Thoughts on Travel

TRAVEL - the mere word conjures up visions of beautiful places. I see the cool marble ofthe Taj Mahal, with its majestic dome, a memorial of love. I feel the spray and hear the thunderous roar of Iguazu Falls, deep in the jungles on the border of Argentina and Brazil. I see the picturesque principality of Monaco from its rocky promonitory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. I hear the gong of bells, calling the monks to pray at a gilded temple in Bangkok.

TRAVEL - I thrill to the whirlwind ride on a wicker toboggan, down winding streets from the heights of the charming island of Madeira. I dance, with abandon, to steel drums on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. I thrill to the changing of the guard, with the throngs gathered, outside Buckingham Palace in London. I feast on tapas in a bar, on busy La Rambla, in Barcelona after a day of seeing Gaudi's amazing architecture and sipping Spanish Rioja. I lay beneath rustling palms, and listen to the sound of surf on a remote island in Indonesia, dreaming of enchanting costumed dancers.

TRAVEL - I watch, in awe, as Old Faithful erupts over the Wyoming landscape, sending a plume of boiling water heavenward. I marvel at the "lost city of the Incas" at Macchu Piccu, nearly eight thousand miles above the sea. I enjoy the riotous blooms at Buchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, which thrill at any season of the year. I savor spicy delicacies and regional foods throughout mysterious India. I feel pangs of emotion as I visit the capital of my own country, Washington, D. C., with the White House, the U. S. Capitol and so many places important to me

TRAVEL - it affords us the opportunity to venture beyond our borders, to experience something new and different, to make the world a better place and to bring part of that world home with us, to keep it forever in our hearts. If we can learn a few phrases in another language as we go about the world, that would be a wonderful thing but, at the very least, we can remember that a smile is a universal language. It also helps if we
become familiar with other cultures and customs and remember to show respect as we journey

TRAVEL - there are many wonderful places to see and experiences to share right in our own back yards. When budgets are strained, that may well be the starting point. There are bargains to be had if one is willing to search. I've found that the first trip is only a lure for the next one and, before long, one wants to go further afield. For those who can no longer get out and about, the wonderful world of the internet allows us to continue to journey hither and yon to magnificent places and, indeed, to make new friends in all parts of the world. Go for it!