I ran into an old buddy I see actually fairly frequently in our little town - he's the epitome of a travel lover.... he's been to hunnerds more towns than Johnny Cash's I've Been Everywhere, Man..... He's zigged East-West and West-East on them even number Interstates, and yes, zagged on the North-South, South-North odd ones. And that tain't even mentioning he's done the Route 66 thing, start to finish, at least once that I know of.
As we visited, his words, eyeballs and enthusiasm spoke to the view of four or five National Parks, almost as if I was there too......... hang on dude, lemme grab my bear spray! After our visit, I was tired, yet full of admiration. He's had affliction, swatted cancer twice, broken this's, that's, but ya can't stop him. Kudos.
There's a little gal that occasionally fetches me a Miller Lite - she works for 5, 6 months, then, she's off! Colorado one Winter teaching snowboarding, Oahu the next, learning surfing, backpacking Thailand, Vietnam, allover over there the next... she just flew out a couple days ago to Seattle...enroute to, I think the Phillipines - by her lonesome, always. Admirable. It's her 'education' minus the student loans that accumulate. She's a young punk, but OH the energy, you go girl!
Band camp, yes, a live in/with... a career with a huge medical conglomerate 'lent' her boo koo flight miles, Welcome to the Marriott darn near free rooms for life, that. Mark, set, she went. Once, around the World. I ain't kidding. Took off to the West... somewhere on the Coast enroute to Tokyo, with stops (and I know I'll forget some), ha, found an old FB thing: Japan-Singapore-India-Germany-Italy-Slovenia- Croatia- Bosnia- Montenegro.. they (she and a good buddy) followed the sun... came home from the East Coast.
Victor, I wonder, as you post, list this crap, do you think people reading kinda think back to where they've traveled? I HOPE SO... that's kinda the point.
Yes, with age, it gets harder and harder. Sure, you can dial up Trafalgar and they'll set it all up for you... but still... ya gotta get that heavy suitcase from the bedroom to the car.. .kajillions of steps... whereinthehell is the bathroom (or, knowing the name for bathroom per whadever Country you're in, been there, darn near peed my pants there... walk, stand, wait... stand, wait, walk s'more...
Victor, you're retired... what's the hurry, relax, take your time....... Today is October 2nd, do you no comprende, by the time I take all ma' clothes off, Tim Conway-old-man-walk into the shower, scrub here, there, HIGH JUMP over that 3 inch lip back to the br floor... dry off, get dressed, use four different contraptions to get compression socks, pants, shoes, yada on....... it'd be October 4th by the time I'd get done with all that
I love travel, but it takes funds, friends, worry about Fido and Fifi.... and energy. Maybe a month or two in Mehico again, I dunno.
Mind travel - NOW you're talking. Frequently, I put on a good set of tunes... checkout old pics on Facebook, photo albums from when there were so so many more loved ones around... close my eyes, and, I'm there. No cost, tips, ice, snow, heat, tiredness, dark driving, getting lost, steps, language barriers, panhandlers, grumpy front desk folks, that. Ya still get the scenic view from your brain of yesteryear... complete with remembered hugs, voices, smiles, smells... travel at it's best.
I dunno what your situation is, or, if you even wanna travel. If you do, go, of course. If you're coupled with someone that's faster, I hope they have patience. If you still run the 600 yard dash a couple times a year, play Chicken Fat at least once a week, then you have patience if one is a little slower than you.
Resist saying "NO" every time you're invited. One day, ya won't be asked. Stop, think, consider. Do the bucket before you kick it.
Zip-a-dee-zip-code, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my what a wonderful day!
Plenty of sunshine heading my way
Zip-a-dee-zip-code zip-a-dee-ay
We'll leave the light on...........
