I joined the army “to see the world,” and I guess you could say I have.  I’ve experienced travel at both ends of the spectrum of exclusivity.  I’ve flown first class, stayed in five-star hotels and luxury castles, eaten at very exclusive restaurants, and have been pampered by the personal staff of a rajah of India.  I’ve also been packed into a cattle car, flown on top of cargo in a freezing airplane, and eaten unmentionable comestibles in unspeakable places.  I’ve ridden on camel, elephant and horseback, flown in goat class, and trekked in the high Himalayas.

Living in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and traveling the world over, I’ve had so many varied experiences that when I tell a story about some distant event that happened, oh a few years back, I am often surprised by the looks on my friends’ faces.  “Wow! Really?  You should write that down!”  Wow.  Really?  You think so?

Okay, okay.  I’ll write it down…a little at a time.   That is what I intend to do in this category.   I’ll try to recall some of the more memorable events from my wandering and meandering.  Perhaps I’ll even post a few pictures.   Right now, I’m just trying to get the categories up and running.

So, do I start at the beginning, or wander aimlessly through memorable travels til I get caught up?  Hard to say.   I could talk about the sixteen hours of jeep travel on the Karakoram highway, several thousand feet over the rushing Indus River…or maybe tell airline horror stories.  Whatever I decide, I’ll post the first real travel entry tomorrow.