Monday, November 12, 2007

Footloose and Fancyfree

I'm getting itchy feet. It's not a new condition but has reappeared due to the various travels of my youngest son, Paul. Having promoted all his subjects as first year medical student at Tukkies, he has no exams to write and had a stretch of 3 months to 'chill' from mid-October. One week playing computer games etc, followed by one week visiting brother Ian in Nelspruit.
This picture was taken when he visited Ian towards the end of Ian's Internship year (2005)

Then another week visiting brother Allan in Somerset West. Allan and Paul seen here together on Christmas Day 2006, just before Allan left to commence his Internship in Uitenhage - from whence he has transferred to Somerset West.
And now, after a week of planning and booking, off to visit cousin Nicky in Edinburgh along with her two children, Matthew and Lucia - pictured here with Paul. He'll be there for 3+ weeks - visiting other friends and family as well, and fitting in a Haggis Tour of Scotland too. What has actually caused of the recurrence of my itchy feet is that I have been doing some of the bookings - and I am not travelling anywhere - and my system feels that that is a great injustice! Since I last went overseas with Paul on a soccer tour to England at the end of his Gr.7 year, travel seems to have become even easier. Booking and making payments of International and local flights and tours via the Internet from the convenience of the computer corner at home - and printing the various tickets straight away; no more booking of and waiting for traveler's cheques - just get an International Travel Card for a mere cost of R50, load it up with foreign currency from your account and off you go - a great saving in bank costs; even London transport options can be explored and maps printed out in advance - so he already is at ease concerning how to get from Heathrow to Gatwick.
I'm going to have to do some serious thinking about travel plans for myself. I did go to Mozambique with the Outreach Team for two weeks in July, and I spent a week with a very close friend in Barberton. But does that count as travel? - no, not really - hmmmm!!

1 comment:

Rock in the Grass (Pete Grassow) said...

I know the feeling. My daughter returns from a gap year in the UK. And her older sister is talking about going for gap year in 2009 when she finished her degree. And Jenny and I are all to aware of the passing years, and the shifting of the weight of parental responsibility: perhaps we need to plan our own Gap year.