The Great Journey

I have always wanted to travel. I want to be on the move and see places that are steeped in history. I want to explore castles and ruins, be astounded by fabulous art, learn the local language, spontaneously get on an airplane or train and just go. But I can't. For as few obligations as I really have, I sure am tied down.

That is where my protagonist comes in. She can do all the things that I can't. She can learn the language when I can't get past "Hello, my name is Kelly. I have a reservation. Do you speak english?" She can take a leave of absence from her job when I don't have nearly enough vacation time. She can have a trust fund when I am still paying student loans. I wish I knew what it feels like to be her.

So much for being struck by the muse and understanding her world and family. She is my protagonist and I can't get inside her head! How can I write about what I have never experienced? How can I fill my novella with descriptions and reactions and interactions with places I've never been? Worse still, I don't know why she wants to go and what happens to her while she is travelling. Does she learn about the kindness of others? Realize that man is mortal and will therefore die? Does she fall in love? Meet with tragedy? I don't know!

Yet another false start.