Let Travel Memories Surpass Reality

"Sailing at Sunset"  Copyright MM Sikes

Even as we see the recent terrible hurricane destruction, I still dream of travel. I wonder how many of the people with housing devastation had plans to travel they now have to cancel to care about concerns very close to their own homes. Things change in an instant, and in weather matters we have no control.

Long ago, I dreamed of traveling to Australia. It would be exciting to visit "down under" far into the southern hemisphere below the equator. But in those days, I lacked time, and with a growing family, the money to travel so far. Still, the thought of a journey there intrigued me, and I kept on dreaming.

Then we had our first opportunity to travel to Hawaii. First, we flew from Richmond to St. Louis and then took a nine-hour flight from there to Honolulu. Being on an airplane for that long a time was awful. Although it was beautiful on the island of Oahu and even more gorgeous on Kauai, I dreaded the flight home. I was happy we planned our visit for two weeks because a shorter stay would not have been worth the long trip. We have visited the Hawaiian islands twice since then and found that the shorter flight from Dallas is less stressful. But, my desire to visit Australia is no longer there, especially if it involves a long journey by air.

However, I would love to return to one of the Caribbean islands, especially Jamaica or St. Martin. Key West is the closest we've been recently to a tropical island.

Sometimes dreams are more fun than reality. I dream of returning to Paris and perusing as many art galleries as possible along the quaint streets. I would love to go back to Switzerland. My travel dreams never have included countries of the Far East. I don't want to travel to Indonesia or to the Philippines. I'm too claustrophobic to take a cruise aboard a ship.

As an author, sometimes it's more fun to write about journeys past. Sometimes it's more fun to imagine a romance on a tropical island than it is to travel there.

"Fantasy Skies"   Copyright MMSikes

How many travel dreams have you had come true? Have you written about some of them?

May all your journeys be warm and unforgettable. May your memories surpass reality.

Mary Montague Sikes