Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author
of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, soul nourishing romantic women’s fiction
that honors pagan spiritual practices. My stories show you what life could be
like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted,
supported and loved. And where, with this support, you do overcome obstacles and
find your happily-ever-after.
I lived well-over a quarter of a century never traveling
far from home. I was in my thirties when I first visited other countries unknown
to me and experienced a few Adventures in Travel.
But which story do I share?
Ending up in a bordello in Mazatlán, Mexico?
Being stopped by crossing guards and relieved of my
passport when leaving Croatia during the Balkan War?
Or the tamer, missing my bus and almost missing my flight
back to the US from a visit to Australia? Thankfully the bus driver turned
around and came back for me.
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| Photo bySkitterphoto |
Said passport was confiscated.
I spot against the wall was designated “mine” as in with
finger pointed at my heart “stay there and do not move.”
Oh, and I had a travel alarm clock in my checked luggage
that “ticked” (this was in 1994 when there were active hostilities between the
IRA and England. Passengers were warned that luggage could be destroyed if
thought to be carrying a bomb).
If that wasn’t enough, I, unwittingly, had mace/pepper
spray in my purse.
My efforts to be prepared on my first trip traveling
alone as well as across the Atlantic was a dismal failure.
As I type this I’m smiling.
But in that moment, my heart raced, my hands sweated, my
mind imagined all sorts of dire consequences.
I was grateful for a wall at my back when my knees
weakened.
So how did I manage to create this disaster?
To this day I’ve no idea. I got off the plane from Dublin
to London where I had to change to my flight to the U.S. I followed signs and
asked directions to the United Gate. I did end up, at one point, outside
Heathrow and knew that I’d taken a wrong turn somewhere. I felt immense
gratitude to have finally made it to The Gate when my adventure truly began.
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| Yep, bright Yellow but tape and words "Security Inspection" on it Photo by Kat Wilcox from Pexels |
While polite, the security man was stern.
Did I know that carrying pepper spray was illegal in
England and I could go to jail? Words failed and I shook my head.
Did I understand bombs ticked? I nodded.
Those questions I could reply to. The one that, to this
day, I still cannot answer is “How did you get here?” Oh, I had a response. “I
followed the signs and asked people when I wasn’t sure where I was going.” I’m
sure my blurted confession that, at one point, I’d been road side didn’t help.
“Don’t move.” More threatening because of the deadly
quiet tone than if he’d yelled.
Here I am in 2019, sitting at my computer, writing about
this Adventure in Travel and not including my experiences in an English jail
(and No, I do not watch Locked Up Abroad). It seemed hours when in fact it was
under an hour before he returned and gave me back my passport.
When I arrived in the U.S., my luggage had bright yellow
“security” tape. It had obviously been searched.
The next year when I traveled to Croatia during the
Balkan War to help with a conference for my Glasser colleagues, my suitcase was
also wrapped in yellow tape. I was pulled from the line and went through
additional security when travelling within the U.S. Years later, when I
traveled to Australia for yet another Glasser conference, my luggage still was
wrapped with the yellow security tape!!!
Who knew that getting lost at Heathrow airport would have
such long term consequences!
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| Available now in e-book and print |
However, in 2008 I took my granddaughters with me to a
Glasser conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. We flew in to Heathrow, and much
to my relief, all was well. We safely made it through baggage claim with no
yellow tape in sight! All’s Well That End’s Well!
You can find all of my books at your favorite
e-book vendor. Be sure to ask your local library if you’d prefer to read my
books through that resource.
© 2019 Judith Ashley
12 comments:
Boy, Judith, you have had some adventures. I would have been scared to death being detained . My biggest adventure at the airport is when my family lived in Guam. I was flying back to the states to take the college entrance exam. In Hawaii I had to change planes. the San Francisco gate and the L.A. gate were right next to each other. The ticket taker looked at my ticket and pointed me through the gate. Unfortunately it was the wrong gate.
Wen the pilot came on the intercom and stated the flight time to L.A. I couldn't believe my ears as I was supposed to be going to S.F.! I told the stewardess and she told the pilot. That was back in the day when the pilot would come back to say hi to the passengers. He told me not to worry and he'd see I got too S.F.
Pan Am was flying an empty plane up to S.F. for a long distance flight and I was the only passenger!~ I watched out the windows at the moonless night. Creepy! I felt like I was in the Twilight t.v. show.
Great post!! Made me start thinking about my trips.
Diana, I was petrified when the security guard confiscated my passport and walked off and that was in 1994 well before our 9/11 but with The Troubles and bombs going off in London and Ireland, it was a tense time.
After the first trip with all the drama, I don't think I would have wanted to go outside the U.S. again! But what a great story!
Judith, I can't begin to imagine what that was like. I would have definitely been terrified. You have such an amazing and diverse background, both with travels and with life in general. I'm always interested to listen when you share your experiences.
What a privilege to look back and write about your "yellow tape" experiences to your readership/audience!! You are a survivor and a life-long learner even when the lessons are a challenge to our patience and sweat glands!! Glad you were released both times and returned safely to us!!
Robin - writing to you this week from the cottage north of the border that once upon a time did not require a passport but now does!
I bet the security guard was as worried about the flaw in their security system you inadvertently uncovered as you were about your passport being confiscated! You accidentally did them a favor.
Sarah, I thought of that later - at the time I knew enough to know having my passport confiscated was not a good thing!
Paty, that trip also included renting a car in Ireland (stick shift so I did All the driving) and having flat tire adventures. No steel belted radials then! First one was in Dublin during rush hour in the rain. The Garde changed it to get us gone and traffic moving. Both my friend and I had stacks of luggage - all piled on the sidewalk - to get to the spare. We actually had 3 flat tires driving The Ring of Kerry but met a lovely young couple who took us under their wing, negotiated for tire repair/replacement and, while we waited, bought us our first Guinness!
Seeing the friends I've made around the world through Glasser Institute for Choice Theory is what inspires me to pull out the suitcases and head out again. If I didn't have those connections, I'm sure that first trip would have soured me on international travel.
Maggie, thanks for stopping by. I have learned that I'm not a good solo international traveler. I've another story about being held "hostage" by a taxi driver in Milan, Italy. At least at Heathrow I could understand what was being said to me. Not so much in Italy when the driver pulled over and told me I needed to pay him more for him to finish taking me to the airport. And, I'd truly spent virtually every penny! So glad to get home...I do understand why some people kneel and kiss the ground.
Robin, So Good To Hear From You! Enjoy your time north of the border. Tomorrow I'm calling to make appointment to finish the renewal of my passport. I don't know that I'll be doing much traveling abroad but it is easier to renew at this point than go through the process from the beginning again.
When I look back over my Adventures in Travel and in other areas, my belief in guardian angels is strengthened. I'm sure they are all delighted I'm living a less adventurous life right now!
Travelling alone has had it's challenges for me but nothing like what you've had to deal with. Go Judith I'm in awe of you.
Thanks Dora - my challenges have mainly occurred because I've not known what I was doing. Should I travel overseas again, I'm so much better prepared than I used to be. For one thing I would not take a Gigantic suitcase! Just thinking about hauling that along with a smaller one and then my carry on and purse (which in those days could carry the kitchen sink) was more than enough. And my friend with whom I traveled in Ireland had even more luggage than I did!!!
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