter. It was one of my favorite stops on tour.

Llandudno, Wales

It was a gorgeous town. I loved walking along the beach on my way to the theatre, and especially going back to my digs in the evening. The sound of the waves rushing onto the shore would always leave me feeling calm, ready to tackle my morning gym sessions and two-show days - and wind me down, leaving me feeling ready to go to bed. 

I bring up Llandudno because it was a town that, again, didn't have much going on. But I didn't mind. I loved the quiet. I loved the small-town vibes. It brought me back to living in Marysville, Washington - a town that didn't have much going on. I was excited to leave it when I graduated high school, but now it's been a source of comfort and leaves me grounded every time I go back to visit. Llandudo gave me this feeling - and then some. Perhaps it was the fact that it was a place so far away from my home comforts - both in the London sense and the Seattle sense - but our week there felt like a cabin holiday. If I stayed in my digs, I was doing things that brought me joy - rather than rotting in my bed doomscrolling. If I didn't, I reaped the rewards of being outside, breathing in the fresh sea-salt air, in the occasional sunlight (of which there was very little), listening to the waves crashing along the beach.

This is the feeling that I keep trying to find any time I find myself with lots of time to kill before an evening show. Trying to make sure that I arrive to the theatre with a full spirit, so that I have the space to give Thuy the proper attention and precision that he deserves. Some days it's hard - and that's normal. Sometimes I miss home more than usual, or I didn't get enough sleep, or I doomscrolled way too much.

Today, it was easy. The sun is high, the skies are clear, and I reaped the benefits of it all.

I hope you've given yourself the space for some enrichment and joy today.

P.S. - I've been listening to a podcast called Heavyweight by Jonathan Goldstein, It's given me LOTS of joy and enrichment; it's very funny, but it also showcases the power of human connection. This episode specifically made me weep while I was sitting alone in my digs. Enjoy: