A whodunit that mixes poverty, race and the high society of classical music in an intriguing mystery. Here is my book review The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb.
A poor black child from North Carolina, Ray has few options. Despite his apparent musical talent his mom wants him to drop out of school and get a job. She wants him to pay rent and work…and stop making all that noise with his beat up school loaned violin.
But Ray’s grandmother sees something special in his talents, and when she bequeaths him an old beat up family violin he is thrilled. Helped along by a handful of people who see beyond his race to his exceptional talent, Ray soon discovers the beat up violin is a priceless Stradivarius.
Ray’s life changes dramatically as he is recognized, more for the story of the unsuspecting Stradivarius, but also for his burgeoning talent. Then he is invited to the renowned Tchaikovsky Competition, and the media storm grows around Ray and his violin.
But the unthinkable happens, the violin is stolen right from under his nose. Ray feels like one of his arms has been cut off. How will he get it back? How will he pay the ransom? Who would do such a thing? There are lots of suspects, friend and foe.
Will Ray find the violin in time for the competition? You’ll need to read The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb to find out.
****Four stars for The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb.
Thank you for reading my book review The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb.
Although we have been able to do some amazing travel over the past couple of years, we have not gone out for extended travel like we did in the past. Since we began the Grand Adventure our longest trip was 18 months, and several other trips were nine and ten months. We now feel confident to go long term again with the PanDamit waning and our health great. Away We Go – The Grand Adventure Begins Again.
Away We Go
We started this travel life in 2016 when we sold almost all our belongings to begin a long planned and dreamed of retirement life of travel. It was everything we had dreamed of and more. But Whoa! That stupid PanDamit changed everything. If you have followed us for awhile you know our story of getting trapped abroad and giving up our itinerary to come back to the USA and wait.
If anything, the PanDamit has made me more patient and able to relax and let things be what they are. But that said, we are excited to embark once again this time for seven months. So let me tell you our plans – Away we Go – The Grand Adventure Begins Again.
Maui, Hawaii USA
Maui
Our first stop is back to Maui. Maui is our favorite island, but we think this may likely be our last visit there for a long time. Maui is expensive, and through all of our travels we have learned we can travel much less expensively on islands beyond North America. Specifically Moorea and Cyprus our two favorites. It’s important that we stay within our budget, if we want to sustain long-term travel for the years ahead. And staying on budget in Maui is impossible. But, we made these reservations a year ago, when we still didn’t know what the PanDamit future looked like. So, we are headed back to Kihei and back to enjoy this beautiful paradise. We will be on the island of Maui from October 20- December 19.
Roatan Island, Honduras
Roatan Honduras
The island of Roatan has been on my wishlist for longer than we have been traveling on the Grand Adventure. I first became aware of Roatan about 15 years ago when I watched a travel program about an American couple who had purchased a house there. OMgosh it looked so beautiful. It’s a bit of a saga to get from Maui to Roatan, but that is what we will do. It involves a night in Los Angeles and Miami. We will arrive at our Roatan Airbnb on December 21st. Time on Roatan December 21-January 26th.
Granada and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Granada Nicaragua
Like Honduras, Nicaragua has been on my travel list for a long time. This country is under traveled especially by American’s who don’t understand it. Recently Nicaragua made Travel and Leisure’s list of most affordable places to retire on a beautiful beach. Okay, please and thank you. We have a week in Granada at a resort and then just under four weeks at at Airbnb in San Juan del Sur on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. Time in Nicaragua January 26-February 28th.
Mexico City Mexico
Mexico City Mexico
Last December we were enchanted by our week in Mexico City and so we decided we needed to return. Another undervalued destination for American’s who tend to only head to the beaches of Mexico. We fell hard for the beauty, history, architecture and food of Mexico City. We want to see more. We will stay at the same hotel we loved last year, The Red Tree House. We plan to explore more and eat everything. Mexico City, Mexico February 28-March 7.
Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia is one of a few South American countries we still haven’t visited, and I have long wanted to visit this country, see the salt flats and get to know it better. Because Bolivia is a bit of challenge to navigate, we have decided this is a good country for us to hire a guide. So we have hooked up with Intrepid Travel to spend eleven days seeing Bolivia. But, before we embark on the tour we will spend a week in La Paz. A week might seem like a long time, but we have purposefully decided to do that, to help give me time to work through the altitude sickness I know I will suffer from. It’s happened before. We have the time, so we will take it so I can acclimate comfortably and for multiple days. If you have never experienced altitude sickness, it’s not fun…but it is a good weight loss program. We will be in Bolivia from March 8 – 25th.
Barbados
Barbados
There are a handful of Caribbean Islands, mostly in the south, that remain on our wish list including Barbados. So after Bolivia we make our way (via Miami) to Barbados where we have rented a sweet little suite of an Airbnb for 8 days. And then we board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in Barbados. Barbados March 26-April 2nd
Southern Caribbean Cruise
Bonaire
Our first cruise in five years, we will head out for a week aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas cruising to Trinidad and Tobago, Bonaire, Curacao, Grenada and Aruba. We have been to two of these islands but the others are all new to us. Cruising, although not something we want to do regularly, is such a great way to see multiple places on one itinerary. The ship returns to Barbados. We are onboard April 2-9th.
