Joanie…
Arizona Travels,
University of Arizona
In the fall of 1985, I entered college. I followed my older sister and brother’s footsteps and attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. I had already been bitten by the travel bug at this point in my life. Arizona was a very different world from Indiana. I spent the first 18 years in Indianapolis. Growing up in the Midwest was a great experience with many friends, many experiences, including playing kickball, basketball, volleyball, and running track. I enjoyed the various seasons, and the rain and snow did not slow me down. I was accustomed to being outdoors and athletic. I love the dense forest, green lawns and vegetation. The desert was a stark contrast to the vibrant green rolling hills of Indiana compared to wide open skies, very hot, dry climate, little rain, with a backdrop of stunning mountain ranges. I enjoyed long solo runs through the desert at night and exploring various hiking trails with new friends.
Mexico
Mexico was in our backyard just a stone’s throw from Tucson. The mid 1980’s through the 90’s it was easy to travel back and forth across the Mexican border. This was years before the worry of the big drug cartels and violence. As a young college student, I would drive with friends to the neighboring sleepy Mexican villages of Puerto Penasco, aka Rocky Point, and Guaymas/San Carlos. These are the closest beach towns just a few hours drive to the beautiful Sea of Cortez. We would camp along the beach, munch on fresh Guaymas shrimp and guzzle cheap Corona beer. Sonora Mexico was beautiful along the coast, safe, inexpensive, a close drive from southern Arizona. All things appealing to a poor struggling student. The warm water was welcoming, shallow, calm, making it easy to swim and snorkel. As fate would have it, I had a couple of friends who had a speed boat, so I was invited to ride along in Mexico and water ski at Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake in Arizona on occasion.
Puerto Penasco, Mexico, aka Rocky Point,
Joanie with the girls on the beach, the BFF’s…
andI continued to travel back and forth to the Mexican border for the next two years during the school year for long lazy weekends and spring break. By Junior year of college, I was invited down for a free spring break trip for one week to Mazatlan. This was the furthest south I had travelled since my trip as a girl to Acapulco. The trip included a train ride from Tucson to Mazatlan along with a modest hotel accommodation. I don’t recall how long the train trip was, but I do remember traveling overnight and having a sleeping car.
Steve (far left), Joanie (not in pic), and college kids in Mazatlan Mexico
The train was clean but had little or no A/C. I made fast friends with some of the other student travelers on the train and spent time chatting outside of the train cooling off under the dark indigo Mexican sky. Mazatlan proved to be a fun party spot for all the kids on spring break. I walked the beach soaking up the local color and festive atmosphere. Mexican music played from the nearby beach bars and restaurants. Jet skis zoomed by with laughing co-eds and para-sailers floated overhead taking in the view of the coastline. Later during my stay, I met up with a group of four Americans who invited me on a catamaran and we coasted along the shoreline. What a great trip!
to France…
The University of Arizona required students to take two years in a foreign language. I had studied French, but I struggled with the language. During Junior year, students had the option to do a semester abroad. I was seriously considering studying French in the Cote d’ Azur-the south of France. My father was going to pay for this as he thought it was a great opportunity for learning the language better and exposure to a different culture. I was set to go, but at the last minute I chickened out. I was worried that I had not grasped the language well enough to continue my studies in the south of France. I do regret that decision because it would’ve been a great experience whether I mastered French language or not!
In 1989 I graduated from University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. I was interested in studying Law, however I did not pass the LSATs. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I decided to apply as a flight attendant. I was accepted for a job with America West Airlines based out of Las Vegas. I worked for approximately a year and a half for the airline just traveling domestically in the United States. I enjoyed free standby travel to San Diego and Los Angeles. I was able to give my parents “buddy pass’ for free travel to Hawaii before I got laid off from the airlines.
Indianapolis Travel Group
My parents belonged to a local charter travel group based out of Indianapolis Indiana in 1970s and 80s. The charter group owned a couple of planes and for a yearly fee offered group flights and tours at rock bottom prices. I remember my parents going on several trips to Europe. The charter group even had a “mystery trip” where the destination was unknown, but the group was told if it was a warm or cold climate so they knew how to pack for the trip. The mystery trips were some of the best deals. I loved listening to my parents when they would return home from one of their travel adventures and tell me stories of sightseeing and funny mishaps. Even as a young teenager I was enthralled with the idea of traveling the world!
Paris, France
I graduated from high school in 1985. As a graduation present my mom and dad took me on a trip to Paris France. I remember my brothers and sisters were a little bit jealous of me. None of my siblings were given such an extravagant high school graduation gift! I truly felt blessed! Later I learned the exchange rate for the American Dollar to the French Franc was almost 2 to 1.
We stayed in luxurious hotels, visiting the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank/ Rive Gauche, the Louvre Museum and cafés. I remember the food being so rich and delicious! My mom took me on a shopping spree to purchase dresses, skirts and fashionable French attire. Back in the mid-80s it was impossible to get clothing like this in the United States. We even had items tailored on site. I never recall shopping like this at home. The prices were so extraordinary it was once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I had many items that we’re so beautiful and one-of-a-kind some of the items I wore for the next 10 years. My love of travel has continued into my adulthood I will continue the next installment with some of the adventures I have had as an adult traveler.
