1. Always buy the expensive umbrella because you won’t find another, cheaper one later on. And you’ll get soaked.

2. Always carry toilet paper with you. Especially in China. And Egypt. And even in Paris.

3. Consider whether today’s outing is about sightseeing or sitting at a café. For the former, wear the practical shoes. The latter, the cute shoes that make you feel gorgeous.

4. Try as many finger foods as you can. Eating while strolling will increase one’s pleasure by at least twofold.

5. Don’t look away when that attractive man or woman meets your gaze. Don’t assume he/she is looking at you because you look like crap. Remember that people’s gazes don’t linger on unattractive sights. So smile, hold the gaze, and say bonjour.

6. Let yourself wait for the photo to emerge. If you stand still and watch, really watch, instead of fidgeting with your bag or thinking about lunch, the perfect photo will show itself to you.

7. Always, always go for that photo you believe in, the one that speaks to you. If it is of an old man walking a dog, make a connection to that man. Or to the dog. Get up close, so your body can speak to his, and you will find that the universe trusts you, and the moment will open up to you.

8. Wear sunscreen, even on a cloudy day.

9. Always buy something for your mother if she is still living. And if she is not, buy something for the mother of a close friend. I recommend lavender products.

10. When you see a man taking a photo of a woman near a fountain, stop and ask if they’d like you to take their photo together. They will be delighted, and you may find yourself with an invitation to tea the next day.

11. Eat that macaroon. Or piece of chocolate. Or the lovely six-Euro pastry with berries piled so high you can’t bite into it without causing a mess. Because when you think back, you will not remember how undisciplined you were for cheating on your diet. You will remember how gorgeous the day tasted.

12. Don’t ever, ever be afraid to eat in a fancy restaurant by yourself. Be audacious, ask for a window seat, order wine. Don’t bring a book to hide behind. Take your time. And, related to tip #5, let your gaze linger if there is an attractive person waiting on you, or sitting close by.

13. Walk proudly into any store you desire, no matter that your sneakers are dirty and you feel tragically unfashionable and in desperate need of a makeover. Look at everything on the racks and ask, without shyness or hesitation, if they have something in your size.

14. Drink lots of water so you don’t get a headache from all the wine.

15. If you happen to like the street music or it takes you to a place in your memory that is delightful, drop a coin or two in the jar or guitar case. If you do so, the mood the music evoked will surely stay with you all day.

16. Imagine your face is like a sunflower in its fullest, deepest, yellowest state of being alive. Nobody can resist a sunflower, nobody can say no to its power. You will surely get all that you desire, be it a discount or a cab ride in the rain.

17. Always travel with your yoga mat and come into a child’s pose or a camel or pigeon pose to close each day of travel.

18. Let yourself fall in love with a dog you find on an inconsequential road.

19. Write postcards and send them, even if you know you will be home before the postcards arrive, or even if you’ve been in email contact. Postcards will be stuck to fridges and work spaces and under the glass tops of desks. They will keep the energy of your travel alive. They are like stars in a sky without city lights, collectively lighting up the night.

20. If you see a tomato rolling down the street, left behind by a farmer’s market cart, pick it up. It is a souvenir.

—-

From the 2009 retreat in Aix En Provence