Good Wednesday afternoon, my readers… First Friday Fictioneers of the year! I know, I know, it’s called Friday FICTIONeers but my sister and niece leave in one hour and, no, I know this is not a picture of a desert, nor a vast plain but hey… it’s what I’m seeing now and it’s not what we look at, but what we see, right? Says so right down there ⇓
Thanks to the comedic duo Rochelle and Russell for their collaboration this week. Do join in on the fun! Just click on the blue frog below to add your 100-word story to the party already going on. Not sure about the rules and regs? Click on Rochelle’s name and get them!
She Dreamed of Africa
Tracy had no idea what her daughter would choose for their mother-daughter trip. She should have known. Sabrina had the travel bug ever since she saved all monies earned from baby-sitting and selling her necklaces to pay for her high school Guatemala trip. Hers was a laser-beam focus when she had a goal. No Cuba-style-butt-in-the-sand vacation for her!
“Africa?”
“Yes, Mom. Tanzania. Glamping Safari in the Serengeti! Then Zanzibar for the beach. We’ll learn how to surf.”
“Great white sharks in those waters, Sab.”
“So? Can’t worry over stuff like that…”
“Can’t wait. It’ll be a trip of a lifetime…”
- 2005 cruise – The adventuress was born
Maybe she shouldn’t have referred to the sharks. Other than that, it sounds so very interesting
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I can’t wait to see the pictures and hear all about it… Until they come back, we’ll worry about lions and tigers and rhinos and…
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The photo is beautiful, Dale. Loved the story as well. Yeah, no worries on the sharks. (EXCUSE ME?)
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The photo of my sister and her daughter, you mean 😉
And I know, right? EXCUSE ME??? Sabrina told her mom: “I’m not worried, I’ll send you first as you have more meat (read that as you will) and then I’ll be safe!” Brat.
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Still a beautiful photo
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The quarry? Oh yes!
(And I added a pic of my sister and niece at the airport on the way!)
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There you go.
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🙂
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Wish I was going with them, sounds like an adventure! Happy New Year Dale, hope you had a good holiday season.
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So do I, Iain. They are going to have a blast.
I did, thank you. Hope you did as well!
Happy New Year!
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That’s what you call taking off on vacation. 🙂
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That’s a whole ‘nother level of getting away from it all.
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Sure is. All I do is move a few miles along he coast. Ho-hum. 🙂
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I hear ya… but yanno… being so near the coast is not a sad thing at all…
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Tis true. If I wanted it, every day could be a beach day. Funny, I usually go inland. Less howling winds, freezing cold, tainted with arctic ice. Tis nice, though, on thise occasioanl hot days. Ah, but then everyone has the same idea. No fun squeezy between the heaving bodies. Better to go inland, so recently vacated by all those folks seeking sand, sea and sun!
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That makes sense, though. When we have it next door, we want something different (like curly hair vs straight 😉 )
And no fun when beaches are over-crowded. Ugh.
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For me, the quiet green lanes.
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Fun story. Just returned from the Serengeti. Will gladly share pics offline, if you’re interested. No sharks for us, though we didn’t make it to Zanzibar. 😉 Happy New Year! 🐆🐘🦒🦓🦏
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Glad you enjoyed… and how cool for you. Definitely would love to see some of your pictures. Well, we are hoping they won’t encounter any either!!
Happy New Year to you and yours, Eric! xo
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How wonderful that they get to do this together! I hope they have a wonderful time.
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Sounds a great trip
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It should be!
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I keep dreaming of going there, Serengeti.
I think I should start saving my 2 cents.
I loved the way you ended it…
Can’t wait, it’ll be the trip of a lifetime… It surely will!
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I am planning to one day! Plus I have friends who live in Botswana and keep telling me to go visit.
Glad you enjoyed my story.
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Dear Dale,
As you know I keep the name in deference to those who created and started the group. Anything goes as long as it’s 100 words or less. 😉 And what the photo inspires is Kosher. Love this story and the photos of the ladies. Your niece sounds like a very focused young lady. Impressive. I hope they have a lovely and safe journey. Tell them if they take any photos they think might make good prompts…:D Well done
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Absolutely. And so you should! Besides, too late to change now 😉 I know it. You are most accepting of my non-fiction fiction 😉 Don’t they look wonderful? She is amazing (though not my goddaughter, she coulda been). They will have an amazing time and I cannot wait to see their pictures (who knows? Maybe I shall “liberate” one for you…)
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Hope they enjoy their holiday, my friend once lived close to Zanzibar, it sounded amazing I’m sure they’ll love their trip!!
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I’ve no doubt they will. I cannot wait to hear about it. What an adventure for a mother and daughter to have.
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Absolutely brilliant, and will no doubt pave the way for many more
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Oh for sure. That Sabrina is a wanderer for sure!
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It should be an amazing trip. I spent three weeks in Tanzania back in 2007. They will learn that for the most part, the people are very poor, but have more joy in their hearts than the majority of people I know in the States. The memories are coming back to me. Thanks for the positive trigger. I took over ten thousand photos while there. Time to dig some out.
