"Bags Out at Seven" by Peg Harvey is a collection ofvignettes ofvarying lengths relating to people and places involved in traveling in tour groups. Ms. Harvey was a Tour Director for twenty seven years. She free-lanced during her entire career, working for five or more companies, in order to get a more varied travel experience. These stories reflect many aspects of human nature as it relates to circumstances, both planned and spontaneous, which occur in the course of travel by any means, but in this book, travel in groups ...
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"Bags Out at Seven" by Peg Harvey is a collection ofvignettes ofvarying lengths relating to people and places involved in traveling in tour groups. Ms. Harvey was a Tour Director for twenty seven years. She free-lanced during her entire career, working for five or more companies, in order to get a more varied travel experience. These stories reflect many aspects of human nature as it relates to circumstances, both planned and spontaneous, which occur in the course of travel by any means, but in this book, travel in groups. They reflect on the differences in expectations oftravelers, some opting for adventure at any cost, any inconvenience, some wanting the ultimate luxury, again with no limitations. Some tours are structured for learning experiences, some for sharing cultural or hi storical background, some j ust for sheer enj oyment. And the people who book escorted tours are just as varied in personalities, interests and reactions. The tales are not concentrated on specific countries or locations.. Although they do include interesting facets ofthe areas visited, the focus is primarily on people, and their reactions to different situations, events, occurrences and special occasions, most beyond their control. The stories are not told in chronological order. They are not told in the order continents, countries, areas were visited. Rather, they are sectioned according to the happening involving one or more ofthe participants in the tour. They are all true stories, although some are composites ofdifferent people in the same or similar situations. One section, entitled Pathos and Pain deals with individual physical problems brought about or exacerbated, by the rigors oftravel and usually dealt with positively. Another, Flying - Eating - Sleeping includes mostly funny experiences with airline glitches, hotel shenanigans, and adventures or misadventures in dining. Baggage Blues will bring to the reader's mind all the problems with baggage inherent in traveling, most ofthem funny, especially as one can relate to them personally. Oops! refers to individual or group behavior which created inconvenience, fright and j ust plain careless boo-boos . Most o f these happenings are funny, some bordering on the ridiculous Enduring Friendships is relatively self-explanatory. Many people on tours, as well as the tour leader, discover common bonds or shared histories that bring a closeness that continues long after the tour has ended. There are other sections dealing with the strengths and frailties ofhuman beings, or successes and failures of products and services. Hopefully, there is enough description in each vignette of the areas visited to stimulate interest for travel to new and interesting places and new and exciting adventures. As noted, most of the vignettes are humorous, but a few are poignant; sad, but heart warming, some evoke pride, some simply explore personalities as they relate to travel and to other people. All are entertaining. This is the type of book that can be picked up and read at any time, and put down just as easily. There is no continuous narrative. The reader can choose the vignettes he would like to read, and finish them - one or more, in one sitting. They are stories which can be read and reread to firmly absorb the facts, and to happily reflect on the silly, serious, warmth and sometimes indifference of our fellow man. Traveling in tour groups is very often maligned as being too regimented, leaving little room for personal interests and exploration, and very tiring. It is true that planned tours are not for everyone. However, for sheer scope of the experience with more time enjoying the attraction than spent driving around looking for it, group travel has no parallel. It goes without saying that group travel is also a money-saver, given the discounts afforded to volume business by airlines, hotels and restaurants, which a
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Good. 329pp. Text is clean on unmarked, uncreased pages. Spine is unbroken, textblock is square with lightly bumped corners. Signed and inscribed by author on title page. Minimal overall shelf/timewear, coverwear, cover edgewear, label ghost on front cover.
