By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

It started on a whim and turned into a passion. For one Ann’s Choice couple, having their children all grown and living on their own was an opportunity to try something they always wanted to do—travel.

“In 1971, we stopped paying universities tuition and straightening teeth, so we decided to take a trip,”Anita Duke explains. The couple was immediately hooked.

The travel bug has infected Frank and Anita Duke so much that in 36 short years the couple has visited 72 different countries throughout the world. They are such experienced travelers that they frequently share their travelogs and experiences with groups in the Warminster area, including clubs at Ann’s Choice.

“We love to travel,” Anita Duke says. “We love to stay on the go. It‘s really just a way to avoid wearing out the rugs in our home.”

Trips galore
There isn’t a region in the inhabited or uninhabited world that they haven’t visited. From India and Italy to the Serengeti and Antarctica, the Dukes have been there. They say they prefer to drive while touring, but often the best way to see the most exotic locales is by foot or small vessel.

“My personal favorite was hiking in the British Isles,” Anita Duke says. “And kayaking around a bay in Antarctica was exhilarating. But the safaris in Africa  and Kenya were amazing too.”

A close second, her husband says, was a trip from Beijing, China, to the  Russian overland. “We followed the Silk Road from China into Russia,” he adds.

Advice for novices
On most sightseeing trips there is a considerable amount of walking. “For the average person, 10 miles a day is comfortable, 12 miles a day is doable, and  15 is possible, but not the most fun,” Frank Duke says. He also says that most Europeans consider 20 miles a day normal—“so plan accordingly,” he advises American travelers.

The Dukes are often asked what type of camera to use on travels or how much to pack. “It’s not the camera; it’s the finger that pushes the button,” she says.