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Bon Voyage Margaret!
Dougie Tobutt continues his profile of Lancashire People…..
It took Jules Verne (and Michael Palin) 80 days to travel around the world.
It will take Margaret Goodwin, from Darwen, a little longer. In fact, her adventure will take her a year beginning in April.
It is not the first time that she has done this daring adventure. She first got hooked on travelling in 1971 when she booked a cruise that took her from South Africa to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, the Panama Canal, Miami and Bermuda.
Margaret was born in Eccles in 1941. she moved to London to train as a Midwife in 1963 and stayed in London to work as a Ward Sister until she got a post, working in Zambia. “It was hard work but a wonderful experience”, she said.
On her return she did a teacher training course in Leicester before coming to Darwen in 1982. She took her degree at Bolton College in 1986 and was advised to take her Masters to save her job. She completed her Masters but was then made redundant.
Margaret then decided to do some nursing agency work, which would give her more flexibility for her love of travel.
In 2004 she booked a round the world ticket which took her to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Equador, Easter Island, Singapore, Thailand, Zambia and India as well as some of the countries she had already visited.
She enjoyed it so much that the following year she booked another adventure as well as repeating some of her favourite places.
She also toured on the Trans Siberian train and went on to Russia, Japan, Canada and a big trip around the U.S.A.
Margaret doesn’t mind ’roughing it’. She often stays in hostels where she gets a lot of respect from the younger generation, many of whom admire her.
In Australia she once stayed in a hostel in Darwin. She pulled her bed down which was set in the wall and it was full of cockroaches. When she complained she was told, “You’re in Australia....you better get used to it!”
In Brazil she was taken ill, Haemorrhaging, and had to have an operation on 22nd December 2005. Just over two weeks later she continued her journey and said that she felt a bit groggy for a while!
The plucky lady has hang glided and been white water rafting in many countries. I wonder if she turns a blind eye to her insurance form on the bit that says, ‘Does your trip include any dangerous sports? !!’
In 2006 she started to have knee trouble and in 2008 she had both knees replaced. You can’t keep a good lady down! Eight months later she booked another round the world trip, which will take her a year to complete.
Margaret says she has met some wonderful people along the way, some of which she will be meeting up with again. She says “I may give the hang gliding a miss this time, to be kind to the new knees!”
She is always in demand giving talks about her adventures and I’m sure there will be a lot more on her return.
Bon Voyage Margaret…..Stay Lucky!
Do you know of any unsung heroes or characters who deserve to have their story told?
It could be in sport, business, charity or anything else.
If so, please telephone Dougie Tobutt on 01204 308506
