The upcoming itinerary for the next almost 500 day..Also, an upcoming road trip in South Africa…Yesterday’s unlikely visitor…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 6, 2014 with 0 Comment

Aptly named Clive by Facebook friend Peggy, (feel free to ‘friend me” in Facebook using my email address: jessicablyman@gmaiil.com), we considered that he may be the same ostrich we’d seen on December 7, 2013, (click here to see that post) only a week after our arrival.

Leaving Minnesota 431 days ago, with the next almost 500 days planned, it reminds us of how much planning we’ve actually done. Beyond the end date of our planning thus far of May 14, 2015, we’ve yet to decide where we’d like to go next.

Last evening slightly before 6:00 pm while busy indoors chopping and dicing for dinner, I did my usual checking outside for wildlife every 10 to 15 minutes. At first, all I saw was the oblong ball of black feathers of this ostrich. He appeared to be leaving, but when I called out in my high-pitched voice, he turned and came our way with little fear of us. At one point, he was within 5 feet, 1.5 meters, from us.

Some readers have assumed it may be the end of our worldwide travels, when in fact, health providing, we look forward to many more years to come. However, we’ve determined that planning more than two years in advance is unnecessary.

Early on in the process, we booked as far as 2½ years in advance. Why some have asked? Perhaps, it was a part of making the commitment, to dig deep, to ensure we would stick to it, giving ourselves ample time to adjust

After he’d turned around, he wandered close to us. Although not apparent in this photo, he was at least 8 feet, 2.44 meters tall, weighing as much as 295 pounds, 134 kg. His cheerful disposition was evident in his confident demeanor, causing us to laugh while enjoying every moment with him.

Adjust, we did. Now, if we had to wait 30 days in advance to plan, emotionally, we could do it. Financially, it could be a challenge when last-minute planning ultimately is more expensive. Also, we’d sacrifice certain options; lesser accommodations, taking the “leftovers.” There’s no need to put ourselves into a potentially stressful last-minute situation.

In the next six months, we’ll begin tacking on to the end of the 2015 date, as yet to decide where we’d ideally like to travel. Leaving from Hawaii at that point does precipitate certain distance challenges that we’ll manage to figure out.

His feathers looked silky up close. His funny knee joints are backward, compared to ours and most other animals. His flat two-toed feet were steady and he walked with confidence. “Though they cannot fly, ostriches are strong runners. They can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and run over distance at 31 miles (50 kilometers) an hour. They may use their wings as “rudders” to help them change direction while running. An ostrich’s powerful, long legs can cover 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters) in a single stride.”

So here’s our firm itinerary, including the remaining days in Marloth Park but not including side trips we’ll take from various locations, such as the upcoming three-day outing to the Blyde River Canyon, a 3½ hour drive, on the famous Panorama Route, stopping to see the many sites along the way.

Itinerary # of days Dates

South Africa Rental – Marloth Park/Kruger Park House – remaining	53	12/1/2013-2/28/2014
Flight South Africa to Marrakesh	1	2/28/2014
Marrakesh, Morocco House	75	3/1/2014-5/15/2014
Madeira, Portugal House	76	5/15/2014-8/1/2014
Flight Madeira to Paris, France	0	8/1/2014
Paris Hotel	15	8/1/2014-8/16/2014
Tunnel (Chunnel) Paris to London	0	8/16/2014
London Hotel	15	8/16/2014 -8/31/2014
London to Boston – Cruise	14	8/31/2014 – 9/14/2014
Hotel Boston	3	9/14/2014 – 9/17/2014
Flight Boston to Vancouver	0	9/17/2014
Hotel Vancouver	6	9/17/2013 – 9/23/2014
Vancouver to Honolulu – Cruise	12	9/23/2014 – 10/5/2014
Honolulu/Waikiki Rental	11	10/5/2014 – 10/16/2014
Maui Rental	57	10/16/2014 – 12/1/2014
1st house Pahoe Hawaii Rental	46	12/1/2014 – 1/14/2015
2nd house Pahoe Rental (family visiting)	0	12/20/2014 -1/3/2015
Kauai Hawaii Rental	120	1/15/2015-5/14/2015
Number # of days remaining before adding future plans	504
Over the next several months we’ll begin to add to the continuation of our travels.

All of the above locations have been booked with deposits paid, a few of which have been paid in full. Forms of transportation far out have not been booked which is impossible this far in advance.

However, the complicated flight from South Africa to Marrakesh, Morocco has been booked with only 53 days until departure, details of which we’ll share in a future post. Also, we’ve booked three hotels for short stays and as shown, two cruises.

The time had come for Clive to leave. Hoping he’ll return again, we watched as he lumbered his way down our long dirt driveway, obviously content with his visit.

As for this month, we’ll stay at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge from January 15th through the 18th, as we work our way along the renowned Panorama Tour that enables us to see some of the wonders of South Africa including the third deepest canyon in the world, rich with scenery and wildlife and to see the famous, “God’s Window.” Hopefully, the skies will be clear!

We’ll post photos of our experiences every step of the way, sharing them daily with hopefully, an adequate Internet connection. Leaving in only nine days, we continue to treasure every moment in Marloth Park.

He looked back at us a few times as he followed the path..

Soon, the tourists we’ll leave after their holiday visits. The exquisite quiet we experienced when we first arrived in Marloth Park on December 1st will return.

Kruger National Park, a 30 minute drive, will also be on our “to do” list of what is considered a “self game drive” where one pays the park entrance fees, driving through the park and returning to one of the many entrance gates by no later than 6:30 pm when the park closes. If one is on a guided tour, they may remain in the park until 9:00 pm as we’ve done on two game drives ending in Bush Braai dinners.

Goodbye, Clive! He fluttered his wings as he wandered away.

Busy? Yes! Content? More than we could ever have dreamed. One might ask, how can we consider ourselves ‘busy” when we spend most days on the veranda, waiting for wildlife to visit? Waiting for wildlife requires diligent attentiveness, quiet and the desire to continually scan the area.

Besides, a short trip into the house could easily result in having missed the glorious opportunity to have met our new friend, Clive.

Our 500th post on Christmas Day, quirky coincidence..Merry Christmas to all! …Link to Post #1 below…Miles to go…

Posted by worldwide-admin on December 25, 2013 with 0 Comment

Not quite a reindeer! This duiker tentatively looked at us through the bush. They are “very shy, elusive creatures with a fondness of dense covers” most often traveling alone.

Merry Christmas to all of our readers, the actual day of our 500th post!

It’s hard for us to believe that it was on March 15, 2012, when we wrote our first post. Here’s the link to that first entry which seems so very long ago. Much has changed for us; our circumstances, our priorities, our resilience, and our tolerance for discomfort.

