by Marcy Gordon
“Who?”
I lift my hand slowly like a child unsure of the answer.
“How?”
“Absinthe.” I answer.
She closes her eyes and lowers her head. She bounces slowly up and down on the balls of her feet.
I stand up, the hair on my arm sticks to a piece of duct tape protruding from my makeshift garb. I have no idea how to translate my regret and embarrassment.
Her eyes lift to mine. I see the glimmer of a smile. Clearly this is not the first time it’s happened. And then, she hands me a pile of my freshly laundered clothes.
Even my socks are ironed.
Brege Shinn is an East Coast, beach bum, traveling fool, currently squatting (and confused by) the sweltering desert heat of Las Vegas. Her travel philosophy: if you have your passport, your credit card, and a good bit of duct tape, you’ll be just fine. Her previous adventures have included trekking in the Kashmiri Himalayas, living in the Costa Rican Rainforest in a tent during the rainy season, and accidentally finding an underground secret entrance to the Louvre in Paris. “Thank the Good Lord for Duct Tape” is her first print publication. She hopes excessive celebrating for this honor won’t result in a repeat performance.
Acknowledgments
Maggi Pecora for helping me when I needed it most. Thank you for your love, wisdom, and your critical eye, and for saving me from alien abduction in Coconut Grove.
Natalie Baszile for her dedication and superior multitasking abilities. I am indebted to you always. I owe you a fine bottle of wine. Heck, I owe you an entire wine bar!
Kimberly Nelson Coombs for her design sensibility and willingness to collaborate on such a fun cover.
James O’Reilly & Larry Habegger—The dynamic duo of travel publishing. You two are God’s gift to travel writing and especially for women’s travel writing. Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Sean O’Reilly for the completely ludicrous email exchanges, Lady Iguana sends out a tip ‘o the hat and a flip of the tail, in a platonic lizard like way.
Jen Leo for trailblazing the way forward with Sand in My Bra.
Stephanie Elizondo Griest for her experienced advice and friendship.
Lily Chou for her late night phone calls of encouragement, travel escapades and appetite for adventure.
And for Roger who provides everything under the sun that makes my life meaningful.
* * *
“The Horse Whisperess” by Laura Deutsch first appeared in Working Woman magazine. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Laura Deutsch.
“Appendix Over and Out” by Kristy Leissle published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Kristy Leissle.
“I Had A Passion for the Christ” by Melanie Hamlett, published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Melanie Hamlett.
“Giving Dad the Bird” by Lori Robinson first appeared in Wanderlust & Lipstick. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2011 by Lori Robinson.
“Easter Island and the Chilean with the Brazilian” by Kirsten Koza published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Kirsten Koza.
“Why You Worry” by Kathleen K. Miller first appeared IdeaGems Magazine, August 2011. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2011 by Kathleen Miller.
“Thunda Chicken Blong Jesus Christ” by A.K Turner published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by A.K. Turner.
“Motorcycle Mama” by Leigh Nannini published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Leigh Nannini.
“An Indian Wedding Nothing Like the Movie” by Nico Crisafulli published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Nico Crusafulli.
“Ciao Bella” by Christina Ammon published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Christina Ammon.
“Any Bears Around Today” by Kim Mance first appeared on World Hum, December 2010. Copyright © 2010 by Kim Mance.
“Packaged in Puerto by Lauren Quinn published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Lauren Quinn.
“Turkish Foreplay” by Cheryn Flanagan published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Cheryn Flanagan.
“Monkeying Around in Paris” by David Farley published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by David Farley.
“Going to the Dogs with My Mother” by Suzanne LaFetra first appeared in the Christian Science Monitor 2006. Published with permission from the author. Copyright 2006 by Suzanne LaFetra.
“The Spice is Right” by Megan Rice published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Megan Rice.
“Drug Money” by Katie Eigel published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Katie Eigel.
“Karma at the Colombo Airport” by Jessica Langlois published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Jessica Langlois.
“Hollywood Fiction” by Troy Rodrigues published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Troy Rodrigues.
“Naked, with A Passport” by Allison J. Stein first appeared on World Hum, June 2010. published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Allison J. Stein.
“The Nakuru Scam” by Sylvie Downes published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Sylvie Downes.
“Embedded in the Boot” by Jennifer Massoni published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Jennifer Massoni.
“Advice for Closet Cougars” by Jill Paris published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Jill Paris.
“Mt. Fuji in a Trash Bag” by Sarah Katin published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Sarah Katin.
“Flashed in Fallouja” by Kelly Hayes-Raitt published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Kelly Hayes-Raitt.
“Ditching Fist Impressions” by Kimberley Lovato published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Kimberley Lovato.
“Safari Sickness” by Julian Worker published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Julian Worker.
“Meeting Mosquito” by Josey Miller published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Josey Miller.
“Wasted in Margaritaville” by Jill K. Robinson published with permission of the author. Copyright © 2012 by Jill K. Robinson.
“Cabin Pressure” by Diane Letulle published with permission from the author. Copyright 2012 by Diane Letulle.
“Sometimes a Language Barrier Isn’t” by Spud Hilton was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, October 25, 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Spud Hilton.
“Pricier Than Prada” by Peggy Exton Jaffe published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Peggy Exton Jaffe.
“Thank the Good Lord for Duct Tape” by Brege Shinn published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2012 by Brege Shinn.
About the Editor
Marcy Gordon has laughed her way through 27 countries, many of them before the age of fourteen in the company of her travel-writing mother. She lived in Italy and worked for The Touring Club of Italy, as contributing editor and co-designer of the Authentic Italy guidebook series. Her narrative writing has been featured on-line and in print in many Travelers’ Tales anthologies including Best Women’s Travel Writing 2010 & 2011 More Sand in My Bra, 30 Days in Italy, and The Thong Also Rises. She writes a popular blog about wine and wine tourism called Come for the Wine (www.comeforthewine.com) and is the founder of Writing Between the Vines—Vineyard Retreats for Writers, an artist–in–residence program on vineyard estates around the world (www.writingbetweenthevines.org). She is a graduate of the University of Florida, College of Journalism and Communications.