Thursday, June 26, 2008

Travel Dreams

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Today I received three membership appeals from organizations I've donated to in the past. As requests like these are filed by importance in a wire basket on my desk, I file the ones I think deserve immediate attention in my monthly bill organizer. Some of them get that immediate attention, while others are pushed forward into the organizer's pockets for future months. As I shuffle I almost always think how amazing it would be to be rich and able to give to them all.

I can't imagine winning a lottery and blowing through all the winnings in a few short years the way some lotto winners have done. That astounds and disgusts me. If Mike and I won big money like that there are no
things I'd want personally. Travel, yes. I've seen much of the United States, but not the Eastern seaboard and the south. It's terrible, but I haven't visited my sister since she moved to Indiana probably 20 years ago. I'd love to meet friends in Manila and Vienna, and use Vienna as a base for a grand Mozart tour. It would be such fun to visit my nephew now living in South Korea. His wife, who is Korean, has three grown daughters and I think they'd be a pleasure to get to know.

I've wanted to see Switzerland for as long as I can remember, still keep a picture of a Swiss scene that I cut from a magazine when I was eight years old. It's a wonder having this simple thing, a faded, thin piece of glossy paper, still treasured by my inner child (that being who thought the whole world is a garden to be discovered and who was sure her future husband lived in another country, probably Ireland, and prayed frequently to God to protect him). Oh, yes, I'd love to travel around Ireland, Scotland, Holland, and France to honor my roots on my mother's side. And to discover the roots that make up the other half of me, in Finland.

We dream of visiting the children we sponsor in Ecuador and Sudan, as I've mentioned in previous posts. I'd love to see much more of Africa while we were there. In my fantasies I'd see Africa the way
Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) did, but I doubt that the Africa she knew still exists. Still, I could tour the Karen Blixen museum in Nairobi and that would be most excellent. I'd love to go on a pilgrimage tour to India, having felt for the last 15 years or so that it would be life-changing for me. I'm just sure that it would be.

I had a wonderful deep-tissue massage today from the woman who has been my massage therapist for 14 years. I started having monthly massage when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, now certainly in remission, but that's another topic. Sometimes massage absolutely transports me and today that happened. I'm in a still and quiet place now, a good space to wander to all those places I'll see in my dreams...



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't it wonderful to have an active and vibrant imagination! that's the cheapest way to travel and I do it all the time. If I could travel in reality, I'd go to see all the British Isles, and maybe Italy. And France. Oh, and Vienna, that would be nice too.

Peace.

sharryb said...

I love that photo. Remember reading about Heidi? That's what comes to mind. I really enjoyed our mental travel time as I read your blog this morning.

Hugs,
Sharry

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

I've got some travel dreams just like yours......I would invest, and share, and not spend my money frivolously so that I would never have to work another day in my life!!!

I am in desperate need of a massage right now......

Before the doctors actually knew what was wrong with my neck, they thought I had fibromyalgia.....although it's been over a year since my surgery and I suspect that something else may be going on with me?!?!

Lydia said...

Mibsy,
You reminded me that I'd love to see Italy, too!


Sharry,
I LOVED Heidi. Let's mentally take a little hike on that grassy hill and talk about the book....


Wayfaring Wanderer,
First, Happy 1st Anniversary of your beautiful blog! You deserve a massage to commemmorate this occasion. I am going to have to go back and read earlier posts to find out about your neck pain and surgery, as I had no idea you've endured these. Fibromyalgia affects the soft tissues, the connecting tissues, so the neck could be a real "hot spot" (as they call the pain centers). I'm wishing you well.

Natasha said...

Yes I am with all of you! Travelling is so fun, that will be a priority if I landed a jackpot, since I dont play the lottery I might as well think of an alternate way to travel. So far I came up with Stewardess on the plane...but I am afraid of turbulence, darn. How about I marry Bill Gate's brother! Shucks dont know if he has one. Oh well, I guess I will just make the millions myself.
Zurich is on my "most do before I am 30" list!

Lydia said...

Natasha,
What fun to have you visit my blog. I have just left a longer message at your blog, which I so enjoyed visiting. As we both dream of going to Switzerland, I say "you go girl" and get there before you're 30, absolutely!

deus ex machina said...

i'm happy manila's in your list. i'd also love to travel but don't have the means. . .i'd love to visit vienna too. . .i remember the film which stars julie delpy. . . shot in vienna. . .i'd love to visit the palaces and the museums. . .and that giant ferris wheel must be a great sight!my friend knows someone who's studying music in vienna right now through a grant. that must be the ticket, music :) have a great weekend to you lydia

Roxanne said...

Oh Lydia ... I thought Africa as Isak saw it couldn't possibly exist .. but it does! I was fascinated ... I'll email you a website tonight of my trip there last February ...

Lydia said...

Dex,
Now, I must look up the movie you speak of and see if it is for rent here. I hope so; it can be another link for us--one of many.



Honour,
Now I am really excited to receive your email about Isak's Africa world. Thank you for sharing it with me!

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