www.martinnaef.ch / 1.2: Briefe > To Doru M., 19. August 1997
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To Doru M., 19. August 1997

Doru, my friend! Do you remember me? We met briefly in Mesa, Arizona. You'd jut come from the Grand Cannion. Margaret Lisonbee, a Servas-Hoste, and I picked you up at some bus stop in Mesa. I was on my way to the west coste. Yes, the blind man with the big bag pack! That^'s me! You came from Alasca and you wanted to continue into Mexico. Well: How did it go? How did your long trip end?

From what you've told me in February, you must be home again since two mounths or so. Is this right? And what are you doing at home?

I have spent about four mounths at the west coste of the US. I saw Firners in San Diego, San Jose (near San Francisco), Eugene (Oregon) and Portland (Oregon). I spent some weeks in Ojai (near LA) and San Francisco metting new Firners and making new contacts. All in all my six mounths jurney through the US has been very very pleasant and interesting.

During these mounths I had decided that I would like to return to Europe with a sail boat, and after a fair ammount of investigation I had at last found a boat,which left Fort Laudderdale (a harbour near Miami, Florida) on Une 10th. To be on a sail boat - that was a real childhood dream, and I was very happy, that it would become true. However, the captain and I didn't get along to well, so that my trip ended abruptly after 8 days. I was told to leave the boat in the Bermudas, some very expensive islands about 1000 kilometers from the coste of Florida. I felt a litle bit like Icarus, the son of Dedalus, a figure from old greeck legends: He  flew to high with his self made wings and fell into the sea!

Stranded on the Bermudas - a real tourist trap, very very expensive! - I was at the end of my strength. I didn't want any more adventures. Therefor I took a aeroplane and flew straight home to Switzerland. When I was hear I regreted that I didn't do something else, but at the moment I just wasn't able. - I had planned to be back in August; I was back at the end of June. It took me some time, to really get here - the end of my trip was to abrupt and quick. However: in the meantime I have arived: Mind and body, soul and spirit!

Our encounter in Mesa was so short, that we  didn't get a chance to get to know each other very well! However.  I have not forgotten your invitation to come and see you in Rumania! I am still very intersted in learning more about your country and the countries around you! I find it very fascinating, that  eastern and western Europe have again a chance to grow together! I would therefor very much like to come and see you, when there is a good opportunity. When this could be I don't know. I will begin to work again in September and for some mounths I'll probably not be  able to leave Switzerland for any length of time. Maybe next year in April? We have to talk about it in more detail. It would be great if you could find a guid through Rumania for me -, a person, who knows something about the country and who is interested in sharing his knowledge with me and showing me around! Since I do not speak your language I do not want to travel by myself - but I do want to travel! ... Well, we can talk about this some more.

I hope that this letter finds ist way to you and that you are doing fine! If you do have an  email address, we could communicate via email (see email-address above). This is faster and cheeper, and I can read email without help on my computer, a regular notebook which is equipped with synthetic speech, so that it reads to me what is on the screan.

Allright, my Friend! I hope to hear from you soon and - as I said - I hope, things are going well for you!

Much love,