IRGIN

VIEWS by VIRGINIA

FAR AWAY PLACES

STRANGE SOUNDING NAMES

Well, here is your roving representative back at the same old type- writer. Did you think you'd never hear from me again or that you'd gotten rid of the old bag considering the long delays in the appearance of TVia 79 and this one? No such luck, I'm still very much alive and very much kicking. I did make it back home the 1st of Dec. having travelled about 22,000 miles in 22 different flights on 12 different airlines, visiting 32 dif- ferent cities in 15 different countries. That's quite a bit of doing even spread over 3 months- here it is in outline. I must comment before begin- ning this story that as usual I'm torn between those who maintain that they have no interest in my travels and others who write that my tales of my own doings are among the most interesting parts of TVia. So I hope the first group will stop right here and the second group can come with me on my longest and most interesting adventure yet.

To begin with there was the matter of packing. As some of you may know you are allowed only 44 lbs. on international flights. In addition to this, since about half of my total trip would be as part of a tour group and they limit you to one bag per member, I had a bit of a problem. Be- lieve me when femme clothes become your entire and daily wardrobe you begin to learn about selecting and planning in ways that never wor- ried you before. My problem was not only one of weight and 1 bag but the fact that I would have to have the right clothes for hot countries like Egypt and cold ones like Denmark; clothes to travel in and clothes for sight-seeing by bus and on foot; clothes to dress a bit cleaner and nicer for dinner in Hilton hotels and such and clothes for the 2 or 3 evening affairs that we had on the trip and finally clothes for the 2 dinners which were to be given in my honor in Copenhagen and England. Well, it isn't enough just to have the right outside clothes for all these occasions, it also means having the shoes, bag and jewelry appropriate to each. So in

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