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5/23/99 The Homecoming
We arrived in Boston from Iceland on Saturday evening to the smiles and hugs
of family and friends. What a wonderful homecoming.
We were ready. Once we crossed from Asia to Europe you can't help but feel
that you are headed home. The kids could feel it and there was more talk of
home and the friends they missed. They had been through some difficult and
dangerous times (which we will write about in the coming days). But after
arriving in Europe the food improved. The fresh bread, the farmhouse cheese,
delicious ripe fruit. yes, and tap water to drink and brush your teeth with.
Above all, cold water to drink and hot water to shower rather than the other
way around. The only thing missing is your own bed. And after sleeping on
floors, in crowded trains, two and three to a bed the kids were getting,
well, a little homesick.
Our choice though was the perfect one. With the war striking the Chinese
Embassy giving them the excuse to hate any American for any reason we were
lucky that we had not continued our westward trail along the Silk Road.
Instead, we had a marvelous journey following the trail of western
civilization and all its splendor. From the Acropolis in Greece, to the
Coliseum in Rome, to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Thinker in
Paris, to London and a front view of Julius Caesar in the one of a kind Globe
Theater. It was one continuos history lesson. We felt like we were living it
everyday.
But, it was time to come home. The kids needed familiar surroundings. They
needed their own beds and room to play. The boys hadn't been able to run in
weeks. Elizabeth needed to be able to sing her loudest without worrying about
what the guest house mother would do. And time to see their friends.
The Traveler's Blues.
Many times travelers come home and fall into a depression. Is it any wonder.
after the intensity of such a trip its difficult not to talk non stop about
every little detail. Then reality sets in, and travelers realize that not
everyone is interested in every detail. That, in fact, just because you
found the answer to life while sitting on a mountain in Tibet in your
underwear, or discovered a lost civilization in China along the way, these
are your experiences and they are difficult to articulate in an interesting
way.
Often, depression sets in. Its understandable. particularly since many
travelers to far off places we found to be doing so because they had a
crisis in their lives or a major issue to resolve.
Our case was much different. Monday morning the kids were off to school as
if they had never left. Where are my socks, don't forget your lunch.
Sue-ellen and I were busy catching up on mail, phone calls and business
details.
Jessi was job hunting for the summer and making arrangements for college in
the fall.
Of course, we spend every free minute watching the video tapes. We are
pleasantly surprised at the quality . And our friends who visit have all
been understanding.
So, life is almost back to normal. a little different of course. And that's
what we hope to write about in the coming weeks.
5/23/99 The Web Site Continues!
Hi
I just found your site today, while I was virtual traveling. We have six
kids and travel as a family every summer. (but so far simply in the US). As
I was enjoying discovering your website I began worrying about the world
situation and searching anxiously for a journal entry particularly after the
China embassy tragedy. Surely as you read this you are back in the United
States.
Welcome home - I do hope you continue to update your website. It has been
terrific.
Oh by the way - my children are 19, 15, 11 and triplets that are 9. So I
enjoyed reading about your children's hopes and likes.
Good luck
Cathy
Cathy
Thanks for the note. Yes, we changed plans in China and headed for Hong Kong
and then to Russia to Greece and Europe. We followed the war and came within 1000
feet of the Albanian shoreline on our boat passage to Italy. Close enough to the war
as a bomber plane did in fact crash on the route the
following day and one loaded with bombs made an emergency landing soon before that.
We will include more war stories in our updates.
Unfortunately, access was very difficult so our reports were fewer than we
would have liked. We will continue the site by adding new stories, adding
travel tips and our thoughts on equipment and preparation for family travel.
ALSO, you have inspired the idea to start a question and answer section. We
will now try to publish questions and answers on the front page. We are also
encouraging readers to send in their travel tips, adventures and answers to
questions that are raised.
Thanks again. It is great to be home.
John
May 12, 1999 Decisions We Made
A while back, we wrote a journal about a decision we had to make while
traveling from Beijing.
We were scheduled to take a train from Xi'an, home of the Terra-cotta Soldiers,
across the Silk Road to the western border of China. It is considered to be
the most remote area in the world by many. In fact, Urumqi, an industrial
outpost deep in desert, is considered to be the most landlocked city in the
world. Turpan, the second lowest spot on earth, is also the hottest.
Then it would be on to Kashgar, the city of many ancient cultures, before
hitchhiking over the mountains to Kazakistan. iIt was inviting for its
adventure. Few people travel this lonely route, even fewer Americans in this
troubled part of the world. And, I would guess, no families travelling with
five children.
After 47 hours on Chinese trains, crowded, shoved and poked by curious
Chinese people surrounding us at every stop, we had to make the decision. We
made the right one.
Since that time, about a month ago, much has happened to support our
decision. The war in Kosovo is now almost two months old. It has affected
the world more than I think most Americans realize.
The day after leaving Moscow, a protest bomb exploded in a tourist hotel that
I had once stayed in. the day after leaving Athens, another protest bomb
exploded in an Athens hotel. While there, we could feel the wrath of the
Greek people, who being Greek Orthodox like the Serians, were against NATO's
actions by a 98% to 2% margin. and though we were some of only a handful of
tourists at the time, their tourist season being dreadfully effected by the
war, the Greek people were often cold.
"Go home", the woman working at the Tourist Bureau told me, " and tell your
President to stop the bombing", she chided. " You have a big family, we
all
have children. do it for the children", she said.
Later, as our boat from Greece to Italy followed the Albania coast so close
that we could have skipped a rock to the shore, the war was close to home for
us. The next day, in the newspaper, we read about the American plane loaded
with bombs that had made a crash landing only miles from where we had been.
another had crashed in the sea along our route. Today, I was told, the port
we entered has been closed.
Newspapers are full of the sound and fury. And now, the Chinese Embassy has
been bombed. In Beijing, young people are throwing rocks and bottles at our
embassy as the Chinese guards stand by. The U.S. Ambassador says, " we are
hostages here".
On the streets, young Chinese are beating Americans.
Where would we be now? Travelling across China with five young children.
Americans, alone in a foreign and hostile land.
We made the right decision. Thank God we did.
Because of our change in plans, we have arrived in Europe sooner than
expected. That has been a blessing in many ways. We have now journeyed
through some of the most amazing cities of the world and seen with our own
eyes some of the most incredible sights we could have imagined: the Roman
Coliseum, St. Peter's Basillica, Florence, the canals of Venice, the Eiffel
Tower, Mona Lisa, the Thinker, Venus de Milo, the changing of the guard,
Windsor Castle and tomorrow night Julius Caesar in the Shakespeare Globe
Theatre just as it was first performed 400 years ago and on the same spot.
Because of this, we will be coming home much sooner than expected. We are
ready. From England, we are looking east and the next venue is America. The
kids are getting anxious. Summer in Kennebunkport is always so appealing.
friends are missed. And, hey how about just one meal at Taco Bell and a good
night sleep in my own bed they say.
And so, while we have a had a great time writing our journals and sending our
photos, we have been very disappointed and frustrated in the lack of access
to do so.
Our plan now is to continue the site when we arrive home. We will have much
more time and access to post thousands of photos and write many more
journals. We will have time to reflect and share with you the high points
and low points. The winners and losers. The must sees and the don't bothers.
We can also add some hopefully helpful tips on travelling with your own
curious kids.
If you have a moment, please write to us like many of you have, and send us
your questions or your own comments on your journeys. We would love to hear
from you. On the road we were not able to answer most of our mail. Now we
will be able to do so.
We are looking forward to hearing from you. See you at the Globe Theatre on
Friday night. we have a spot for you at center stage.
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