Why do I travel? In a word, it makes me a happy and more contented person. I was born in Houston and never left the state of Texas until I was in high school, and then it was to Louisiana. Wow! But, I was an avid reader and, from the time I read Heidi, in about the third grade, I dreamed of the day I could visit other parts of the world -- not just to see them -- to experience other ways of life. So my first trip out of the US was to Spain in my mid-forties and five years later to Switzerland, Germany, Austria. Boy, was I hooked!! From that time on, I return from a trip already planning the next one. When I had relatives living in China, I got hooked on the Orient. I absolutely love France and am planning my sixth visit there next October. People who know me well start conversations with, Where have you been, and where are you going next?

Although the inconveniences of age and the economy have slowed me down, it's looking forward to and planning the next trip that keep me getting on the treadmill every day and looking forward -- not back. I love the quote that, roughly paraphrased, says, Life is a book and, without travel, you read only one chapter. If I live long enough, I want to read the whole book.

Lou Matthews Lakeway, TX