I am continuing with the story of how I became theTravelsketcher and my life on the road, here is the link to the first post.

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It is the second day at the Ramada in Portland; a burger for dinner in the Bonzo Bill’s Sports Bar. Monday Night Football is playing, the Indianapolis Colts and the Texas whatevers, I don’t like gridiron as much as other sports, but they don’t show cricket or rugby in this country very often.

There is a guy at the bar telling flight stories, he claims he has flown twice in his life, I guess he is an expert. They are drinking Miller Genuine Draft and wearing Oakland Raiders sweatshirts. It sounds like they are going to Arizona and the time zones are worrying them; me, I am arrogant as I keep thinking about the seventeen hour time changes when I fly to Australia. I know it is wrong, I should be thrilled that they are having an adventure. No explanation except that I am blasé from too many flights and hotels. I still love to travel, but now it is a more cultivated taste. A bit like going from Annie Green-Springs to a French Cote-de-Rhone.

I remember when travel was all new. About six months into this grand adventure my three-months-out schedule came in the mail, now of course it is all electronic, but in those days it was snail mail. As I read over the cities, none sounded familiar, nor did any of the states. Slowly all the pieces started falling into place, I was going to England.

Prior to this my only international travel had been to Canada and Mexico. I had never been to the Continent, some do not consider the United Kingdom as being on the Continent, but it was Europe and that was my story and I was sticking to it.

My passport came in the mail, now I was part of the world traveler crowd. Soon I would be an international speaker. This was amazing and a little hard to grasp – England, the land of darts and good beer. Nervousness set in, but it was countered by my excitement.

My first stop in England was Hendon, a small community about ten miles from the center of London. I took the Metro to Hendon Central. Stayed at a little inn that met all of the criteria of my fantasy and imagination about the British countryside.

It was Sunday afternoon by the time I got off the plane, through customs, caught a Metro and made it to Hendon. The first challenge was food. Small towns in England and in most of Europe still shut down on Sunday, nothing was open. I was looking for a British Pub, it was the one thing I wanted to experience in England – a pint and to throw darts.

After a long walk around taking in the sights, but actually looking for a place to have a pint, I ended-up back at my inn, which had a small pub that was now open. I joined a few other folks and ordered an ale as best I could. Then I ordered a meal of something grilled, served with mash and gravy, it was awesome, real British food and real ale in the country that invented proper pub food.

Lingering after dinner I talked with a fellow at the bar; found out that he worked for Rolls Royce, Airplane Engine Division. It took all I had to not act like a star struck teen, I was in Europe, in a pub, talking to an executive from a famous company. I am sure he was equally impressed speaking to this world -traveler-seminar-speaker, full of great ideas to expound to the needy folks that were lucky enough to sit in the shadow of my brilliance – in reality, he probably recognized me as a novice, but he was polite.

He, Bob, as I remember, excused himself and went to his room. When he returned he gave me a pen. Not some cheap plastic printed logo pen, but a black Shaffer roller ball with the Rolls Royce logo on the end in gold. To this day it is a favorite, and will always remind me of my first night in England and the friendly people I met there.

Travel has lost its new car smell, but I never have tired of meeting some incredible people. More than monuments or vistas it is the people of the world that are wonderful. They remind us that in the midst of selfishness and hate, there is a glimmer of good in many folks.

Check out this quote from Meg at Grand Misadventures, it is so correct.