November 16, 2009
Back in the game again: One traveler’s inspiring story
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
— Harriet Beecher Stowe
As we get older, we learn to understand that loss is a part of life. We may lose our hearing, our eyesight, our health, and our loved ones. The greater the loss, the more time we need to allow ourselves to grieve … and it’s so hard to decide when it’s time to start living our lives again.
Before she became a 14-time OAT traveler, Mary Lou D’Altorio was struggling to cope with the loss of her 36-year marriage. She knew she needed a push to get back in the game … so she pushed herself straight into one of the most physically and mentally challenging destinations OAT offered back in 1999: Nepal.
Ten years later, whether traveling on her own, with a roommate assigned by OAT, or with the new man in her life, Mary Lou is not looking back.
When Mary Lou sent her story into Harriet’s Corner, I was compelled to share it with several of my colleagues. We were all so inspired by her determination and sense of humor that I knew she’d inspire other travelers, too.
Mary Lou, thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding us that eventually, it’s time to stop focusing on what’s lost … and to start looking instead toward what’s to be found.
I encourage everyone to read Mary Lou’s story here.
Harriet Lewis
November 9, 2009
Morocco: Some goats are luckier than others
I had heard stories about the tree-climbing goats of Morocco, but it’s something you really can’t envision until you experience it in person. These goats—which looked pretty much like regular goats to me—literally climb into the branches of the Argan tree near Essaouira in order to feast on the berries that grow there
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November 2, 2009
Tanzania: Tales of a traffic light
The last time I was in Tanzania, the town of Arusha had just erected its very first traffic light, solar-powered to harness the energy of the blazing African sun. The people were so happy, so excited—after all, many of them had never seen a traffic light before. I found it interesting to witness a technological advancement in a place like Arusha, because I knew there were wild, untamed plains just a few short miles away.
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Previous Journal Entries >>
Harriet's Letter >>
Travel Talk with Harriet
Updated: Monday, November 9
I enjoyed reading your email messages so much that I couldn't resist sharing at least a few of them. Here, I comment on some of my favorites.
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Why OAT?
Updated: Monday, October 12
Travel is about more than just sightseeing. Find out why our unique style of adventure has been especially appealing to travelers for more than 30 years.
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News & Views from OAT
Updated: Monday, November 9
Here, I share updates and articles that shed light on some of OAT's most popular destinations—written by our Trip Leaders and other resident experts who understand them best.
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Traveler Stories
Updated: Monday, November 16
When it comes to capturing the excitement of an OAT adventure, our travelers say it best. Here, we share stories of discovery written by and about OAT travelers—and invite you to send us your own.
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Harriet's Favorite Adventures
Updated: Monday, October 12
Choosing your next destination can be a daunting prospect. To inspire you, I share reflections on my favorite places in the world.
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Special Information for
Solo Travelers
If you’re considering traveling solo, it’s easier than you might think with OAT. Find out why we’re the leader in safe, exciting, and affordable solo travel experiences.
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101 Tips for Women Travelers
Updated: Monday, November 9
From general advice to destination-specific suggestions, we've collected “tried-and-true” travel tips from our travelers, Trip Leaders, and regional associates in our latest guide.
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Print from our Archives
Updated: Monday, November 16 New to Harriet’s Corner and curious about what you’ve missed? Looking for a story you’d like to read again? We’ve compiled our previous updates into convenient, printable documents that you can access anytime.
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Tell me what you think ...
Is there a new feature you’d like to see here? Help me make Harriet’s Corner a place you’ll come to visit again and again. Please email me your feedback at harriet@oattravel.com |
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 Dear Traveler,
After my mother passed away 15 years ago, I cleaned out the desk I had used as a child. Tucked away in a drawer, I found stacks of old travel brochures that I’d been collecting since I was nine years old. There I was, 45 years old, suddenly remembering that I’ve been interested in travel from a very young age. I remembered how I used to fantasize about going to Africa to see the animals and the wide open land, or to London to see the bridges falling down.
