My name is Christine
And I am a gallivanter
As a child growing up in England a million years ago, everyone used to book their annual vacation immediately after Christmas. At the back of each newspaper and magazine there were countless advertisements for holidays abroad. You would fill in a little section of the ad with your name and address and send it with a stamped and self addressed envelope. In a few weeks you’d receive a big glossy catalogue! When I was 7 or 8 years old I used to save my pocket money and buy stamps and envelopes so I could send away for all these fabulous free books on exotic places all over the world. My mother couldn’t understand my fascination and she thought my expectations were very lofty about wanting to see the world.
It never left me though and I became addicted to gallivanting! I am fortunate in that I chose a travel industry career in sales and marketing. I worked for travel agents, a major airline and then fine hotels, ending up in private country clubs. Always working with people either planning a trip, actually traveling, or at their final destination. Of course my choices helped tremendously with the financial side of things and I was lucky enough to gallivant all over the world for next to nothing. I even ended up living overseas! I had the opportunity to follow my dream and I am a better person for it. Traveling is an eduction by itself and it teaches you to be more accepting of everyone.
Someone said once, “Show me the child at 7 and I will show you the man” (Or woman!). He was right!
Dream
I wish I could travel
To the ends of the earth
So dreamed the child
Perhaps to Cairo or Perth
Learning different languages
Colorful Bazaars
Mystical places
Why not reach for the stars
Hang on to your dreams
Keep them close to your heart
Sometimes they are all you have
While you map the chart
The world is your oyster
It presents you with a pearl
Enjoy the wanderlust
And give it a whirl
What you envisage
Usually comes true
Keep dreaming on young thing
One day you’ll be saying adieu
Christine Bolton
I’m a little late with this submission but it’s such a great word!
Gallivant Word of the (Yester)Day