Friday, October 26, 2007

Friday 55 & Da Count-Wanderlust

Mommy, what's on the other side?
People in other countries.
Are they different than us?
Different looks and languages but the same feelings.
The little girl stood silently and thought as the water washed over her toes,
'Maybe there is a little girl standing on the other side wondering about us.
I want to meet her.'

*Image by Bradley J. Mitchell from http://www.painetworks.com/

I was about 5 when I had that conversation with my mother. It's the beginning of my lifelong fascination with different cultures and places. Before I was born my father was in the Air Force so he and my mother spent time stationed in France and Germany. As a child I was always captivated by hearing Mom or other people talk about 'overseas' and couldn't wait for my turn to come. I figured it was a natural progression. I was drawn to anyone who seemed to be from a different place. In college I spent most of my time with the foreign students. For me it was part of my education. What other time and place would I have a chance to get to know folks from a couple dozen different nations all at once? (Well, who imagined blogging back in the 1980s?)

If you read my bike trip series this summer you know I had the chance to see a lot of my own vast country. Outside of the USA I've only seen a little bit of Canada, Bolivia, and Trinidad. I haven't had the chance to do nearly as much travelling as I'd like to do for a lot of reasons. Partly economic, partly the hesitance of some of the folks around me. Wanderlust still has a grip on me though. Going off alone to Texas for a few days reminded me how good it feels to explore a new place and meet new people. My feet are itching to wander. It's one of those sleeping dreams that needs to be awakened.

So tell me...where do you want to go and why? Or where would you take me if I came along?

35 comments:

EmBee said...

Good for you... Me however, I'm afraid to venture to NYC even, but to me that IS like another country... A VERY expensive one!

lime said...

margee, LOL..i've been to NYC. is IT another country!

lime said...

ack that should say it IS...

Anonymous said...

that is so beautiful lime.:)
tc

barman said...

I love your 55 Lime, that is awesome. It really makes on think. You know that is part of what I love about blogging. Before that, at least for me, it was usenet news. The ability to assotiate with people from ... well from just about anywhere is amazing. I regularly conversed with people in Australia and New Zeeland. Amazing how long it takes to get there from the United States yet email can make it in minutes or seconds and IM even faster than that.

It is funny, with blogging I often do not think about where someone is from until they say something different and I think, I wonder where they are from and I take a peek. It is a shame more people could not get along as well as they do in blogland (usually).

Where would I take you? You know I really need to make it back to Germany. I had one two and a half week visit to Switzerland, Germany, and Amersterdam. I really enjoyed Switzerland what I saw of it (the trip was our high school band going to Europe to study music and perform concerts so we were so escorted and could not get out and do much of anything). But Germany, yuck. We saw a dirty, dingey, very dangerous area of Germany that, from what I understand, is so not Germany. This happened because of a booking error. I want to see what I really missed.

But you know what, you are the adventerous one. I think I would rather let you decide where we are heading. Exotic would be so fun.

James Goodman said...

That is awesome, Lime. If I could go anywhere in the world? I would spend some time in Bali. I've heard that temperature stays near constant and quite pleasant, not to mention it's pristine beaches and gnarly waves, perfect for surfing. And of course, I'd take you with me. :D

S said...

But madan, you are knowing already the answer to this question!

First you would be meeting the girls in Seattle for a weekend of fun.
Then of course, the subcontinent would be next, beta!

thats a beautiful 55, Lime...and yeah, that little girl wants to meet you too, shes been waiting all her dang life, so get over there already!

AndyT13 said...

I take you to da Trini a-course!
We gwine lime wit da locals and live it up fuh shah! Uh mebbe to Barbados!

AndyT13 said...

Oi! NYC is not NEITHER another country! Slimy?? Mudhole??
My HOME this is!

Sophia said...

That's a great 55! Really really really good!

Anonymous said...

both your 55 and count are stellar today! :)

With the travels I made earlier in my life the constant pleasure was to taste the culture through the food... at least that was one of my very favorite parts of the experience.

Cooper said...

Given the previous picture I'd say we would have to venture to Transylvania....

Great 55...

