This is about the journey of the rest of my life.
But first, a little bit about my former life.
I was born in 1956 to a fighter jet flying father, and a fashion model mother.
We traveled and lived all over the UK, spent three years in Germany and two in Singapore. We had summer holidays to the South of France, and also spent time on Pangkor Island and Pulau Tioman; the first on the West coast of Malaya, and the other on the East.
Having left school at eighteen, I spent the next four years at university in London. What a great time I had. After two years of study, I was elected onto the Students Union as the Sabbatical Social Secretary. This was a paid position for one year. I was in charge of booking bands, discos, the President’s Ball, film club and folk club. I was taken out by various record company executives, given complimentary tickets to see up and coming groups, sent albums and other merchandise; all so I would book this band, or that group. It was also during this time that I was to meet my future husband.
When I finished university I joined my father in the States. We spent a month in Florida having a terrific time. Driving to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break in his black Pontiac Firebird, with the big gold eagle on the hood. Spending days at Disney World, Busch Gardens and Seaworld. We then drove for three days, via New Orleans with the vibrant Bourbon Street, onto Wichita Falls, and then to the other side of the Rockies, staying in Durango for another month. We partied, skiied, flew and partied some more. Skiing mostly at Purgatory, but also Telluride. We journeyed to Silverton on the amazing locomotive, we drove to Mesa Verde. We flew over the Hoover Dam, and landed at the Grand Canyon. We flew to Palm Springs for another party. Our next destination was the West coast of California; Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Los Angeles, Monterrey, Nepenthe, Carmel, San Diego and San Francisco. What an awesome three months I had.
On returning to the UK, I went back to university to complete a Post Graduate teaching certificate. I thought if I wanted to keep traveling, I better find a job with decent holidays! I became a teacher of mathematics.
After a year of teaching I got married; my husband in Naval uniform, myself in a white lace gown I had made, exiting the church beneath an arch of swords held aloft. The crowds were huge, and we also managed to stop the traffic!
Following the birth of our two sons, we were lucky enough to be posted to Australia, where my husband would spend two years with their Navy. On the flight out we stopped off in Hong Kong for a week. The colours, smells, and sounds were all so intense; a cacophony of cultures, interacting together on a small, lively island that never appeared to sleep.
Our new home was located just South East of Melbourne. What a marvellous opportunity, and a wonderful adventure we were about to embark upon. We traveled during every school holiday; to Canberra, Sydney, Magnetic Island, the Great Barrier Reef. We panned for gold at Bendigo, fed kangaroos on the beach, walked through the rainforest, drove along the Great Ocean Road, watched surfers at Bells Beach, saw AUSCAR/NASCAR races at the Thunderdome, skiied the Australian Alps at Mount Baw Baw and gazed in awe at the Fairey Penguins on Phillip Island.
Coming home to England, we had a stopover in Singapore for a little over a week. And so another round of sightseeing began. The zoo, Botanical Gardens, Raffles, Sentosa Island, Tiger Balm Gardens, Jumbo floating restaurant, Bougis Street and the ladyboys, and a Singapore Harbour boat trip. We certainly do pack in as much as we can!
And so back home to Cornwall, where I returned to teaching, but still kept the travel bug alive! We started to spend our summer vacations with my father, onboard his yacht; for three, four or five weeks, we became boat gypsies.
Our first trip was to the beautiful island of Bermuda, where we sailed, swam, snorkelled and went sightseeing.
The following year we had the first of two visits to Tobago. The most beautiful bays and coves, with abundant sealife, including turtles, manta rays, dolphins, angel and parrot fish, were breathtaking beyond belief.
Another island trip was to the BVI’s; and here we had the most fantastic sailing. To secluded beach bars; perfect white, sandy bays; catching tuna; marvelling at the sunsets; rum punches and painkillers (rum, coconut cream, nutmeg, plus maraschino cherry, and yes, maybe a little umbrella!)
Having sailed in the islands, the rest of our trips to the US took us to South Carolina, a state full of Southern charm, beautiful beaches, fantastic shopping, and wonderful friends. From here we would drive all the way down to Florida and back, taking in the theme parks of Orlando, the beaches on the Space Coast, to the magical Keys.
We now travel there every summer, without fail.
Four Christmas vacations have been spent in Orlando, including one where we saw in the new millennium sitting on Cocoa Beach at five in the morning; a truly amazing experience. We were also lucky enough to have two more vacations at this time of the year, but staying on my father’s yacht in Marathon, in the Keys. Party time in Key West is such fun!
Delighted to meet you, thank you for stopping at my blog. 🙂
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Thank you so much.
Melanie x
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Thanks for stopping by and following my blog. Yours seems to be very good. Can’t wait to read more. Following back!
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Thank you very much.
x
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Like very much photos are spectacular enjoy
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Thank you so much.
Most kind of you to say.
x
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What an interesting life you have led! Hello from a fellow seamstress who also made her wedding dress. : )
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Thank you so much.
Melanie x
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Pingback: On Retrospect: The People – A Frank Angle
Thank you so much for the shout out… Most kind of you.
I really have enjoyed your posts, though not visiting regularly, I did like reading your cruising travels, and all those walks along the beaches.
I’m sorry to read you’re leaving, (perhaps you will be back); it does make me feel that I need to return and read more of your posts, taking in the finer details.
Take care.
Enjoy and have fun with whatever comes your way next.
Melanie x
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Wow! What an awesome adventure you’re on ❤️!
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Thank you for coming along.
Melanie x
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You make your life sound as though it’s all travel, fun, sand and sea, but I see from your blog that you’ve lived many other aspects of life wth intensity too, best wishes, Valerie
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Thank you very much for your kind thoughts.
Melanie x
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I just want to thank you for giving us all the gist of your story. God bless you , and that angel son!
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Thank you so much for reading.
Most kind of you.
Melanie x
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Maths and Science are my favourite subjects! I’m delighted to meet you! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I look forward to reading yours!
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Thank you so much.
Great to ‘meet you’ too.
Melanie x
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Nice to meet you, Melanie ❤
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And you too, Vicky.
Take good care.
x
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Wow. You’ve had a rich and full life, especially with travel. Kudos.
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Thank you very much.
We were so fortunate to be able to travel to many amazing destinations.
Melanie x
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Lovely poetry. So sad to read your son’s story, he sounds like a wonderful person. Wishing you well on your own journey.
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So very kind of you to say.
Thank you so much.
Melanie x
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Oh my goodness, what a story! Talk about life’s ups and downs. I just came over to your place because I was intrigued by your interest in Learning from Dogs and was curious. I am glad I did!
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Thanks so much for stopping by, and for your kind words.
Appreciate it.
Melanie x
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A pity you didn’t make to Western Australia, my home state. The landscape is quite different to the rest of Australia.
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Thank you for stopping by.
We loved our time in Australia, and will maybe return someday.
Western Australia would certainly be on our places to visit
Melanie x
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Lots to see, and a pristine coastline too 😀 One day, when the craziness eases.
Luciana x
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That sounds so good.
I’ll put it on my bucket list.
Thank you.
Melanie x
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It sounds like a fabulous life, but as you say, everyone has ups and downs. I hope your life is back on track after the restrictions Covid and health must have imposed.
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Thank you so much.
Ups and downs is how it is at the moment 😊
Going with the flow, and plodding along.
Hope you are well and staying safe.
Melanie x
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Thanks for showing interest and for following my blog 🙂
It was interesting to read about your life during which you’ve seen a big part of the world.
Kind regards,
Rudi (Antwerp – Belgium)
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Thank you so much.
Good to meet you, Rudi.
Melanie (Cornwall, UK)
x
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