MUSINGS FROM JOAN #11

My name is Joan and I am an adventure travel addict. There, I admit it, and I feel much better, although I don’t think there is actually an AA group for this problem. It’s something I have dealt with for more than 50 years, although my opportunities to indulge in this obsession have narrowed a bit in the last few years.

My addiction has taken me hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara in Africa and the Burgundy wine country in France; rafting for eight days down the Colorado River; sleeping in tent camps out in the bush while on safari; hiking trips up a volcano in Hawaii, a mountain trail in Alaska, and a dirt path to the top of Masada in Israel. I’ve also hung on for dear life on a donkey’s back as we climbed a sheer cliff to the top of Santorini in Greece and skied in awe down the slopes of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps.

My “to do” list is still pretty voluminous, although I’m afraid some of my plans may be a trifle out of reach, both financially and physically. But they include climbing Machu Pichu, communing with the polar bears in Antarctica, chasing tortoises in the Galapagos, and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.. I also have a yen to see Viet Nam and Dubai. I love anything to do with animals and almost took off for Puerto Vallarta last year with my friend Pamela when their local zoo offered the opportunity to feed two new baby tiger cubs. Unfortunately, the cubs had outgrown human mothering by the time we were able to make proper arrangements.

My skiing adventures began at the advanced age of 50 when I decided I wanted to learn the sport. Although I spent my college years at Syracuse University in upstate New York, where skiing opportunities were readily available, no one I knew indulged in those days. It took membership in the local Miami Ski Club to show me the slopes of the world, allowing me to ski unforgettable mountains such as St Moritz, Zermatt, Val d’Isere, the Eiger and the Jungfrau, not to mention Aspen, Snowmass, Vail, Breckenridge, Park City and Sun Valley.

Admittedly, travel today is not as easy or as much fun as it used to be. I have always hopped on and off planes with ease, considering them the fastest way to get where I wanted to go. Only rarely have I had a bad experience on a flight, although I do remember a long ago flight into Portugal when it was evident that the pilot was having problems with the landing gear. As we came in for our final approach we could see fire engines following us down the runway. Not a good feeling. When the plane finally came to a safe stop the entire passenger list, including the pilots, retired to the airport bar for a stiff drink.

I did learn a hard lesson two years ago about the perils of today’s air travel. Here’s my new commandment on the subject: “Thou shalt not fly to your port of departure on the same day that your cruise is set to sail.” I say that from experience, folks. My saga of missed flights began in Miami with engine trouble. When I finally arrived in Atlanta to meet up with my daughter, my grandson and his fiancé, for our direct flight to Rome, they were already on the plane and ready for take-off, without Grandma, the master trip planner, on board.

I won’t bore you with the details, suffice to say that the closest I could get to Rome in time to make the ship’s departure, was Paris, and from there on, I was on my own. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you are desperate. As my grandson said when I breathlessly boarded the ship, approximately two minutes before they pulled up the gangplank, and sans all luggage, “If it had to happen to one of us, it was probably good it was you, Jo.” I know he meant it as a compliment, but I could have lived without the experience.

Although I understand there are great travel bargains to Europe these days, I think I will stick to seeing the USA for a while. Actually, my favorite places to visit recently are Jacksonville, FL and Charlotte, NC. No big secret why, that’s where my favorite people live. I can get my animal “fix” with Jake and Zoey, Andrea’s two cats, and delicious Layla, Adam & Amy’s beautiful boxer dog. I still yearn for faraway places and memorable adventures. But in truth, I’ve already had more than my share.

Then again, if you’re considering zip-lining over the rain forest in Costa Rica in the near future, give me a call. I just might be interested.

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Photo caption: White water rafting on the Chatooga. That's me, trying to stay alive, in the blue helmet on the right.