Text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland
It started in India. During the three weeks I spent there with Carolyn and Hossy, I travelled, step by step, trough Carolyns collection of travel books. Isabella Bird and Dervla Murphy were among the travelling women I read about, so was Marianne North. "A Vision of Eden. The Life and Work of Marianne North" was the first book I read, sitting out on Carolyn's terrace. Through her story I travelled the world, starting in 1871, in my suitcase I had my paintbox, brushes, my easel........an adventorous spirit.
If I had been born sometime in the 19th century I am sure I would have been a world traveller. Writing diaries. Sending letters home. Exploring. Making friends.
A few months after my weeks in India, I went to London, and as I unexpectedly got some extra time there, I spent a day in Kew Garden. Was hoping to see the Marianne North Pavillion but unfortunately it was closed due to renovation........good reason to come back :-)
Marianne North came to my mind several times during our week on Tenerife. I didn't quite understand why then, but a week ago I suddenly knew, North visited Tenerife. And she wrote about it. I went right over to amazon.co.uk to order the book, it came yesterday, and now I am reading about her days on Tenerife, her visit to the botanical garden (the one Terje and I found at long, long last), her amazement to see the 3000 years old dragon tree (according to North it is even older), the flowers and trees she sees and enjoys.
....I had a room on the roof with a separate staircase down to the lovely garden, and learned to know every plant in that exquisite collection. There were myrtle-trees ten or twelve feet high, bougainvilleas running up cypress-trees, great white lancifolium lilies (or something like them) growing high as myself. The ground was white with fallen orange and lemon petals; and the cherokee roses covered a great arbour and tool-house with their magnificent flowers. I never smelt roses so sweet as those in the garden. From the garden I could stroll up some wild hills of lava.....
I could go on and on copying Marianne North's words, but you better buy the book yourself :-)
If you need me today you'll find me in the sofa, reading about Marianne North, dreaming about old and new travels..........But first I plan a photo walk here in Trondheim.
Photos: I could have used photos from Tenerife, I have at least a thousand, but chose India memories instead.
