Ed Reynolds, a retired Air Power lieutenant colonel and chief of Wings Over Wendy’s at his dwelling in Woodland Hills, has visited greater than 300 United Nations international locations. (Photograph by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Each day Information/SCNG)
I used to be standing in line on the airport in New Delhi, India, just a few weeks in the past when the large announcement got here.
“Are you Mr. Edward Reynolds of Woodland Hills, California?” requested the airport supervisor. Reynolds nodded, sure, he was.
“Might you please get out of line? We have been ready for you”.
Uh-oh, he thought. What did they discover in my baggage now?
“Congratulations,” stated the airport director. “You simply logged over two million miles flying with United Airways! Can I take an image with you?
Meet Ed Reynolds, a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Air Power, who has visited all 193 member states of the United Nations. This newest go to to Sikkim and Darjeeling took the full variety of land international locations and small island international locations through which he has set foot to 322.
There are some islands off Norway that you’re contemplating subsequent, however they’re troublesome to get to so will probably be a problem.
He’s a younger man of 88 years. He has time.
This wanderlust started when he was 10 years outdated and his stepfather took the again seats of the Kaiser household automotive in order that Ed, his youthful brother and the household canine would have a spot to leap whereas his stepfather and mom sat within the entrance whereas They have been driving from Connecticut. by way of Canada till arriving in Mexico on trip.
“Each different evening we stayed in a motel; The opposite nights we pitched a tent, but when we thought there have been snakes round, we tied hammocks to the bushes and slept in them.”
It is not precisely 5 star lodging, however for a kid venturing out to see the world for the primary time, it was fascinating.
When his stepfather’s job required the household to maneuver to Irving, Texas, he packed them into an Airstream and drove to a small farm he and his spouse had bought.
“My mother turned the farm right into a trailer park,” Ed stated. “As an alternative of promoting the Airstream, she rented it. We continued so as to add extra trailers and she or he transformed the barn stalls into small visitor rooms for pals visiting folks with trailers. She was driving round at 13, choosing up all of the trash on the trailer park.”
At age 16, he shared driving duties on household holidays in an outdated 1937 Woodie pickup, and he nonetheless has the 1953 MG sports activities automotive he received as a freshman at SMU.
“In 25 phrases or much less, you needed to say why you preferred your Paper Mate pen,” Ed stated. “You had the choice of selecting between the automotive or a yr of scholarship. “I took the automotive and hit the highway.”
It wasn’t till he turned an Air Power navigator after World Struggle II that Ed accelerated his travels. He hitchhiked on cargo planes that traveled everywhere in the world: Spain, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Singapore, Bangkok and Vietnam.
He spent 22 years within the service after which started working as a pc supervisor at United Airways. Not one of the flights he took for enterprise counted towards the 2 million miles, nor did the miles he earned along with his United Visa card.
“The 2 million miles have been gathered by shopping for a ticket for me and my spouse once we went on trip,” Ed stated.
In addition they vacationed in Greece, Wales and lots of in Hawaii when area was out there on United flights.
Then there have been the journeys he took with journey teams to Iran, Iraq, Libya and North Korea, international locations on the US’ “don’t journey” checklist. Ed could not resist seeing them.
“Our tour bus broke down in North Korea and whereas it was being repaired we simply wandered round alone wanting on the small city and the individuals who lived there. “Think about an American strolling alone by way of North Korea at the moment.”
After his spouse might not journey, they made a deal. Not one of the home cash could be spent on Ed’s travels. All of it got here from the sale of the home his mom left him in Lompoc within the early 2000s.
Three years later, he had spent one other $100,000.
Now his problem is tips on how to proceed touring and being current to steer the weekly Monday morning conferences of the Wings Over Wendy’s veterans group.
“I feel I can go away on a Tuesday, fly to Finland and take a ferry to the Aland Islands positioned in a Finnish archipelago, spend a day or two and fly again on Sunday,” says Ed.
He is aware of it is a problem, however he is solely 88 years outdated. She has time.
Dennis McCarthy’s column seems Sunday. He could be reached at dmccarthynews@gmail.com.