We’ve learned more during this period of time than either of us had learned since our school days. We’ve taken risks that we’d never imagined possible. We’ve witnessed events, we’d never imagined we would see. We’ve learned to remain calm when in the past, we’d have run around in circles, frantically and unfocused.

We’ve learned the value of patience, the avoidance of preconceived notions, and the ability to be more tolerant of others. We’ve learned to communicate when we don’t understand the language, knowing that kindness goes a long way in any language.

A lone giraffe on a walk along a road in Kruger Park. Our guide, waited patiently for him while he took his time moving out of the way of our vehicle.

We’ve learned to “go without,” to make use of what we have on hand, and oddly, we’ve learned to become minimalists, reveling in “less is more.” Letting go of the need for “stuff” has reshaped our lives.

We’ve found ways to entertain ourselves without TV, although we both thrive on keeping our brains active with some favorite interesting shows as well as the profound absorption of science, geology, history, biology, and more as we research any morsel that piques our interest.

Yet, through all of this time, since the first day that we wrote here, we’ve been humbled by how much more we have yet to learn, to experience, and to explore.

In the process, we’ve accepted that we have some limitations due to our age and condition and the fact that there are certain creature comforts we’re not willing to forgo, such as sleeping in a bed, being able to shower each day, eating, and drinking safe and healthful food and water.

We’ve never been interested in staying in hostels, sleeping in ordinary tents, carrying backpacks, and trekking through mountainous terrain. We don’t do zip lines, bungee jump, or white water rafting or take unnecessary risks that could potentially put an end to our travels.

We continually strive to protect our health, our well-being, and our emotional strength and resiliency. And above all, we treat our relationship with one another with great respect, consideration, kindness, and love. Without that, we couldn’t go on.

We continue to write and post photos almost every day. In the beginning, we wrote every few days. Since leaving the US, we’ve posted almost every day with no plans to change that in the near future.

Although few of our readers have officially “joined” our site to receive an automatic email each time we post, our readership is now in the 130,000 range with this month of December being our highest readership ever. Most of our readers prefer to click the link or their bookmarks to find us each day at their leisure.

We thank each and every one of you for sharing this journey with us. As we approach the New Year, we hope you’ll continue to read our posts as more and more diverse experiences unroll in our path.

No words of mine can better express our intentions than those of poet Robert Frost in his poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and in his words, “And miles to go before I sleep.”

Merry Christmas to all.

Part 1…The surf, the sand, walking the beach along of the Indian Ocean…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 26, 2013 with 2 Comments

The sea, the clouds and the mystery of ominous clouds rolling in, left us in awe with our mouths agape.

Wherever we may travel, visiting the ocean has an appeal that leaves us breathless. However, we’ve hesitated to take the mile long walk from our house to the ocean after we’d discovered upon arrival, that it’s much further than we’d anticipated.

As we approached the exit gate from our neighborhood, Nancy, the daytime guard greeted us both with a warm hug. At night the security is beefed up when more security risks are prevalent.

With numerous warnings about dangers for tourists walking the beaches in Kenya we’ve hesitated to explore these past three weeks. Approximately, one third of a mile from the entrance gate to our community, is a beach access sign leading to a long rough walking path. Off we went this morning.

Carrying only a camera, bottled water and a small amount of money, we began the long never-seeming-to-end walk toward the sea.

On the walk to the beach access, these two women were carrying what appeared to be heavy loads atop their heads, a common site in Kenya.

After no less than 15 minutes of carefully maneuvering over rocks, pots holes, tall grass and uneven ground, we suddenly felt a cooler breeze wash over us in the scorching heat while hearing the roaring sound of the sea. It was 5 1/2 months ago that we walked the beach in Belize.

Reaching the beginning of the beach access, it was impossible to see how far we’d have to walk to reach the sea. This lonely stretch would be dangerous to travel at night, which of course, we won’t do, always taking a cab to dine at any of the restaurants along the coast.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes beheld the beauty, pristine, uncluttered with debris, a vast landscape of pure beauty. Thankfully, the tide was low. We’d forgotten to check online having heard that walking on the beach was impossible at high tide as the water rose to the walls protecting the various hotels, resorts and private properties.

In places, the path to the beach was filled with flowers.

Unfortunately, clouds rolled in minutes after our feet hit the sand. Neither of us concerned about being rained on, we trekked on, determined to take advantage of the time and effort it took to arrive. We weren’t disappointed.

Bougainvillea flourish with little water and no care. They are everywhere including the narrow path to the beach.

Sensitive to the risks along the beach, we engaged in the friendly Swahili greeting, “jambo” with the local peddlers who approached us on several occasions. We politely declined their vigorous enticements to get us to purchase their locally crafted wares. We have neither use nor inclination toward trinkets being added to our already heavy bags.

At points, the path felt like any walkway in any neighborhood in the US where flowers grow in abundance.

Most of the peddlers were members of the Maasi tribe, a friendly group of people, dressed in elaborate colorful garb that is appealing to the eye. Of course, I’d have liked to take a photo of their tribal dress. But we knew that doing so would require payment, make us appear as more potential prey and give off a signal of “Hey, we’re tourists.”

The variations in color always catch our attention.

After walking on the beach for 15 minutes, we reached the area where the hotels and resorts are located with each of their own groups of guards, appropriately dressed in military-type uniforms, diligently guarding the beachfront access, protecting both inside and potential outside guests.

At long last, we reached the end of the path. We were thrilled to have the sea in front of us once again. We didn’t take time to take photos of each other. Pouring sweat in the outrageous humidity and heat, neither of us were “photo ready.”

Recently, we’d read online about a restaurant and resort, Madafoo’s that has free wifi to anyone that makes a purchase at their outdoor restaurant and bar. Checking it out for future reference proved to be ideal. Welcomed heartily as we entered the guarded gates, we felt determined to make a weekly visit a part of our plans.

As we exited the path to the beach this was our first view to the right of us. Continuing on we chose to go to the left where we knew we’d find the numerous resorts and hotels.

Miles of sandy beach stretched in front of us. The white sand was the softest sand we’d ever walked, our feet sinking in several inches with each step. As a result, walking was laborious, especially in the heat and humidity. This didn’t deter us. We forged ahead.

We enthusiastically talked that starting next Wednesday and every Wednesday going forward, we could arrange for a taxi ride to Madafoo’s, carrying our laptops and plug ins in a bag in order to spend several hours dining for either breakfast or lunch, using the free Internet and partaking of their comfortable padded chaise lounges, positioned to face the sea.

Numerous fisherman were attempting the “catch of the day” to later be sold to the resorts and restaurants along the Diani Beach coastline.

It appeared that a few of the small boats were unattended with traps set.

