TRAVEL MEMORIES
The moral of the story is, go with the flow.
On previous occasions go with the flow served me well.
The Golf Tournament In Florida
I was invited on a travel press trip to Florida so see a golf tournament. I don't play golf.
I have two stories to illustrate this theme, one in Florida, USA, the other in London, England. First, Florida.
I was a travel writer specialising in romantic hotels and honeymoon suites, for couples, and hopeful singles. I married and after our son was born my field of interest and expertise expanded and developed, into family holidays and theme parks.
When I was living in the USA I received a phone call from a PR company, "Would you like to join a press trip to Florida - to a golf tournament?"
I had no expertise nor interest in golf. I did not think I could persuade a golfing magazine to accept an article from me instead of one of their regular experts. However, if the PR company was willing to accept me, I was willing to do my best for them. Despite my feelings of imposter syndrome I went along.
Our escorted 'golfing tour' group started with a wonderful, interesting tour of Florida.
Singer Sewing Machines As a personal bonus, I picked up useful information on Singer - of Singer sewing machines! I am interested in sewing. But even more importantly, this information was for use in my series of novels inspired by my family history starting in the 1880s.
Golf
But what about golf?
On the day of the match, the PR relayed good and bad news. First, the bad news. The roads were blocked, so we could not get near the golf.
Second, the good news. Instead, she had arranged with the local tourist board and museums, so that we visited other museums in the area.
On the last day, the last hour of the trip, it turned out that neither the PR lady, nor any of the other journalists, knew much, nor cared much about golf.
We all wrote travel articles in which we dutifully mentioned the golfing event, plus all the other attractions of Florida.
2 An Old Distant Relative's Birthday
I went to the birthday for a ninety year old, distantly related.
I could not persuade the rest of my family to go. But I went. As a favour to his descendant by marriage.
I was worried about travelling there and parking. However, near the date, the woman who had invited me rang to apologise. "I'm sorry but there's very little parking. Would you mind travelling in somebody else's car? They'll pick you up and take you back."
At the event, I politely looked through about 100 photos of people I didn't know, listening to a distant relative.
Finally, he said, "I don't suppose you'd be interested in this one, I don't even know who these people are."
I gasped, "I do. That's my parents!"
He looked at me, the old photo, and back at me, suspiciously, "Are you sure?"
"Of course, I know my parents. That's their marriage! In World War Two."
"She isn't wearing white. How do you know it's a wedding?"
"She always told me, especially when choosing my white wedding dress, that she could not wear white when she married my father in wartime. Fabric was rationed. Besides, it was her second wedding. Her first husband died in a plane at El Alamein. And my father - in a top hat!"
Wartime wedding. 1940s. UK. Photo copyright Angela Lansbury.
"You've seen this photo before?"
'No. I've never seen that photo. I didn't even know it existed. I don't have any photos of their marriage!"
He replied, "Would you like it?'
"Yes. Thank you. I'd love it."
The moral is, an art show, a sports event, a birthday of an elderly person, just go. If somebody else wants your support, you never know what interesting things you will find when you travel to somewhere new.
Useful Websites
https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/southeast/singer-island/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer_Island
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