February 4, 2012

The Beginning of a Blog - Part 1

I started this blog in November 2008, back when I didn't have any followers.  Of course it was a learning process along the way and now I have a following of some very special people!  I've even had the chance to meet a fellow blogger while on a trip to Belgium!  Kay from "An Unfittie's Guide to Adventuous Travel" and her husband we're visiting Belgium for a short period while on their European escape.  So we met up for a great evening of dinner and a stroll through the streets of Brussels.
Some of you I haven't had the pleasure of meeting, yet!  But you are all very special to me and I love staying in touch through your blogs.  It's interesting to learn how some of us have the same love of adventure and sites, like with Betsy from "Joyful Reflections", and George from "Photos by Senior Hiker".  We do love our Waterfalls, don't we?

Well I could go on and list everyone of you with why I appreciate you, but then this post would never end!

So what I would like to do is re-post some of my first blog entries for all of you.  I hope you enjoy these first stories of my travels, and please do leave a comment to let me know if you are enjoying reminicsing along with me!
Let me help you to understand why I love to travel!
 
Who Knew?
I really want you to get to know me.

So what you need to know first and foremost is that I love to travel.

Growing up we never took a family vacation. We never went anywhere actually. I grew up in Los Angeles California and a "vacation" for us was to load up the station wagon and make the drive down to Salton Sea to visit my grandparent"s little getaway they had there for the weekend. And this wasn't very often. I remember how excited I would be knowing we were going "somewhere"! I was thrilled to stay in my grandparents great little 1950's silver camp trailer and help my grandmother sell hot dogs and snow cones from her little portable food stand while my grandfather fished all day for corvina from the pier. I can remember at night sitting outside and looking up at the stars and pointing out the Milky Way and both "Dipper's".
When we had the opportunity to move to Nevada in the early 1970's, I had my mother packed and renting a UHaul "To go where no Smith has gone before". Out of the State of California! Now this was only to the neighboring State of Nevada in a little town called "Tonopah" but at the age of 14 I thought, what a great adventure!

When I was raising my family I made sure we took family vacations nearly every summer. I would get ideas of places to visit from magazines, television or even just talking with co-workers and friends. But most importantly from my children. One year my daughter learned in school that there was a place where she could stand in one spot and be in four States at the same time. So I planned a whole vacation around her curiosity. I would always figure out how to see and do as much as possible in a two week period.

During these 23 years we were able to explore so many beautiful places. Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and even back to California. And then finally.....the airplane ride! My first airplane ride at the age of 37 to Nashville Tennessee to see Christmas in the Park. I remember getting there, parking the car and walking through the parking lot and I just started to cry. I was so overwhelmed with the thought that I was actually experiencing such a beautiful place. I get that way. I can't tell you how many times I have had to fight the tears when I get somewhere.

The past 12 years I have had the opportunity to visit just about every State now and about 23 countries.

I look back now and think to myself that I have always had a desire to get out and explore new and different places.

Who knew?

6 comments:

  1. Very good post. It's supposed to be fun. I was looking at hanging out at the Salton Sea for awhile this winter but it didn't happen. We as a family did not take many vacations but I am really glad for the ones we did.

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  2. OH Debbie... How sweet to mention George and me... YES---we do love our waterfalls, don't we?????

    Blogging has been such a joy for me.. I've met so many wonderful friends (like you) through this...

    I have enjoyed sharing your adventures with you. You have been to places I will never get to go ---so thanks for taking me along with you!!!!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  3. Hi Debbie! We sure do share the same interest, Travelling! Really have fun reading n looking at yr photos.. If u happen to come over to south east asia, esp Malaysia, i'll be more than happy to help u out...:)

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  4. Thank you for mentioning us in your post. It has been my pleasure to get to know you through your blog and get to travel with you to some of the most fascinating places on earth. If you'll keep visiting and sharing those exotic places, we'll keep visiting and sharing waterfalls.

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  5. Hi Debbie and Stijn — I remember that fun evening in Brussels very well, and the fact that neither Dick nor I had remembered to bring a camera.
    I really enjoyed reading your first blog post, Debbie, but talk about weepy, you made me cry.
    My parents didn't have much money for vacations when we were young, either, but we drove from BC's Okanagan Valley to the coast, near Vancouver, to see our grandparents most summers. Dad would remove the back of the back seat of the car, so we could put our legs through and sleep during what was then a long drive.
    Looking forward to more of your posts.
    Luv, K

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  6. Wow, an interesting insight into your background that I never expected as I began to compare my travel background with yours.
    You seem to have rectified your youthful travel imbalance now.
    ( My Father worked in a factory all week and wanted to have a family day out most saturdays varying distances into the countryside & I took my first flight at the age of 38 ... to Aruba ! )

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Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I love reading your comments!

Have a Fabulous Day!
Debbie

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