Travels

It is a long ways from Arizona to Providence, RI


I went on a tour with http://www.elderhostel.org/

People ask me why would I go on trips without my hubby.....well, this is the deal. I have been married for over 41 years now and have not done much on my own sooooooooooo I just thought it was time I got stretched a bit and have put myself in these situations. I would like to tell you how wonderful and fun it always is but it is also very hard and sometimes uncomfortable but what I can tell you.........I ALWAYS learn.


I have started a little travel journal and in the back I put things I have learned and most of the time it has something to do with assuming. For example it said "Breakfast at a nearby restaurant". I assumed it might be next door? Well, it was 3/4 mile uphill and had to cross a four lane road on your own.

Free time really means......you are on you own to find your own way around and try to figure out what you are seeing. Shoppers love this category and feel very safe in stores....sightseers on the other hand simple feel lost or at least I do.

People over-all are good people.....maybe they are different from yourself but they mostly are good people and some are exceptional. One lady from Utah had a huge impact on me....she was at least 10 years older than I, never married, no children and she simply bubbled with joy no matter the situation. This was her 48th elderhostel trip not including many other places she had traveled! and she sent back 60 post cards to her many friends. Her traveling companion was a person who had learned to continue on after losing her husband that was the light of her life for 59 years. These are people I can look up to and hope to attain to.


One of my favorite things on this tour was the trip to the Whalers Museum In New Bedford. The displays were awesome!
This is a scrimshaw done on a whales tooth.

This is a replica of a sail ship used for whaling.

A sampler of crochet

Another favorite was the SE Lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard.

Not only was this a beautiful lighthouse but we watched a movie prior on the bus that showed how they had saved it from falling into the ocean because of the coastline erosion. They moved it 300 feet in one piece and it was connected to the house you see. It cost 2.5 million to do so and was an amazing feat. To top it all we were able to go up in the light house and what a sight that was!!

It is rare to be allowed next to the prisms that reflect the light

and the only thing you can say about the view........beautiful:)

The touring of Newport mansions was also part of this tour and the best one for me was the behind the scenes of the Elms mansion. Twenty workers lived on the top three floors and functioned in a way so that they were never seen by the visitors. It appeared that this huge mansion ran itself. The gardens and grounds were breathtaking as exampled from this roof view:

It is hard to imagine the lifestyle these people had. Millions and millions of dollars were spent on these mansions with full time staff and they only were here 8 weeks out of a year. The most over the top one was the 70 room Breakers mansion (Vanderbelts). It was almost nauseating for all the gold and glitz but mansions became a competition. You should see how many are for sale now and many have been torn down because no one can even afford the taxes much less the upkeep.

I have found when I travel alone that one of the things I enjoy the most is simply having my own room:) If you are married, you know that there is always a give and take as it should be but on your own....it is all take. Warning though, if you are bored or dissatisfied you have no one to blame but yourself :)

Will I continue my travels alone? Absolutely! I come home a better more grateful person and it is wonderful to see just how big the world is and varied apart from my own little cocoon:)
Maybe you aren't in a position to travel or don't want to but I do encourage you to find something that stretches you....living things grow.

Happy Trails!