Notre Dame 1972

Since my 10-week solo “Grand Tour” of Europe in 1972, traveling has become a passion. To awaken in a new city in some new part of the world, to wander its streets and absorb a culture other than my own is one of the best sensations I could ever experience. 

            

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

St Augustine

St. Augustine, patron saint of brewers, was right on. Traveling requires an open, inquisitive mind because everything you know and have come to accept can be challenged. I am hooked on seeing the world. Travel not only allows us to enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of other people and places, but to appreciate what we have in our own backyards. Wandering, exploring, experiencing other cultures broadens the mind and imparts new vigor to the soul. Each new experience adds a new page to my book of memories and visions.

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home. 

James Michener

So far, I have traveled in all 50 states, to 100 countries and dependencies, and stepped upon all seven continents. While the United Nations may not count such places as Kosovo and Taiwan, I do. Actually, I count 103 countries if I include those which no longer exist. MostTraveledPeople.com 2022 ranks me as 60th among U.S. females, #19 in females of my age range, which goes to show women need to get out more. I travel a lot but am still surprised by stories of adventurous women who travel solo for months, move to another country, or like Sarah Marquis solo hiked from Siberia to Australia. I feel dull and sluggish in comparison.

Having experienced my share of adventure destinations, I am embarrassed to admit I have not trekked to the Amazon or Singapore yet. Madagascar, Mongolia, Bhutan and more of Africa is high on my list. Often I revisit countries I have not recently traveled. In 2016, I took my 17-year-old niece to Spain where the last time I visited, Franco was still in power. Since that time, she has developed her own passion for travel and is emulating my desire to explore new terrains (achieving her 30th country already).

My original goal was to travel 100 countries. Covid definitely put a stall to my plans but not an end to them. I recently reached county #100 when I visited Uzbekistan this fall. 

The differences between that 1972 trip and my trips of today?  I fly in front of the plane, pack lighter, adore iPhone photography, and wouldn’t leave home without my iPad. I enjoy using the medium of blogging to re-experience my travels and invite you to use the Tag Search for specific destinations in which you are interested.

My wish is to forever appreciate the world’s richness and variety. One must keep traveling. 

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime. 

Mark Twain
It is hard to leave pets behind so why not take them along?
Categories: Travel

Pat

Retired. Have time for the things I love: travel, my cat, reading, good food, travel, genealogy, walking, and of course travel.

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