by Lucy Monroe, author of The Rancher’s Rules
Believe it, or not, my passion for travel was spawned by reading Harlequin Presents novels at an impressionable age. My oldest sister (the one who got me started reading them – quite unknowingly) and I have discussed this since becoming adults and we both agree that the wonderfully depicted exotic locales in Presents novels not only enhanced our understanding of the world, but made both of us want to travel to parts unknown.
I was lucky enough to marry a man who quickly picked up the travel bug as well and did not blink at taking our small children on long and often boring plane rides. Though not quite so boring when my five year old son asked the flight attendant when we were going to drop the bombs, or my three year old daughter so charmed another one that they both got invited to visit the cockpit. That was before the days of increased airline security…thank goodness. Can you imagine a flight attendants response to my son’s question now? But I digress…
My passion for travel spills over into my day-to-day life. Not only in the writing of my novels, often set themselves in exotic locales…but also in the way I see the world around me. The year I turned 18, my sister moved to Germany with her military husband. My mom, my younger sister and I went to visit her that summer. Of all the revelations I made that summer about myself and the world around me, the most impacting and long lasting was the realization of how like my home state Germany was. It got me thinking. I looked at everything from the Schwarzwald to my sister’s tiny town of Niederdorfelden with wonder and fascination. Why didn’t I look at the world around me at home the same way? Â
I promised myself I would do so – and I did…do. I’ve made it a practice since my children were quite small (now they are all taller than me – my son towering over me at 6′5″) to visit my local chamber of commerce every couple of years to see what there is to see within driving distance of my own home. I watch out the windo of my car while driving and marvel at the beauty I get to see every day.
While travel to other countries and continents is now part and parcel of my existence both as book research and for reader and author gatherings, I never forget that home is a magical place to someone else and might as well be for me too.
   
 
18 Responses to “Author Lucy Monroe: A Passion for Travel”
- 1 Pingback on Dec 11th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Lucy,
I had to chuckle at your son’s comment to the flight attendant. Isn’t it sad that now statements like that have to be taken at least ’somewhat seriously.’
You are very lucky that your DH also loves to travel. Hopefully all of your travels have added a ‘flavor’ to your stories.
Can’t wait to read your latest release!
Lidia
Lucy,
By the way, I forgot to mention — the pictures are great! You certainly got to meet some interesting folks during your travels — research or pleasure.
Now you have me wondering where you get your Greek isle inspiration around here…it’s cold, girl!
I’ve been inspired to travel by the Presents locales…but haven’t quite got my feet off the ground. Soon…maybe once the wee one can charm her way into the cockpit
What a wonderful post! I too had to laugh at your son’s comment.
I would love to travel, but don’t really get a chance to. Thank you for sharing about your trips and your pictures! My great-grandmother used to travel quite a bit and visited many different countries and states during her lifetime. She would always get a collectible spoon from wherever she visited. I know we have about 100 different spoons from states and countries she visited.
LOL Yep, my son is still good for a few laughs with his comments. Intended, or not, sometimes the most *interesting* things come out of his mouth.
Lidia…you are so right. I’m really blessed that dh likes to travel as well. He didn’t when we first met, more because he hadn’t than because he just hadn’t done it a lot. He soon learned how fun it could be and now he travels even more than I do for work.
JenniferY…my grandmother used to travel a lot too. She only went out of country a few times, but she went everywhere in country by Greyhound bus. And she always brought presents back for the grandkids. Inexpensive little souvenirs that meant the world and still do when I pull the few I’ve saved out of my “keepsake” box.
I would love to travel all over the world. I’ve only been to a couple of countries in Europe and Asia. My biggest wish is visit Egypt and go to all the museums and archaeological sites. Wish I was rich enough to travel all the time. As for souvenirs, I also buy the cheap stuff like postcards and key chains.
I never been able to travel as much as I’ve wanted, at least not out of the country. I was a Navy brat, I’ve lived all over this country and have seen it going from one place to another. I still love a good road trip, even though it’s been a long time since I’ve been on one.
I love your son’s comment, it sounds like something my brother would have said at that age. ;-0
Jane…you’ve been more places than a lot of people. What’s the percentage of people in the US that don’t have their passports? It’s WAY higher than other Western countries, but with the new border crossing requirements into Mexico and Canada, I do believe that is going to change eventually. Which doesn’t have a thing to do with your comment except it does highlight how many people don’t travel outside their own country, especially where I live.
JulieS…I used to envy military kids. I changed schools as often as most of the ones I knew, but I didn’t get to move to a different part of the country to do it. I learned to love certain elements of change (there can be benefits to anything, you know…even an alcoholic father) and I think that fed my willingness to travel. Over the years, dh and I have chosen to drive older cars (and for many years only one car), live in smaller houses, etc. so we could travel. I once thought of writing a book, “Traveling Cheap not Chintzy” because I had discovered so many ways to travel on a small budget.
Who knows…someday, I may yet write that book. LOL
Hi Lucy. I have never gotten to travel much. There are lots of places I would love to visit. I love your photos. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Lucy
I would love to travel more. The little I did with my parents and then with my husband was always exciting.
I love your pictures, and as you say sometimes things we have in our own back yard – so to speak – gets overlooked. We have to look at things through the eyes of visitors, since we have a tendancy to take it all for granted.
I like to travel, but have not left the US (yet!), except for Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
We drive everywhere and we’ve gotten to visit some great places. Now that our girls are old enough, we’ll probably start this up again. We have so many neat places to visit close to us, but haven’t even done that yet! We’re always too busy driving back to the Midwest for some reason!
Lucy, First of all I love Rancher’s Rules but that is not surprise I love all your books.
Your son’s comment to the flight attendant was so funny, you could use that in a book!
I have never been on a plane and I never want to. I am terrified of heights, I won’t even get on escalators in department stores
I forgot to addI love the pictures and your blog
Hi Lucy, have you combined a big travel with the christmas/holiday season? From your personal blog/site, it sounds like you love christmas and all the decorating, and celebrating at home. It would be neat to see first-hand how other countries celebrate but there would be so much family and friends to miss too! Thanks for sharing your photos and memories.
Crystal…hope you get to the places you want to visit! I love sharing photos, they tell a story words can’t.
Cryna…exactly. I remind my kids of that – we live surrounded by beauty (between the mountains and the ocean) with so many spots of interest less than thirty minutes from our home. Unfortunately, none of them share my love for museums and art galleries. They did when they were small, but as teens – that’s all too boring for them. LOL They’ll renew their appreciation when they’re older I’m sure.
Jodi…I love road trips and I hope you and your family get to start taking more of them. Your comment made me think, “Where can we go next?” LOL
AmyM…glad you liked the pics and I get the fear of heights. Luckily for you, there are lots and lots of places to reach by train and car.
Allison…if I ever did that (and I’ve thought about it), I’d want to take them all with me. I’ll have to make a lot more money than I do now to make that happen though. LOL
Hi Lucy,
I was lucky to have traveled a bit growing up–mostly to England for family holidays. Then in college I backpacked around Europe on two separate occasions, and then lived in England for six years. But since settling back in the US in 2003, I haven’t traveled as much, alas! It’s hard with the little ones
I’d love to go to India, Australia, and Uganda. Those are my top three–for the moment! In the meantime, I love looking at maps–there is something so fascinating about having all those foreign places spread out before you! Thanks for sharing your photos and memories. They’re great.
Kate
Oh, Kate…me too! I love maps, and globes and travel picture books. It’s all food for the soul to me. LOL