A dream of many years becomes real.
"My European Tour"

By Ruthe

Preface----
This brand new experience come to me this past summer of 2003, a dream of mine since I was a little girl in wanting to travel to Europe. This dream finally come about for me through a computer and finding a great senior web-site called * Write a senior citizen, through this new internet connection I become acquainted with beautiful e-mail friends living in * Kent, England, these gracious people and I corresponded for over a year before we actually become acquainted personally, how all of our lives become completely bonded with one another during our first greeting.

I am hoping you will enjoy my truly wonderful personal experience here in my message to all of you, and perhaps some day one of your dreams will become real too, even though I had to wait for my golden years before It became a reality plus learning a hi-tect machine called a computer---- most important to me in having this dream come true was to become acquainted with this very popular web-site and to have the joy of personally meeting the owners of this web-site right here in my home.

My European Tour
It has taken many years but I never lost faith in having my dream become a reality, as a little girl and especially with learning History in school about England, and our parents always talking to we children about our ancestors coming from the * Old Country. It certainly seemed so real and interesting to see all the old pictures of England, and to imagine me someday visiting this beautiful * Old Country, my dream did come true though.

I must start by mentioning again about the senior web-site that made this happen for me, I read a posting from a member of this site, she called herself * Pat from over the Pond--- I was so intrigued over this that I replied to her message and explained that I was very new as a member but how I enjoyed her name and title, she immediately answered and we continued to further our correspondence going on 4 yeas now.

Back in May of 2002 she informed me that a trip was in the making for she and her husband John to visit Orlando, Florida---- I was so overwhelmed that we two seniors was going to fInally meet in person for our very first time. Our local T.V. station heard about * Write a senior web-site and the popularity it was getting and asked our web-master if an interview could be arranged with the two of us meeting at the airport, what a reception we were given and was soon to watch it on television, two fabulous people and along with them was their good friend called Ben, he was a joy to get to know what a wonderful * Old English Gentleman he is.

Not only did we enjoy our first formal greeting but we also had the same thing with the press the very next year with my good friends returning for another vacation here in Orlando, the T.V. Camera's was on us again to follow up on our relationship , which was even more fun than the first time because our great little web-master John Thomas 18 years old and his Mom Bonnie both from California surprised us with a trip here and was also in the interview. Quite a party---- other members from different States was here to join in a first in getting acquainted with all of us. We certainly have wonderful friends around this big World-----this web-site has given so much to we seniors, how can we ever repay them for the great friendships they have helped us acquire this past 3 years?

On the last day of May 2003 I was given a telephone call by one of the guests that had come in from Tenn. She, Gayle and her husband Jess experienced the big get-together we all had with the TV. Interview. She asked me to join her on going to Europe to see the old Countries, and of course to visit Pat, John and Ben from Kent, England--- I was so excited with the invite and before she could say one more word I yelled Yes,Yes,Yes. I have had a dream of going to England since I was 12 years old and I can go without a worry. We together got on the internet and found good travel connections, with good fares and correct timings to fit all of our lifestyles.

Our big trip come about in June and we was on our way--- what a tremendous time we were shown and to visit the many old historical landmarks, Parliaments, Downing Street ,Thames River, Buckingham Palace and so much more---- we were taken by car on the Euro Train going under the English Channel into France and Belgium---- this trip will be with me forever, and the wonderful things these good people insisted on doing for us is just unbelievable. Our three week vacation was filled with so many wonderful things to forever talk about , and the many photo's that we can refer back to in the many years to come. This tour of Europe will always be a dream come true, and to have met so many genuine people and them showing nothing but graciousness, and making sure we are taken care of and keeping us so very safe. We, Gayle and me thank them from the bottom of our hearts, and they will forever be in our great memories to come.

In closing I must mention my traveling partner of 3 weeks, Gayle and I were so neat together we neither could have ever found better partners to go on this tremendous journey and then to realize we had not known each other 6 months before, we shared so many, many laughs and constantly laughing at one another, and was known as the * Golden Girls, we sure didn't have to act their parts we were the Golden Girls---- our senior years finally caught up with us, and we both have accepted the many little things that seniors must face with getting older---- memory loss and all the other little undesirables that come with the golden years.

Thank you for reading a true life story.
Two Seniors Touring Europe.

May you all be blessed with wonderful health and can enjoy the Senior life.

Sincerely, Ruthe