Travel memories are precious. They bring to mind far-away places, friendly faces and fun phases in life, as well as regrettable incidents, misadventures and lessons learned. When travel memories are happy ones, they are all the more treasured and lovingly recalled with a wistful smile.Two well-traveled ladies share travel experiences that evoke fond memories.Marlinda “Mayen” Angbetic Tan had always timed family travels in early spring or at the start of autumn, never in winter. However, when her sons Irvie and Allen made her a grandma and her grandchildren (Meg and Liz, Noah and Sabrina) began to have their say, they persuaded her to venture into a winter wonderland.She narrated: “For many Decembers (before the Covid lockdown) we would leave for Japan soon after Christmas and stay until the first week of January. My fondest memory of these trips was in Hokkaido, famous for its “onsen” (hot spring baths) and its powder-like snow. We stayed at the Hoshino Twin Tower Resorts Tomamu. My room faced the ski slopes and had a magnificent view of the gondola lifts going up the peak of the adjacent mountain where skiers would do their expert runs.”“What made this particular trip closest to my heart was the overall feeling of ecstacy of being ensconced in a somnolent world of softly drifting snow where I could hear the muffled laughter of the kids building snowmen out of the flurry-laden lawns… of watching Allen and Jinjin with their children speeding by in their snow mobile… of waving at Irvie and Tess with their girls huddled in a raft pulled by their snow mobile. I could still feel the adrenaline rush as we briskly trudged to the Ice Village for late night mugs of hot cocoa and toasted marshmallows in an “igloo!”Mayen recalled how she held her breath when the grandkids had ski lessons and moved to an open incline. She spoke of how they would cuddle with her at night for storytelling before they went off to their rooms. And there was that unforgettable New Year’s eve dinner at that huge dining hall with a picture window showing a fantastic snow-draped forest of pines.With a dreamy look she said, “My fond memories are stitched in that thread of wonder in a world of powdery ice, of moment-to-moment splashes of joy, always sequinned with the unbridled mirth of my grandchildren, hemmed in by the bonding of my family in a frozen space stashed away timeless!”***Tess Chan remembered her very first cruise decades ago: “First times are always special but my first cruise (to Alaska) onboard Legend of the Seas of Royal Caribbean International was doubly special because it was our first Chan Family cruise with my husband David’s parents, his sister and her family, and ours. That cruise offered numerous treasured firsts for all of us.”She found the cruise ship a “destination” in itself because of its various entertainment facilities, its musical and acrobatic shows, and the 24-hour spread of yummies. Yes, with lots of food and fun, it was the perfect place for family bonding. And the Chans enjoyed themselves to the max!Looking back, Tess recounted their activities at the ports of call. There was the thrill of river rafting on ice cold waters as well as the excitement of kayaking on a freezing lake bathed in scenic splendor at a “day-lighted” 8 p.m. Unforgettable, too, was the sight of grizzly bears while cruising around the Alaskan fjords and glaciers. Definitely an adventure was that trek through 12-inch moss in a rain forest covered with dried leaves.When the young ones chose to go on a helicopter ride, the young once decided to try gold panning at an old mining site instead. Tess proudly recalled that her youngest son (who wasn’t allowed to take the helicopter ride with the older kids) gave her his gold “harvest“ which was as light as dust. And she was touched when this same thoughtful son spent all his $10 allowance to get her a black metallic necklace.Lovely memories live on and on and Tess said, “Yes, it was 25 years ago yet the fond and funny memories are still fresh in our hearts and minds and are occasionally talked and laughed about during family gatherings.”