Potatos are boiling, masher in hand...

lime said...

tc, thanks, friend:)

barman, this blogging thing really is wonder isn't it? lemme get my dirndl and i ready for germany and switzerland.

james, ooooooh, sounds great! grabbing my sarong!

s, hehehe, i figured as much. too bad i didn't know you back when i was in your neck of the woods!

andy, yes boy i know yuh could wine and get on bad. and for the record i did NOT call NYC a slimy mudhole...i just called it a different country. ;)

sophia, thank you :)

lecram, i would love to do a culinary tour with you!

cooper, LOL @ transylvania....drooling @ spuds....

Commander Zaius said...

So tell me...where do you want to go and why? Or where would you take me if I came along?

I've always been drawn to central and South America. The mysteries of the Mayans and Incans has been with me since I was a child.

Anonymous said...

Well, someone HAS to take you to Greece and it might as well be me. I loved it there. Plus, the bracelet I bought in Santorini and have worn everyday since May of 96 is on its last link. So ... I need someone to help me pick out a new one.

G-Man said...

Hi Michelle..
I hope you are feeling better sweetie..
What an awesome 55..
And I love your stories from the past..
Have a great week-end Trini..xoxoxox

Breazy said...

I love the 55!

For me I have always been a wanderer too but I haven't got to go many places yet. I have always had a fixation with Scotland & Ireland. When I met my husband and found out that he is Irish I loved it.

I would like to take you with me to Ireland and Scotland so that we could sit around and listen to all the tales the locals have and experience the food they eat, clothes they wear and basically their everyday routine in life.

I think that would be awesome!

have a good weekend!

xoxo

lime said...

beach bum, tulum it is. i'm so ready!

snavy, i was so hoping you'd offer...you know how badly i want to go there.

gman, i've always enjoyed your reminiscences too. :)

breazy, i think scotland and ireland would be wonderful places to go.

Creative-Type Dad said...

I grew up around kids who vacationed and grew up in all kinds of exotic locations (private school in L.A.)

The only furthest my parents ever traveled was to Las Vegas or San Francisco.

As an adult, I've been to Japan, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Canada, Mexico, England, Norway, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and Belgium.

My two favorite places so far Bora Bora - Tahiti and Venice - Italy.
Simply amazing!

Jeni said...

I grew up with my maternal grandparents and that grandfather was an immigrant from Sweden - came here at the age of 7 with his parents and four siblings. As a small child, I often played on the floor in our sunporch at my grandpa and his older brother's feet, half-listening as they would talk-remember- about their home in Sweden, what few things they remembered about it. It instilled in me a desire I've held for well over 50 years now that I'd love to travel to see what had been their childhood home, land of half of my ancestry. As I got older and realized I had two other grandparents (who I never knew though due to their passing) who came here from Scotland, I have two countries I'd dearly love to visit. Doubtful it will ever happen due to economics but I can still dream about it anyway. Great post!

airplanejayne said...

First, we will take our pole-dancing road trip: Start here in California, drive across country, staying with my relatives in Austin, Nebraska, New Orleans and Virginia. Then we would fly to London for my birthday on Guy Fawkes Day and blow stuff up with kien, go up and see Ireland just because I named my daughter after that country. Finally - to Australia -- cause I've always wanted to go.

By then....we'll be so good at the pole thing...

Anonymous said...

You know I share your curiousnesses and fascination on other countries, people; their culture and traditions and of course blogging makes the world smaller. Thats why I love to make blog friends like you who love to share and to visit and experience.

If I where to go somewhere i haven't been, it must have been to Asia: China Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines (where my son is on a back packer trip right now:-)

Next question is very easy to answer: Your always welcome to come and visit us in Norway and my blog is full of places to go and things to do, so: your choice - make your pick :-) Wherever you wanna go in Norway, I know we will end up in the kitchen making food together!

snowelf said...

Hi Lime,

Awww, I love your 55! I can just imagine little girl Lime staring out into the unknown!!

I haven't been anywhere out of the country--or that many places in it--but I plan to! ;)

I'd like to go to London, Greece, Egypt, or Australia. Us wise I'd like to go to Vegas, Seattle, the Gulf Coast, or back to Charleston, SC.

Have a great weekend. :)

--snow

Gledwood said...

I have managed to get to Morocco and India... I know dead hippie-trail... but they are hippietrail for a reason let me tell you. Indian silver jewellery for one thing is DIRT cheap!! If you want to go you will go. Sometimes the deciding is the hardest thing. I'd advise you to take at least 3 months off on the other side of the world. (And bear in mind you can live in most of those countries for $10 a day all in unless you demand swimmingpool quality accommodation and western food...)

