Travel

DAY 5 -
Prompt:

If we live truly, we shall see truly. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

There really is no place on my bucket list, to visit before I die.  I’ve traveled throughout the United States much of my life.  Having seen some amazing places, I have no strong desire to journey to any one place in the world.  If I did, I wouldn’t allow anything to stop me.  If it was important to me, I’d just do it.

I’ve been to The White House, Niagara Falls, swam in Lake Michigan and the Pacific Ocean, participated in the patriotic ceremony at Mount Rushmore, gambled (and lost a lot of $$$)  in Las Vegas, Laughlin and Lake Tahoe, sightseeing in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Petrified Forrest and the Painted Desert, water skied on a manmade lake without a boat, saw the Grand Canyon, toured The Alamo in San Antonio twice, traveled to the top of Pike’s Peak (with Mom driving – her secret desire was to be a racecar driver), toured Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield Illinois, faced my fears during flights in small four-seater airplanes and on roller coasters, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, toured Alcatraz Prison Island, took road trips on Route 66 in the 1950’s, visited several state capital buildings, sweltered in the heat of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, shopping for bargains in Mexico, viewed Lake Michigan from the top of the Sears Tower, crossed the Columbia River from Portland, OR to Vancouver, WA, toured the Yuma Territorial Prison several times, spent a beautiful day at Crater Lake, been to beaches all along the West coast, visited Bugs Bunny at Great America, visited Snoopy at Knott’s Berry Farm,  toured Hearst Castle and the Winchester Mansion Mystery House, went to many national parks, zoos and amusement parks in several states, visited Mickey Mouse at Disneyland loads of times (one of the advantages of living in Southern California), visited several places in Chicago (where I grew up), where my favorite tourist attraction in Chicago was the Museum of Science and Industry, The Great Salt Lake, mesmerized by the stalactites and stalagmites of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, and countless other locations and points of interest throughout North America.

In addition to the areas I've actually traveled, I've journeyed vicariously through the excursions of my youngest son.  Steve’s travels include a road trip across the United States to New York and back to California, three months backpacking in Europe (Italy, France, Prague and England), and two months in Thailand.  Maintaining contact during his trips, gave me a feeling of “being there” with him.  Upon his return, viewing his photos and hearing the details and stories of his trips, also satisfied my curiosity and lessened my desire to travel there - not because his travels were not wonderful, but because it was "just enough" for me.

Although there are numerous places I’ve not been, my contentment and tranquility is found within my heart, right in my own home.  It’s not about “where”, but rather, it is about “with whom”.  Sharing time with those I love is most important to me, rather than to travel elsewhere.

IF (and that’s a big “if”) I had a strong desire to travel anymore, most likely I’d want to go to Poland, as this is where my maternal ancestors are from.  Or, as an alternate choice, to Bari Italy, as this is where my father-in-law was born.  However, I don’t see that happening; not because I don’t think I can do it, but because I just don’t feel like going anywhere that far away.

At this stage in my life, home and family is my

 priority.

P.S.  In addition, searching the internet (for the pictures to include here), only confirmed my perception that I’ve already had some amazing experiences with regards to travel.  This verifies my lack of desire to travel much anymore.