Wanting to Travel

When I was young in my first serious relationship the memory of our dreams was when we retired we wanted to travel. That desire to travel started 50 years ago. My first chance at travel alone was when I was 13 and ran away from my Father in Florida to my Mother in Illinois. Legally it would be called a kidnapping and my picture would have been on a milk carton only they had milk jars no cartons back then. So even though it was kidnapping it didn't matter that I called my Mom (I had to have the police locate her because she had left Florida without even saying goodbye to me but I missed my brother that she took with her)

My thirteen year old self had to connive a way to get the plane ticket my Mom bought, get to the Airport and fly to Chicago before going to a tiny town called Champaign-Urbana. Unbeknowst to me was that my Mom's husband had broken away from a chain gang in Fl and she went to be with him (he had been writing bad checks) Soon we would leave the state in the middle of the night during a blizzard to head to southern California. He was propably running from his crimes again. So here is this now wild thirteen year old in southern CA where the fashion is about ten years ahead of Florida. Great place to be wild with a climate similar to FL, very hot but without the humidity. So far traveling is making me wonder why it sounds intriguing. not fun. Around the age of 18 with a child and my mate I must have convinced the mate to move back to my home. I sold everything we had (my first moving sale very successful) and we drove straight through. Today there is interstate all the way but not so back then. Beside the accident in Alabama the most remarkable memory was how damn BIG TEXAS was. Holy smokes. Anyways after visiting the family, getting forgiven for running we decided to move back or stay in FL Dad later told me when he opened the door and saw my husband dressed like Johnny Carson, bright turquoise double breasted jacket with black bell bottoms, he was scared of what his oldest daughter drug home. However all my family couldn't help but love him and his antics.

Ten years forward, first husband died in a crash long before 2nd husband agrees to go to CA with me to visit my brother that I had left behind. Now that drive across country was much more fun. The first cross country drive was non-stop with taking turns sleeping then driving. After three days that sucked. Second cross country trip was drive so far, stop early to enjoy pool at motel and then continue super early without heat or traffic. Second husband and I also did lots of traveling when we were artists for about 10 years, loved it. We also use to dream of owning a big 18 wheeler when we retired so we could stay on the road making money delivering whatever. He left me wonderful memories of our travels starting in a plain old van, upgraded to a sweet custom van for camping then upgraded that to pulling a huge travel trailer. Fun Times. Eventually we had an extremely friendly divorce, then he dies too.....RATS I miss him terribly.

Third husband was great. Met him in Seattle. I could suggest a road trip and without a second thought we would be on the road. My favorite trip for fun was running up and down the western coast. I am especially fond of the giant old trees, the Sequoias, massive. I did that with two of my husbands for vacations and both memories are amazing although sometimes it fades which husband I was with when I remember a certain site that blew me away.

I'm retired and can travel now. My body doesn't have the stamina or strength it once had. I have very few memories of traveling alone and now I'm actually afraid to travel alone. I have one gal pal that would travel about anywhere with me but she can't afford it so that doesn't work for me. My other friends are still working so the most we get is a one week stay at a beach, fun but not satisfying. I'm surprised I haven't met a gen