Cornelia's Cross Continental Adventures

"Limited goals create limited people... if you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space!"

This isn't Europe, but close. It is Mount Masada in the wilderness of Israel within view of the Dead Sea (another freaky little adventure). While in Israel I climbed this mountain. It was quite grooling. We climbed at nine in the morning, but it was still over 40 degrees Celius and no vegitation as far as the eye could see. There was, however, a beautiful view of the Dead sea in the distance. I was the only woman who climbed.

This is the mountain that rebel Jewish slaves, who were being used to build a Roman forte, seiged in approximately A.D. 73. But once defeat was emminent, approximately 960 men, women and children committed suicide.

I wanted to expereince the challenge those zealots had to face everyday when having to climb up and down the mountain quickly in order to find food and water. So it was a very fast climb for me; almost a jog. This was excruciating in the heat and at that very steep gradient. But as you can see in the pic on the right, I made it... and vowed never to do it again.

I toured the country in 2 weeks and had a wonderful time. It is a fascinating country that's buzzing with life and rich in culture. It is the only country as beautiful as Southern Africa, and I have been to several European countries. I would love to go back for an extended holiday some day, but only after I've achieved some of my other dream adventures.

I spent a couple of months in the French Riviera in 1995. It was a very spontaneous decision to do so. One day I just said to myself, "Hmm, France could be just the change I need..." - despite the fact that I didn't have a cent saved. But within 2 months, after working a day job, night job and selling my paintings, I scraped together enough pennies to go.

I didn't get to see very much of France, as I chose to stay put and chill out in a little village near Monti Carlo. I lounged around in the sun, "finding myself". Not much more transpired besides my daily cycle down to the market early every morning to buy bread... and avoiding rich "dirty old men" who desperately wanted to be my "sugar daddy."

A friend then asked me to come visit her for a weekend in London, and I ended up staying there several months. I landed the job of a life-time on the team that launched the National Lottery in the UK. London is pretty exciting - you both love and hate it all at once.

But for a girl born and breed in the great open spaces and warm sunshine of Africa, this home (the street I lived on to the right) just didn't turn me on. I made some stunning friends in London, got some great working experience for my C.V. and managed to get National Insurance (which means I'm offically on the UK tax system almost like a citizen) before leaving. I also made short trips to Italy and Portugal before going home, but was happy to return to my Motherland. Europe is just too small for this boisterous Sagittarian.

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