Anthony Bourdain of Tattoos?
Reflection on another unique experience at work
I don’t take to celebrities often, and celebrity loss has always been something I couldn’t understand. It’s sad, yes. But, my personal life goes on. Until Robin Williams made me cry like a baby. That is a story for another day though.
I’d enjoyed Anthony Bourdain’s show over the years. His connection to people over simple meals while doing his best to learn about the culture behind the people and meals themselves was fascinating to me. I never thought I would have the chance to leave America so I lived for the ability to travel via technology with his snarky storytelling.
He wasn’t a perfect man, and that was something I could relate to. I’m not perfect, in fact I have a long list of imperfections. I just keep them to myself these days. LOL! We are all our own worst enemy sometimes. And he never sugarcoated that shit.
It wouldn’t be until the day he died that I would really get why I felt so connected to him. Not only did we share a birthday… June 25th, but we battled many of the same demons. He boldly shared those thoughts and episodes of depression without holding back. Looking back to some of the episodes and interviews after he was gone… you could see much of it on display without him hiding his struggle.
He gave a human face to depression. A life of traveling to some of the most amazing places, staying at some of the coolest hotels, and having everything at his disposal wouldn’t be enough to win the battle within. To me, that in itself was just so incredibly heartbreaking in so many ways.
During COVID I would lay in bed for hours on end watching Parts Unknown. Alternating that with Elephant on Disney +, and of course YouTube videos of people riding Walt Disney World Rides. Again, don’t judge me! LOL!
I thought at that moment, the only opportunity I would ever have to see these places would be through his eyes in various episodes of his different shows from over the years. If you would have told me in 2020 that by 2025 my passport (which I didn’t even HAVE at the time) would have as many stamps as it does today. I would have laughed square in your face.
14 Countries in my lifetime.
12 of them within the last 3 years.
My first trip embarked in June of 2023, and now it seems like a lifetime ago.
All because I started talking shit about the news on Tik Tok all those years ago. Our community has grown from just people who want to be in the know without tuning into the mainstream media. We survived COVID together! Had morning lives daily together, before I had to go back to work! LOL
We made our own little corner of the internet full of good humans, liberal minds, and revolutionary ass bad bitches.
Oh, and a couple dudes who can totally hang in the estrogen ocean! If you are lucky, you’ll get one on one of your trips, you sure are in luck! I can ASSURE you of that!
Through every trip there has been a pretty solid connection that started with the very first group. Continuing on through nearly every trip, including the Galapagos.
Getting tattoos. Group tattoos, group appointments for differing tattoos, piercings, some travelers getting their FIRST tattoo's, and some just cheering everyone on!
If I am being honest, I didn’t set out to get one in the Galapagos either. Like a couple other places I’ve traveled, I just didn’t know if there would even be tattoo shops. Let alone a safe shop with good artists. Silly fucking me, because I got the surprise of my lifetime.
In the form of the absolute sickest tattoo I’ve ever got. I mean, I love each and every one of my pieces like they are my children. Even if they are like the sibling nobody claims anymore. LOL! Sorry, I am just cracking myself up over here.
It wasn’t until I was home and able to unpack the experience myself and think about all of the different pieces of art I’ve taken home with me from different parts of the world from artists I vibed with on such a deep level that I opened my body to be their canvas. The ultimate trust in another human being.
Despite the language barriers, Google translate, reference pictures, and groups of enthusiastic partners in crime… I’ve had the ultimate privilege of connecting with those humans on a level most will never understand.
I’ve been tattooed by a Polish woman in Iceland… who took a small idea I had and perfectly executed my memories of these moments…
I literally shed tears over this one… because it was more than I could have ever hoped for. In other news, I may or may not have another appointment scheduled with her for a future date since I am in love with her skill. Also, I am a sucker for a badass female artist.
Which brings me to an entire other part of the world and the most badass, all female tattoo and piercing shop we visited in Italy. This one being slightly more special as we as a group collectively got the same tattoo.
To this day, I keep in touch with my tattoo artist as well as the exceptional smoke show who pierced my nose. Gotta give those girls credit where it is due! They killed it and are fucking amazing human beings.
I can’t wait to visit Venice again some day, because you can bet your ass I will be back in that shop in a heartbeat.
And up until that moment, everyone had always chosen their own tattoo and we just went together. This was the first time where together everyone got the same exact thing and to me that is what made it even more special. Which really made me laugh a few months back, some lady who I guess is a local tattoo artist, clearly unmedicated started harassing me, clearly clout chasing but what she did do that pissed me the fuck right off was make fun of this specific tattoo.
Obviously never leaving Florida, having a hard time grasping what the outline of foreign destinations… while using her whole ass chest on the internet to poke fun at it. Deep down it just made me love it even more.
Because it isn’t just a tattoo. It was something we all did together. It was part of the story… that moment. With people from all walks of life converging on a beautiful memory that will stay with all of us for a lifetime.
P.S. that is also the trip when Tina and I met.
The ying to my yang. People had thought we knew each other our entire lives. Boy were they in for a surprise in learning that we weren’t. At all.
That is just how most of these groups have naturally unraveled.
When they say that your vibe attracts your tribe… they were right. And all of my peeps that have embarked on this epic journey with me definitely are good vibes only. Just how I roll.
The human connections I’ve had the opportunity to make on the journey of hosting these groups is more than I could have ever asked for. I look around me at the people I can call friends… for life and know it all started with my dumb ass getting on Tik Tok one day and saying…
“Do you guys want to go on vacation with me?”
Thinking everyone would tell me to go and get fucked. LOL!
I love our stories, and our friendships.
I love our memories and laughs.
I love the scrapes and falls we’ve had along the way that made us laugh even harder.
I love the family that we have created that is a safe space for everyone to thrive and feel loved. That in itself is something special as fuck.
Above all, I’m thankful for this brief moment in time. I know it will not be my forever… so I am going to take all of the chances to see how long we can hang on to this wild ride for!
Thank you for making this my life.
For the time being.
And thank you for being a part of my community.
-Danielle
ChasingOz
I love this! I wish that I could afford to travel with you because that would be money well spent.
About Robin Williams, I was wrecked after he died. I felt like I just lost a part of my family. I cried on and off for about a week. I had never had that kind of reaction to, not only a celeb dying, but someone I had never met before. I can't explain it.
You have some sweet tattoos! I got my first tattoo at age 65. I would LOVE to get a tattoo with you someday! Still watching your trips for someplace I haven't already been...