Now that most of us have reached the age of retirement, those limitations have been removed and we can decide to travel or not, whenever we want to. Of course, health and wealth are important factors when setting one’s travel plans – but time’s not a limiting factor, like it was.
Over the years, Colleen and I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to many, many countries on six of the seven continents – haven’t made it to Antarctica – yet. Over the past two months, I have missed both our June and July monthly meetings because of travel. On one trip, I checked off a golf course that was on my bucket list. On the second trip, we were on an “Atlantic Maritime Island Odyssey” and visited places like Sable Island and the Cabot Trail, as well as a small fishing village in south-western Newfoundland with sixty-four residents – who hosted a group of over two-hundred travelers to a traditional Newfoundland dinner and a rousing “kitchen party” – as only the folks of Newfoundland can do.
I want to take a moment to send out a great big “Thank You” to Anne Marie Hughes, our Vice President and Sue Kelly, our Past President for covering for me while I was busy discovering more of this wonderful world that we live in. It takes a team to keep things running smoothly!
I believe that trave is one of the best educational opportunities available to us. Experiencing the beauty of nature in any of the corners of our world, meeting different people and sharing different cultures can teach us much more than any book or travelogue can do. It’s no coincident that when we gather with family, friends and acquaintances that some of our best conversations are about memories from the variety of escapades and adventures we experienced while travelling.
Many good travel experiences can be found right here close to home. You don’t always have to hop on a plane or take a cruise. A trip up island to Telegraph Cove can be intriguing. A winery bus tour can be very enjoyable – as long as the wine is great! A short trip to a concert or show, or a visit to a local museum, historical site, art show or botanical garden can do wonders to break up the monotony of “just another day of retirement”. Probus offers many opportunities to do this, if we decide we want to participate. Remember last year’s trip to Haida Gwaii?
As we age, our ability to travel can be restricted, so I believe it is important to do what you can do, while you can still do it. Our world is full of surprises and new and exciting experiences. But we have to set out … in order to discover them. The “good life” doesn’t just come to us. We need to go searching for it and relish it when we find it. Remember …
“God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into the nest.”
Josiah Gilbert Holland
What piece of our world is waiting for your visit?
Jim McKinlay,
President