Arkansas Chapter Updates

June 2022 Arkansas Chapter Update

The June 2022 Arkansas Chapter gathering (from left to right): Marcia Bingham- Clift, Charlotte Etchison, Charles Merkel, Wilma Drummond, Steven Clift, Adraen Smith, Jay Marks, Nilofer Ali, Becky Marks, Amy Imler, Clarence Imler. Not shown is the photographer: Meer Akbar Ali.

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

Marcia and Steven Clift to Host June 2022 Arkansas Chapter Lunch

The next meeting of the Arkansas TCC Chapter will be on June 4 at noon at the house of Marcia and Steven Clift. A lot has happened since the last meeting — locally and worldwide. As Mark Twain said, ” travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” Further South from Twain’s stomping grounds, Little… Continue Reading

June 2021 Arkansas Chapter Update

The Arkansas TCC Chapter met on July 12 at the home of Marcia and Steven Clift. The topic was favorite ideal travel mate. The adjectives included compassionate, flexible, varied interests, able to entertain yourselves at times, and compromising on early risers and late risers. And the all-time winner: a sense of humor. A book entitled… Continue Reading