Bigger than the largest dog’s footprint, we were baffled as to the origin of this massive print. Any ideas out there?

Upon inquiring, the staff explained that we are welcomed to use the chaise lounges, the plug ins and their free wifi should we dine in their restaurant at any time. For Kenya Shillings $3100, US $35.47, we can dine on any item on the menu, pay for cab fare both ways, including tax and tips.

A young Maasi member walked in front of us on the beach, surely weighing no more than 80-90 pounds left this huge indentations in the sand.

Increasing our outings away from our house adds greatly to the enjoyment of our remaining time in Kenya. Thus, with dining out on Saturday nights experiencing a new restaurant each week, grocery shopping on Tuesdays mornings and now a trip to Madafoo’s each Wednesday (either morning or afternoon), we find ourselves with more planned activities to anticipate. This is good.

The first private residence we encountered on the walk along the beach.

With ample dollars factored into our budget for dining out, its unnecessary to make any changes to the overall budget. Plus, we’d budgeted US $1000 for cab rides during our three month stay which would translate into taking a cab six out of seven days a week, highly unnecessary and unlikely.

The savings at three times a week more than pays for the cost of the food, tax and tips at Madafoo’s on all Wednesdays going forward.

As we sat at a comfortable table drinking a beverage, engaged in the pleasing views while perusing their various menus items, we were content that this place is ideal for us. Hopefully, while visiting Madafoo’s in the future, we’ll be able to download a few of our data hogging shows, further reducing the cost of the scratch off SIM cards.

This hut was located at The Sails Restaurant, part of the Almanara Resort where we dined almost four weeks ago, still #1 on our favorites list.

Walking back a few hours later, we stopped at the local produce stand purchasing four eggplants and a bag of carrots at a total cost of US $1.14. Sweaty but invigorated from our walk, we were both happy to return to remove our sand filled shoes, to make a fresh glass of something cold and to continue our daily power lounging in our outdoor living room.

The waves were generally this size but occasionally, we saw a surfing worthy wave.

Bathers tentatively wading out into the sea, appearing mindful of the undertow and possible jellyfish and stingrays, less common here than on the beaches of Belize.

That’s it for today folks. With more photos than we can post in one day, we’ll return tomorrow with Part 2.

Part 1, The journey continues…Itinerary additions…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 23, 2013 with 0 Comment

Please see below for details of itinerary changes as we’ve filled in a four month gap in our planning. Part 2 continues tomorrow.

Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas

Ship Rating:

This ship will satisfy vacationers with the most active of interests as well as those who just want to relax and take it easy. Sports-minded passengers will love the two uppermost decks, which feature a putting green, a rock-climbing wall, a multi-purpose sports court and the ShipShape fitness center. At the Indian-themed solarium, relax in the whirlpool or take a swim while three 16-foot stone elephants stand guard. After being pampered at the full-service spa, head to the Pacifica Theatre for a star-studded show. Enjoy a variety of meals on board the Brilliance, served in the Minstrel main dining room, Chops Grille and the open-air Windjammer Cafe. Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read and grab a cup o’ joe at the ship’s coffeehouse and bookstore, Books, Books and Coffee. In the Colony Club, you’ll find four theme clubs in one: The Bombay Billiard Club, Jakarta Lounge, Singapore Sling’s and the Calcutta Card Club.

Ship Statistics
Year Built	2002
Last Refurbished	2008
Tonnage	90,090 tons
Registry	Bahamas
Length	962 feet
Beam	106 feet
Passenger Capacity	2,501
Crew Size	859
Total Inside Cabins	237
Total Outside Cabins	813
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas	577
Suites	64
Maximum Occupancy per room	8
Age Restrictions	One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings	2
Seating Assignments in Main Dining Room	Assigned
Dining Hours	6:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Dining Room Dress Code	Dining
Tipping Recommended?	Yes
Tipping Guidelines	Royal Caribbean will automatically add a $12.00 USD gratuity ($14.25 USD for Suite guests) to each guest’s onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis. 15% tip included on beverage orders.
Onboard Currency	US Dollar

Services & Amenities
Bars/Lounges	10
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop	Yes
Casino	Yes
Chapel	Yes
Disco/Dancing	Yes
Elevators	Yes
Hot Tub	3
Cell Phone Service	Yes
Internet Center	Yes
Wireless Internet Access	Yes
Note: Available in certain areas
Laundry/Dry Cleaning	Yes
Library	Yes
Movie Theatre	Yes
Outdoor Movie Screen	No
Onboard Weddings	Yes
Self Serve Laundromats	No
Shops	Yes
Showroom	Yes
Spa	Yes
Video Arcade	Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court	Yes
Fitness Center	Yes
Golf Driving Net	No
Golf Simulator	Yes
Ice Skating Rink	No
Jogging Track	Yes
Mini-Golf Course	Yes
Rock Climbing Wall	Yes
Swimming Pool	2
Note: 1 Heated
Tennis Court	No
Water Sports Platform	No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service	Yes
Hair Dryer	Yes
Safe	Yes
Telephone	Yes
Television	Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting	Yes
Children’s Playroom	Yes
Kiddie Pool	Yes
Supervised Youth Program	Yes
Teen Center	Yes
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins (private connecting doors)	Yes
Kosher Meals	Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins	No
Single Share Program	No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins	15

14 nights departing August 31, 2014 on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas. Older ships typically have a lower star rating when in fact we’ve often found them to be come of favorites with the old Hollywood décor and ambiance.

As you can see, the cost for cruises increases substantially when adding taxes and tips. Plus, we’ll have additional charges for Internet access, alcohol and non included beverages (of which we have few). Iced tea, coffee, and hot tea are free.

As always, we’ve booked the balcony cabin, receiving the Past-Guest Rate. Here are our actual costs including taxes and tips.

Charges

Cruise (includes port charges)	3,978.00
C&A Member Discount	– 200.00
Government Taxes*	282.70
Pre-Paid Gratuities	336.00

Total Sale (US$)	$ 4,396.70

*subject to change by the cruise line.

Payments

Paid To	Type	Amount

Royal Caribbean	CC	900.00

Total Payments (US$)		$ 900.00
Balance Due (US$)		$ 3,496.70

Final payment due June 10, 2014.