Today, I’ve visited more than 100 countries—and I still fantasize about so many others. For me, travel is addictive; I get a physical thrill when I add pages to my passport. And as my passport grows, so do I—both emotionally and spiritually. By meeting new people and seeing how they live their lives, I see how alike we all are, and I’m reminded that this truly is one world. My husband, Alan, says that I come alive when I travel—that my whole body smiles and my eyes shine.
When Alan and I bought OAT in 1993, I realized we had an important opportunity to change people’s lives through travel—just as my own travels have changed my life and my outlook. I truly believe that if we all had more interactions with other cultures, we’d recognize more commonalities, we’d be more open minded—and ultimately, we could change the world.
So often, when I’ve met the women who travel with OAT, I’ve felt as if we knew one another—even though in reality we were strangers. It makes sense, really, because the motives that compel us to explore the world are the same. At our stage in life, we’ve played many roles that have required us to give of ourselves or take care of others—we’ve been wives, partners, mothers, or parents to our parents. We’ve shared joy and sorrow, our hearts and our souls. Now, we’ve reached a stage when it’s our time, our turn. Our financial portfolios may be down, but we’d rather build portfolios of memories, photographs, and belly laughs. So we’re packing our bags and hitting the road.
When we’re out there, we embrace new friendships and connections with open arms—at market stalls, temples, schoolhouses, and farms. The simple, home-cooked meals we savor around real family tables garner infinitely better reviews than those we eat in restaurants—not for the cuisine, but for the people we shared them with. The infectious laughter of children gives us new hope for the future, and rejuvenates us more than any spa treatment.
And as our horizons broaden, so does our circle of friends. We recognize the strength of the bonds we form through shared experiences, carving out special places in our hearts for the women we danced with by a fire in rural India … the couple who shared our tuk-tuk as we barreled, roaring with laughter, through the streets of Bangkok … and the family who gasped with us in sheer wonder at the sight of our first elephants in Botswana. Over the course of one adventure, the loved ones we share it with—our friends, our sisters, our mothers, our children—grow closer to us than ever. What’s more, strangers—people whose paths we’d never have crossed otherwise—can become lifelong friends.
At the same time, we’ve reached an age where comfort is also important. We’ll ride camels across the Sahara and paddle canoes through the Amazon—but at the end of the day, we want warm, inviting lodgings where we can relax, reflect, and renew our energy for another day of discovery. We’re not too proud to admit it—after all, we deserve it.
And, of course, we also deserve to have fun—tripping over Maasai dance steps in the Serengeti and raising untrained voices in song, gesticulating wildly at a street vendor in the souks of Marrakesh because “we want this one, not that one,” smearing Dead Sea mud delicately on our cheekbones and then jumping right into the murky pool, saying, “what the hell, we’re filthy anyway!”
This—all of this—is why I travel.
And it’s also what you’ll experience on an OAT adventure.
I created this special website for you in celebration of the women who travel with OAT—a place where you can share your stories and I can share my thoughts. If you’re new to OAT, I hope these pages will encourage you to join us, either with friends, with a spouse, or even on your own. Every OAT adventure is filled with friends you haven’t met yet—and led by passionate, caring individuals who encourage both invaluable learning and a warm spirit of camaraderie. In many ways, OAT is a community—and we’d love to welcome you aboard.
Remember, it’s our time now to get out on the road. So get ready to pack your bags and go … because you deserve it.
Best wishes and happy travels,
Harriet Lewis
Vice-Chairman
Overseas Adventure Travel
P.S. OAT owes its success to so many countries, and we feel compelled to thank the people who live in the communities we visit. Through Grand Circle Foundation, we’ve given more than $32 million to the countries we visit—by investing in the future through the education of young people and supporting the preservation of cultural treasures and traditions. Every time you travel with OAT, you support this work. Thank you for helping us give back.
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