Walking up the steep, winding track to the Ci'En Pagoda in Taiwan, I could already feel the mid-day sun pinking the back of my neck.
Several members of our tour group were ahead of us, red-faced and out-of-breath, staring with dismay at a set of stone stairs disappearing up the hillside among the trees.
Although my 80-year-old mom was the oldest in the group, younger members had been complimenting her stamina since day one.
However, I still felt compelled to watch over her to ensure she didn't overdo things, and on that particular day, I was concerned about the heat and elevation.
Ignoring my urging to wait in the shade, she responded by walking determinedly to the foot of the stairs and starting the ascent, buoyed by encouraging words as others passed her on the path.
My mom is a good traveler, but it had been a while since she'd taken a long trip
Months earlier, my husband and I had planned for our college-student daughter to meet us for a 10-day guided tour in Taiwan.
When I'd idly asked my mom if she'd like to come too, she surprised us all by signing up immediately. It would be her first trip to Asia, her first group tour, and her first overseas vacation in several years.
Init...