Cheapest Inside	$1,549
Past-Guest Rate	$1,499

Cheapest Oceanview	$1,739
Past-Guest Rate	$1,639

Cheapest Balcony	$1,989
Past-Guest Rate	$1,889

Cheapest Suite

$4,199

ITINERARY

DAY	DATE		PORT	ARRIVE	DEPART
Sun	Aug	31	London (Harwich), England		5:00pm
Mon	Sep	1	Paris (Le Havre), France	7:00am	9:00pm
Tue	Sep	2	Portland, England	7:00am	4:00pm
Wed	Sep	3	Cork (Cobh), Ireland	10:00am	4:30pm
Thu	Sep	4	At Sea
Fri	Sep	5	Klaksvik, Faroe Islands	9:00am	6:00pm
Sat	Sep	6	At Sea
Sun	Sep	7	Reykjavik, Iceland	Noon
Mon	Sep	8	Reykjavik, Iceland		5:00pm
Tue	Sep	9	At Sea
Wed	Sep	10	At Sea
Thu	Sep	11	At Sea
Fri	Sep	12	At Sea
Sat	Sep	13	At Sea
Sun	Sep	14	Boston, MA	6:00am

Filling in the gaps in our travels gives us an added sense of contentment and whole lot of peace of mind. After all, isn’t that what all of us are striving to achieve in our lives whether we’re working or retired?

Some have said, “Wing it!” or “Wait until the last minute and see what deals you can get!” Yea, try having no home, no car, no stuff other than what would fill a grocery cart and “WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!!!”

That might feel like being homeless with a bank account, thinking “Oh my, where am I going to stay tonight?” For one of two nights that might work. But, that’s not for us.

Besides, part of the fun in life is “anticipation,” the joy of plotting and planning, imagining the experience along with a sigh of relief when the event finally has begun to occur. We love that part, too. We love it all.

Shopping for “good deals” in advance becomes a vital element in the planning stages and later when the event is in process as we delight the good deals and time well spent.

As we’ve mentioned here in the past, we aren’t backpackers. Good for you brave souls out there who are! We don’t stay in hostels which usually works better for younger travelers. We like creature comforts, many of which may be forfeited if waiting too long to book into the future.

The gaps in our schedule:
Our time ending in Madeira, Portugal on August 1, 2014 to arrive in Hawaii on December 1, 2014, (where our kids will visit at Christmas), a gap of four full months.

Purposely, we’d left this time open, giving us the option to decide where we’d ultimately want to spend these four months while we’re still in Europe, hopefully ending in a transatlantic cruise as we’ll work our way back toward the US to Hawaii, a long haul.

How could we best expand our travel horizons while maneuvering our way toward Hawaii while seeing more of our amazing world in the process? How could we make this leg of our journey meet our budgeting requirements?

We decided on one distinct fact: We love to cruise as a means of transportation, giving us an opportunity to visit more ports of call. Doing so, enables us to see more cities where eventually, we may chose to return for an extended visit.

(I can’t get Mykonos, Greece or Dubrovnik, Croatia out of my mind after they were amazing ports of call. For the reasons why, please type these city’s names, one at a time, into the “search” field on the right side of our main page and you’ll see our attraction to these cities when our posts and photos pop up).

After much discussion, along with Tom’s persistent online searches at Vacations to Go, with endless questions promptly answered by our loyal and knowledgeable rep, Joaquin, on Saturday we finally booked our 9th and 10th cruises since January 3, 2013.

As we’ll wind down our 2 1/2 month stay in the house overlooking the ocean on the island of Madeira from May 16, 2014 until August 1, 2014, here is a portion of our new plans:

August 1, 2014: Fly from Madeira Portugal to London, England (one way, under US $200 each!)
August 1, 2014 to August 31, 2014: Stay in a vacation rental close to a train station away from the hustle and bustle of the city, preferably a house with character near the sea. We’re searching for this now and will report back once we lock it in.
August 31, 2014 to September 14, 2014: Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas from London to Boston, MA, USA (see cruise information at the top of this post: the route, pricing and cruise details)
September 14, 2014: Stay in a hotel in the Boston area for 3 nights close to where we have family members that we are anxious to visit, our beloved cousin Phyllis and almost 94 year old, Uncle Bernie.

Another aspect of this cruise from London to Boston is the opportunity to see Paris, although only for a day. Most likely, we’ll participate in the ship’s planned excursion to Paris which is easier than planning this short period piece by piece. Also, Iceland has a particular appeal for both of us.

And of course, Cork, Ireland which has a particular appeal for my Irish guy, Tom, who prior to our meeting had traveled to Ireland on two separate occasions, once to take his beloved Mother in 1989, who passed in 2008, for an entire month to go to Rome to see the Pope and travel Ireland, prior to her going totally blind. This fact alone was instrumental in my falling in love with him, over 22 years ago. Any guy who’d take his Mother on a month’s vacation, was my kind of guy. Now, look at him dragging me all over the world, never to disappoint!

At the moment, the rain is pelting. We’d hoped to walk to the vegetable stand today. As is typical here in Kenya, the rain will stop but the sun will return in a short time. Soon, we’ll be on our way.

Thanks for stopping by, once again. Much more to follow.

What?…Rental car issues!…Classic European cars guessing game…Please help…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 21, 2013 with 0 Comment

#1 Is this an MG? Year? Notice at a distance, the red Ferrari or Lamborghini.

This morning as we sat on the veranda Tom pointed out a procession of classic-type European cars coming up the winding road, fast approaching our area. Were they on their way to a car show? Running in my bare feet to take photos, I grabbed the camera and dashed down the stone steps, unlocked the front door (which is tricky), and headed outside, barely in time to take these shots as the cars buzzed by.

There is only one road leading in and out of Boveglio, one heading north, the other south, requiring anyone driving the general area, travel this option, directly passing our house.

Standing on rocky steps, I did my best shooting these photos as the cars whizzed by at surprisingly fast speeds for such a narrow village road.

Tom’s expertise is in American cars, not foreign cars. He’s identified these the best he can.

Can you identify any of these cars for us? The make.The model? The year? Correct us if we’re wrong! Please comment using the assigned #’s for each car, at the end of this post. We’ll make corrections based on your comments.

#2 Is this a Mercedes? If so, which model, year?

#3 Is this a Porsche? Model? Year?

#4 Is this a Porsche? Model? Year?

#5 Is this an MG? Model? Year?

#6 Is this a Mercedes? Model? Year?

#7 Is this a Triumph? Spider? Year?

Please read below for the ongoing unbelievable rental car situation!

Without an actual phone number with us, with access to Skype, only my sister had offered that we use her cell phone number when a number was required such as for a car rental, airline reservation, etc. If she received a call for us, she’d only need to email us the name and number to return the call and we’d make the call via Skype.

On Thursday, she received such a call from Budget Car Rental at Marco Polo Airport in Venice. They called to inform us that our rental car was sold and to immediately return it to Venice, a five hour drive each way.

Are you kidding me????

Prepaid until September 2, 2013, do they expect us to drive for 10 hours, stand in line for another two hours to get a different car, pay for gas at US $7.50 a gallon, tolls along the drive, meals, la la la???

