With Jody You Never Know

About the Book

Jody says, "My last name is pronounced with the accent on the last syllable -- DuELL."

In her passport her name is written Josephine C. Duell. Although the "C" does not stand for "Curiosity," it well could in her case. "I wait to see everything for myself," she says, "and that has led to a lot of traveling."

Her husband, Claude, felt as she did, and they started their expeditions shortly after they were married. Since both had jobs, their trips were short at first. Later they were able to spend longer time abroad, and together they made four trips around the world.

After Claude's death, Jody felt he would want her to continue her discoveries. It was quite different now that she was alone. Although she missed him, she was able to fit in wherever she went, whether with a group or in an independent excursion, as she is naturally an out-going type.

Many people she encountered commented that she was very brave to travel alone.

"Bravery has nothing to do with it," was her answer. "Anyone can do it. The travel industry is so well organized that all you have to do is to do is organize yourself. Keep travel documents at hand and have your money safely tucked away except for the amount you actually need. Listen to what you are told and cooperate. You will be taken care of."

She adds, "I always feel that I am an ambassador for my country, the U.S,A. I respect the native people of every country I'm in. I try to counteract the stigma "Ugly Americn" that we have gotten in some places."

About her book, she says, "Come with me and see the fantastic places I've seen. Ride an elephant with me to visit Nature parks in India while you are looking at tigers in the wild; sit with me on an ostrich at an ostrich farm in South Africa; have your fortune told in a Buddhist temple in Laos -- the list goes on."

It's all there in her book.

About the Author

Jody was born in Chester, South Carolina. She attended Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee, Florida (now Florida State University) and received a Bachelor of Music degree in violin. In order to attain a means of self-support, she attended a business school in St. Petersburg, Florida, and upon completion of the course, accepted a position with the school to teach typing and shorthand. Later she accepted a position as secretary at an advertising agency. After she married Claude Duell they operated a small hotel in St. Petersburg until they sold it. Music has always been of particular interest to her. She played the violin in a trio of piano, ‘cello and violin. They entertained often in St. Petersburg. She and Claude became interested in dancing and they became very proficient in Latin-American rhythms and gave many exhibitions. The “Dancing Duells”, they were called. Travel was of particular interest to them, and they set out to see the world. An invitation to visit native friends in a village in the Punjab in India resulted in their first trip around the world. Since they returned three times to visit their friends. they went around the world each time. After Claude’s death, Jody continued to travel, and went around the world several times more, the last time in the year 2000 when she spent 35 days on a Tall Ship going from Athens, Greece, to Phuket, Thailand. She feels that there is still much to see and many adventures to enjoy.