"Another Travel Addict On-Line" markvman's Profile

Hello. I am new to VT but have been traveling since I was born. My father was an engineer in the missle business (we lived near Cape Canaveral during the Mercury program and we moved every 8-12 months while I was growing up). Because of these travels and the exposure to so many different ethnic groups I wanted to be an archealogist but ended up being an engineer. However, later would be able to investigate and learn other cultures through travels. Got out of USAF and worked in LA as scientist and flight test manager before going to Purdue as ass't professor. Went to work at American Airlines as pilot/instructor. This fit into my travel love as I flew all over USA, North & South America and Europe. I am retired from flying now due to a serious accident a few years ago. Now I am a rehab counselor working in rehabiliation and research ino brain injury diagnosis and effectiveness of rehabilitation techniques. I shall be happy to discuss this further if you wish. This photo was taken in Missouri with my Dad and Taffy, my dog.

Christmas last year in Atlanta with sister & niece

Although I am not expert on everywhere I have travelled, I may have some information useful to other travelers. I currently travel between just north of Dallas, TX and south of Niagara Falls, NY (where I have houses), Manchester, England (where I flew for may years and have an old car), the West Coast, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia (where my close relatives live), and various places in Texas and DC (where I consult). I have accumulated two 4 drawer cabinets of travel information and in excess of a 200 books on places I have been (in case I were to return and needed to refresh my memory). I shall make all this at your disposal - given, of course, that I have the time. I shall do my best to answer promptly.
Places with lots of travel experience & recent information - England (mostly Midlands & North), Wales, Scotland, Southern Ireland, France (primarilary Provance, Paris & Cote D'Azur), California (San Diego, LA and SFO), Texas (Dallas-Ft Worth, Austin, Houston), New York (mostly north part of state), Huntsville, Albama area, and Atlanta, Georgia. area.

With Gen. Wieseman - later President of Israel

In the early 60s I went to Israel as part of an aviation cadet exchange program. Went to Frankfurt, Germany and Rome, Italy on the way. Since I was certain that I would never see them again, instead of sleeping I walked around both cities all day and night. Israel was a great education but somewhat of a surprize for me. I had studied about the country, learned some of the language and customs and had attended synagog for almost six months before leaving, but since I was quite young and an inexperienced world traveler I had nothing to compare or relate some of these experiences to. The IAF did a wonderful job of touring us around and introducing me to that part of the world. Later this experience would lead me to travel much in Morocco and Egypt, but they are later chapters.

A sunny day cruising near Kithnos

I started getting interested in SCUBA diving and sailing in San Diego when I was 12. Our neighbor was a professional underwater photographer and I learned from him and others. Later in Santa Barbara my flight instructor (a Pan Am pilot) took me sailing on his boat. In the 70s sailed with many friends in Buffalo, NY area - mostly on Lake Ontario out of a marina downstream of Niagara Falls, although there was some sailing in Lake Erie. Also had a couple boats in the BVI at Tortola. Very often would take people out as skipper on one of them - around the British and US Virgin Islands. Cruised Greek waters in 80s for a month (after spending almost a year studying Greek, cooking and customs with a fellow pilot's Greek parents). Very interested in sailing and would often sail or visit museums in England, Spain, France, Egypt, Morocco, and Pacific areas. In 90s sailed on WIndsong for a week out of Tahiti. Skipper let me take helm for an hour and navigate around Bora Bora and inside reef - It was quite a thrill. Am taking a month long cruise from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, Rio, up the Amazon, and the Caribbean in Feb/Mar 2004.
Mostly current sailing information on Lake Ontario/Erie (Buffalo/Niagara Falls area), BVI, Greece (Cyclades).