Iggy Azalea & Pavarotti

One of the things we really love about traveling is a road trip. We love driving on roads we haven't been on before and stopping at every historical marker in sight. The discovery of what is over the next hill is always intriguing.

We've been lucky and never really had any car trouble.  In our pre-Siri age, we got lost quite a few times. Once because I had the map upside down for more than an hour...  Once we ended up in the middle of someone's ranch in snowy conditions (I do not think that was my fault...).  On another trip we had a broken speedometer on a rental (I will not disclose anything about that driving trip).

As the passenger, I have the important job of being the navigator, although that job is closely contested by the driver.  I go Galaxy Quest on her all the time while negotiating with Siri, "I have one job to do....!"

I actually have two jobs to do. I am also in charge of entertainment. I have carefully curated playlists, my favorite being the Duets one. Who doesn't love singing a duet in the car. Um, my travel partner? I think for her it's like karaoke -- it'd be more fun with a fruity beverage. ;)  My duet list is epic. One minute you're singing Iggy Azalea's part in "Trouble" and then next you are Pavarotti in "Live Like Horses".  Where else can you get that kind of variety?

Our fourth Thelma and Louise trip took us to Italy. I had finished college early, so there wasn't a Spring Break per se, but we went to Italy for a month at the end of May, beginning of June. The night before we left Rome, we rented a car and drove to Modena to see a Pavarotti & Friends concert. He did a few concerts as fundraisers for children of war-torn countries. It's an experience neither of us can talk about without choking up. I think it will stand the test of time as being one of the most special moments of my life. His voice was so big. So big. I can't describe how it filled the entire town, and went down to my toes. And the people -- they adored him.  They treated this opera singer like...Elvis. I can't think of another appropriate analogy.

So as we're singing in the car today -- Elton John and Pavarotti--we of course got to remembering the concert. The only two details we ever talk about are his voice and the people. I wikipediad the event to see what was said about it.  I couldn't find much. I read a couple music industry articles. And then I read a couple more.  I had remembered that the "friends" part of the concert included the Spice Girls and Trisha Yearwood, but I hadn't remembered the rest of the names.  And maybe this will help explain how amazing the voice of Pavarotti was: neither of us remember hearing Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Bon Jovi or Stevie Wonder.  They were there, but they paled in comparison to that thick voice.

It's funny how memory works. I have a knack for remembering more details than the average person (which I get can be irritating...). Feelings are the hardest to remember. You remember being happy or being sad, but it is hard to remember exactly what it was like.  From that night in Modena, I remember being in awe. I remember feeling like my hair was being blown back from the sound. I remember feeling like I was being allowed to see something special. But I don't remember the details.

We love sharing our travels with you, but to be perfectly honest, we love rereading it just as much. The memory plays funny tricks on you, and sometimes you forget the small stuff (or big) that makes each day special.