Caches of memories

This item appears on page 58 of the May 2009 issue.

Rick Steves’ March ’09 column was on journaling.

When my husband retired from his work in geology and we moved from Angola back to the USA, I continued to travel to foreign countries once or twice a year for more than 25 years. On every trip I took, I kept a journal plus photos, books, travel guides and everything that had to do with that particular trip.

Each trip went into a shoe box and onto one of the shelves in my art studio, located in a heated garage space. I knew the day would come when, as I got older, I would want to experience that trip again.

I can lift down one of those shoe boxes, and as I start to go through it I am back there in that place. I can smell it, taste it and be there again.

Now it is my husband whom I can’t go off and leave easily as I once did, which is frustrating, as I am well able to continue traveling and have places I would like to visit, but there you are!

FLEUR HAMPTON

Estes Park, CO