D'you wanna do my weekend meme? Just go to my place and answer: Who was your favourite childhood Bear?

GAB said...

Ok, I want to see New York, Rhode Island, Paris, Germany, China, and oh gee I guess more of the USA. And lime I'd take you with on all my trips. I think it would be interesting to get your view from these places at the same time as we see them together. I'm sure seeing them in my eyes then through yours would be a great experance.

Paul Champagne said...

Always wanted to see the Great Wall Of China and the Taj Mahal. Care to join me?



Would you mind paying?

SignGurl said...

I can just picture little Lime asking her mother about "overseas". Wonderful 55!

I'm always amazed at how at ease I feel when I travel alone. I can do and see whatever I want to see.

I hope you get the chance to plant those wandering feet where you want them to be.

Mona said...

Lime!...That is so wonderful!

It seems to reach out! It is a very touching 55! :)

Jocelyn said...

Sweetheart, I'd love to take you somewhere. Travel has been a large part of my life's blood. Yet I don't feel I've travelled half enough!

I'd take you to Turkey. I'm fascinated by the intermingling of East and West there.

Plus, I understand they sell hecka cool leather goods.

Anonymous said...

Funny. That little conversation you had with your mother reminds me of a little conversation I had with my father. A frisbee got lost at sea and he said "don't worry, a little boy in the Pacific Islands will get to play with it."

lime said...

creative type dad, sounds like you've been very fortunate to see so many places. tahiti and italy sound like great places, let's go.

jeni, i certainly hope that one day you make it to sweden and scotland!

apj, we are soooo gonna cause acommotion everywhere we go! explosives and stripper poles, oh yeah, we rock!

renny, i would LOVE to have you and dian show me around norway. it would be a joy!

snowelf, youand i will hit austrlia since snavy is taking me to greece.

rebicmel, thanks for the kind words

gledwood, both places sound fascinating

gab, show me what youlove about each othe those places and i have no doubt it will be wonderful

paul, yes!! lemme grab my passport

signgurl, you are such a strong person i have no doubt you travel with confidence.

mona, thanks:)

jocelyn, i think you would be an absolutely marvelous travel companion. and if you email me i will tell you a secret about how you and i could stir up all sorts of craziness in ireland. ;) after we hit turkey of course!

zombieslayer, what a sweet rembrance of your own. :)

Mother Theresa said...

Loved that conversation. I always had a fascination with foreign countries too. We used to go to Holland to visit my relatives when I was a kid, and I loved how different everything was. Once we had a Japanese girl stay with us, which was really fascinating. She didn't know English and we didn't know Japanese, but we managed to comunicate somehow. Later, when I was in college I used to hang out with the foreign exchange students. It all ended up with me marrying a Spaniard and moving to Spain. I would love to go to Italy, that's one place I have always wanted to go...sigh, maybe when the kids are older.

Bunny said...

I want to go everywhere! My husband used to live in England (10 yrs) and I want to go there - see where he lived, went to school, etc. and see all the historic sites there. I love history, so Europe is fascinating to me.

I would also love to go to many asian countries, but I hate cig smoke, so that may have to wait until the smoking ban craze hits asia.

I want to visit Israel and other "holy" sites as well.

Hypersonic said...

Lime,
well you do have an opemn invitation to visit the Hypersonic Cavern, that you do know.


Where would I like to go? I'm there I've always wanted to live in Brazil, after traipsing around Europe, North Africa and a bit of South East Asia I found my spiritual home here.

tsduff said...

I've been neglecting my blog rounds everywhere, and now I've got some catching up to do. I think this is the best 55 I've ever seen. I love the content, the picture, and yes question. Where would I go? I never know where... it is all fabulous. I've been to several countries - Albania, Italy, Ireland, England, Amsterdam, my beloved Iceland, to name a few. But not a whole lot of actual sightseeing here in our own beautiful country. Mostly west coast and western states. I love seeing beautiful countrysides, camping and sleeping out doors, and I would gladly take you along on one such trip. How about Copper Canyon Mexico, where we are still striving to go even after 4 years of planning. Hope you like trains. :)