Only a week ago, after an excruciating week of trying to reach someone who spoke English, they sent us a new extended contract, charged our credit card US $1356 to extend to our desired date when we’ll return the car to Marco Polo Airport in Venice when its time to fly to Kenya.

Trying to reach an English speaking person at Marco Polo by phone was fruitless. The thought of beginning that painstaking process again made my stomach hurt. Thus, I began an email campaign, sending no less than two messages a day requesting management respond to address this issue.

Finally today, Sunday, a manager returned the message saying they will either bring us another car to Boveglio in the next few days or they will require, we bring the car to a closer location such as Florence, which is still a two hour drive each way. The manager said he will work on it and get back to us.

With a hotel reservation booked for our upcoming road trip on Tuesday, we had no alternative but to change our plans, leaving us and the car-free to respond to their decision.

Immediately upon receiving this message this morning, with a 48-hour cancellation policy on our hotel reservation, I knew I’d better get to work to cancel the reservation. That in itself was not as painless as one may think.

Our reservation check-in time is 1:00 PM Tuesday, giving us more than 24 hours to cancel. Ha! Inexperienced traveler such as I in staying in hotels booked online (with little travel over the prior 15 years while living in the US) didn’t think that the 48-hour cutoff began at midnight last night, as opposed to check-in time on Tuesday. Our 48-hour window no longer applied.

Having booked the reservation with Hotels.com I immediately logged into their website in a pointless attempt to cancel, leaving me no alternative but to call using Skype. After a half-hour on the call, our reservation was canceled at no charge, freeing us up to deal with the car.

Now, we’ll wait to hear back from Budget as to how we’ll get the replacement car. I can’t imagine how this is not going to cost us something, gas, expenses, or arbitrary charges. We had read reviews of potential issues when renting a car in Italy.

Reminding myself to take a deep breath, I know this is a part of the experience, perhaps a price one pays, literally and figuratively, for having the opportunity to travel the world, as unencumbered as possible. So it goes.

I settle myself down having vented here, realizing in the realm of things, its really a small inconvenience. We have our health, we have each other, the weather is beautiful, we have “our people” who love and miss us as we do them, and the future is open and bright for us two homeless wanderers.

With our road trip now on hold, pending the car situation, we settle back into our routine, playing a little Gin, lounging on our chaise lounges in the sun for an hour every other day, walking the hills in the neighborhood, taking a trip to Pescia for groceries tomorrow and enjoying a fabulous dinner we’re preparing for tonight.

Hope to hear back from you car aficionados!

Holes in our itinerary…

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 23, 2013 with 0 Comment

The piece of driftwood decorates the beach by our villa. The sidewalk to the center-left is the sidewalk directly in front of our villa.

Yesterday afternoon while lounging on the veranda, swimsuits still damp from playing in the pool, we contemplated our upcoming itinerary. Having canceled the one month stay at the stone house in France for April 18, 2014, to May 17, 2014, left an almost three-month gap in our schedule to open up.

We had intended to use this gap to take a long term cruise out of South Africa on March 1, 2014, getting us back to Europe. A number of such cruises had been posted for 2013 and we’d hoped they’d reappear in 2014. So far, not the case. Cruises appear to be posted approximately 18 months in advance.

The only cruises available from Cape Town, South Africa during the time frame would cost $25,000+ for the two of us for a balcony cabin, not an expense we are interested in bearing for a mere 15 days. There were a few less expensive options, but on lower-rated cruise lines which we’ve chosen to avoid in light of multiple negative reviews.

So, here we are, with a gap from March 1, 2014 to May 15, 2014, without a decision made. With less than a year remaining, we knew we’d better get our butts in gear!”

The shaded grounds of Laru Beya, all-natural vegetation planted in sand.

On May 15, 2014, we’re scheduled to arrive on the island of Madeira, Portugal to stay until July 31, 2014, with another open spot until October 26, 2014 when we board a cruise onto our eventual destination of Hawaii for the holidays when our kids and grandkids will visit for Christmas, staying until May 15, 2015. Beyond that, we haven’t decided where we’ll go, but we will continue on. It’s just too early to secure vacation homes.

Many laughed about our advance planning beginning in January 2012. We didn’t. As we’ve experienced life on the move, we realized it was none too early. When most travelers plan a two-week vacation, it is not unlikely to plan a year in advance to ensure preferred reservations in preferred locations. (Airlines, won’t allow booking reservations prior to 330 days before travel, not an issue that’s been a concern to us).

We learn as we go. We’ve accepted the reality that we will not be able to cruise to all of our locations for a few reasons 1). Cruises aren’t necessarily available when and where we’d like to travel; 2). The cost may be prohibitive if they do. With 9 cruises booked ahead of us over the next 20 months, we’re satisfied with our choices.

Based on future plans, we’ll be required to fly no less than 7 times over the next few years. We’ve accepted this reality, determined to gain a more cavalier attitude about airports, baggage fees, and the actual flying.

Ditching the three large suitcases to be shipped to my dear sister Julie in California on April 13th while we’re in Miami for one day, we’ll be left with two regulation-sized large suitcases and the usual carry on bags. We’ll then meet the airline baggage restrictions in both weight and size. The most we’ll pay is the standard fees for two checked bags, where applicable.

On May 21st, we’ll fly back to Barcelona, Spain from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Emirates Airlines, which allows two checked bags per person in coach at no additional charge. Many other airlines we’ll use, charge $50 per bag or, only $50 for the 2nd checked bag. Prior to flying, we’ll check the weight of our bags as we’re packing on our trusty mini travel scale to ensure we won’t incur outrageous overweight fees.

I know, reading this may be confusing. But, it’s no more confusing to us than anyone planning a busy schedule whether working, retired, have children at home, grown children, grandchildren, or are caring for senior parents and relatives. Somehow, we manage to keep it all straight.

It’s surprising how heartily vegetation grows in sand.

Back to the veranda…we researched, we talked, we laughed, we consulted our budget, we calculated foreign exchange rates, and much to our surprise, we discovered not only a viable option for March 1, 2014, to May 15, 2014, but a particular option causing me to do my usual “jumping up and down.” Tom, of course, has the usual non-assuming smirk on his face.

Contacting the owner with a proposal, we anxiously awaited a response. With a six-hour time difference between Belize and the owner’s location, we anticipated it could be a few days until we received a response.

This morning, hearing back from the owner, we negotiated an acceptable arrangement for us all, much to our delight. Today, we’ll receive the contract via email subsequently paying the reasonable 15% deposit by PayPal. Once this is completed, hopefully by tomorrow, we’ll tell you all about it with photos and all the delicious details.

Of course, we don’t want to “jump the gun” until it’s a “done deal!”

Please check back tomorrow!

