What do you think of her description of life on the Number One? Have you ever experienced travel like that? What unique insights does it offer?

Youngson writes, "Eve concentrated on the experience of travelling. The rhythm of movement along a canal, the tramp of feet on the towpath like a song without notes. This was not about the destination; the point was the travelling, at a speed that allowed change to occur at the rate of one hundred yards every minute." What do you think of her description of life on the Number One? Have you ever experienced travel like that? What unique insights does it offer?

I lived with my husband on a 42' sailboat for three years while we maintained our teaching jobs. During summer break we taught classes from our boat and traveled the local waters. That sense of being separated from land was well presented in their life on the canal boat. This separation prepared us for our years of teaching outside our own culture, in Indonesia and Bulgaria.

My husband and I take a X-C road trip every winter (not this year, however ) and we are in the car together every day and then in a motel room at night. Naturally, like Sally and Eve, there are times we are apart but by and large we are together in close quarters 24/7 for 6-8 weeks. I always marvel at how we manage it without any major flare-ups--especially when the house with three stories sometimes seems far more confining!

The nature of the mode of travel forces you to slow down. It allows you to better interact with the landscape. You feel as if you’ve been a part of it for a time. I’m speaking as a bicycle tourer.

I’m typing this from inside a camper van, so I can absolutely relate to the sense of small spaces and making do with less. It’s so lovely to have your home on your back for a time.

It was fascinating to read about canal living, not convinced I would want to do it but the vicarious experience was great.
I spent a summer many years ago traveling the western states in a camper van with another person. It does give you a different perspective on things.