If you were to ask Morgan Hill residents Bernard and Lorraine
Barke where they
’ve traveled in their lives, the answer would likely sound like
a Johnny Cash song: They’ve been everywhere, man.
If you were to ask Morgan Hill residents Bernard and Lorraine Barke where they’ve traveled in their lives, the answer would likely sound like a Johnny Cash song: They’ve been everywhere, man.
From crossing deserts bare to breathing mountain air, Lorraine, 66, and Bernard, 69, have traveled to the corners of the earth, both the North and South Poles, and nearly everywhere in between. In all, the globe-trotting couple has visited all seven continents and nearly 100 countries – and they’ve done it all in under a decade.
During their adventures, the first of which began Jan. 9, 1997, they rode elephants in Thailand, trekked through the deserts of Africa to meet up with nomads, sojourned through the forests of Mexico to visit the ancient Mayan ruins and visited war torn Bosnia.
“If we came back for another life, we would be archaeologists,” Lorraine said.
After Bernard was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the Barkes decided it was time to take a step back from their busy schedule and sold their flower shop in San Martin. Lorraine, served on the city council and was mayor from 1984 until she was recalled in 1991, she still served on the Santa Clara County Planning Commission in 1998, but decided she would rather travel.
They decided to take things slow for their first trip and went on a Mediterranean cruise. From there, they went to Russia and China before becoming more adventurous and heading to the extreme north and south ends of the earth.
Initially, the couple would plan their adventures on their own. After an expedition to Antarctica, however, they began buying packages where the trips were already planned for them. Now, the Barkes often travel with other able-bodied and adventurous seniors.
They said they aren’t interested in visiting the normal tourist traps and would rather try something more challenging and explore places where few people are willing to go – places like the frigid cold of the Arctic and Antarctic.
“The first thing people ask is ‘Why go there?’” Bernard said. “But as it turns out, it was the best trip we ever took.”
To get to Antarctica, the Barkes took a flight to Argentina where they boarded a Russian ship to the icy continent. They were joined by other travelers, specialists and professors on the boat manned by a crew that only spoke Russian. Far from the comforts of room service or luxury accommodations, the Barkes slept in simple cabins and ate with the crew.
Landing on Antarctica, the Barkes had to use a Zodiac – a specialized 15-foot rubber boat – to approach the ice flows. Once they got near land, the couple found exiting the small craft was almost as difficult as the entire journey.
“A wave brought the boat near shore and before the next one came, we all had to jump out,” Bernard said. “So we land and we jump out. It was very fast. Then the next wave, the (operator) drops his motor in and zips out.”
To commemorate their adventurous journey, Lorraine has pieces of ice from icebergs in the north and south poles. The frozen mementos are only two of the hundreds of souvenirs the couple has acquired from around the world. Bernard keeps a vial of sand from Africa, along with beer bottles and flutes from countries across the globe. Lorraine collects dolls, masks and giraffes. The collection of worldly wares can be seen throughout the couple’s Morgan Hill home.
Lorraine also had a habit of bringing back other souvenirs: injuries and illness. While in the South Pole, she broke her wrist and had to be taken to a secret British base in the area in exchange for a case of Coca-Cola. Lorraine also got very sick after visiting Africa and her doctor had to send her to Stanford for tests to ensure she wasn’t suffering from strange diseases.
During their travels, the Barkes visited to Muslim nations, many after Sept. 11, 2001, and said they received a warm welcome from the people who lived there. They said they were never in any danger, nor were they scared that anything would happen.
“We are not afraid to travel,” Lorraine said. “If we act civilized and respect them, there is nothing to worry about. After 9-11, many people sympathized with us.”
Local Stories explores the lives of Morgan Hill residents every Tuesday in the Morgan Hill Times. To suggest a subject for Local Stories call Editor Marcus Hibdon at 779-4106 or e-mail ed******@mo*************.com
