El Dorado News-Times

Four places that I want to see

- Haley Smith is a staff writer for El Dorado News-Times. She can be reached at hsmith@eldoradone­ws.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter at @hsmithEDNT.

Ihave lived my entire life in Arkansas. I have been sheltered my whole life and there is so much of the world that I haven’t seen. That being said, growing up all I ever wanted was to get out of Arkansas and see the world. I had a list of places a mile long and I was never going to settle down (boy, was I wrong).

Although I have grown and the way I view the world has drasticall­y changed, I still have a desire to take time to see the world. I love history, nature and reading and all of the places on my list reflect my interests.

Here are four places I hope to see one day:

New England

I want to see New England in the fall. I want to drive a winding road with the leaves changing colors around me. I want to find myself in a sleepy town with a bustling downtown and sleeping in a quaint bed and breakfast before going to a small town festival.

I want to see the Smithsonia­n and visit historical places where events which formed our nation occurred. I want to see Boston Harbor, the Lincoln Memorial and stand at the tomb of the unknown soldiers. Although I don’t necessaril­y agree with everything our country does politicall­y, I have a healthy respect for what it stands for and I want to immerse myself in our history.

United Kingdom

I have read book after book based in the United Kingdom and they made me fall in love with England and Ireland. I want to see the English countrysid­e, visit family homes and look out over the gardens.

Ireland has taken on fantastica­l proportion­s in my head, becoming a land of rolling green hills and mists where adventure awaits. I want to visit a small town pub to hear the lore of the area. I want to kiss the "Blarney Stone" to earn a bit of luck – not to mention the fact that I am of Irish descent and have always felt connected to the country.

Alaska

I want to feel the call of the wild to the Alaska wilderness. I have always loved the beauty of the Natural State that I have called home my whole life and I have always felt that the only place that could rival our untamed beauty would be Alaska.

I want to take a cruise to see the cliffs and areas that ice has taken years to form. I want to be able to see some of the native plants and animals where they belong and casually observe them from a safe distance.

France

I am also of French descent and I grew up in a house where my mom would sing songs and teach me how to count in French. My mother’s time and diligence to teach me about another country has instilled such a love for this country that I have wanted to visit it since I was a small child.

I hope to see Paris, eat at a small cafe, see the Eiffel Tower and walk the streets. I want to visit art museums and see the countrysid­e.

These are the four places that I want to see most in my lifetime. My goal is to see all four while I can appreciate them in their entirety.

I think everyone has a part of them that wants to wander. I hope that you will take time out of your own day, to visit some of your dream locations.

 ??  ?? Haley Smith
Haley Smith

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