I had high hopes for this one, but it was a total miss for me. In her early 20s, Clara is recovering from a major breakdown when she meets Jeff, a college professor and avid traveler. Shortly after they begin dating, she agrees to accompany him on a trip - a ticket to Istanbul and one back to Texas from London are the only guide posts. She also agrees to travel without any baggage, except for a purse. What follows is a 21-day journey of oh-so-earnest but super shallow self-discovery, told in enough psychobabble crossed with faux spiritualism to excite Oprah.

I love books about travel, especially memoirs, but neither the author nor Jeff are interesting enough (despite their best efforts and yes, they are the kind of people who yearn to be unique and special) to merit a couple hundred pages. Jeff, especially, just seems like an ass hat, one of those people who thinks he's super quirky and fun but is really just annoying and self-centered.

So yeah. No.

2.5 stars ( )

The topic interested me...but then once I realized what they were attempting to do...I thought, "this is crazy!" This couple had just met each other, literally weeks prior, and then both agreed to go on vacation together. A vacation without any luggage. Or plans. Or reservations. In foreign countries. They only took what they had on their bodies, passport, phone, some cash. No toothpaste. There was a start point and an end point with a date and plane tickets, but nothing in between. Just typing that all makes me sweat and feel sick to my stomach. THEN...she reveals that she has just come out of a huge breakdown that lasted two years. (I am diagnosing bipolar, btw.) Which is fine, but almost unbelievable that she would willingly walk into this situation.

Fascinating and voyeuristic on my part because I can't even go on day trips without some kind of a plan. I don't trust fate or my luck. At all. Glad I am done reading it!

I do send Clara best wishes however. She deserves peace and happiness. ( )

The other reviews that I read praised Clara for her bravery, for eschewing luggage and all the paraphernalia that one brings on vacation. Actually as you read the book and think about it, that is the easiest way to travel and I'm surprised that most people don't travel that way. I applaud her bravery on just getting over a two year bout of psychological issues, with dropping everything in her life, meeting a new man and just taking off without being paralyzed by fear that while thousands of miles away she might relapse. This is a book well worth reading. ( )

In the wake of a mental breakdown, Clara Bensen had just started rejoining the world when she decided to sign up for OKCupid on a lark. Through the website, she met Jeff, a college professor with an adventurous and spontaneous streak. A month into their relationship Clara agrees to join Jeff on a three-week, 8 country trip to Europe. The only condition: neither of them would bring any luggage.

This memoir is utterly engaging from the first page. Blending gorgeous travel writing with the tale of her unconventional romance with Jeff and reflections on her mental health journey, there's a lot of compelling reading here. While I could never imagine undertaking a trip with a single outfit and the contents of a small purse, it was utterly fascinating to explore such a trip. Highly recommended for both fans of travel memoirs as well as dating/relationship memoirs. ( )

I could identify with Clara. Take away the 40 year age difference and the mental illness I could have been her. My lack of self confidence would easily be substituted for her anxiety. My Catholic upbringing traded for her homeschooling emphasis on evangelical teaching. Nevertheless I liked the book and related to many of her observations and revelations. I never could have traveled for 21 days w/o baggage! The theme of the memoir was self realization. I did miss the travel theme which was in the back seat. The object of her affection was an anomaly, on the surface he seemed self absorbed underneath was an extremely free spirit. ( )