Prince George resident shares her journeys around the world

Jo Selkirk may be small in stature but she has lived a very big life.

Like many young girls do, she has written in a diary even since she can remember and it's a good thing she did.

In her '90s now Selkirk recently published a book titled, Journeys with Jo Selkirk. The book, taken from her journal entries, is a recollection of her travels through Syria, Iraq, Iran, Holland, Afghanistan and Granada when she was in the Women's Department of the Royal Canadian Airforce.

"I never got overseas with the air force and I wanted to so badly. But I had a desk job. I think I could've driven an ambulance or been an operator," she said.

Instead, she stayed in Canada and attended flight navigation school in Manitoba for a couple of years.

In 1977 when she signed up for the Comex Commonwealth Expedition, Selkirk finally got her chance to travel.

The almost six-month expedition across Europe, the Middle East and India was intended to demonstrate the political and social friendship among commonwealth countries.

The trip was anything but fancy, often sleeping on the side of roads, in school gymnasiums and even on the roofs of buildings, but for Selkirk, it was the trip of a lifetime.

"We travelled by bus and had to do our own cooking the entire time," said Selkirk

When asked if she liked to travel so extensively, she responded with: "What a question. I just love it. I guess it's because when I was growing up we didn't have a lot. I grew up in the '30s, the hungry '30s is what we called them, and we were the same as everyone else."

With this book Selkirk proves it's never too late to accomplish your goals.

"I kept a journal when I was away and wrote whenever I could. Quite often I would write on the bus going through the countryside, or sometimes when I was in my sleeping bag in a tent. I'm quite sentimental about these things. The whole world was different then. [The book] is a collection of all the things I've seen," said Selkirk.

Of all the countries she has been to in her life, the one that sticks out for her is Afghanistan.

"It reminded me so much of British Columbia because of the mountains. India and Pakistan were beautiful as well, but Afghanistan was our last stop and it impressed me the most."

Although, she does admit the Taj Mahal was incredible to see.

"You look at the Taj and you can't help but be overwhelmed. It's such a beautiful structure. It left you with a feeling of awe and wonderment."

Sitting on her coffee table is an ornately-carved, round box she brought back from Afghanistan.

While at a bazaar she spotted the box but didn't have any money to buy it.

She struck up a conversation with the merchant who told her he fancied the denim suit she was wearing and would like to give it to his wife.

She went back to the bus, changed her clothes and traded her suit for the round box.

Keeping all of her journals for all these years was very important to Selkirk, and she hopes her grandchildren and great grandchildren will want to read the book when they get older.

Selkirk will be giving a reading of her book at Books and Co. on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.