Chiricahua National Monument Mountains
“I
am a tourist in life, traveling far and wide physically and spiritually, collecting
souvenirs for my soul.” — Chris Dunmire
 Posted Jan-10-2007
An unusual twist of circumstances allowed me the opportunity to travel back to
Arizona, USA, for two more weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holidays and
retreat back into the wonders of the ARIDzona state.
My original five-day trip to Arizona in early November 2006 was just a taste
of what I experienced over again, and for the first time in my life on my second
visit. Between the two travels I had the privilege of visiting Bisbee,
the Chiricahua National
Monument, Tucson's Arizona-Sonora
Desert Museum, the Grand
Canyon, Sedona,
a ghost town named Fairbank,
and the historical old west town of Tombstone (including
the famous supposedly-haunted Bird
Cage Theatre).
 In
short, my smart walking shoes logged hundreds of exploratorive miles, a million
megapixels of digital photos transpired, wells of words were journaled, and
tens of travel magazines were tornly transformed into collaged works of art.
(This small, but meaningful "Poetry of the earth" collage is one
of many pieces of take-home inspiration I created between tours.)
I'm in deep processing mode now mentally and emotionally sorting through the
events of each day, reflecting on my experiences and the memories of many wonder-full
and intriguing happenings. Soon I will manifest this energy into pieces
of reflective, essayic, and informational writing as a celebration and remembrance
of this most awesome travel experience.
"I write to know what I think" and feel, and believe. I write to
get a pulse on my current worldview and to expose the filters through which
I see the world. I write to chronicle my travels, inner and outer. I write
to learn, to grow, to relive, to let go. I write to laugh, to cry. I write
to experience the richness of life and the poorness of the broken spirit. I
am a tourist in life, traveling far and wide physically and spiritually, collecting
souvenirs for my soul. •
Arizona Travels Follow-up Essays and Features:
© 2007 Chris Dunmire www.chrisdunmire.com. All rights reserved. |
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