Travelling

When I was young, I travelled a fair amount with my family. My father was in the Air Force, and so I lived in four different places before I was twelve: Winnipeg, Manitoba; Summerside, Prince Edward Island; Cold Lake, Alberta; and Ottawa, Ontario. Every summer, my parents would pile the family into the car and take us on a trip somewhere in Canada. In this way, I saw the Rocky Mountains, the badlands of Alberta, the far side of Vancouver Island, the Gaspe Peninsula, and just about every bit of the Trans-Canada Highway in every province except Newfoundland and what was once the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

I travelled mostly between Toronto and Ottawa during my twenties, and it wasn't until I was twenty nine that I finally made it off the North American continent and went to England. Now I travel all over North America for work, and all over the world with John. The freedom and ability to travel, both financially and spiritually, have dramatically improved my quality of life. Even in the aftermath of September 11, I can't imagine not flying. During the immediate crisis, when I looked at the sky and had the knowledge that the sky was completely empty over the North American continent for the first time since the beginning of flight and that I (or anyone) couldn't go anywhere in a way that I had taken for granted, was more oppressive that I could have imagined. That's an air force girl for you.

I can't imagine not flying and visiting places I've dreamed and read about. Since September 11, just to illustrate a point, I have been (with or without John) to London, England; Las Vegas, Nevada; and New Orleans, Louisiana. One trip was pure pleasure, one was sort of a business trip, and the third was definitely a business trip with pleasure thrown in. This doesn't include two car trips to Ottawa and one to Kingston. I can't imagine taking it for granted again.

Upcoming trips include going back to Mexico, going to Boston, and maybe even New York. I've never been to New York, and would enjoy it immensely, I think.