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| The coral reef at Mystery Island is defined by the change of color of the sea. |
Often to our surprise, other travelers are curious to hear about our story. In a nutshell (for our new readers); we sold everything we owned in Minnesota; leaving everyone we love; leaving no storage behind, and now with only three checked bags and two carry-on bags, we travel the world on a joyful quest to learn more and more about our planet, it’s people, its wildlife and it’s scenery.
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| The tender awaits our return to the ship. Lifeboats are often used as the tenders with several in service to avoid passengers waiting for extended periods. |
It was only a result of vastly improved health from an incomprehensible change of diet in 2011. In January 2012, we decided to travel the world, leaving Minnesota on October 31, 2012, a little more than nine months later.
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| Many small bus tours headed up and down this paved road in Mystery Island. |
When asked about our travels, the most frequently asked question is, “What is your favorite place in the world so far?”
For the first four years, Tom didn’t have an answer. He always replied, “The next one.”
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| Cloud-covered beach view in Vanuatu. |
This always made me chuckle when I wondered if he’d ever pick a favorite, and if so, how long would it stay his favorite? For me, as all of our readers are well aware, Marloth Park in Mpumalanga, South Africa, remains my “dream spot,” to which we’ll be returning in a mere nine months in February 2018.
Tom has finally chosen a favorite place, Penguin, Tasmania, the most quaint and charming small town we’ve visited in our travels. His eyes light up when he describes this special place. If he had to pick a place to live out our days, Penguin would be on the top of the list…so far, that is.
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| The color of the sea is breathtaking. |
But there’s so much more to see. Are we on a mission to see as much of the world as possible? Are we attempting to visit most of the world’s 196 countries, many of which we’ll avoid due to political unrest and terrorism?
What about all of the continents? By the time we visited Antarctica in January 2018, we’ll have seen all seven of the world’s continents, some only touching the surface, others in a more comprehensive manner.
No doubt we’ll be returning to most of the continents when there are many other points of interest that we’ve yet to visit. With our usual desire to “live” within a region/country to learn about its people, its culture, its wildlife, and its beauty, the process is slower than it may be for others who may hop, skip and jump from country to country for shorter stays.
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| Rows upon rows of pine trees line the beach near the coral reef. |
We love sharing our stories with people we meet along the way. We equally love hearing their stories of travel, their cruises, and their land experiences but, most of all, their lives. How did they get to this point? What inspired them to travel? Why do they like cruising? What is their favorite destination? What was their favorite cruise line or ship?
We all have a story to tell whether we travel the world or enjoy quiet time at home, simply living life to the fullest within a framework that works for us. We love hearing from all of you, sharing your story with us. Would you please stay in touch?
Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2016:
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| The Buddha fountain by the pool in Bali. At high tide, the sea almost reached the end of the infinity pool at the villa in Bali. For more photos, please click here. |