“South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum.” – James Petigru.

After due process (and good amount of dragging our heels) Someone and I decided not to do our usual summer holiday trip to Canada. We enjoy Canada; I feel bad not to see the shows and our chums. I’ve been more aware lately how the years are going by more quick than ever yet my bucket list remains almost untouched. So – this summer we will do something about it. We will do something new and adventuresome.  We are going to the faraway Kingdom of South Carolina. This trip has several exciting elements:

1- Like a lot of Americans I have the goal of ‘visiting every state”. I don’t have many left; maybe 5-6.  South Carolina is one of them. I can check it off the list.

2 – I will visit a tea plantation. Yes, you read that right. I’ve longed to see one but traveling to India or China to see a proper tea garden is costly and time consuming. It turns out there is an actual one in South Carolina. I don’t know if it is ‘proper’ or any good, but it is a tea plantation. Later in life, lord willing, I may see another and compare them.

3 – Fort Sumpter. I am crackers for history, and Fort Sumpter is where the American civil war commenced. I just hope the surrounding natives aren’t too disagreeable about two Midwesterners (and gay ones at that ) showing up to see the sights, particularly one with some knowledge of history. Do I hold my tongue if I hear something wrong and outrageous?

but best of all:

4- I wont’ have any expectations. This is more noteworthy than it sounds. Nearly every one of my holidays is carefully researched ahead of time and the itinerary is pre-arranged, often to great detail. (I am mostly Swiss-German; I daresay it is in the blood). This trip will be a bit impromptu. I also don’t plan on making it jam-packed;  I hope it is rather leisurely. Oh, I will do some research of course. I bet Charlestown and Savannah have local distilleries. Isn’t this the place for moonshine?

Local tea and bourbon and lots of seafood – it all sounds good to me.

Spo-fans are invited and encouraged to leave in the comment section any suggestions and tips.