TRANQUILITY. That word drew me into booking an AirBNB recently, and the description of the place sounded peaceful, green and lovely.

So when my GPS announced, “turn right in 3/4 of a mile and your destination will be on the left” I was more than a little skeptical. Seriously? Tranquility HERE? I’d just exited a major highway and was on one of those dreadful, busy, fast-food, strip-mall-filled roads and started to think perhaps I’d been hoodwinked. In all of my previous and frequent AirBNB stays only one (the first!) missed the mark in its description. Little doubts crept in and whispered, “Well, it’s about time for another clinker, right?”

Hah! They couldn’t have been more wrong. The directions were accurate, this amazing location magically appeared out of the middle of Big City Crazy Traffic, and it was wonderful!! Green bowers, free-range chickens (no rooster, thank you!), swimming pool, sweetest host dog on the planet, bird song, flowers, growing veggies, happy plant life everywhere, spacious home, pretty room, comfy bed; it was all true!

Peace reigns at Christine’s place. It’s extremely photogenic and each morning you can enjoy a photographer’s dream of birds and critters swooping in for Breakfast At Christine’s.

Hosts of AirBNBs are as varied as the places themselves, but I’ve found most of them to be welcoming, hospitable and engaging. Christine is no exception. In fact, she shines as a host; practically in a class by herself! We spent a lot of time laughing together, especially after I climbed the grapefruit tree to harvest the ones out of reach (hey, that’s how we rock climbers roll). As the golden hour approached I even talked her into a photography session, and that included a lot of laughter, too.

My stay was wonderful! What did I learn? The GPS didn’t lead me wrong. Tranquility CAN be found in the midst of Big City Life. Eating fresh eggs lifts my taste buds & my heart, and Christine and her delightful lodging are truly a Breath Of Fresh Air(BNB)!