of the positive side. I hope you enjoy your visit.
Once upon a time.......isn't that how all stories start?......no? Well, how about....... One day, while sitting in my favourite chat room, I was watching a friend discussing meeting a few others at Niagara Falls. As was usual when there were discussions of this nature, I felt isolated due to the distance that separated me from most of my chat friends. In jest, I asked that a room be booked for me as I would be there.
This jesting comment caused me to seriously consider making the trip and soon, I was making plans to do so. I would be there!! I wanted to see the faces, hear voices and feel the hugs of the friends I had made. There was another reason for making the trip, a very special person, Mike, who was to later become my husband.
Before I go further, here I should explain that when I started planning this trip, Mike and I were good friends, but, that was all. Too late, after all arrangements had been made, the flights booked, we finally allowed ourselves to acknowledge what we were feeling. The one night I had scheduled to be in NJ was now not enough! I could not make any changes without incurring a large financial penalty, disappointing friends and
disrupting the plans they had already made. Mike and I would just have to make the most of that one night! Until then, we would content ourselves with a daily phone call, each day marking a day closer to our meeting.
I initially planned on two weeks away but that time changed continually, (along with my applications at work for holiday leave), until I finally realised that I could not accept all the offers of hospitality extended to me, it was not possible to meet all my chat friends.
Living in a country the size of California, but with a far smaller population, made it difficult to comprehend the size of the US. I had thought I could possibly drive between some points, that was until I was discovered that the drive between the some cities would be an approximate 18 hour drive! In 18 hours, I could have driven the length of the North Island and be on my way to Australia! That little snippet meant more changes to my plans. With a tentative route in mind, the horrendous task of arranging flights was tackled and completed with a few alterations. My final itinerary had me zigzagging across the country with a brief detour into Canada. What was to have been the starting place for my adventure, Niagara Falls, would now be the 5th stop on my itinerary!
My next mission was to reassure my family and friends that I had not lost my mind. Here I was, a "mature" (polite word for old) woman, a grandmother, daring to take off on an adventure. I had to reassure them that I would not be putting myself in danger by the meeting, and in many instances, staying in the homes, of chat friends. I also assured my youngest daughter that I was not going into "the clutches of a psycho killer"!
I acknowledged that it was difficult for anyone who didn't chat to understand the bond that can, and is, made. Chatting is like having penpals, but, thanks to technology, the communincation is instant, no longer does it take years of "snailmailing" for people to get to know each other. Whatever the method of communication across the miles, eventually, most people do want to meet, I was going to be one of the fortunate ones that did.
