Have you ever avoided certain paths in life because of fear of the unknown? We all have a choice on whether to take paths of adventure and mystery or stay on familiar roads. 

 “The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” (Barbara Hall)  The image above is a tunnel leading to the sea in Taormina, Sicily.

Today I am taking the mysterious spiritual path in the tropical paradise of Bali.

The path spoke to him in a language only he could understand. He was off to explore the world and find his place in it.

“Have we ever thought that being lost is our destination?” (Craig D. Lounsbrough) Wandering the back streets in Rabat, Morocco.

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” (Martin Buber) An ancient portal to the unknown in Yu Gardens in Shanghai.

Through the chaos and the jumble who knows what treasures are to be found? An unusual furniture supplier near Mas, Bali.

Let’s see where this blue road takes us. The blue is said to symbolize the sky and heaven, and serve as a reminder to lead a spiritual life. In the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat, Morocco.

Well, …if anyone knows where we are going, it is the elephant! Riding an elephant on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand.

Hiking the “Cliff Walks” near Fermain Bay on the island of Guernsey. I felt indescribable joy on this verdant trail.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” (Ibn Battuta) Climbing up to the unknown in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” (Jawaharial Nehru) Taking an unconventional but ultimately exciting path in Ubud, Bali.

The flags of the Contrade waved overhead as the ancient buildings leaned and twisted on the path ahead in Montepulciano, Italy.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” (J.R.R. Tolkien)  A mysterious paved alleyway in Tuscany.

 “Blessed are the curious for they will have adventures.” Frederico Fellini lived on Rome’s Via Margutta and Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck were filmed on this street for “Roman Holiday.”

“It is not down in a map; true places never are.” (Herman Melville) A little lane in one of Beijing’s Hutongs.

The stone animals were quiet this afternoon on the Sacred Way to the Ming Tombs in Beijing.

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they are going.”(Paul Theroux) I saw this fabulous pot and followed the stone path for a closer look in Sant Antonino, Corsica.

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” (Pat Conroy) The “Ridge Trail” in Ubud, Bali, a path I have taken many times and have always made new, wonderous discoveries.

Two choices to make. A granite signpost on a “Cliff Walk” on the island of Guernsey.

“Still, round the corner, there may wait, a new road or a secret gate.” (J.R.R. Tolkien)  South Gate into Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.” (Angela N. Blount) A mysterious route in a small village in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Your guess is as good as mine,…Let’s just follow the stones and see where it takes us.  Sedona, Arizona.

“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.” (Erol Ozan) A red path in Essaouira, Morocco.

 Marla and my Mom discover a tunnel of flowers and vines in the garden of the Wild Flour Bakery in Freestone, California. Mom always loved a little adventure!I have no idea where it goes, so let’s take the high road and see what happens. Cannes’ “Le Suquet” quarter.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.