Allen if your route takes you through KC, let me buy you guys some BBQ.
And I agree with Brad. Hunting South Africa was wonderful. Growing up a military brat, we moved around a lot,
and sometimes I was a suburban kid, sometimes I was a country kid, got to live both sides of that. And got to live
in Europe in 7th and 8th grade, and then again in college, so got to see a lot of history and learn about people
who have a lot of different history. And learned to appreciate a lot of the stuff that we were being taught to
appreciate in college....art, architecture, cathedrals, Roman buildings, aquaducts, and bridges which still stand
and still carry traffic 2,000 years later. Seeing it in person, esp when you are young was a real attention grabber
for me. Herculenium and Pompeii - amazing, just drive around the bay to see them.
Before and since retirement we have spent even more time in Europe and in India learning about their history,
and art, and architecture and wild animals. Seeing tigers roaming free....is impressive from the back of an elephant.
Driven racing cars of many kinds on many tracks, and did some aerobatics in a WW2 fighter trainer, and a USN jet
attack aircraft. Never did get to land on an aircraft carrier, though. Did make it a few times in USN simulators,
though. Reef diving in the Med and the Caribbean, lots of pretty things to sea in the ocean, as long as you
steer clear of the big biters. You are DEFINITELY not at the top of the food chain on the reef or in McKinley
Park or Yellowstone. Ya'll be careful out there. Climbed a few glaciers and some fairly big mountains, but
those days are behind me for sure.
I've been able to go places and do things that have been amazing, and educational. Often doing it on the
cheap because I'd rather go and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sleep in a tent than not go
at all. And finally, since retiring, we can afford to go first class, not steerage - and, guess what?.....it's nicer
but the views are the same.
Hitchiking around Europe several summers was pretty amazing, too, met
some really nice people, and a few pukes.
Spending ten years traveling in the former soviet states and managing scientific research projects all over
many former soviet states....I could have never imagined that one happening! Fun? Sorta, but interesting?
Definitely - but I was rarely in anything that was remotely a 'tourist destination'.
We had two nieces and the one husband and five of their kids out to the cabin in Colorado for 5 days this summer
and THAT was wonderful, too. Hope to make that happen more often and in more places.
A lot of fun so far, and still seeking challenges and new things to do. New friends, too.
Bill