THE TRAVELER

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The Traveler







Why do we do what we do? What leads us on our journey in life?



I am a traveler. In my golden years my life choices, and gifts from the universe, have enabled me to follow a trail to enchanting places with names that somehow resonate in my soul.



As a child sitting on my grandfathers’ knee I listened to the popular music of the times. I loved “Rings on my fingers, bells on my toes, elephants to ride upon…” and “The Wayword Wind is a restless wind…” I read fairy tales which were often set in far off kingdoms with elaborate tents and camels and women in beautiful flowing clothes. Children ‘s picture books introduced me to more fascinating cultures, and tales like Mrs. Rumphius pointed the way to exploring the globe. In adult fiction and memoirs of women, and men, I have been astonished by the strength and sense of adventure of ordinary people doing extraordinary things: like Anna in Anna and the King, Dinesan in Out of Africa and Joseph Needham as The Man Who Loved China. Isn’t it wonderful that the world has become so much more accessible? It is far easier now to find lodging, book flights, or tap into other people’s experiences in other countries. And it is so much easier with internet to keep in touch with our families at home.



Still, it is scary to sign on to do a major trip, to take that first step off the plane and onto the tarmac in a foreign locale. I am not full of confidence or courage. I am uncertain and full of doubt. But I love people and I have an interest that calls to me. I love scuba diving. I love taking underwater photos. And I want to go to some of the fabulous dive destinations I read about in my dive magazines. And I want to experience these places while I am still able to put a tank on my back and take a giant stride into crystal clear water.



Don’t get me wrong. I love diving in the great Northwest. I have been diving for over thirty years in the waters of Puget Sound in western Washington, so I have plenty of cold water experience. I am a long time member of a great dive club, The Emerald Sea, but thirty pounds of weight and dry suit shore diving is getting to be pretty strenuous. A warm water suit and six pounds of weight, and dive masters and boat support to help me with the dive gear makes diving so much more pleasurable, and easier.



In the last two years I have been blessed to dive in some of the best dive sites in the world. And tacked on some interesting land adventures as well. These include a lengthy stay traveling to many dive destinations in the Philippines, dropping in on other dive sites in Thailand, Raja Ampat in New Guinea, the Gili Islands, Kota Kinabalu, Sipadan and Mabul in Borneo, the Maldives, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I also visited Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Mongolia, for some sightseeing, hiking, and touring.



I do not want you to think I am traveling with deep pockets. I try to travel on a shoestring. I must. I save money by eating out less frequently, doing my own cooking or eating fruit and yogurt. This trip I have eaten a lot of eggs and potatoes. I stay in hostels, when possible or low cost hotels and I walk a great deal.



I have taken some great trips with my dive club over the years. But they have been quite expensive. I came to realize I could spend much more time diving, and save money by going from one dive destination after another instead of traveling to and from the US in between. This means taking an extended dive vacation.



So when considering another travel experience this year I had to decide when and for how long? After ski season and late in the school year because I am a substitute teacher and I need the salary for diving. And return before the mountains close, for hiking with my daughter, dive buddy, and grandkids.



The other big decision is where? After some thought, lots of indecision and a little internet search I decided to head south. I have done some dive trips in Mexico and the Bahamas, Bonaire, and Honduras. But I haven’t touched the Caribbean and South America. Ah ha! Another idea came to mind. I love to dance, recreational ballroom, belly dancing, Scandinavian dancing, the Hora, you name it. And I have taken Argentine tango lessons for three years. Why not spend some time in Buenos Aires, perhaps learning some new techniques and a little Spanish, and also take a tour to Patagonia for some hiking, and visit the tip of South America.



Now this seems like a heady trip, and I don’t know how long the money will last, but I have a tentative plan. I bought my ticket to Grand Cayman, and my return ticket from Buenos Aires.



Let the trip begin.

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