I Am a Walking Rainbow

A friend said something to me recently that made me smile.

“You are a walking rainbow.”

I laughed when I heard it.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized he might be right.

Whenever I travel, I rarely pack neutral colors.

Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan - proof that some memories are best experienced in full color.

Instead, my suitcase fills with vibrant maxi dresses, flowing skirts, embroidered fabrics, colorful scarves, and the occasional outfit that makes absolutely no practical sense except that it brings me joy.

I’ve been told more than once that I overdress.

Perhaps I do.

But somewhere along the way, I stopped caring.

Traveling is one of life’s great privileges, and I happen to enjoy celebrating it in color.

Over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a collection of travel photos that make me smile.

I’ve been a geisha in Kyoto.

A Tang Dynasty queen in Xi’an.

A Miao village girl in the mountains of China.

I’ve worn Tibetan dress in Lhasa, flowing Uzbek robes in Samarkand, and a flying dress overlooking the cliffs of Santorini.

Xi'an, China - every traveler deserves the chance to feel like royalty now and then

Lhasa, Tibet - travel is often at its best when we participate rather than simply observe

Fenghuang, China - colorful traditions, warm smiles, and a glimpse into Miao culture

Xinjiang, China - some evenings feel as though they belong in a fairy tale.

Santorini, Greece - because sometimes a dress deserves its own Mediterranean breeze

Santorini, Greece - where even the wind becomes part of the photograph.

One of my favorite memories comes from Uzbekistan.

Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan - when an entire group of Travel Lovers decided to stop being sensible and start having fun.

A group of us dressed in traditional Uzbek clothing and gathered in Registan Square for photos. The men wore kingly robes while the women twirled in colorful long dresses.

The funny part wasn’t the costumes.

It was seeing some of the most serious people I know completely embrace the experience.

There we were, a group of foreigners dressed head to toe in local attire, laughing and posing for photos while curious locals watched the spectacle unfold.

It was impossible not to smile.

Another favorite memory comes from Mongolia.

Mongolia - a yurt full of queens, noble women, and grown adults behaving like children on a treasure hunt :)

One afternoon, we discovered a collection of traditional Mongolian royal costumes inside a yurt. Within minutes, a group of otherwise sensible adults transformed into kings, queens, noblewomen, and warriors.

We rummaged through the garments like children on a treasure hunt, helping one another choose outfits and adjusting crowns that seemed determined to fall off our heads.

Before long, everyone was striking dramatic poses as though we had spent our entire lives preparing for royal duties.

It was completely ridiculous.

And absolutely hilarious.

Looking back, I think that’s why I love these moments so much.

Not because of the costumes themselves.

But because they create stories.

They create laughter.

They create memories that somehow become more precious with time.

Years later, when I look through my travel photos, I rarely remember what hotel I stayed in or what I had for dinner.

But I do remember the geisha.

I remember the queen.

I remember the Mongolian robes, the Tibetan dress, and the colorful Uzbek gowns flowing across Registan Square.

Most of all, I remember the laughter.

Perhaps that’s what my friend saw when he called me a walking rainbow.

Not just the dresses.

Not the costumes.

But the joy that comes from fully stepping into the experience.

And somewhere between the geisha, the queen, the Miao girl, and the colorful robes of Uzbekistan, I realized I wouldn’t have it any other way.