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Because I was a member of the Church of England General Synod (national parliament) for a number of years, I qualify to have an entry in ‘Who’s Who’ – that vast tome of personalities in English society. Each year I get an e-mail copy of my entry asking if it needs revising. I really thought that once I left General Synod and came to Spain to live, my entry would cease, but apparently once you are in it you are there for life! Some of the items one is invited to include make me smile as they indicate the sort of person they are really aiming at. How many London Clubs do I belong to? Easy – none! What books have I had published ? Easy – none!
But one question I can answer regards hobbies and interests – my entry records that for me these include cricket, theatre, music and travel. And it is this last item that I would like to say a word this month. A good number of friends and parishioners here in Mojácar have been on extensive travel recently, and while I envy the extent of some of these travels to pretty exotic places, I often do say to them ‘Grab the opportunity while you can’ – hence the title for this article.
Not that I have anything to complain about because I have been able to travel a lot more in these last three years than ever before, and much of it does not cost me anything as it is a part of my role in this large and scattered diocese. As a family too, we have been able to have some super holidays and see lovely places. These include some places here in Spain and we have hardly scratched the surface of these yet!
I have just come back from three days in Madrid – the first I have seen of Spain’s capital city except the airport – although a tough work schedule dominated my time there. As a family we are off on a cruise soon from Palma in Mallorca to Monte Carlo, Rome, Florence, Pisa and Calgari – an exciting prospect for us all.
Browsing in an airport bookshop I cam across a book listing and describing a number of places the author really wants to visit before he dies. This prompted me to think along similar lines; my list is nothing like as ambitious as that author, but even mine is unlikely to be complete before time runs out! So here they are – my list for what it is worth:
The Sistine Chapel in Rome – did that last year
The Holy Island of Iona – went there as chaplain many years ago
Santorini in the Greek Islands – on a cruise a long time ago
The Sphinx and Pyramids – yes I have done that one, a while back.
Gibraltar – I went earlier this year.
And those still on the list –
Sydney Opera House; Jerusalem; Peru; Lourdes; Taize; Santiago de Compostela; Austria – and of course I keep thinking of others! But I do count myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit so many place – especially since, until I was over the age of thirty, I had never been further afield than the Channel Islands!
I know of a good may people whose lives have been changed dramatically by visits to third world countries, and I guess I envy them too. I think of the likes of Bob Geldof and other well-known personalities who have done so much good as a result of visits to the likes of The Sudan, Ethiopia and Darfur.
How about you? What places have you visited and which have been the most memorable? It would be good to share these experiences.
Postscript – my last article on death and bereavement did, as I suspected it might, produce quite a reaction. Clearly many readers have had experiences – good and bad, and it is so good to know this. At the risk of repeating myself do make contact with me if you wish.
God Bless |
