“We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.”
~ Katie Thurmes ~
Growing up in Rockland County, NY, afforded me the blissful ignorance of suburban life and the third world charm of NYC. Although the green sports fields of North Rockland were far more enticing than the concrete playgrounds of NYC (30 miles south), I think the city contributed to my wanderlust in later years.
For anyone growing up in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, vacations were a simple endeavor: load car and go! The automobile was the transportation vehicle of choice and it afforded a plethora of opportunity. The open road was endless.
New England offered so much diversity, we didn’t have to wander far. As a skiing family we quickly defaulted into Vermont where we explored the slopes of Bromley Mountain and Mad River Glen. Summer on the other hand was reserved for camping and beach oriented activities in Rhode Island. The Carruthers Clan somehow hyper spaced from Scotland to Novia Scotia to Rhode Island with some tartan plaids settling into Warwick.
Looking back, the thought of flying to Disney, Hawaii, Arizona (choose your destination), was never even part of the conversation. Seriously… I couldn’t even spell the word Disney until young adulthood! It was too luxurious for both the era and my families budget. The sexy station wagon was always available in the driveway.
It wasn’t until after college that the travel bug got a hold of me. Perhaps traveling to far away places was becoming more main stream? Or, maybe, just maybe, my income allowed me to dream beyond my childhood adventures. Truth be told… I think travel and technology lowered the bar to include the middle class. The world was becoming more affordable.