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Oh wow. Lucky you, Ray. I am certain they will have a fabulous time. Holy moly! That sounds like something I would do! (10K photos…)
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And it will be!
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I think so!!
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Awwww, I’m looking forward to the trip, and the pics now 🙂 Have an amazing, fun-filled year Dale. Keep smiling 🙂
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So am I!!
You too… And always.😊
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You make me envious, especially about Zanzibar!
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Heck. I’m jealous!!
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😂😂😂
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seems like adventure girls
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Indeed!
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Sounds like fun! I’d give the surfing in shark-infested waters a miss, though.
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I am with you on that one!
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This sounds like an exciting time for them both. And I imagine you’ll get a tremendous amount of vicarious pleasure from reading about their exploits. Happy New Year to you, hope it’s a good one.
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It should be a trip of a lifetime! Can’t wait to hear all about it and see the pictures.
Happy New Year to you as well!
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Fabulous story and true💜💜 . I see the family resemblence!
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Thank you, Willow. We three sisters cannot deny each other, apparently 😉🧡🧡
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No you certainly could not 💜💓
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Q,
Here’s hoping they have a great time!
B
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B,
I’m sure they will!
Q
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I like Sabrina’s spirit! Going to Africa, namely Kenya, was a break-out vacation for me when I was 58.
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How so very wonderful!
My neighbours (5 houses down) live in Botswana and invite me to go regularly… I will one day, for sure!
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I’ve never been to Africa… but those sharks sound interesting (to watch from shore)
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Let’s just say that I have an African Safari on my to-do list… sharks? Not so much.
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What an adventurous soul, and what an exciting trip! Well, minus the sharks. Those are a little too “exciting” for me!
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Yes, she is. And she’s dragged her mother into it! Yeah. No. They lost me at sharks…
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They actually lost me at “surfing.” It seems like a wonderful sport, except that you have to do it in the full sun, and my ancestors didn’t give me the right DNA for that. Nope, only shade and grey days for this painfully pale girl.
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My sister is none too thrilled either… we’ll see if they attempt it.
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When I was in Hawaii a couple months ago, I did enjoy *watching* surfing. From under an umbrella, where I could enjoy the sea breezes and view, while handsome cabana men brought me fruity cocktails with pineapple sticks in them. 🙂
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It’s a wonderful thing to have a sense of adventure. I used to travel, a lot, but now I travel not too, far. I’ve come to loathe flying. Oh, and there has to be street art!
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I love travelling and feel like I’ve barely begun.
My sister texted us to say they have landed safely in Africa. So cool.!
And, of course, there must be street art for you 😉
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yay! N wants to take me to Japan. Yikes! It’s a 13.5 hour flight! 😨😬
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Wonderful! Lucky you! Even if you don’t care for flying… Hopefully N will spring for first class 😉 with a sleeping pod…
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Right, then we come home and live in a cardboard pod. 😅It’s way too, expensive. I know he wants to go there because he is part Japanese. 🤔
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Well dang… I tried 😉
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Surfing in real waves! Sounds good to this east coaster. I’ll take my chances with the sharks!
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Whoop! Whoop!
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Another one from the journal of true tales. 🙂
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Yes. How unimaginative I am.
Sister and niece arrived safe and sound in Africa at 4:15 this afternoon.
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Oh wow … a recent story! …. more than recent – more like an update!!!
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Yes. They left yesterday late afternoon…
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Sabrina is focussed, adventure seeking, and eager to go for vacation. Why bother about little things like white shark. Either you live and enjoy, or you die and end it all.
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Haha. That she is and the adventure has begun. They landed safely in Tanzania this afternoon
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So this is a real life story!
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Yes…I say son in my intro 😉
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Ah! I was wondering whose pictures were those 😉 Hope your sister and her daughter are having a fabulous trip. Nice story, Dale.
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Thank you, Piyali. So far they are having a blast!
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What fun! And what a beautiful mother/daughter combo.
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Aren’t they though? 🙂
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A grand adventure is afoot, and all planned by your niece. 🙂 I think your sister instilled in her a love of travel. A very nice story, Dale!
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Let’s Just say we’ve been bringing our kids on family vacations since a young age. But this one? Caribbean was fun but let’s see more of the world!
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What a trip that would be!
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It will be! They landed yesterday afternoon, or rather last night (their time)!
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Sharks? There? I would worry about crocs…
And the comment of the sweet daughter! Priceless, shameless and probably quite true 😉
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Oh… once they hit oceanside… it’s great whites!
We are all comediennes in my family 😉
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Hola! Just tried to send you some safari photos. Somehow, my address book can’t find your email address. Mind emailing me with that info? Thanks! 🙂
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They are both SO lovely! A family of beauties….. (yep you‘re family too I suppose!) 🙂
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They are and thank you! 🙂😉
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Oh, wow, what an adventure! I’d never have the courage to do it, too cautious, too much of a shrinking violet. Saying that, I have been to Africa but it was Egypt, a package holiday to accompany my mum who adores the history. Pretty amazing going inside one of the pyramids at Giza, but I can’t imagine swimming with sharks. So cool. I hope they have an amazing time
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Yes! This morning got the first pics of the start of the safari! Oh, my sister is not enthusiastic about the whole shark thing…
Egypt is so cool! On my list….
