Ruralite Cafe: Published 03/15/01

By Lisa Majors-Duff News Editor

Please excuse my daughter...

Please excuse my daughter, Niki, from her first-grade class Monday through Wednesday of next week. She will be accompanying me and her father on a five-day trip to Los Angeles, Calif.

When the opportunity to travel to California arose late last month, neither I nor Greg hesitated in our thinking that such a trip would be beneficial for our soon-to-be 7-year-old. Not only do we believe completely in the general ability of travel to teach as it exposes us to new things, but this trip has the potential for many specific educational opportunities.

For example, since we informed Niki of our plans, she and I have been plotting the course the airplane will take as it travels from Asheville to Charlotte and then to L.A. We've been adding the miles and discussing the states we'll fly over - Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona seem like a logical route to us.

We've also had several discussions about time in relation to this trip. By taking a plane to California, I explained to her, we expect to cover the entire width of the United States in about six hours, as compared to more than 70 hours in a car. Though Niki has not exactly expressed joy at being confined in an airplane for six hours, the alternative of being trapped in our car's back seat on I-40 for three days has convinced her jet service is the way to go.

Which brings me to my next point. Though my daughter, as an only child, has developed many wonderfully creative ways to entertain herself, she is a typical 6-year-old when it comes to patience. It is my sincere hope that the hours spent traveling to and from California will be filled with many exciting adventures, like attempting to identify the airline food selections and making puppets from barf bags. But should the trips to the bathroom loose their luster after the seventh time down the aisle, Niki may be forced to sit and wait like the rest of us.

Once we arrive in Los Angeles, the opportunities to met new people and experience new things will magnify exponentially for both Niki and me, since I, too, will be making my first trip to California. In addition to taking in all the sites - Malibu, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles - we plan to put ourselves in the best possible location to see movie stars. That location, of course, would be the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium on Sunday, March 25, when the 73rd annual Academy Awards will be staged. Unfortunately, we won't be in Los Angeles that long.

Speaking of the Oscars, did you know that Walt Disney holds the record for receiving the most golden statuettes? He won a total of 26. And since we won't be able to attend the Academy Awards, we plan to spend a day at Disney's California Adventure, which is more than your average theme park, I'm told. Take for instance Grizzly Peak, which is "truly a slice of California's natural resources - representative of Yosemite and the California Redwoods, this eight-acre mini-wilderness contains a number of hiking, climbing, and exploring opportunities for those seeking adventure," according to Disney.com.

Then there's Bountiful Valley Farm, "a tribute to the abundance and diversity of agriculture in California, the nation's No. 1 farming state"; Condor Flats, "themed as a high-desert airfield dedicated to the wonder and ingenuity that helped spawn California's legendary aviation industry - from age of the first handmade flying contraptions to the space age"; and Pacific Wharf, "an exciting waterfront district... where you can soak up the charm and character of a diverse seaside town - and where you can tour two working food factories and savor authentic Mexican and Asian and Continental cuisine."

Of course we plan to take and complete the homework assignments Niki will miss while she's away from the classroom. In addition, Niki is already looking forward to sharing with her classmates the highlights of our trip.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Sincerely, Lisa Duff Niki's mom

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