The Arkansas TCC Chapter met at noon on June 4 at the home of Dr Steven Clift and Marcia Bingham-Clift. Having just returned from the TCC International Conference in Malta, that wonderful experience was shared . Our local topic of discussion was “what destination has changed your life/viewpoint of the world more than any other?” My favorite was from Cora Lee Brannon, recently settled in her new home in Parkway Village. Unable to attend, she wrote of her and her deceased husband Dick’s trip on the Volga from Moscow to Volgograd in 1999-, describing the level of poverty and living conditions — for example, huge steam pipes running for miles to reach outlying masses of Stalin-era highrise concrete workers’ complexes — their winter heating system.
The Marks, fresh from a trip to India, finally got off the beaten tourist path via Tuk Tuk ‘ Uber’ and plea with their guide to also see ‘”real life’.” Wilma Drummond talked if her eye-opening missionary trips. Charles Merkel and the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City as an 18-year-old. Enjoyed Nilofer Ali‘s description of seeing Sri Lanka seemingly not far distance-wise from home in India at the time, but very different otherwise.
All left with exciting things on the travel docket, such as Wilma Drummond off to Yemen/Socotra.
Not present, as she was in Africa ticking off the last of her African countries, was Wendy Arbeit. Look forward to a presentation in a future meeting.
Cheers to happy journeys,
Steven Clift
Arkansas Chapter Coordinator
