When we first met in one of the best Singapore hawker centers in 1978 I don’t think either of us had an inkling of what lay in store for us and our future together. Like any youthful souls, we had idealistic hopes and dreams. Of course, our main goal after being engaged was getting married, starting a family and finishing college.
Our first road trip together, during our honeymoon, was to Monument Valley in southern Utah in 1979.
After vacillating to determine my college direction, I ultimately settled on a dual major in Asian History and Geography at Northern Arizona University. I probably followed my heart more than my brain. My original plan was to become an attorney, but various things along the way led me to choose a different path. Admittedly, my sweet wife was not happy with my change in direction, but, thankfully stuck with me all these years, even though the “what ifs” have often crept into both of our minds at times.
We later visited Monument Valley with the family in 1993
Family visiting Abraham Lincoln home in Springfield, IL in the late 1990s
As I look back today, I honestly believe that following the path we chose has enabled us to have a life rich in experiences. We have never had the riches that many lawyers enjoy, but I think we provided our children opportunities and memories that few American children, especially those born in the 1980s, ever got to experience.
The family in Oita Prefecture in Japan in 1989, visiting with Governor Morihiko Hiramatsu, who I worked for.
The family visiting the Usa Shrine, one of Japan’s famous Shinto Shrines.
My Dad visited us in Japan in 1991 and we went to Kyoto, where we visited the Kinkaku-ji (The Gold Pavilion)
Julianne and David, visiting the old Tulum ruins in Mexico as part of a cruise.
At the age of 20, I don’t think Julianne would have believed anyone if she were told she would live in Japan for four and a half years and have the opportunity to visit places in Canada and Mexico while also traveling to most of the 50 United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. But, that we did. We enjoyed many opportunities to travel together and continue to do so to this day.
Julianne enjoys some real ramen with Marissa and Chelsea at a small Mom and Pop ramen shop in Japan in June 1988
We still enjoy good food. Here we visited Koreana, a local Korean restaurant with my cousin Lew and his daughter.
Visiting the Mystic Pizza shop in Mystic, Connecticut
Over the past 15 years or so, we have traveled all over the United States. At one time, we had Amaree living in Montana and then they moved to Port Orchard, Washington. Seth got his first job out of college and lived just north of Cincinnati, but job changes eventually took him and his family to Connecticut and later to Houston. This meant opportunities to travel for visits. These became long trips that afforded us the opportunity to see many new places.
Watching the grandkids on the beach at Old Orchard Beach in Maine.
Visiting the Field Museum in Chicago with family
Julianne and I at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota
Travel in Virginia
Visiting the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.
We were able to check out glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska
With family in West Virginia
Julianne on a canoe trip with Chelsea and her family on the Little Miami River in Ohio
On a visit to Washington, we got to see Mt. Rainier National Park
Chelsea and Julianne at Letchworth State Park in Castille, New York
Visiting Antique Archaeology, famous for the TV show American Pickers in Le Claire, Iowa
Julianne having fun on the beach with grandchildren in Hilton Head, South Carolina
Enjoying the grandeur of Glacier National Park in Montana
Visiting Pittsburgh on a recent trip to visit her sister
Travel runs in our veins. Julianne may not like the long road trips that I enjoy (as do many of my children and grandchildren), but she still loves to travel. Annually she has a sibling trip to San Diego where she spends her time in a family time share on the Pacific coast. And now that her sister Laura is closer, we make occasional trips to Pennsylvania or meet Laura and her family in Ohio or West Virginia.
Enjoying the beach in San Diego with her sisters Maren, Kathy and Laura
Do you like travel? Are you aware that I currently have two books about offbeat and quirky places? You can use these to take on your road trips. You can see both of my books at http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ. Working on Book 3, coming in late Spring 2019!!
