MY 9/11 STORY

Getting Home After 9/11

      I’m sure you've heard many 9/11 stories and of course I have one also. My son and I unknowingly started the trek on the old Inca road on that frightful day. It would be three days before we’d even learn about the towers. Since this was the purpose of our trip. I often wondered what we might have done if we had known before starting the trail. Of course at that point all air traffic was halted so we might as well have gone ahead with our plans, as the saying goes we would have been stranded.

     But we did not know until we arrived at Machu Picchu. We continued with our plans to go on to Puno, Peru to visit Lake Titicaca and the Eros people. My son felt he should get home and back to work so we decided after that to cut the trip short by a couple of days, bypass La Paz, Bolivia and fly home.

   In Puno, the guide took me to a travel agent who managed to get flight tickets to Lima. If we could get to Lima we could use our original tickets to get home. We tried to keep our minds on the trip but we became concerned the day before we were to leave Puno as all transportation was threatening a strike. If that happened it would mean no cab, train, or bus service. Not sure about the flights but the airport was a good distance away and we had to get there.

    There is no point in worrying about things you have no control over so we went to bed and slept well, B U T was I happy to wake to the sound of horns honking! Cabs were running so differences obviously had been settled.

    Arriving in Lima we found airport security extremely tight and the airport crowded. I wove my way through the mob of people looking for an English speaking employee. I finally found an attendant I could communicate with and he took me directly to the Continental counter. The gal there couldn’t have been more pleasant or helpful. She managed to get us on the same flight but two days early. She made a tough situation easy, and believe me I’ll not forget her kindness.

    Like everyone else I’ll always remember where I was on that frightful day. There is no place like the US and it was good to be home.

TRAVEL MEMENTOS

                                     Key Ring to Wreath Ornament

       Everyone wants to bring home a memento from their trip, but as I got older and traveled more I developed a real jaundiced eye for where I spent my money: where would I put it; what would I do with it; use it; ever look at it again?

        Except for a very narrow space around a hall closet where I hung small oils or prints of memorable churches I simply ran out  out of wall space. When the churches ran down below level even that had to stop.

        After buying a shot glass at Balmoral Castle and  one from Cuba they became the main post for a rather extensive collection.Three times I had a local wood working shop make me a case to hold 24-30 glasses to fit in various office wall spaces.Twice a year on a dull rainy day it is fun to dust that collection and remember many fun and interesting places.

           I don't clothes or shoe shop, but I do sometimes do a little Christmas shopping for friends and family. I also buy unique ear rings, not expensive jewelry that can be bought anywhere. My unique ear rings are never seen on anyone else.

           But my favorite item to look for and buy is a key ring specific to where I am visiting.When I get home the ring is removed and is replaced with a gold string. Then it is hung on my Christmas wreath. During the year the wreath hangs on the back wall of a closet where it is always ready for a new ornament. On Thanksgiving the wreath moves to the front foyer by the front door  where I enjoy it until late January.

           All my treasures are easily packed in my 22-inch roll-on and arrive home safely with no fuss.

           Perhaps these ideas will give you inspiration for your own unique collections.