| From: rona (Original Message) | Sent: 4/02/2005 3:29 p.m. |
| Howdee Folks, Has anybody got a spare suitcase, or does anyone need somebody to carry their suitcases? I've got my hand up in the air waving around if any one is interested. Oh all you lucky people going off on holidays, sojourns to exotic places; when all I've got is my imagination and books - Mind you they can get me to places you wouldn't believe, but still it's not the same as being there. I've bee reading that cousin Trish is off in Africa, Sherrie is going to China, Roger visits Georgia - my latest books have been set in Louisiana, so I wanna go there now!! Mari and Jack are offline for a while so presume they're off somewhere - or is it the computer is going places? And here I sit with half my mind on the here and now, and the other half in places I wish I could go to. What's that old saying ........"if I had half a mind I'd be dangerous"............watch out people!!!  So to all those who are gallavanting around the world..............................................I wanna come too!! Postcards would be nice! Enjoy your hols, and to leave you all with a piece of nonsense. "May the bird of paradise fly up your nose, and an elephant caress you with his toes!" Lotsalove Rona |
1 comment:
From: Sherrie Sent: 4/02/2005 7:48 p.m.
Dear Rona,
I'm afraid that its partly this website that has made this 'armchair traveler' so restless, with the regular updates of the family's travels. With Trish's previous jaunt to Egypt, Val and Malcomb's sojourn to Bali, and Kingston's forays to Croatia and beyond, perhaps my dismal geographical sensibilities will improve after all. I have a cousin Cheryl who with her husband is doing missionary work in Senegal, Africa. That has been a life-long desire of mine, to visit the Serengeti plains and other settings of the National Geographic focus of the 70's, also where a favorite aviatrix of mine grew up, Beryl Markham (author of West With the Night) She was also a contemporary of Karen Blixen (aka Isaac Denison of Out of Africa fame) and Denys Finch-Hatton. Beryl grew up among the Masai, and hunted with them as a young girl. She kept her independent spirit into adulthood, finally becoming the first woman to fly England to New York (first crash-landing in Nova Scotia - what a gal! Anyway, the Atlantic east to west) Fascinating story. Apparently, the pioneering spirit runs strong in the Fenton line as well. I will be anxiously waiting for any word from cousin Trish of her adventures and insights.
In my own case, I was adding/dropping classes well into the quarter, when the poster for the Spring Break China trip caught my eye. The international office was next door, so I poked my head in, and was immediately assured that I looked "very responsible" (read, chaperone material!) and would be most welcome on the trip. I had to wait for Roger to get back from his trip to Georgia to see if he would approve, and honestly, I think any destination would have looked wonderful, I've been restless for an adventure for a long time (or so it seems!) Suddenly, it seems later than you think to do the things you want to do! England is irresistable now with Darryn and Julie over there. But this door suddenly opened, the first Spring Break trip ever organized at my university, and very affordable as it is a group tour. My student loan had just enough money left this quarter to cover most of the cost of the trip, so the math was easy. Suddenly, I am so excited about China, the Asian culture, the language. My Aunt Kay grew up in Hawaii and was Japanese, and I have always wanted to gain some basics in Mandarin Chinese, as it is very prevelent now in our culture. California has more Chinese than anywhere but China, more Japanese than anywhere besides Japan, and many Latino, and other cultures. Thus, cultural enrichment is very relevent/useful around here. I just never considered China to be anywhere within reach. Thanks to Roger and Rangi's support and understanding, this 48 year old coed is going on one heckuva field trip! It will be March 19-26, and include Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. I am such a 'provential' tourist, longing to taste the "Dragon Well Tea" at the Meijia Wu Tea Plantation and have dinner at a farm house. The silk market is calling me, as our neice Angela is getting married in May with a 'Fairy' wedding theme, and I envision flowing silks and paper lanterns for decorating possibilities.
Thank you Rona for letting me ramble on. I do hope you head for Louisiana sometime, so you can come into the states through the Los Angeles 'gateway' and we can show you all the sights around here. That would be such a treat for us. Take care!
Love, Sherrie
Post a Comment