Some people are said to dance to their own tune. Not me. I prefer a soundtrack.

Every trip needs a good soundtrack. Usually at some point during the beginning of the trip a particular album or artist will surface that seems to fit trip. I can think of numerous examples from my experiences. One year it was Mad Season that we listened to all the way to Mt. Rushmore and back. Jack Johnson’s Sing-A-Longs set the tone for one of my summer trips to Manila. Last summer Tenth Avenue North supplied the soundtrack as I roamed India for the first time.

It’s also interesting how each one has its own connection with the trip. There is something fun about listening to Matchbox 20 sing “Just three miles from the rest stop…” when you have been passing rest stops for the past day and a half. Hearing Jack Johnson sing “there’s no stopping curiosity” was a perfect fit for a trip that included first time experiences like petting a tiger, dancing with clown mimes and hiking the volcano in the dark. In a similar vein, hearing Tenth Avenue North sing “why are you trying to earn grace?” played in stark contrast to the many temples, shrines and sacrifices surrounding the everyday life of India.

But this trip doesn’t have a soundtrack yet. It’s as if I have no tune to dance to. So far the trip has been fantastic with time spent building new friendships and renewing old ones. It’s definitely a trip worth singing about; I just need to find the tunes. Until then I’ll be dancing… to no tune at all.