Author Laura R. Holmes

... taken from the Introduction to the travel journals, "I've Gotta Pack"

This book is dedicated to people who endeavor to experience the world, its vast scenery and its people.
I have found that traveling requires a sense of humor, an open mind and lots of patience. No matter if
I am traveling in my own state, in country or internationally, on each trip I always learn a bit more about
myself and how I fit into the world. Getting outside West Michigan seems to have provided some worldly
perspective and open-mindedness that I would not have without my travel experiences.

I am truly blessed to have visited places around the world. Africa taught me my limits (physically and
mentally), Costa Rica taught me to be patient and flexible, Alaska inspired a sense of awe and admiration,
Arizona and the Grand Canyon scared me to death, Paris made me ponder culture and the arts, the Alps
and Mt. Blanc instilled a desire to be tri-lingual and the Italian countryside and Tuscan sun made me long
for lazy days. At some point, I realized I had to write these travels all down so I dare not forget the details.
For each destination I’ve visited---each writing exercise provides valuable insight for me and a way to
chronicle many unforgettable memories!

This is my account of stories being out of doors, seeing and doing things first hand…and I hope
enlightening to a seasoned adventurer or an exuberant beginner. My advice to you is to plan a trip and
get out there and see for yourself. I have found that travel has the ability to change people in positive
ways and it redefines your perspective on the world and its people. I can only hope you enjoy reading
these accounts as much as I enjoyed visiting each unique destination.

I would also like to note that while traveling in Africa, or white water rafting in Costa Rica or hiking in
Alaska, I was not pecking away at the keys of a laptop, but rather writing down my experiences and
chronicles with a pen and my journal at each day’s end. It was only later that my scribblings were
entered into the digital world to share. The original journal is quite a sight, and as you can imagine
very valuable to me, though it looks as if I have sent it through the washing machine several times.
In fact, while rafting in Costa Rica on the Reventezon River, my journal came close to becoming a
casualty….it was in my pack and tucked inside a dry bag for our day’s journey through white water.
That day, our guided oar raft which held our baggage, capsized, flipped over and floated down the
river 1/2 mile before our group was able to turn it over in a shallow area. Only later in the day, did
I open my pack and pull out my journal to find it soaked through, with much of the ink running and
blurring on many pages. I carefully let it dry and thankfully with some effort I was able to decipher
what I had written. That journal is now safely tucked away on a bookshelf, as its pages are full.
Now, several new editions have taken its place and their blank pages await my pen.