Tales of a
21st Century Gypsy

Joy E. Hecht

Photo above by Susanna McIlwaine.

In October of 2003 I decided to get rid of most of my possessions and go on the road instead of living in housing. This website chronicles of what followed from that decision. If you'd like to comment on it, feel free to email me at jhecht at alum dot mit dot edu. (You know what to replace "at" and "dot" with - maybe the spam webcrawlers don't.)

In September of 2006, after traveling the US, Canada, and various places overseas (for work) for a long time, I moved back into my house in northern Virginia. I thought I would stop keeping a running commentary on my everyday life, but habit had become too strong. So if you'd like to read about life in one place, please click here.

To read some of my professional writing, please click here.

To return to my home page, please click here.

  • Part 21: July to September, 2006: Eastern Canada
  • Part 20: June to July, 2006: Mongolia
  • Part 19: Spring-Summer 2006: The Beginning of the End
  • Part 18: Back to Malawi, winter 2006
  • Part 17: Fall 2005: The West, Malawi, London, and the West again
  • Part 16: Burning Man, August 2005
  • Part 15: Out West, Summer 2005
  • Part 14: Work in Malawi, Summer 2005
  • Part 13: Back in the USA again May-June 2005
  • Part 12: From Egypt to Vienna, March-April 2005
  • Part 11: Back To the East, January-February 2005
  • Part 10: The Southwest and Back, Nov 2004 to Jan 2005
  • Part 9: Trip to Vietnam, October-November 2004
  • Part 8: Back in the U.S. of A. August-September, 2004
  • Part 7: Off to Egypt, June-August, 2004
  • Part 6: Back Out There: May 2004
  • Part 5: Interlude: Back in Arlington. April 2004
  • Part 4: On the Road at Last! March-April 2004
  • Part 3: Camping in Arlington VA, Feb-March, 2004
  • Part 2: Southern Africa - January and a bit of February, 2004
  • Part 1: Leaving New Jersey, October - December, 2003

Unless otherwise marked, all text and photos on this site ©Joy E. Hecht.


Part 1: Leaving New Jersey - October through December, 2003

Part 2: Southern Africa - January and a bit of February, 2004

Part 3: Camping in Matilda in Arlington VA, February-March, 2004

Part 4: On the Road at Last - March-April 2004

Part 5: Interlude: Back in Arlington, April 2004

Part 6: Back out there: May 2004

Part 7: Cairo and Rome, June through August, 2004

Part 8: Back in the U.S. of A., August - October, 2004


Photo by Sue Harmon or Barb or Marilyn Cotton.

Part 9: Trip to Vietnam: October-November, 2004

Part 10: The Southwest and Back, November-December 2004

Part 11: Back To the East, January-February 2005

Part 12: From Egypt to Vienna, March-April 2005

Part 13: Back in the USA again May-June 2005

Part 14: Work in Malawi, Summer 2005

Part 15: Out West, Summer 2005

Part 16: Burning Man, August 2005

Part 17: Fall 2005: The West, Malawi, London, and the West again.

Part 18: Back to Malawi, winter 2006

Part 19: Spring-Summer 2006: The Beginning of the End

Part 20: June-July 2006: Mongolia

Part 21: July-August, 2006: Quebec and Cape Breton

Part 21: July-August, 2006: Newfoundland and Labrador