Carolina | Ft. Lauderdale Family Photographer

I flew solo last week for three days, which ended up turning into four, up to North Carolina.  It was an extremely last minute trip.  I went because my Grangran, who had undergone surgery the Friday before, took a turn.  And everyone was heading up there.  My grandparents moved up to Western North Carolina (Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Asheville area) permanently from Miami in fall of 2005, and I’ve always loved it up there.  In fact I’ve loved it since my Aunt Merideth moved up there in 2000.  Lenny and I have semi entertained the idea of moving up there, mostly fun “if we win the lotto” pillow talk, but the reality of it is we never will.  Which I’m fine with.  Over the last few years we’ve made a point of trying to get up there twice a year, summer and winter (Christmas).  But this trip, and the reason behind it, was unlike any that I’ve ever had to take before.  First of all, I was traveling alone.  I seldom travel alone.  In fact the last time I flew sans my kids and husband, I was traveling to Michigan to second shoot a wedding with my good friend and colleague, Kat Braman, and  I had a little bit of a nervous breakdown the morning we left, and almost didn’t go.  And second, there was a big unknown.   I’ve never taken a trip based on a reason such as this.  Was I expecting the worse?  The best?  The whole thing, in the less than 24 hours from when I bought the ticket to when I boarded the plane was just so weird.  I had so many mixed feelings.  This time I was actually a little bit excited to be traveling alone, which the feeling in itself made me feel guilty.  I was traveling to the place I love, and actually get to relax during the whole travel experience.  But yet I was going for what could be the worst reason ever.  ugh!  So I decided that I was going to make the best of it.  I booked a room for two nights at a really nice hotel and rented a “premium” car.  Not knowing what to expect I wanted to have my own space, my independence. Really take the time to reflect on what is most important to me.  I wanted to be able to take in the things that I really love and enjoy about North Carolina and just being up there.  And that’s exactly what I did.  I took walks, breathed in the mountain air, hit the best junk/antique shops, and most importantly, visit my Grangran in the ICU and spend lots of time with family that I don’t get to see very often.  The best part of the trip is that I got to come home, versus the “plan B” that Lenny and I had (worst case scenario).   While I was there Grangran was taken off the ventilator, could breath on her own, got out of bed, and after I left she was moved out of ICU and was released from the hospital.  Thank you advances in medical science, thank you to the universe, and thank you Grangran who is the most amazing, motivating, inspiring, focused, willfull, strong women to ever walk this earth.   I ended up enjoying my trip to North Carolina.  Of course I wish I had gone because of better circumstances, but I enjoyed the time alone.  I enjoyed the hotel, the walks, the car, the junking, but most of all I enjoyed sharing with my family the daily victories as Grangran began her recovery.

The following images were taken as I went for a walk one morning in the area surrounding my hotel, The Grand Bohemian.  The hotel was right outside the Biltmore Estate in a little area, appropriate called “The Biltmore Village“.

Notice the earbuds.  THE best part of traveling alone is being able to walk around while listening to Pandora.

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