Scary night aboard ship!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 15, 2013 with 0 Comment

View as we sailed away from the Panama Canal area with numerous ships awaiting beyond the breakwater for their upcoming transit through the canal.

Most likely, cruising is one of the safest modes of travel.

We haven’t given our safety a second thought until last night during dinner as the ship was literally rolling back and forth, our glasses tinkling at our dining table nearly splashing out their contents.

Tom and I glanced at each other with a look of uncertainty. We shrugged, returning to yet another enjoyable evening, again sitting next to a new couple engaging in lively animated conversation. They had cruised many times and had traveled the world extensively. It was reassuring to hear they’d been to and loved many of the places we plan to visit in the near future.

A discussion ensued concerning our upcoming
cruise to Dubai in May 2013 which they had the pleasure of experiencing a few years ago. This particular cruise offers several excursions in which we’ll surely partake: the Great Pyramids; the Sphinx and Giza. They advised against paying additional fees to actually venture inside the Great Pyramids, saying that it was a waste of money with the space too small, too commercialized, and outrageously hot. We take their advice seriously.

We welcome any advice from our readers worldwide as we share places we’ve yet to visit or while we’re staying in a particular area. Please suggest restaurants, markets, local foods, places to visit and people to see. Also, if you have knowledge of medical resources/doctors in the area, let us know. We can’t be too prepared. Please comment at the end of each daily post to which we’ll respond within 24 hours, once we’re able to get online.

We find ourselves suspicious and cautious of commercialized offerings that make one feel like cattle herded along to awaiting salespeople barking to “buy, buy, buy” which is often the scenario at most ports of call.

Most of the excursions offered by the ship present the ultimate goal to place the passenger into a “buying” mood. Most outings end up in some form of a retail area. We’ve recently discovered that most of the
excursions are owned by the cruise lines. Certainly, they are entitled to their profits. But then again, we are entitled to keep our money for our chosen future plans, not trinkets, artwork, local clothing, or jewelry.

After yet another elegant dinner and the 9 PM show in the Celebrity Theatre, a nightly event we’ve only missed twice (the first night aboard ship and the Panama Canal night after which I was too exhausted with only two
hours sleep), we headed to our cabin as the ship continued its wild thrashing about in the strong winds.

Tom, bless his heart, can go on and on into the night but then again, he is five years younger than I. Oh, it’s “hell to get old.” How we used to be able to manage the next day on so little sleep!

Walking down the long hallway to our cabin, we faltered back and forth between the narrow walls as
the ship continued to sway. I had a particularly difficult time walking in 3″ heels weaving as if I were drunk (I don’t drink).

Once inside our cabin, we turned on the TV to the ship’s GPS station, showing our exact location, wind speed, etc. After checking our email, we decided to try to get some sleep as the ship raced toward our next destination, Cartagena, Columbia, (expected time of arrival at 8:30 am today). We were asleep by 11:30.

At 1:30 am I was startled awake by the sound of something falling off of a shelf in our cabin as the ship
flailed wildly in the sea. Twice, I got out of bed stumbling over our shoes and power cords scattered on the floor to witness the high white waves splashing up the sides of the ship. On the 8th deck, the floor of our balcony was
covered with water. I was a bit scared, to say the least.

Tossing and turning for hours unable to fall back to sleep, the sounds escalated around
4 am. I wanted to wake up Tom during that period. I couldn’t believe he was sleeping through it all. Finally, I turned toward him and in a whispered tone, I asked, “Are you awake?”

Mumbling, he said, “No, not really.”

Hesitant to awaken him further I said, “Do you feel the rollin’?” Hard of hearing after 42 years on the railroad, he said “Did you say “rollin’…rollin’?”

“Yes,” I answered in a louder voice, “rollin’!”

“On the river?” he asked.

“No,” I laughed aloud, “on the sea!”

Leave it to my guy to make me laugh when I’m scared. He has a magical way of comforting me with his non-stop sense of humor. It was 4:00 am. Cuddling up we both wandered off to sleep.

At 7:15 am we were awakened by the loud roar of the ship’s side thrusters. We were finally approaching Cartagena, Columbia. Bolting out of bed at exactly the same moment we threw back the balcony door drapes, opened the heavy sliding door and this is what we saw.

Downtown Cartagena Columbia. All the buildings are white.

Again, tonight we’ll dine in the Grand Restaurant to later attend the live show “Groove,” an interactive 60’s party in the Grand Foyer, and then off to the Celebrity Theatre for their last live show of the evening. Quite fun! We’re having the time of our lives! Our new lives couldn’t be more fun, rolling seas or not.

The final criteria, lots more to follow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 25, 2012 with 0 Comment

Here we go! We’re wrapping up the all-important criteria today, allowing us to proceed to the equally important itinerary in the next post. As I mentioned earlier, listing these vital “rules” again and again is certainly tedious.

Seeing them over and over, reading them aloud to Tom each time I write, is exactly what we’ve needed to be reminded of the importance of following these guidelines. Without them, the temptation to book expensive vacation rentals, overpriced cruises, and the occasional exorbitant hotel rooms would throw our financial plan out of whack.

The goal of avoiding the necessity of tapping into our savings or investments is a huge motivator. Fear, the infinite motivator. Fear, being forced to stop this adventure due to financial constraints. Fear, canceling future travel due to health issues. Fear, the caves with the bats, the guano. Fear, the zip line.

Friends and family have asked, “What happens if you get bored?” We didn’t get bored living in our home together for the past 21 years, in the comfy chairs, enjoying lounging in a lawn chair in the summer, eating homemade meals, watching episodes of our favorite TV shows, chatting, laughing, and socializing.

They also ask, “What if you get tired of traveling?” We’ll stop. We’ll cancel future plans, maybe lose a deposit or two but we’ll stop. We’ve agreed that if one of us wants to stop, the other will agree. Knowing this, comforts us. Knowing this, removes the fear.

So, the remaining criteria:

Criteria #7: Never stay in a vacation rental for less than one month. The rationale behind this rule is simple. Staying in one location not only reduces transportation expenses, but provides us with the opportunity to negotiate better rates when staying a month or more.

Many of the property owners allow a stay of as little as three or four days, requiring added paperwork, liability, and cleaning. Their piece of mind is a substantial motivator for them to accept a lower rent for their property. As each month’s stay is extended in the negotiations, the price goes down proportionately. This will be illustrated by the rental amounts we will post with the itinerary.

Criteria #8: No trinkets! As tempting as “bargains,” “souvenirs” and local “handicrafts” appeal to us during our travels, we will resist the temptation. The cost of excess baggage along with the horror of hauling some heavy wooden objects all over the world is preposterous!

