“Oh, they only go out at night,” said one kid to another.
They were talking about us- the 3 sisters. And they were
partially right.
Once in a while we would play with the kids in our
street, not because there was anything wrong with them, but my sisters and I
were usually having our own adventure. Solving mysteries, fending off witches
and sometimes playing with giants. Our world was books.
Every Thursday evening, my father would load us into the
car and drive us over to the library to borrow books. It started when I was about
5 or 6 years old- before I could even read. There was something enchanting
about being surrounded with rows and rows of bright colours, and knowing that
one could be on a great adventure just by opening a book.
I would browse the kids section, judging each book by its
cover and if I came across anything truly magical, I would borrow it- there was
always someone to read it to me. This is where my travel seed was planted.
In an instant one can be teleported to Paris or New York.
You could climb Mount Everest one day and be sipping cocktails on a beach the
next, all from the comfort of your own home.
When I started working on ships, I forced myself to stop
reading and it was a really difficult time for me. The reason I did that is
because once I start a new book, I have to finish it right away- even if it means
not sleeping for a day or two. Well, days were sometimes extremely long and I
had to be awake and on my feet.
Of course, once I completed a contract, I would go on a
reading binge and read a book a day for about two weeks or until I could no
longer see straight- whichever came first.
I still read religiously and I love most genres, but my
favourites usually involve being whisked away to a faraway land.
So don’t fret, if you aren’t able to travel just yet,
pick up a book for an instant vacation...
Let me know in the
comments: What are your favourite books that inspire travel?
Labels: Books, Reading Matters
