Today, I want to come back to the subject of living and working on the road. Most of you know that I am a translator, which is a very portable career. But I am also an interpreter. Here is what happened to that side of the business: Continue reading
Today, I give you a peek into my journal.
Bologna, Saturday, 25 February 2017
It has been a glorious spring-like day, with uncharacteristically low humidity and high visibility. After the rain last week, the air smells fresh. Continue reading
Trip update: Since returning to Formia two weeks ago, I have been busy planning and packing. There will be a trip to Bologna at the end of February, from which I will ride down the Via Adriatica to see my friends on that coast on the way back to Formia. 
I will go back to Bologna in early April for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. River Run 2017 takes off from there. Before I leave, everything in the apartment must be disposed of or shipped. My favourite ride has been the day-dreamer to Mondragone for biscotti all’amarena, a 63 km round trip to my favourite childhood pastry. Continue reading
Two weeks ago, I changed my status and profile on the Warmshowers (www.warmshowers.org) and Couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.com) websites. I have been “unavailable to host” since leaving Charlottesville almost two years ago. I decided to try hosting in my totally inadequate place in Formia. Almost immediately, I had three requests. I accepted the second two, when I realized that we could make it work. Continue reading
My workstation
Trip update: This week brought high winds and rain on three of the seven days. With westerly gusts of 27 knots and occasional frog-choking downpours, I worked indoors, and walked to the Tempo Prezioso Literary Café for my WiFi connection. This cozy café opened up less than a month ago. 
It features comfortable sofas and chairs, abundant outlets and a powerful WiFi signal. Of course, all the usual offerings of an Italian bar are there, from espresso to the harder stuff. I can eat a tramezzino and put off supper until they close and I walk back to the flat. After the storm front passed, the hills above 300 metres had a dusting of snow. Continue reading
Trip update: At 2230, the phone interrupted Gideon Oliver just as he was about to solve the crime. I stood up from the eBook I was reading and went to the phone. Timoteo Lamkin was inviting me to celebrate the New Year from the family balcony overlooking the fireworks on the Gulf of Gaeta. I had planned to spend a quiet evening hiding from the war zone and its fog of cordite, but I was touched that they would think of me. And so I greeted the New Year in the company of friends and waved a dozen sparklers myself. Continue reading
Halloween, 2016. The sun was well up when I awoke. I luxuriated for a while in my sleeping bag, then leapt up, aware than I had less than 20 hours to finish everything needed before leaving for the ATA Conference on the other side of the world.
My friends the Lamkins had been checking my mail, which was stacked on the kitchen table. After turning on the water, purging the gas lines in the stovetop, and opening the house, I cut open the boxes and envelopes. Continue reading
From Saturday, 6 August until the middle of the month, I concentrated on completing the book translation. The client’s offices were closed until 22 August for the traditional Italian Ferragosto holiday, so this job did not have deadline pressure. However, I needed time to prepare for our coming bicycle tour. Continue reading
Trip update: We spent last weekend in Tofino, which was so special, that I have decided to devote next week’s post to the visit. The rest of the week, I have been working on the book translation and taking daily rides around Vancouver. Spanish Banks is a favourite destination, where we lean against a log in the sand and read, or just watch the traffic in the roadstead and the people on the beach. The sea birds provide a fairly entertaining show, too. Continue reading
Trip update: This week I have thoroughly enjoyed riding around London. I hope that the people that then-Mayor Boris Johnson hired to turn London into a bicycle-friendly city stayed on after he left office, because I have never ridden in a city so well equipped as London for cycling. Continue reading
The Freewheeling Freelancer 