We will make a list of the items we encounter that tempt us. Once we settle someday, we will easily be able to find similar items online or in some cases, purchase them from the actual vendor’s web site. Often these tempting artifacts can be found for half the price on eBay, from sellers who found they were tempted during their travels. Most often, when we look back at such a wish list at a later date, we’ll find that we have lost interest anyway.

Criteria #9: The availability of Internet/cellphone access with us at all times. This was a tough one. I’ve spent no less than an entire week researching various options. We now have discovered solutions (of course, subject to technology changes over the next several months). For Internet access, 24/7, in our rental, on the road, and part-time on cruises, we’ll use MiFi Rental with XCom Global. In a future post, I will write about the cost and how this works.

As for cellphone service, we will be buying an Unlocked International cell phone into which we can purchase and install a local SIM card using the available local network (which is what most cell phone users in many countries use for service). SIM cards result in considerably lower rates, all without the use of a contract. Here again, I will write an entire post on this subject.

Criteria #10: Cook and eat in! Due to health concerns we live a low carb, wheat-free, starch-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free lifestyle. Occasionally Tom will indulge along the way! He won’t be able to resist pasta in Italy or a baguette in France. But, for me, my ongoing health from this way of eating it a huge motivator. Cooking and eating in the kitchen of our vacation rental will save us $1000’s along the way.

We currently spend about $800 a month on food (all organic produce with grass-fed meat, free-range poultry, and eggs, organic dairy). This may sound like a huge sum for two people, but that totals only $26.67 a day. After considerable research, we feel confident that we’ll be able to maintain this budget and our food requirements. I currently pack 3 meals a day for Tom’s long 12 hour workdays.

We could never eat two to three meals a day in a restaurant in any of the countries we are visiting for a mere $26.67 for both of us! We have budgeted the cost of enjoying a dinner out in a nice restaurant, once or twice a week depending upon local prices.

That one dinner a week may cost $25 in Belize including tax and tip, but could be $125 in Tuscany, resulting in an expenditure of $6500 a year, enough to pay for a vacation rental for 4.3 months or 8.6 months, if eating out twice a week. It’s a matter of trade-offs.

I don’t think we’ll mind grilling a steak on the veranda in Majorca, Spain while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

In review, here is a complete list of all the criteria:

Criteria #1: Do not have a permanent home!
Criteria #2: Do not own cars!
Criteria #3: Do not stay in hotels unless absolutely necessary!
Criteria #4: Do not pay more than that which we were willing to pay for rent in our chosen retirement community!
Criteria #5: Use the cruise!
Criteria #6: Bag the excess baggage!
Criteria #7: Never stay in a vacation rental for less than one month!
Criteria #8: No trinkets!
Criteria #9: The availability of Internet/cellphone access with us, at all times!
Criteria#10: Cook and eat in!

Sure, all of the above is subject to change. We don’t know what we don’t know. It’s a work in progress. By the time we are ready to leave in seven months and ten days, we may laugh or even cringe at what we “thought” we knew and posted here, this early in the process. In any case, we learn as we go, on a perpetual mission of gaining knowledge, reducing fear, and ultimately, having the time of our lives.

A dream is born!… Is it affordable?…Are we crazy?

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 20, 2012 with 5 Comments

We are everyday people. We aren’t wealthy. Tom worked hard for 42 years on the railroad. My career mostly consisted of owning a small real estate company experiencing varying degrees of success and failure, always subject to the turns of the market and my own life experiences, ups and downs.

We’ve lived in a fabulous lake house with the upkeep that sucked up most of our income but rationalized it that the joy of living here together was worth the expense and sacrifice. Our retirement income was growing due to Tom’s contributions and we didn’t really worry much about the future.

Then the economy burst and we, like so many others, lost a chunk of security while at the same time my desire to battle the failing real estate market waned day by day. I threw in the towel and retired eighteen months ago. Good grief, I applied for Social Security, after paying in for 45 years. It was hard to believe that time flew by so quickly. It was only yesterday we were chugging Vodka Gimlets and dancing at the disco.

I had often said that I’d never retire having loved the clients, the excitement, and the gratification of helping people make the biggest financial decision of their lives. It was now over. I felt sad. What would I do but wrap myself up in the eventuality of Tom’s retirement?

My goal was to come up with some ideas to present to my exhausted husband on the weekends who still working twelve-hour days this late in his career, along with the two hours of driving time. I had felt a little guilty being home, not contributing more than packing his three-meal-lunch each day and the basic, relatively easy everyday running of our two-person household.

The days until Tom’s upcoming retirement had been a daily reminder in an app I had installed on my DroidX phone, Retirement Countdown Free that today says: 7 months, 16 days. I look at it every day. It doesn’t seem to move. But it does. It’s Halloween. I keep counting on my fingers to ensure it is accurate. It is.

Strangely, during this time, we negotiated a deal, albeit at a loss, to be rid of our house to free us to move on. Not what we had wished. We knew that living on a retirement pension the upkeep would be prohibitive forcing us to live the last third of our lives in a perpetual state of stress, leaving no room to travel. We hadn’t been on a real vacation together in over fifteen years never wanting to spend the money or to leave, or a beautiful home.

Invariable, Tom and I spent the bulk of our vacation time working on projects around the house, him oblivious to his skills as a hard-working handyman. He can fix just about anything. I have been “the helper” washing the insides of the windows, cleaning, doing laundry, and happily cooking our favorite meals and desserts (more fun when we weren’t low carb, gluten-free).

Neither of us ever minded the definition of the stereotypical male/female roles. We grew up in an era when gender roles were more defined than today. We never fought it. We never fought with one another over it. We relished in giving each other the very best we had to offer, without complaint, without judgment, without “snipping” (in itself, the secret to our marital success).

So, as we counted down the days, each weekend we began talking about that which most Minnesota “Snow Birds” do; move to a warm climate in an income tax-free state, downsize our “stuff,” sadly say goodbye to our family and friends, sell one of the two cars, and occasionally go on a Viking River Cruise with other “old timers” like ourselves.

We finally relented buying the proverbial AARP card, good for a full five years. Wow, we can get a discount at Denny’s in Las Vegas, Perkins in Rapid City, or Old Country Buffet in Miami! Here come the Golden Years! Ouch, more than those crunchy joints are hurting!

In our typical fashion of online researching of literally every thought, our brains regurgitate, we investigated best places to retire in the US, buying an RV, moving to a retirement community, or simply renting a condo in Scottsdale, Arizona while we think it over. Although not an income tax-free state, the climate is good in the winter, the desert appealing for its mysterious beauty and the population not unlike ourselves. A good temporary solution.

