On the eve of his 2006 flight to Europe, Armand Singer recalled his very first trip to Europe: "My first trip was in May of 1921 when I was about 6 years old. My father wanted to feel the pitching and rolling of the waves so we took a slow boat. I was so sick that I truly wished I would die and I'm sure I voiced it."
Somewhere en route, the ocean calmed down, long enough for young Armand to go missing. Now we know that "Where's Armand?" has been echoing on this planet for many years!
When his frantic parents and the ship's crew members found him, Armand's head was sticking out of an ocean level porthole. Of course, they all thought that he was trying to put an end to his ocean-voyage-misery, but Armand was on a mission!
"I met a young English actress and she did not believe I was brave enough to stick my head out of the porthole. So I had to unscrew the flaps and show her. No one believed that I was not trying to jump out."
Packed for yet another adventure eighty-five years later, Armand leaves his home in Morgantown, West Virginia today for Florence, Italy. I'll keep track of his journey on our blog, as long as I am able to keep up the pace. Wish me luck!