Travel Outside Of The Box!
Welcome to my travel blog! I thought this might be a good way to capture all my travel adventures before they faded completely into the past. It’s also my way to encourage others who would like to travel but somehow just don’t.
I live to travel. In fact, many people and things have come to me in my life because of my love of travel.
I could say I have traveled almost all of my life. Some might not see it that way. They may see what I think of as travel as just a short trip. But those short trips are probably how my passion for travel got started.
I don’t plan on writing about my travels in any chronological order. That would be so “outside” of who I am because I have planned and not planned my travels. I have gone so far as to turn my back on a map I had on the wall in my home, stick a pin in and traveled to the deserts of Morocco because that’s where the pin landed.
In fact, why don’t I start my travel stories with Morocco. It’s as good a place as any.
By the time I had gotten around to going to Morocco, I had acquired a travel companion–someone I could count on calling and saying, “Meet me at–” fill in the blank. I’ll say at this point, it’s not necessary to have a traveling companion, but if you find a kindred travel spirit, don’t let that person get away. Up until the time I met my friend Marc, I had traveled alone. In fact, I was traveling alone when I met Marc.
Marc lived in a small town in Germany and I lived in New York City, and how I met Marc is a story for another day. This time when I called Marc, I had nothing in mind about where to go, but it was usually my suggestion about where we’d travel, and that day I was the one with itchy feet. Thus, the pin in the map destination.
My trip to Morocco was destined to be an adventure–not just because it was an exotic place to go to begin with, but it started off with a bang. I will open by saying, I’m not the most organized person in the world, but I have never forgotten my airline tickets. I arrived at the airport at the last minute–in the days when it was possible to arrive at the airport at the last minute and expect to be able to board a flight.
I searched through my purse as I kept the agent at the counter waiting patiently. When I finally had to admit I didn’t have my ticket, he took some information and found that I was indeed listed for that flight. You would think in the days before 911, that would be enough. But they had their rules. I would have to purchase another ticket and when I returned home, I could then turn in the forgotten ticket and get my money back.
I’ll say right here, if you ever forget your ticket, don’t panic. If the agent at the counter can’t help you, insist on a supervisor. If that person can’t help you, insist on someone until you get the outcome you’re looking for. Most companies will have some kind of rule in place for mishaps. They just won’t be the ones to suggest them. You have to keep insisting until they come up with a solution you’re satisfied with.
Well, I’ll end today’s entry with the good news. However, I didn’t get on the flight I was scheduled to take. I told you I got there at the last minute. By the time my forgotten ticket problem was resolved, the plane had taken off. The ticket agent got me on the next available flight, although it was not Air Morroc–yes, I picked the airline that was the theme of my trip–but I flew to Morocco on Irish Air. And if that wasn’t ironic enough, the fare was cheaper than my original flight.
I think that ended well. But more to come!