23-01 Jackson Hole 1B

Jackson Hole 1B
Jan. 30, 2023,
Hi Everyone,

The next paragraphs contain a little introduction to myself dedicated to those of you who are new to my blog. You may wish to skip this introduction if you know it by heart or have heard it several times before. I graduated McGill at age 20 in 1970 with a BSc in science and a major in psychology. Even at that time there was not much that I could do with it except to hope to get into medical school.

I worked for the summer with the Fuller Brush Company as a door to door salesman mostly selling household products. That was my 3rd summer with the company and I convinced them that I should be a manager and teach other students how to sell. Eventually, that summer I had 27 students working for me and I received a percentage of their sales. I accumulated a small fortune with enough money to pay for a trip to Europe for a full year.

I left Montreal on Sept. 10, 1970 with my friend Bram, and flew to Paris on a one way ticket for $82. This included free alcohol. We booked our flight with Tourbec, so all of the passengers were McGill, U of M and Sir George Williams students. Alcohol was free on board and real meals were served. This was the hippy generation and smoking tobacco among other things was tolerated. I still remember as we approached Paris, the pilot announcing that he wanted us to all ‘come down’ with the plane.

We stayed at a small hotel in Paris for 22 Fr (about $4). The Canadian dollar was worth something in those days. After 4 days , we grew tired of the Paris drizzle and hitched hiked to Marseille. We grew tired of hitching and eventually bought small motorcycles. It was harder for 2 guys to hitch together. Later I learned to either hitch alone or pick up a girl to hitch with which insured a ride. Bram had an accident and returned to Canada after 6 weeks. I returned 6 years later although I did go home for the summer 2 years later and every summer afterwards.

My budget was $3 a day, $1 for food, $1 for rent and $1 for gas. I slept out on beaches and in parks ⅓ of the time leaving me some money for alcohol which was dirt cheap then. I rode around Europe for 6 months, crossing North Africa and taking a ferry to Sicily. The bike was stolen in Italy so I hitch hiked for 6 months. It was an amazing time to be young as everything was safe them. I bought skis in Austria and skied for 2 months in Austria, Switzerland and Italy, sleeping in youth hostels where I met people from around the world. A ski ticket in Grindelwald cost me $28 for 14 days. I was rich beyond belief. Eventually I ended up in Israel, sleeping on beaches and working on a Kibbutz for 2 months.

My parents and my girlfriend kept my letters which I have not looked at for 51 years. Eventually, for my retirement, I will read them and write a travelogue. I flew to France in June 1971, took a French language course in Montpelier and enrolled in medicine at the Faculte de Medicine de Reims, the capitol of champagne. I also met my wife, Dominique there and imported her to Canada.

I travelled as much as possible during my 5 years in France. My love of travel never left me. The list of countries that I have visited is beyond the scope of this letter as my wife and I try to do 1 or 2 trips a year and I have done at least 30 ski trips out west. Hence my trip to Jackson Hole where I can combine a medical conference and fabulous skiing.

Love ,

Brian

Sent from my iPad