A life less ordinary
One woman's search for ...22 total reviews
Comment from Verna Cole Mitchell
You have told well a remarkable story of a great adventurer and achiever. I admire people like her, but I don't envy any of her travels. Obviously, I do not have a great spirit of adventure.
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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You have told well a remarkable story of a great adventurer and achiever. I admire people like her, but I don't envy any of her travels. Obviously, I do not have a great spirit of adventure.
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Me neither! Lol. So I admire people who overcome difficulties and show grit and determination. Thank you for a lovely review.
Wendy
Comment from Anne Johnston
What a great story of how Sarah persevered and accomplished her dreams.
"Her own example showed that one can overcome fear and anxiety by planning for what is controllable, and by applying all one's knowledge and skills base to managing unforeseen events." She is an inspiration to all women.
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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What a great story of how Sarah persevered and accomplished her dreams.
"Her own example showed that one can overcome fear and anxiety by planning for what is controllable, and by applying all one's knowledge and skills base to managing unforeseen events." She is an inspiration to all women.
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you, Anne. Yes, I think she is an inspiration - and her risk management strategies are ones we can all use in our more ordinary lives. I appreciate your lovely review.
Wendy
Comment from GWHARGIS
She was a very brave woman. I do believe if I was detained in a foreign country, I'd be done with the whole dang thing. But she wad a risk taker and I try to avoid risk at all costs. This was very, very interesting. Shows some times it's true, "life begins at forty". Great story. Gretchen
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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She was a very brave woman. I do believe if I was detained in a foreign country, I'd be done with the whole dang thing. But she wad a risk taker and I try to avoid risk at all costs. This was very, very interesting. Shows some times it's true, "life begins at forty". Great story. Gretchen
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you very much Gretchen. I appreciate and value the honour of six stars. I am so glad you enjoyed this story of an amazing woman who persevered to achieve her goals.
Wendy
Comment from patcelaw
This was such an exciting story to listen to. Sarah had a mother who challenged her to do new things. I tried to be that kind of mother myself with my daughters. All of my daughters are willing to try new and different things. Even though the things they do are not, necessarily as challenging as Sarah's challenge was, they still try to do new things and enjoy their lives together with their husbands. Patricia.
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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This was such an exciting story to listen to. Sarah had a mother who challenged her to do new things. I tried to be that kind of mother myself with my daughters. All of my daughters are willing to try new and different things. Even though the things they do are not, necessarily as challenging as Sarah's challenge was, they still try to do new things and enjoy their lives together with their husbands. Patricia.
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you very much Patricia - for your words and also for the honour of six stars, which I greatly value. I am glad you enjoyed her story. Yes, training one's children to try new things and also to believe in themselves is a wonderful gift to a child.
Wendy
Comment from Father Flaps
Hi Wendy,
I really enjoyed your story of Sarah Davis, though I can't imagine a trip down the Nile, through the unknown... "nine months on the water, more than eleven hundred kilometers of rafting, and three thousand kilometers of kayaking". I have been on many canoe trips in New Brunswick. Most were on the Little Tobique River, Oromocto River, or the Cains River. But usually, we only spent one or two nights on a shore in a small tent and sleeping bag. That was enough for me! Too many mosquitoes and black flies! We were hot and sweaty, and smelled of campfire smoke, yearning for soap and a shower! And a waitress who'd bring us steak and potatoes, and an ice-cold Coke!
What makes people risk their lives to do monumental things? This past week, we were hoping and praying that the five men inside a Titan sub (owned and operated by Ocean Gate) would be found and rescued. They had paid something like $250,000 each to go down to the Titanic wreck for a look-see adventure! ... 2.4 miles down where the water pressure was around 5000 pounds per square inch! But only bits and pieces of the sub were found by rescuers from several countries. It had imploded, killing the five occupants instantly. Such a tragedy!
James Cameron, who directed the 1997 movie "Titanic", told the BBC that the team who built the submersible had "cut corners". Ocean Gate "didn't get certified because they knew they wouldn't pass. I was very suspect of the technology that they were using. I wouldn't have gotten in that sub."
Cameron has completed 33 submersible dives to the Titanic wreck.
Nicely penned, Wendy! Sarah was a brave woman to attempt such a journey. Imagine dealing with hippos and crocodiles, and profiteers!
Hugs,
Kimbob
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Hi Wendy,
I really enjoyed your story of Sarah Davis, though I can't imagine a trip down the Nile, through the unknown... "nine months on the water, more than eleven hundred kilometers of rafting, and three thousand kilometers of kayaking". I have been on many canoe trips in New Brunswick. Most were on the Little Tobique River, Oromocto River, or the Cains River. But usually, we only spent one or two nights on a shore in a small tent and sleeping bag. That was enough for me! Too many mosquitoes and black flies! We were hot and sweaty, and smelled of campfire smoke, yearning for soap and a shower! And a waitress who'd bring us steak and potatoes, and an ice-cold Coke!
What makes people risk their lives to do monumental things? This past week, we were hoping and praying that the five men inside a Titan sub (owned and operated by Ocean Gate) would be found and rescued. They had paid something like $250,000 each to go down to the Titanic wreck for a look-see adventure! ... 2.4 miles down where the water pressure was around 5000 pounds per square inch! But only bits and pieces of the sub were found by rescuers from several countries. It had imploded, killing the five occupants instantly. Such a tragedy!
