More Memories

There have been many places I’ve lived and loved, wanting to bring home a piece of the regions essence and beauty with me. Oh how I remember the days before digital cameras, ebook readers, mp3 players and email. Nowadays, travel is so much more compact, friendly and sharable! In my fledgling days of world travel, I resorted to writing long letters and sending a ton of post cards to my friends and family. I still think that such an art is appreciated by many, although today’s method of armchair travel is far less expensive, instantaneous and easily-shared via the web. And over the past few years of rekindled travelling, I’ve made a conscious and notable effort to write letters or postcards, letting those whom I appreciate and love in life know that I think of them often.

During my 20 years abroad, being the packrat that I am, I would carry home souvenirs of the countries I visited and remnants of the events that had an impact. Right now, I find myself in an emotional quandary about donating some incredibly beautiful and useful travel photo books and guides from the places where my heart-strings were plucked like a wailing banjo. Moreover, destroying paper and photos that hold remarkable memories of an amazing and love-filled past (including home-made cards from my childhood days) is extremely difficult to do! Some of the examples of things which hold sentimental value:

• a program from the 300 way record at Skydive Chicago in which 3 of the lead organizers are no longer with us (yet these friends still remain fondly in my heart and memories)
• a program from the Alice Spring Camel Cup races in 1990 (Australia)
• ‘A Photographic Essay of the Huon Valley’, signed by the author (Tasmania, Australia)
• ‘Explore Australia: The Complete Touring Companion’
• a beautiful map of Tenerife from the 6 weeks I lived there (Spain)
• ‘Traveller’s Guide to South Africa’
• Reader’s Digest: ‘Wild New Zealand’
• Discovery Channel: ‘Insight Guide, Iceland’
• ‘The Red Devils: Red on, Green on, Go!’, signed by Eddie Carrol, Airborne D4840
• ‘Changing the Guard – Official Programme’ (I was a Guardsman on Parliament Hill, Ottawa Canada in my last year of Uni — yes, I wore a scarlet wool tunic, drill boots with cleats, a hot and sweaty bearskin hat plus I carried a FNC1 rifle, just like at Buckingham Palace)

Update: My sister took the beautiful table photography books for her bed and breakfast guests to enjoy. It’s much easier for me to purge when I know that it’s going to a home where the item(s) are actually used and enjoyed!