Field Notes
By Elena Cunningham , 16-time traveler from Palm Coast , FL
Opening Doors , Reawakening Old Dreams
How one traveler ’ s solo trip to East Africa reinvigorated her life
Right : Elena watched an elephant grazing amongst impala during one of her six adventures to Botswana , Zambia , and Zimbabwe with O . A . T
Best of Kenya & Tanzania
Created by John Ripper , 7-time traveler from Northville , MI
Watch Video
I
grew up in the 50s and 60s , when the Women ’ s Lib movement was just getting started . Two things I always loved growing up were writing and taking pictures . It wasn ’ t difficult to decide that I wanted to study Photojournalism when I went to college . I was going to be a writer who traveled the world taking pictures . That was my dream . However , the universe was not quite ready for me to realize my dream .
What did happen is that after I graduated , I couldn ’ t find a job in journalism . All anyone cared about back in 1971 was how fast I could type ! Women ’ s Lib ? Really ? Where ? My dream was dying a slow death with every interview . Even though I eventually found work in my chosen profession , it certainly wasn ’ t the life or the job I had dreamed about . What happened to seeing the world ?
Life went on and I got married at 25 , had my first child at 29 , and my second at 31 . But , fortunately , my dreams of travel weren ’ t completely dead . Just put on hold . When I was
37 , my family went through a rough patch , and I was feeling very unhappy with my life . Right at that perfect time , the universe finally jumped in ! I found an article in the travel section of The Miami Herald . It was the story of someone ’ s African safari . It stirred something deep inside me I had forgotten about . I had always dreamed of going to Africa . I had always dreamed of seeing the world .
This was the exact impetus I needed to get out of my funk and get my life back on the right track . I found a part time job , and told my family I was going to save money to take us all to Africa . Yay ! Right ? Wrong ! No one wanted to go . Well , that was okay . I would just go myself . And , I did !
Travel does indeed open doors ! I signed on for O . A . T .’ s safari to Kenya and Tanzania . And , I went by myself ! After spending time in Africa , I came home with a brand new life perspective that I didn ’ t know I needed or wanted . I had exciting new goals . Places to go began to form a list in my mind for future travels . While
30 DISPATCHES • AUGUST 2022