“Let the words of the page carry you away,” is written on the window of the book shop here in Kaitaia. (1st-31st March 2013 is New Zealand Book Month.)

“LET THE WORDS OF THE PAGE CARRY YOU AWAY”

And the “words of the page” carried me away to the different places of the globe.

I remember the little country school in the north of Germany where I learned to read and where I read most of the books in the library with great eagerness.

WHY WAS I SO KEEN TO READ THE BOOKS? WAS IT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO VISIT THOSE PLACES?

I managed to visit several countries in Europe.

It was even my privilege to work as a missionary in Asia (Thailand) from Christmas 1966 to Christmas 1979.

And now I am living here in New Zealand.

I think I was so eager to read about the different places, because I wanted to go there!