Recently, a few of my friends journeyed to England. I followed their photographs religiously as they went from one Jane Austen site to another. My heart filled with the joy of discovery as I vicariously packed my bags and went with them. Thank you, Christina Boyd, Claudine Pepe, and Dung Vu for sharing your trip on social media. I swooned and sighed with each lovely vista.
Then, it occurred to me, how often the people living in England drive by these sites without paying any particular attention to them at all. Why did my mind go there? Because I lived 20 miles from the Pacific ocean for the majority of my life and rarely went to the beach. For the past three years, we have lived two miles from Wildlife Safari, an outstanding drive-through game park. Do you know how many times we have been? Not once. Yet, both places are destinations of choice for many, many tourists.
So, I have a new plan. Since we will not be traveling to England or even Ecuador in the near future, this summer John and I will become tourists in our own back yard. We will take the wine tour of our county, visit lakes and streams, hike trails, and let the sand filter through our toes. Yes, we will even go to the beach and drive through the Wildlife Safari.
What places in your area would you take first-time visitors to see? Where is your heart longing to travel? I’d love to know.
