4 posts tagged “travel”
Just got back from a week in Tasmania with my sister and her family. It was delightful!
I live about an hour-and-a-half flight away from her, her partner and my two nephews (and the lovely girlfriend of the elder boy), and I really don't get to see them often enough, given that short journey.
I'm always made so welcome. I spend most of my time alone, so to see people's faces light up when they see me arrive at the airport is very gratifying and good for my well-being in ways that no drug high could ever match.
We don't do much when we're together. Theirs is a busy household, with everyone in it occupied with careers, study, lessons of various kinds, computer games, the dog (Monty) and just normal life. It's just what I want though - to slot into the daily activity: a bit of brekkie, conversation, walks with the dog (not as much this time, 'cause it was so blustery with the equinoxal winds blowing hard in Hobart), a trip to the museum/art gallery (which my brother-in-law always ensures I get each trip), a bit of shopping, cooking together, movies in the evening.
A great break from my usual life, and I hope that I've made it clear to them all how precious is the hospitality and affection they show me.
If you had one month to live, what five things would you do?
Suggested by Acerebel.
1. Stop working and get my lump sum superannuation so that I could do 2 to 5.
2. Spend a week making sure all my affairs were in order, including a) stripping my computer of anything in which I ever said anything less than pleasant about someone else so that it would never be found to hurt them; b) making sure my unpublished art was printed and framed, and provided to a reputable artist's representative, to sell with a view toward increasing my estate for my loved ones; and c) tidying my home so that no one was left with that burden.
3. Arrange a pre-funeral party, that I could attend, with all my friends and family, good music, great food, lovely conversation, and a heartfelt 'thanks for everything and farewell' from me. (Did this once before when I was diagnosed with leukaemia, and it was a wonderful afternoon.)
4. Take one last trip for a week-and-a-half with special friends and family (they know who they are), first class to Paris or Hokkaido or Edinburgh or maybe even Chicago, to hear the blues. Oooh, hard to choose!
5. Pay whatever it cost for me, my family and some other much-loved ones to reunite for a week in a lovely spot, such as on Vancouver Island, to remember only the good times, and then try to slip gracefully away into whatever awaits us next, whether it be Paradise or oblivion.
I just renewed my passport. Not that I'm planning a trip in the near future, but it's always good to have current documentation in case a quick escape is needed.
What's got me puzzled, though, is what happened when I had my photograph taken for the application.
I got up as usual, showered, washed my hair, brushed my teeth, put on some decent-looking clothes, and tootled off to the studio.
The photographer sat me in the chair, turned on the light, and clicked the shutter.
A few minutes later, he peeled back the paper on the photographs and, whaddya know, some fat old lady had jumped in front of the camera just as he was taking the shot. Neither of us noticed her, but there she was, captured forever in the four wallet-sized pictures.
I hope that they recognise the slender, gorgeous young lady standing in front of them at the Customs desks if I ever do get to go on holiday, despite the weird photo that's now purporting to be me staring out at them from my passport.
I'm having one of those days at work that makes me wish I was vastly richer than I am (even acknowledging that I'm one of the privileged in this world), so I could resign and never have to deal (professionally) with other people's daft notions again.
Bitch and moan! Dear oh dear!
LotD - Latitude and Longitude of World Cities
When I feel like this, I imagine being rich enough to go anywhere I want, whenever I want, and then I allow myself a Google Earth moment. Oh, to be sipping a long cool drink reefside in Papeete. To be soaking in an Icelandic thermal pool. To be travelling on the Trans-Siberian railway. To be enjoying the delicacies of Danish cooking in Copenhagen. And that's when this site comes in handy.
Look up Hobart, Tasmania; Durban, South Africa; Aberdeen, Scotland; Milan, Italy ... even Vladivostok, Russia. If you can't get away in reality, use the modern version of armchair travelling, and go there via the Internet. (Those of you who don't know Google Earth - check it out soon.)
