The last time I recall sending postcards was in April and May 2006, to my mum. My mother had been hit by a car and was in hospital in a coma in Perth, Australia. My husband and I were in Thessaloniki and about to collect a hire car to travel around Greece researching a chapter for Lonely Planet’s European guides. Fortunately my sister in Perth reached me in time, and we had internet access and the airline schedules were on our side. We managed to get on flights that day from Thessaloniki to Athens, Athens to Dubai, and Dubai to Perth, and were in Australia the next day. A week later and my mother remained in a coma, yet we had a job to start in Greece. As we drove around the country, my thoughts continually returned to my mum: would she recover? when she came out of the coma would she have brain damage? would she know me? would she forgive me for not being by her side? would I even see her again? and what if she died? My mum and I had enjoyed choosing and writing postcards when we travelled together, particularly on the long trip we took around Europe a few summers before, after my dad had died of cancer. We’d spend a couple of hours at the end of each day’s sightseeing at an outdoor cafe, a glass of white wine at hand, people-watching and writing postcards. The only way life could have been more perfect would have been if dad was still alive.
Postcards: to my mum
February 14, 2008
by Lara Dunston
Categories: Uncategorized
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MEET LARA DUNSTON
A perpetual globetrotter and travel writer who has experienced over 60 countries, authored 40+ guidebooks, and published 100s of articles for National Geographic Traveler, Wanderlust, Paperplane, Get Lost, Lifestyle+Travel, Voyageur,
Hemispheres, The Independent, Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Insight, Thomas Cook, AA Guides, Fodors, USA Today, and more.
This blog is about the things that are cool (and not so cool) about travel, that inspire us to travel, and that are inspiring about the places we visit. It's a space for me to reflect upon my work as a travel writer, the travel media, travel publishing, and travel industry. Read more here.
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2 comments
Wendy says:
February 14, 2008 at 6:14 PM (UTC 10 )
This post just blew me away. I bet your Mum has kept a lot of the the postcards you have sent over the years. Needless to say glad she recovered.
Lara Dunston says:
February 17, 2008 at 4:01 PM (UTC 10 )
Hi Wendy – thanks – you know, I’ll have to ask her about the cards. Yes, it was a miracle she recovered so well.