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I don’t blame your sister – I wouldn’t be keen either. Egypt was amazing. I haven’t travelled much – hardly at all – and we went just a few weeks after 9/11 which meant it was comparatively quiet as people weren’t flying much, especially to an Arabic country. But the people there were amazing and as you can imagine, the temples, the Nile, the Valley of the Kings were astonishing.
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Wow. That was courageous- to travel so soon after 9/11 (and good on you!)
A few friend sof mine.have gone and loved it.
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It was a once in a lifetime trip for my mum who was unlikely to have gone any other time. It was nerve wracking at times, I can’t deny, and there were a lot of armed police officers around, especially near the mausoleum of Hatshepsut where 70 people had been shot by terrorists a few years earlier. Sadly, there are few destinations in the Middle East where there isn’t a risk of such events. Saying all of that it was wonderful and I’ll always remember it
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Wow. What memories you’ve created with your mum.
And yes, sadly there are parts of the world that are to be avoided. Thankfully there are way more to explore!
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I’m very glad we did it then – Mum’s 73 now and though not an old 73, she’d struggle to do the walking we did on that trip. She’s been obsessed with Ancient Egypt pretty much all her life, so to be able to see those places with her was – not to sound too corny – rather a privilege. I would love to take my son there too, but I actually think it’s more dangerous since a regime change than it was post 9/11. As you say, lots of other places still to explore.
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73 is still young but of course not all can prance about for hours and hours! And no. Not corny at all. My mother (77) dreams of Australia but that won’t happen and her eyesight isn’t where it used to be nor is her walking capacity. Otherwise, I’d have loved to have gone with her…
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It’s a lesson I should learn – get out there and do some travelling while your body still lets you! 🙂
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Yes!!
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What a great mother-daughter trip, and great reporting from you. They look lovely and I envy them. Not the surfing though. 🙂
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Yes. It is wonderful! They started their safari today so, looking forward to some pictures!
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Good to know that they arrived safely. Will you show some of the pictures to us, too?
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I’ll have to ask her. She just posted pics of them with giraffes… so cool.
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Yes, that would be great. You could be the family reporter. 🙂
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Haha!
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Did the sharks take the bait? Were lions, tigers, and bears waiting for them behind every overgrown bush? Did they join a tribal community and dance under the stars? Tun in next week for As the Dale Writes.
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We’ll find out… that’s at the end of their trip. Right now, they are cavorting with giraffes, water buffalo… before that, they were shopping in the market 😉
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Dream big! Or accompany your daughter to Africa.. What an adventure!
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I know!! That are having a blast!
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Loved the story. I’m all for adventure but hard luck, never had a chance. Enjoy when you get one. Best wishes for 2019.
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Thank you. Indira. I guess we must make out luck.
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Sometimes not easy, dear.
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That I know…
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🙂
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Sharks and all, well it’s for adults to think and worry about. Kids only live in the moment and don’t worry about ‘what if’!
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That is so true!
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This will be life changing for her. Thanks for sharing this beautiful story!
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I get calls from them via Messenger. Coolest thing ever! They are having a blast so far.
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❤
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Yes! 💖
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Gorgeous photo! A pretty good bug to have as long as you don’t pick any others up! 😊
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Ha ha! True dat!
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Love the way you set this up and closed it. Great story 🙂
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Thank you, Linda
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Sounds like an adventure of a lifetime. Nice one.
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It is so far!!
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As someone cursed with wanderlust and an empty savings account that whole trip sounds amazing. I bet they are having the time of their lives, seeing things only a handful of people in the entire world have seen.
Soo jealous haha. Great story!
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They are. They Messenger me and share photos. So very cool. They are having the best time.
So am I!!
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So nice to read about a mother and daughter who enjoy having adventures together. That’s a rare thing.
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It’s a wonderful thing!!
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Sounds like a wonderful trip, but far too adventurous for my liking… I’m definitely a butt-in-the-sand kinda gal! Lovely little glimpse into your family life.
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Nothing wrong with a butt-on-the-sand vacation too!
Thank you
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What an exciting adventure! 🙂 How come you didn’t go with them?
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Ah well… it was rather exclusive . A mother-daughter thing (another daughter, a son and a husband were also left behind…)
It’s very exciting!
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Ah… d’accord. (For a moment, I was wondering what kind of “sin” was left behind, and then I realized you meant “son”. 😄)
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Oops… damn phone… must fix that…😜
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😀
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How fabulous!
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It is! They are having a fabulous time!
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We’ll be going to Africa this summer! It truly will be a trip of a lifetime, especially since it only kicks off a year abroad. Africa has always been high on my list, so it’s exciting to see it finally coming to fruition!
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Wow! Lucky you!
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