I am in the process of writing a large travel book, that I hope you will enjoy as each section is completed. With the first six travel events listed I can generalize that most were cruises. But before I begin the text of describing these travel adventures, I want to tell you about my life before them. Think of this as an introduction to my travel stories.

I was born in a Vancouver, British Columbia hospital. When Mom’s doctor decided we were both well enough to travel, my mother bundled me up and took me to the Union Steamship docks. There we boarded the Chelosin bound northward for Port Neville. That first cruise, stopping along the way, took two days, and we finally arrive at the government dock.  My father was waiting there with his small boat, ready to take us farther up the inlet to our float-house home.

At six years of age, I began correspondence school, taught by my mother. Printed lessons were sent from Victoria every two weeks, and returned to Victoria when they had been completed. By the time I was nine years old Forberg Logging had removed all the timber allowed from that hillside location. Our floating house was then towed south to another land base, pulled off the float and positioned on to land in Rock Bay. Here I could actually attend a real school. The single classroom consisted of 28 students, including seven grades, all taught by one teacher alone.

High school was not available in Rock Bay where we lived, so for the next four years I attended school in a small coastal town, (Campbell River) boarding each year with a different family. With only 400 students enrolled, the school was not yet accredited, which meant all senior students were required to write final exams for their courses. Encouraged by my instructors I completed the application forms for a substantial scholarship. Two weeks later with shock and surprise, I was the chosen applicant to receive a five-year university education.