People

The word people conjures various trite quotes that immediately come to mind:
 "people make the world go around"
"people, people who need people are the luckiest people in the word"
"we the people"
 And those like unto them.

A trip can also be defined by the people with whom we connect. Our trip  enjoyed its share of memorable people. A highlight of the people would provide a highlight of the trip and indeed key people transform and shape an experience.

Larry - Larry received a dedicated post and caused me to reflect on the impact of people on a trip. Key people transform and shape an experience.

Melenik Forde - our first forray out in London was to meet with melenik at Nando's for a chicken snack and hot chocolate. He had served with Brigham in Greece and lives in London with his wife. He shared his views and experiences of going to university and the church.Key people transform and shape an experience.

The Beefeater - this traditional tower of London guard gave an entertaining ( a couple of actual gewgaws moments) and data loaded historic  recount.  Key people transform and shape an experience. 

Rob & Lizzie Harrop- a great couple, Rob had been in the MTC and Greece with Brigham ,and had recently married Lizzie. The two graciously gave their time, shared their stories and experiences with us as we toured the countryside. We toured Arendell, walked the boardwalk and the Lanes of Brighton, the heights of ancient Hastings, and held our breath as he navigated the back roads to the temple. Key people transform and shape an experience.

The guard at  Hastings -It was part mayday, part summer hippie festival, part Gothe convention, and part Sturgis-yes truly a blizzard melange - centering at the extremely hard to find, poorly signed ( very typical of much of England's directional / informational signage) Hastings castle. They were charging for entrance, they had closed down for the evening, they had a mess to clean up from the  baccalavelian reveling, and still he decided , because we looked innocuous, to let us enter and look around and enjoy the view and the locale.  Key people transform and shape an experience.

Sam - she was unexpected as we both stood waiting for rides at the temple. We didn't end up getting a ride from her, which would have been nice, but we each received a huge hug and where to go visit and saw her pictures from home. She clearly loves Jersey and rarely met anyone, let alone an american, who was going on holiday to jersey.  Key people transform and shape an experience.

Sam, was after all a total stranger and it would've been odd even for me to ask her for a photo

Chris, Karen and Noah - the trip just wouldn't have been the same without them. They knew Pam, who had randomly met Brigham in Provo and responded to an introductory email, to agree to take us behind the scenes as Durrell. We met them in the bat house, we went in the bat house, we had a bat with a six-foot wind span swoop within inches of my head. We learned bats. We learned conservation, we learned animal management, we learned orangutans .  Key people transform and shape an experience.

The French couple from Lyon - we met them as we left our car in the parking lot at Mont St Michael. They spoke no english, but they answered our questions, shared our jokes and complaints, and crashed the private party with us. As we walked forever, ascended the stairs, got waived into (without being required to pay admission ) the now closed abbey and we're given free drinks and finger food.  Key people transform and shape an experience.

they are on the other side of the camera

Jackie - is from northern England and runs a small remote B&B in Normandy.  Traditional home cooked French meals, country barnyard home, gracious hospitality.  Key people transform and shape an experience.

she too took the photo

Brigham - Short of traveling with Rindy as fine of a traveling companion as can be found: totally prepared, can feign comfort & confidence in any situation, a keen sense of direction and chipper disposition made for a wonderful trip. Thanks to him for all the planning, and attendance to all the detail.

People have a choice. We have a choice. We can keep to ourselves, be aloof, be withdrawn, be whatever our excuse for not interacting with others. Or we can share, open up, be honest in our discourse. Not only does it make the world a friendlier place, a more interesting place, it can make the things we do and experience become so much more than had we done them on our own.

Key people transform and shape an experience. These people did for us.