For my entire life, I have yearned for travel. It started in the second grade with my Spanish classes, but the bug really bit me when I met the Kemmer's, Angela, Gaby, Klaus and parents. Angela was right next to me in Homeroom and I was fascinated that her father was the Vice Consul for (then) West Germany. This opened my eyes to yet another culture in this wide, wide world.
That sealed the deal. When my other lifetime dream of becoming a concert pianist fell through....one cannot make one's fingers grow longer than God intended, though I surely tried....I pursued my language education in earnest. I studied modern languages at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, TX.
Although life didn't progress as I had planned, my language skills and flexible fingers landed me every job I ever had. Although almost 30 years passed with limited travel, I never lost sight of this goal.
Now, with my best friend and husband of almost 35 years, we began our journeys in 2006.
Until then, we flew down to the Yucatan for long weekends every chance we got, avoiding Cancun like the plague. Who wants to visit Gringo town in Mexico? Now, we miss the old days of renting a car and driving down whatever road caught our fancy off the Tulum Corridor. Although it is somewhat safe to visit the resorts along the Mayan Riviera or Los Cabos as long as you stay ON the resort, we just can't seem to envision visiting Mexico without the joy of discovery of a small restaurant on the Caribbean just south of Akumal where they served langostino that young boys brought straight from the waters to the kitchen and we ate until we couldn't move for about $3.00 US. Or the trip through the jungles to a newly discovered Mayan temple and village site without any fear at all. Ahhh, maybe one of these days, we can re-visit those days of youth.
Now, I will turn 60 this year and plan to continue traveling as much as possible for as long as I can.
We have been cruising in order to discover places we want to return to for extended visits. So, we have been to Italy twice, cruised around the Horn from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Alaska's incredible inland passage, London to the Baltic Sea for St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Brugges and Tallin. Our latest was a trans-pacific from Sydney to Honolulu via Tahitia and Bora Bora, Noumea and Moorea.
So, as we plan our upcoming trips, I want to put down what our trips meant to us and why.
Since this is my first blog, please bear with me, but I promise you, it will be one heck of a journey.
Godspeed,
Ginia
