Make that pot of tea, place your cushion just right and settle into your favorite chair …

Stories from Saudi Arabia to Russia, Europe to Canada: here are 13 tales of wit and wisdom to ponder. Why? Travel not only broadens the mind, it can expand the heart. In gaining insight about other people, places and cultures we discover more about ourselves. When you are traveling with children, even more doors open!

This book is a 11,500+ word stand alone book

It is the first of a series of travel books loosely inspired by some of the author’s experiences. The stories range from Saudi Arabia to Salt Spring Island off the West Coast of Canada via such places as Lesbos, Estonia, Italy, Glasgow and France. Some are as far flung as Dominica,Hong Kong, and Morocco.

From fascinating to hilarious:

And usually thought provoking, these stories are the tales of a traveler, the author, seeking the carefree life - within herself. For many of the stories Wendy C Giffen, enjoyed the travel opportunities afforded by her almost permanently absent husband. Whether accompanied by a child, animal, or spouse, or if she set out on her own, the author manages to find interesting people, insightful events, and the most delightful adventures. In effect they are one women’s travel stories.

Around the Bend

- “Why do I write? It's the act of creation, and I can do it from home, or anywhere in the world. I get great satisfaction from creating.” - Wendy C Giffen

Join the author, pull up another virtual chair and get to know her:

Wendy C Giffen had many adventures over the years, with and without her family, and often she was encouraged to publish them. She said that over the years she tended to forget all but the most salient points, so when she at last succumbed to the requests, she wanted to write the stories as the adventures of a fictional character. In this way she would able to leave out bits and have fun with the rest. However, while the names and so on have been changed, she was asked to write it just as she remembered it. So the important things, like the underlying truths, remain pretty much intact.

If there is a theme........

She says, it’s one of love for one’s fellow beings and their journeys. It highlights the unique gifts that come with travel; those inevitable or unexpected insights into other peoples, cultures, and places, but most especially - the truths we discover about ourselves.

Wendy C Giffen graduated from Homerton College, Cambridge.

She is the author of The Selene Experiment (the first book of 7 n a SF action, romance, and interracial series), and is working on other books, including The Dragons Return (SF) and The Tangled web (Mystery). She is a certified Psycholinguistic Hypnotherapist, and an erstwhile teacher and potter. When asked where she was educated, and if she thought education was worth the expense, Wendy C Giffen replied:

"I went to Cambridge, and other places. All learning experiences, in or out of school are worth it. Knowledge is not only a means to an end, it enrich you. Some of what you are taught might be crap or out dated, but think how awesome it is to have got to the stage you where you can tell it's crap! Some of the information will be useful; some of it is life changing. When I cease to learn, I will have ceased to live."