ENCINITAS, Calif. — If you've ever wanted to drop out of your life in a VW van there's a new "How To" book on that subject.
In this Zevely Zone I went to Encinitas to reunite with a familiar face. I met retired Superior Court Judge Marshall Hockett at him home with his wife Debbie. "The trip was amazing," said Debbie referring to their epic journey in 1975. In mid-1970's, the young couple at the time was given a blank journal by a friend and told to go fill it up with memories. "You walked away from your lives for a whole year?" I asked "Did that take guts?" Judge Hockett replied, "I think so yes. We had no guarantee that we've have jobs when we came back."
But away they went in a VW Van nicknamed, The Banana. "It was bright yellow," said Debbie. Even back then retired Superior Court Judge Marshall Hockett was used to getting his way. "He forced me out of my shell," said Debbie. She says she was too timid to travel when she was young but away they went. "France, England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Egypt, Israel," said Debbie.
In 1968, Marshall attended Stanford's study program in England. During that year, he traveled the European continent and got a "taste" of what was to be a life-long love affair with travel. He knew he hadn't seen the last of Europe. When they returned, they filled their journal up with memories that have now been turned into a book titled Tripping 1975: Falling in Love One Country at a Time.
"People should live their lives and not sit in a movie theater watching some body live their live for them," said Judge Hockett. He says taking that trip was the second best decision he ever made and when you like a place you make a return trip. "We've been to Europe 55 times!" he said. Which brings us to the best decision Judge Hockett ever made and that's who he took with him. "She is the light of my life," said Judge Hockett holding Debbie's hand.
Marshall began his law career in 1976 after returning from that year in Europe and worked for many years. The red journal sat and sat, until recently when a court clerk and Marshall discussed travel and the clerk suggested Marshall write a book. Something clicked in Marshall and he said, "I did". The clerk read and loved the book. They passed it around the court and the rest is history with Tripping 1975 being published!
The moral of the story, maybe at some point in all of our lives we should make like a banana and split.
"She was always good to us, she was our sanctuary. All through my life, I've come across friends and acquaintances who have expressed a desire to travel the world and wish they could do it. THEY CAN! In the beginning, I was doubtful myself, but look what came of it! We would never trade our year of travel for anything. It gave us a different viewpoint of the world and the people in it. We found that almost universally, people of all countries are nice and are anxious to share conversation with you. This tell-all journal will show you how to travel the world and love it!" said Debbie.
I asked the couple, "So when you came home, did you have jobs?" They laughed and responded, "No." So, what happened next? The judge was about to make a verdict, "I think you ought to read the book."
In January 2020, Marshall and Debbie will embark on a whirlwind cruising adventure: "Around the world in 180 days aboard the Oceania Insignia!"
For more information on the book go to www.facebook.com/Tripping1975.