© irene waters 2018
We have had Egypt on our Bucket List for a long time but had given up the dream of ever being able to visit. We had booked to travel in 2011 but the uprising that overthrew the dictator Hosni Mubarak saw the Australian Government post travel warnings and our tour operator cancelled the trip. Travel warnings remained in place due to the bombing of a plane in 2015. We were excited when a scoopon (online discount goods seller) came through with a very cheap deal to travel to Egypt. “Why not” we thought and we took the plunge giving us 12 days in the most interesting country I have travelled to and allowing me to cross floating down the Nile and seeing the ancient wonders that Egypt has in abundance off my Bucket list.
© irene waters 2018
PAST and FUTURE
© irene waters 2018
Iceland and Greenland were on my Bucket list back in the eighties. I travelled to both places in 1990 and was taken with the spectacular scenery and the differences in life that living in a very cold climate created. I then crossed it off my list. However, it has popped back onto my list as I would love to travel there and show it to my husband who certainly didn’t have it on his Bucket list. After seeing the Secret Life of Walter Mitty which visited both courntries he has finally agreed that he would like to visit them with me. No plans at the moment but it will have to be in the next few years because soon he is going to be saying the flights knock him so much that he no longer wants to do long haul travel.
PRESENT
© irene waters 2018
Having my memoir published has long been on my bucket list. I say long been because the first version was started over twenty years ago. As it came near to completion I realised that I had to have an Australian publisher take me up. Most of us leave behind a bit of ourselves in our children. I have no children so that is not an option for me but I realised that I too wanted to leave a part of me behind and this could be done by having a place in the National Library of Australia and as can be seen below – there it is.
© irene waters 2018
This is the closest we have got to Mainland China. From the Macau side we watched people going through the border post to work. I don’t know that China has been on my Bucket List for long although a friend of ours that worked there told us how beautiful a country it is . Now however we have added it. It is closer to home and an extremely cheap destination for us to travel to. The plan is to remove it from the Bucket List sometime next year.
In response to Sunday Stills prompt Bucket List
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Again I congratulate you on the publication of your memoir. That is so cool. What is also cool is how much you have taught others about memoir writing along the way.
I sure wouldn’t mind seeing Iceland and Greenland some day.
It’s good to see your beautiful photos again.
(Yep, I missed you)
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Thanks D. You will probably get sick of seeing the book pop up but I am taking note of Anne’s comment that it has to be seen seven times before the average person thinks about it as a potential purchase. For you living in a cold climate Iceland and Greenland might not be so different as they were for me.
You have made my day with your last comment.
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So you know who to blame D. Just joking – a fine achievement, and good to see you back. Glad you enjoyed your visit to Egypt – a very long haul for you. I spent an interesting month there in the mid-80s.
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Ha ha. Thanks Anne.I doubt that you would recognise it now Anne. They have had a population explosion and they don’t have the infrastructure to cope with it. I would have loved to have gone in the 80s. It was a long haul and we were on tight schedule with early starts and late finishes. Now need to rest.
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Amazing
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Thanks. They were, are and will be.
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Oh, Irene! Imagining you floating down the Nile. Glorious! ❤ And your memoir… I've been waiting for that for years so I guess "reading Irene's memoir" can be crossed off *my* bucket list. 🙂
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I was like Cleopatra and at times I could see Moses in the bullrushes. It was glorious. Haha. Yes it has been a long time but finally there. Now onto the next project. Hope all is going well with you.
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You’ve accomplished a great deal of travel, Irene. I rarely travel and never outside the US, so I always enjoy seeing your photos. I wonder if you’d consider writing an article or two about how travel has enriched your life, and what you’ve learned of the cultures in the places you’ve been. Those to me are the most fascinating aspects of traveling.
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Yes I’ll do that Sharon but I think the biggest thing I get from travelling is that people the world over are just the same as you and me with the same desires from life. I will write about the cultures though because it is fascinating and it does open your eyes.
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Thank you for your contribution to Sunday Stills. Your travels look amazing! Congrats on publishing your memoir, that’s quite an accomplishment.
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Thanks Terri.
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You do well to tick off your bucket list, Irene. I love that perspective shot with you holding your hand over a pyramid. And what a great feeling you must have to see your book in the Australian National Library archives. A great legacy, indeed.
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It seemed to be the in thing to do in Egypt. None of mine turned out quite right as Roger and I linked hands over the pyramid, put a boulder up on top and I kissed the sphinx. I’m sure along the line these photos will make the light of day. The National library – that is the biggest buzz of all.
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It must have been fun making shots like that! I’ll look for them as you post.
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It was fun but I have to admit for most of them I was just worried about whether I would get my camera back. Untrusting soul that I am.
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