North America: orthographic projection, based on File:United States (orthographic projection).svg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"Are we there yet?" is the kid's query from the back seat of the car as the family leaves the neighborhood. The question might be asked several times before the destination is reached, but finally the family arrives.
This is the cliche that is often related to kids and travel. When I was a kid my family traveled a lot in the car going on trips for work and pleasure. I grew up to appreciate the joy of the road trip and eventually arriving at a new or a known destination. The arrival was always the anticipated reward, but for me the journey was usually just as good and at times even better.
Over the past several months the road to April has passed swiftly by as our A to Z Team has been making preparations for the annual blog Challenge. Now the April Arrival has come and a new journey through 26 posts for each letter of the alphabet. My April journey will be one of many arrivals as each day I visit a new destination of some place that has a special meaning in my life.
The places I will be visiting will be places where I've lived, or where I've worked, or just places that I've been to and they stood out for me for one reason or another. Some of these places will be places where you have also visited or perhaps even lived. Other places may be places you've wanted to visit or at least know about. Then there may be the places you never knew existed.
Since I've never traveled outside of North America these will all be places on the continent and that are accessible by automobile. I'll say here that I'm a big fan of car travel and I love the United States and Canada. The terrain, the people, and the cities and towns are all dear to me.
I hope you will join me on as much of the journey as you can, but if you miss a day or two you won't get lost. My posts won't be a series or anything that requires reading from one day to the next. Each post will be a vignette that stands on its own.
Tomorrow the journey begins. Welcome to my memories of the places I've been and places where I continue to be. Up ahead--one month of Arrivals.
Great post Lee, I found there are many exciting places to travel. How about LA for a start.....wonderful people there,
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
I never asked that question as a kid. I remember my sister used to a lot and I thought she was stupid for asking, surely it's obvious when you're not there! I too love the journey, especially in cars, and if good music is playing. Very relaxing :)
ReplyDeleteUniversal Gibberish
We found a Simpson's watch at a yard sale. When you press the button it's Bart saying "Are we there yet?" We've had a lot of fun with it.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to your journeys.
Ahhhh, an arrival can be literal yet maraphorically speaking, we often 'arrive' as individuals!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! This will be interesting!
ReplyDeleteGregg Metcalf
This should be very interesting indeed. Looking forward to the alphabetic tour through North America!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. Since this seems to be the only kind of traveling I've been able to do for years, I can't wait to see where we will go.
ReplyDeleteMy family loves road tripping, too. I'm looking forward to your posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
My arrivals are mostly of the metaphysical sort these days but that's good, too.
ReplyDeleteWe all have arrivals in many respects, actual and metaphorical. Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteLee
We took a 14-month trip throughout the U.S., so I am looking forward to your posts.
ReplyDeleteCar trips were big when I grew up. I always associate Stuckey's and invisible pen games with our rides across the country.
I've never been to the U.S..so I'm sure this will be very interesting to me..
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun, Arlee. I love travel, virtual or otherwise. And I promise not to ask for two many bathroom stops. :)
ReplyDeleteI love to travel as well and we will be journeying around the U.S. for most of this year.
ReplyDeleteYou popped by my site in regards to the A to Z challenge. I was a bit late in posting my first challenge but I am doing it. It is now up and you can look any time you like. :D
Peace,
Morgan
What a great idea for a series. haven't visited too many places to do use that as a theme so I'm interested to see your next posts!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Nice!
ReplyDeleteBut what about some Armchair Travel... or some Astral Travel?
The two are free and Available for Anyone!!!
Violet @ Revolution ~ Evolution
Nice!
ReplyDeleteBut what about some Armchair Travel... or some Astral Travel?
The two are free and Available for Anyone!!!
Violet @ Revolution ~ Evolution
First, thank you for stopping by my blog! I am loving this challenge!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I look forward to your upcoming posts. I have traveled quite a bit around the U.S. as well and am interested to see if we've been to the same places, your impressions and if we fell in love with the same sleepy lit'l towns n' big cities!
And I too am following you! :)
I like your theme. As I live in Germany and as someone who never visited the States it will be an interesting journey.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I think you can ask people from everwhere where they use cars, that all children ask this special question.
"Sind wir schon da?" is the German equivalent.
Good choice of topics! I love to travel so I cannot wait to hear of yours.
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to take us on road trips to visit a lot places here in WV and am sure he got tired of hearing the whole "are we there yet?" As an adult while traveling to new places I still love the anticipation of seeing new sights.:) And well Tom-Tom often reminds me that we are not there yet also. :) Can't wait to read your other postings!
ReplyDeleteAnother great theme for the challenge. Can't wait to see where we're going.
ReplyDeleteAs an English gal/blogger who's lived in various countries across the globe, but will be blogging about Greece I can highly recommend you pay us a visit!
ReplyDeleteGreat culture here, great food and wonderful people.
I hope I can whet your appetite to visit Greece one day!
I will certainly be following your journey across North America.
Fellow blogger: www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com
Bex
Great theme idea! Can't wait to see America through your memories!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea. I look forward to reading your reminiscences.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. See you tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteA lot of fun, sounds like it !
ReplyDeleteDoris
So where will we be going next Arlee? :-)
ReplyDeleteA-Z 2012 (#861)
Bloggit Write A-Z 2012 - Haiku
Lovely (and frightening) to arrive at the A-Z Challenge. How did April arrive so soon?!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Hope some of them are places I have been. Looking forward to more.
ReplyDeleteRuby
This looks like a great deal of fun. Its always a thrill to see a place through someone else's eyes, it helps us look differently at it. Thanks for stopping by my blog today. My A is hope, whenever you get a chance to visit again.
ReplyDeleteCar travel rccks. Nothing like a road trip to really explore an area. Trains are good too, but you can't get off and wander. And there's certainly plenty to see in North America.
ReplyDeleteSome great reading ahead on your blog, Arlee. It's so much fun to read about others' travel experiences. Road trip!
ReplyDeleteWill be back tomorrow to see where we're stopping first. :)
Fantastic post! I can't wait to read about all the places you've been.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading all your posts. There are so many beautiful, interesting, and/or fascinating places to see in our country. I believe that each state has awesome things to see and experience and one of my life goals is to travel to every state capital (and capitol). 26 so far!
ReplyDeleteThat would be one interesting journey.
ReplyDeleteOh, I really, really like this idea! I look forward to reading your travel memoirs!
ReplyDeleteHi Lee .. you've got plenty of wonderful places to visit in the States and Canada .. and I've not seen many .. so will enjoy the journey with you ..
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
Love roadtrips and plan to read though all your A-Z posts on places you've been! Thanks for visiting and following me. I'm interested in memoir writing, so I'll be reading
ReplyDeleteyour other blogs as well.
I really wish I had seen these posts from the beginning of A to Z, and I plan to read them all. I love travel and memoir posts.
ReplyDelete