On my laptop, an Excel spreadsheet in front of me, I plugged in formulas and numbers to create a “feasibility study” to determine our future financial life considering the average rental cost of a typical condo, utilities, groceries, health insurance, medical including prescriptions and co-pays, cell phones and Internet, food and entertainment, etc. We could survive, we determined.

It was Saturday afternoon, January 7, 2012. We had just reviewed the numbers in the spreadsheet while sitting in our usual comfy chairs in the family room, the TV on quietly in the background, freshly poured frosty glasses of iced tea on the side table, the smell of pot roast in the oven wafting through the air (love that word!) and we looked at one another, our eyes locked in a gaze as powerful as an embrace. Tom took a deep breath and quickly blurted out, his words running together awaiting my reaction and said, “Let’s not have a home and travel the world instead.”

I gasped. I paused. I said, “Wait, give me a minute.” I looked at the spreadsheet. I removed the rent, the utilities, the car and its insurance, the annual vacation, and all the expenses that would go away if one didn’t have a home.

I added back the following onto the new worksheet: visas, taxes and tips, airfare, ferries, taxis, auto rentals, cruises, food (eating in 6 days a week, eating out once), a monthly (or longer) vacation rental home fully equipped with kitchen and all household goods, entertainment, unexpected expenses and on and on. We talked. We giggled. We dreamed aloud. We accepted that our preliminary numbers were subject to change as we completed more research.

The pot roast was done. The time had flown. We inhaled our dinner anxious to swallow the next bite in order to say something more, interrupting each other, as we often do. We couldn’t watch the favorite shows we had taped during the week. We talked all night long. The remainder of the weekend was a blur, fingers flying across the keys in our relentless pursuit of more and more information.

Tentatively, tempering our enthusiasm, over the next several weeks, we came to this startling realization: If we didn’t have a home, with its fixed monthly expenses, we could travel the world as long as we wanted to, living off of our monthly income alone, as long as it met strict criteria.

Now, two and a half months later, after hundreds of hours of research, we have booked and paid deposits for 492 days beginning October 31, 2012, with more plans brewing imminently. Planning is a full-time job in itself.

The next post will include: the strict criteria to make this possible. And soon, the set itinerary thus far, the resources we have used to make this possible, the endless list of “to do’s,” the amazing people we have encountered all over the world, and most of all the preparation we are making for all the “what if’s” that we will surely encounter along the way. Then, of course, there are the “unknowns” that we choose to acknowledge exist and pray that our good sense and resources will guide us along the way.

Fearful? A little. Joyful? A lot.

Changing clocks…Changing life…

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 15, 2012 with 2 Comments

Sunday morning we both jumped out of bed at 6:00 am with a peculiar sense of urgency to begin the painstaking process of changing the myriad clocks in our home. Daylight savings began during the night.

Over the 21 years that Tom and I have joyfully enjoyed life together, we seem to have assigned ourselves, which clocks we each change, two times each year. We scurried about the house, mumbling to ourselves as we adjusted one clock after another, realizing that this will be the last time we will change clocks in this house, in this state of Minnesota and perhaps in this country.

In 7 months and 22 days from today, our journey will begin. Tom retires on Halloween after 42 years on the railroad (I retired 16 months ago) and off we go to the adventure of our lives, time being relevant to us in the future only in terms of the time of our next cruise, the time of our next flight, the time of the next ferry, or the time when we move into yet another vacation home.

As we each finished our last clock, oddly about the same moment, I said to Tom, “We need a domain name for our future website and blog.”

He chuckled, and said, “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.” It’s equally odd how couples often have thoughts simultaneously. We never cease to be amazed by this phenomenon.

We had been mulling over some names the past month, as we booked our plans well into the future, knowing the time to document this process was coming near.

Last year, I wrote my first blog, WorldWideWillie.blogspot.com as our beloved Australian Terrier, WorldWideWillie’s precious life came to an end, finding solace in the process. With over 400 followers, we found comfort in their invisible, lurking presence as I wrote almost daily from Willie’s perspective, his final days, days filled with love, humor, and tears.

When Tom returned home each night, I read him the daily postings, often crying a river through the sobs that welled up in my chest. Tom cried with me, unashamed by his vulnerability, a charming aspect of his manly demeanor that which I have always adored.

We chose to honor Willie by using part of his name, WorldWide, by adding a 3rd word beginning with a “w.” Sitting at our computers we looked up all the “w” words that may be available as a domain. We stumbled across “Waftage,” a word that means “travel gently by water or air.”

How perfect a word when in fact this blog will be about us leaving our well-established lives here in Minnesota to travel the world, leaving our grown children, including our six adorable grandchildren, other family members, our longtime friends, our amazing neighbors and all of our “stuff,” to be sold off at an estate sale… days before we leave on Halloween, 2012.

This blog will document a journey that at this point knows no end, a journey meticulously planned to be affordable and yet rich in comfort, visually stimulating, surrounded by nature, filled with history, all the while enjoying that which we have enjoyed the most, simply being together.

We’re lousy photographers, but we’ll post photos. We don’t like tourist traps, but we will visit some. We don’t care to buy trinkets, but we’ll surely buy a few.

Ironically, neither of us has ardently enjoyed “sightseeing” but, we will seek out those that appeal to us. We don’t like crowds, gridlocked traffic, loud noises, or waiting in line, but we will experience all of these.

We are both gluten-free, wheat, grain-free and sugar-free. We won’t eat bread, croissants, or pasta. I don’t drink alcohol, Tom drinks a little, but doesn’t like wine. Tom doesn’t like to go for walks. I love walks. Occasionally, we’ll walk.

Then why will we do this? 1. Because we have figured out a way to afford to make this possible with some creative planning, which we’ll share with you along the way. 2. Because we want to!

More than the concept of world travel in itself, we relish in the concept of stepping outside the box; getting out from behind our computers with fingers flying across the keyboard with our latest preoccupation; getting out of our comfy chairs while watching one of our big flat-screen TVs playing a popular premium hi-def series; playing another rambunctious competitive game of Wii Bowling or looking forward to the next great homemade meal.

We have loved every minute of our lives, whether hanging out with family or friends or looking out the window for another delightful morsel Mother Nature tosses our way: an eagle swooping into the trees outside our house, a beaver building a den along the shoreline, a pack of coyotes looking for “little dog lunch.” We have loved it all.

So, we registered our domain name early Sunday morning. We poured ourselves a cup of perfectly brewed coffee, topping each cup with a dollop of real whipped cream, and sat down at the bar in the kitchen. We both smiled, eyes locked on each other. The little crinkles around his eyes made a wave of something wonderful wash over me.

We both looked up at the same time to notice we hadn’t changed the time in the big clock in the kitchen. We both jumped up simultaneously, and said, “I’ll get it!” We laughed. We have all the time in the world.