Escapeseeker

My name is Mel Gee Henderson. I’m a huge fan of the cinema…a lover of music of every variety, but when it comes to travel, there’s no question, it is my number one passion–or some have even referred to it as my obsession! I admit it–I AM THE PERPETUAL ESCAPESEEKER! My motto is No destination on earth is too far or too difficult to reach. I was born with an insatiable wanderlust. In 2007, after years of working in various journalism fields, and logging in over a million air miles, I decided it was time to finally combine my love of travel with my love of writing and share my many adventures and travel expertise with others who also share my sheer excitement and joy of travel, and who like me, are always seeking to find that next great escape adventure or ultimate 5-star retreat…or better yet, the grand family gathering place where lasting lifetime memories can be created!

Join me, as I guide you from one amazing global destination to another. Don’t hesitate to drop me a “Dear Mel” letter if you need any travel advice of any kind. I will give you ‘tried and true’ advice, and if I don’t have the answer, I can help you find it. Where’s the best place to eat in London after midnight? Where’s the best place to get the ultimate ‘chocolate massage’ in Barcelona? Yes, there is such a specialized treatment, at a mountain top, 5-star luxury retreat overlooking the entire Barcelona cityscape. Or how about the cheapest, but excellent haircut in Paris? I know using ‘cheap’ and ‘Paris’ in the same sentence seems incongruent, but there is such a place. However, you must know at least a little French so you don’t come out looking like ‘Amelie’ 🙂 When it comes to life saving measures– do you know what to pack for a river rafting trip through Tibet? Including one tiny, but crucial item saved a member of our team from experiencing hypothermia. We have my husband, Roy, and his outdoor, high altitude expertise to thank for putting that life-saving item in my backpack! Where are the best places to stay if you’re traveling with three or more children through the Baltic countries? Or how about if your 11-year old daughter decides she wants to visit the Balearic Islands–Ibiza to be exact? Thanks MTV! But we did manage to find a wonderful family-friendly place in Ibiza where she found other children who were great fun and multi-lingual. By the way, I’ve logged in a lot of miles with our eight (6+2 combined) children and they’re some of our very best memories ever. Now, fast forward to present day, we’ve grown, and are continually growing in sheer numbers by leaps and bounds, so navigating the planet has truly become an art!

I’m a great believer that we can all learn from one another, so I look forward to getting your feedback, and reading about your many travel adventures (and expertise) as well.

By the way, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my family and friends, as I will be sharing their life’s many adventures as well on my blog. It is evident that the “wanderlust” and sheer love of life runs deep. As they say, “the apple does not fall far from the tree.”

And, lastly, if I may borrow the motto of Mr. H., “Let us all Begin Each Day Selecting Tremendous!

Here’s to blissful and unforgettable escapes in 2008…which at this moment includes a magnificent drive through the sunflower/lavender infused French countryside from the Champagne region in the north, all the way down along the Côte d’Azur to Provence–honestly, I can already smell the scent of the floral hillsides of Grasse. My team and I will also take in the glorious offerings of Italy, from channeling the spirit of Romeo and Juliet in Verona, to Ceasar’s glory days of Rome, and returning to Venice, this time to capture the magic of Serenissima via moving pictures. We are capturing and sharing all of these travel adventures via my new KOCE-TV travel series, entitled, ESCAPESEEKER. We hope you will all stay tuned!

Yours truly,

Escapeseeker

Dateline–Salt Lake City–The 15 degree temperatures are testing the resiliency of the residents of this Rocky Mountain state–many of whom speak proudly of their tough pioneer heritage–the men, women and children who crossed the plains and Rockies, some on foot, pulling handcarts, others in covered wagons in the depths of the icy cold, frigid winter!

Hey, but just in case you feel like whimping out, and not be so pioneer-like, just this once, and instead, you would rather bundle up around the fire and do nothing? Well, here’s a photo to help you daydream back to the warmer days of fall…yes, this photo was taken in Oahu in the early days of November. ENJOY and HAPPY ALOHA DREAMIN’…

You so deserve it!

Love,
Escapeseeker

This is where my journey began. This photo was taken in a small province in the Philippines Islands. I’m wearing my favorite dress. Actually, it was my only dress. That is until one fateful day, when a young Polynesian U.S. Marine serving in Manila, whom they called, “Sgt. Peppy” came into our lives and changed my destiny. It was no easy feat adopting two toddlers–myself and my older brother, Rey. But he said, “I will return for you.” And, return he did…two years later to be exact. It was this same young soldier who at first pretended to be a devout Catholic to pacify the concerns of my Lola and Lolo (grandma and grandpa in Tagalog) who would eventually announce his true religion–“I am a Mormon” and would transform the life of a barefoot, impoverished little Catholic girl into the incredibly blessed life I know today. I must note, my childhood memories of being Catholic in those days meant being taken to church on Easter, my birthday and Christmas, (it fell in that order) when the entire province would walk along the side of the dusty dirt road, attired in what they would consider their ‘Sunday best’ to the Cathedral in the village square. What a journey my life has taken. It is interesting how often my childhood memories come flooding back–perhaps it’s the scent of a particular Asian dish that triggers it, or during my travels to other developing nations upon seeing another barefoot, village toddler with big brown, longing eyes looking up at me as if to say, “You too, can change my destiny.”

This March it will be a decade since my father’s passing. He hated the term ‘stepfather’ and it was never brought up, or ever used in our family, which never really bothered me since he was the only Father I ever had. I never knew my real father–that is until I sought him out–let’s save that one for another blog chapter. But today, it is Sgt. Peppy I wish to thank for changing my destiny. And for reaffirming what I already knew, that there is a Heavenly Father that watches over all of us…that He cares and knows all of our challenges from the beginning…that ultimately we can all make a difference in the lives of one or even many…by extending God’s love to another…just as this young American Mormon soldier, whom I learned to call “Father.” By the way, in filling out my first U.S. passport application–he did not hesitate to include his entire Polynesian ancestry in my name–Imelda Aimeamata Reyes Peapealalo. Can you imagine my very first day in school in America and the teacher looks down at the enrollment sheet…panics, and then looks out across her eager pupils and immediately her blue eyes turn to me as if to say, “I’m sorry.”

Are you kidding me? She had no reason to feel sorry for me. I just got plucked from the throes of poverty, traveled across the globe and given a brand new start! Besides, with that name, I had to excel in school to prove there was more to me than just a 13-syllable name! Eventually, it was that name that helped me succeed academically which later resulted in a full college scholarship. So whenever someone ask, “What’s in a name?” Oh, don’t even get me started. 🙂

Fast forward today–I’m deep in the thick of my life’s ever-changing journey. I continue to have my share of challenges, but with them also come my greatest opportunities for joy. I am truly grateful to Sgt. Peppy for listening as he used to tell us, “to God’s still small voice whispering, In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these, Ye have done it unto me.” May I strive always, to follow in his footsteps and continue his loving legacy of extending kindness to all.