The world is changing all the time. Lately Tourism is up in the country
with no Terrorism at the moment, but could be down tomorrow at the click
of a Time Bomb. I had always wanted to go to Bali and the rest of
Indonesia. Doesn't look like a safe idea at the moment. There are about
114 Australians that are still missing who were vacationing in Bali.
Many places in Africa are also reeling from war and government upheavals
and guns and bombs. I had also wanted to go to Africa. It has been on my
Travel list since I graduated from College. I have been very fortunate
that I have already seen much of the World already. Just before I
graduated, my girlfiend, Jane, talked me into going on a Airline Flight
Attendant interview with her. At the time I could not figure out why
someone who was college educated would want to be a waitress. But I was
in for a very pleasant surprise because I was hired and had about the
most incredible few years of my entire life. I was based in London and
later on in L.A. Because I had conversational knowledge of another
language I was able to bid for the most incredible trips and layovers. I
have been to Tahiti,Tokyo,Hong Kong,Thailand, Europe,
Scandinavia,Sydney,New Guinea, Samoa, Hawaii,Iran, Israel,Greece,
Lebanon, New Delhi,Argentina,Venezuela, Panama,Brazil.....and so
on...... I really now believe, that in spite of the way the World has
been changing and moving in very dangerous directions, there is still an
incredible planet out there to discover and people are still going to
want to venture out and explore. Many 'secret' and uninhabited parts of
the world are no longer a mystery nor are they as serene or isolated as
they once were. Even in the last few years, places like the Galapagos
Islands ,which were pretty remote to most of the world only ten years
ago, are now a regular tourist stop for some special Vacation and
Tourist companies and organizations. It doesn't really matter as long as
there are restrictions(which there are ) in preserving these wild and
remarkably sublime areas of nature. I think that anyone who is very
young with College ending or even a little bit of school or business
behind them, with no attachments, should take advantage of the beautiful
world outside of the USA. Getting up'close and personal' in Foreign
countries is even better by Train( i.e.Eurailpass) or backpacking
,cycling or even walking. I did a little of that too. The nice thing
about flying around is that I really loved the 'flying' part. Maybe I
should have been a pilot like my brother. I 'discovered' airplanes when
I was 15, when my Dad took me and my sister and brother to San Diego for
the week-end. It was the first time I had ever been on an airplane. The
only memory that seems permanently imprinted on my grey matter is the
feeling of that first take-off. As the plane picked up speed and
seemingly raced to the end of the runway, I was staring out the window
with my mouth hanging open and thinking how extraordinary that sensation
of speed felt; and the lifting off and the pulling away from
gravity-heavy earth. My juvenile mind only thought of how awesome it all
was, and how it was so much better than a Roller Coaster! Airplanes are
still 'awesome' to me, and the excitement and enthusiasm I felt about
flying when I was working as that 'flying waitress', always carried over
to my passengers. I would love to point out places , especially in L.A.,
that I knew so well, when we were on final approach. "Oh , look over
there, there's the Santa Monica Mountains......hey there's Downtown
L.A.!" That incredible sensation of speeding and the feeling of
'lifting' at take-off stayed with me long after I had quit. It is
difficult to describe that 'feeling', but it remained with me after I
left the Airlines and the 'grounding' was felt physically. I don't think
I have ever lost my travel bug either or all the wonderful 'color
slides' that I have both in my drawer at home and in my head. You're
going to laugh but I believe it's true when I say it's in my genes. My
Dad wanted to be a pilot(but didn't and that's another story anyway.),
my bother and first cousin are both Captains of Airlines(he married a
Flight attendant and so did my brother). And I became a Flight Attendant
although I am a pilot wannabe. That 'fun' feeling of liking
flying(take-offs) has to be genetic! ( I think I saw something on
Discovery channel about the genetic thing behind people jumping out of
airplanes........no I won't do that!!) After 9/11 I was a little plane
shy like most everyone else. But I finally got up there this summer
traveling to Toronto and then to New York. I still do like airplanes,
despite everything, and I am the only woman I know that like's war films
with airplanes in them!! Peach p.s.Has anyone ever heard of a film
called "The High and the Mighty"? It's not on the IMDB. Enetation
(Comments) is down again. Have patience. Maybe when you come back I'll
have HaloScan.