James Cameron, who directed the 1997 movie "Titanic", told the BBC that the team who built the submersible had "cut corners". Ocean Gate "didn't get certified because they knew they wouldn't pass. I was very suspect of the technology that they were using. I wouldn't have gotten in that sub."
Cameron has completed 33 submersible dives to the Titanic wreck.
Nicely penned, Wendy! Sarah was a brave woman to attempt such a journey. Imagine dealing with hippos and crocodiles, and profiteers!
Hugs,
Kimbob
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Yes, she was an amazing and determined woman! Thank you so much for the honour of six stars. Always appreciated. I think the difference between her and those responsible for the submersible disaster was the attitude to risk management. They dismissed all suggestion of risk whereas she analysed potential risk areas, prepared for all eventualities and had plans in place. Thank you again.
Wendy
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Well done. The trip sounds exciting.
I'd say that Sarah Davis was extremely fortunate that she wasn't harmed.
How did she manage South Sudan? Fly over?
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Well done. The trip sounds exciting.
I'd say that Sarah Davis was extremely fortunate that she wasn't harmed.
How did she manage South Sudan? Fly over?
Best wishes.
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you very much for reviewing and for your interest. The South Sudanese National Intelligence Service were apparently very suspicious of her, suspected ulterior motives etc., so yes, she flew from Uganda to Sudan (the most southern part of Sudan).
For a lot of the trip, she had experienced and skilled Africans paddling alongside her in each country and that was probably like a security team. Thanks again Wayne.
Wendy
Comment from Tom Horonzy
Inordinary or unordinary? Is there a difference? People do either or. It is proven. The quest for the unknown is a reality but paddling the Nile takes a special chick. What little I know of hippos would have kaboshed my going any further.
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Inordinary or unordinary? Is there a difference? People do either or. It is proven. The quest for the unknown is a reality but paddling the Nile takes a special chick. What little I know of hippos would have kaboshed my going any further.
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thanks so much Tom. Yes, hippos are very dangerous animals - it tore a hole in one compartment of her inflatable raft trying to get at her!
Wendy
Comment from royowen
I think anyone who has strived to be the best they can be can only do all the disciplines they need to do to succeed, but only the very best see them through, and Sarah was among the rare ones. Beautifully written Wendy, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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I think anyone who has strived to be the best they can be can only do all the disciplines they need to do to succeed, but only the very best see them through, and Sarah was among the rare ones. Beautifully written Wendy, blessings Roy
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you very much Roy. Appreciated.
Wendy
Comment from JT traveller
I find no fault in grammar nor punctuation. Being Australian and living right near three highly competitive surf clubs I find this sentence a tad unbelievable, " It was not long before she was entering and winning international events."
In Australia, people train for these events from the ages of three and up, they are called, "Nippers".
A lot happens in your story. I do hope you make it into a longer book. It sounds fascinating,
Jacqueline
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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I find no fault in grammar nor punctuation. Being Australian and living right near three highly competitive surf clubs I find this sentence a tad unbelievable, " It was not long before she was entering and winning international events."
In Australia, people train for these events from the ages of three and up, they are called, "Nippers".
A lot happens in your story. I do hope you make it into a longer book. It sounds fascinating,
Jacqueline
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Thank you Jacqueline. It took a couple of years or maybe a few years but because of her age she was in the "Masters" events (I think it was over 40). It is recorded in the articles that she didn?t take too long to get to international level. I won?t expand the story because her book is either out or coming out soon.
Wendy
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That makes more sense. The Masters. Thx Wendy. J
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I didn?t put it because then I would have to explain it and I knew it was already very long.
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Fair enough. I understand. Thx Wendy. Jacqueline
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
What a good mother does: teaches her child to never fear trying something new, but to learn how to do it. I tried to instill this in both of my children, but I had limited success. That Sarah counts this as one of the greatest gifts from her mother says a lot about her spirit.
I wondered how her work in a bank would enter into this, but you give us a good explanation of that. You also do a good job of letting us know what she had to do to make this happen and the steps she took to do so.
It figures that the most dangerous creatures on her journey turned out to be human.
A very interesting and well-researched piece, Wendy. In a world where so many of us choose to live an ordinary life, it's nice to hear of those who don't.
Thanks for sharing this extraordinary woman with us.
xo
Pam
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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What a good mother does: teaches her child to never fear trying something new, but to learn how to do it. I tried to instill this in both of my children, but I had limited success. That Sarah counts this as one of the greatest gifts from her mother says a lot about her spirit.
I wondered how her work in a bank would enter into this, but you give us a good explanation of that. You also do a good job of letting us know what she had to do to make this happen and the steps she took to do so.
It figures that the most dangerous creatures on her journey turned out to be human.
A very interesting and well-researched piece, Wendy. In a world where so many of us choose to live an ordinary life, it's nice to hear of those who don't.
Thanks for sharing this extraordinary woman with us.
xo
Pam
Comment Written 25-Jun-2023
reply by the author on 25-Jun-2023
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Yes, her mother imparted some wonderful gifts for life. Thanks so much for such a wonderful and positive review and for the valued six stars. Very much appreciated.
Wendy