USA
Atlanta Georgia
April 9th we fly to Atlanta Georgia USA. Through the rest of April we will be be hopping around as we make our way to Boston for a college reunion. Although we have not yet nailed this down, we currently are planning to visit Atlanta, Savannah, Washington DC, New York City and Boston. We will be back to our summer home in Washington State by May 1st. We love Washington State and the west coast in the summer!
Away We Go – The Grand Adventure Begins Again
We really like this itinerary because it has the things we love the best; long term stays in inexpensive, sunny places with options for both adventure and relaxing and lots of great food. Who doesn’t like that?
The Grand Adventure Begins Again
We plan to continue to blog about our travels, although sometimes I need to take a bit of a break. I plan to do that a little when we are in Hawaii and have banked some blog posts ahead of time. But for now, as we near our TENTH ANNIVERSARY of this My Fab Fifties Life blog, I will write and share amazing photos and adventures of this crazy and fabulous post-PanDamit travel life as regularly as I can. As always, I say thank you for your continued support and engagement. We love your comments on each post especially.
Away!!
Note – I have yet to post all the blogs about our recent adventures in Maine and Acadia National Park and in Palm Springs. It’s coming soon – please stay tuned.
Last week’s blog post was all about our wonderful and surprising visit to the islands of Guernsey and Jersey in the English Channel. Although quick it was really lovely. We left Jersey by ferry and made our way to France for our next adventure, Monet’s Giverny and A Wee Bit More.
First a Quick Visit to Saint Malo
We made our way to France and the ancient walled city of Saint Malo for one night only. We arrived midday and were able to enjoy the beauty of this historic city, the beach and a dinner of mussels and frites – a well known dish from the region.
Saint Malo Beach
Ramparts of Saint Malo
Next Morning
The next morning we rented a car and enjoyed a leisurely drive across the north of France, leaving Brittany and coming to Normandy. This area has so much to see, including Caen and the magnificent Mont St. Michel. But since we have visited here a few times before we decided to stop only in two places my husband had never seen. Beautiful Bayeux which reminds me of the village in Beauty and the Beast and is home to the remarkable tapestry depicting the battle of William the Conquerer. We also made a brief stop at the Omaha Beaches and the American Cemetery at Normandy. I highly recommend these things when in Normandy.
Bayeux
American Cemetery at Normandy
On to Giverny
Giverny has been on my bucket list for a decade, and we were set to visit in June 2020, but the pandamit changed all of that. So on this trip it was a high priority to tick it off the list, finally. What a magnificent place, not just Monet’s Garden but the teeny village, our remarkable hotel and one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Monet’s Giverny and A Wee Bit More.
Monet’s Giverney and a Wee Bit More
O Plum Art
I booked this boutique hotel just a week or so in advance and I am so glad we got in because it is tiny and spectacular. Only three rooms inside a historic farm house, but totally renovated and decorated in modern light colors. It was really lovely. And the breakfast the next morning was out-of-this-world good. You can make a reservation for O Plum Art here.
O Plum Art
One of several amazing breakfast dishes, smoked trout at O Plum Art
The Village of Giverny
I was surprised to find that Giverny is not really a town. It is just Monet’s Gardens, and historic homes – most which have been converted to inns and restaurants. Giverny is really just one main street, a few little shops and lots of great history including an ancient church. Behind the church is Monet’s tomb.
Main Street Giverney
Main Street Giverney
Le Jardin des Plumes
In association with our sweet little hotel, we booked a table for dinner at the companion restaurant down the street. The Chef and his family run the restaurant as well as two small inns. The restaurant is incredibly unique. You don’t really have a menu. Instead you choose if you want three, five or seven courses. We chose five courses, which were all small courses. But in addition to the five courses we had at least another 10 small “bites”. It was sublime. We ate literal works of art in every mouthful. Our five courses were Halibut, Chicken with Mushroom Soup, Tomato/Lobster, Beef Tongue with Pickles and an apricot dessert. Absolutely incredible. In addition our special bites included oysters, salmon candy, apple sorbet, cod balls and so much more. I have shared several photos here and if you visit Giverny I cannot recommend this highly enough. Be sure to make a reservation at Le Jardin des Plumes
By the way our breakfast at O Plum Art was done by the same chef of this amazing dinner. No surprise it was so good.
Tomato and Lobster
Oysters
Me very happy
Turmeric Bite
Finally Monet’s Garden
I’ve written before about My Favorite Gardens Around the World. Visiting renown gardens is one of the things we try to do in many of the destinations we go to. Gardens tell a story of history, culture and art – all wrapped in a colorful canvas. Monet’s Giverny was all that and more.
Monet’s Gardens
Monet’s Gardens
In 1883 Claude Monet acquired land next to his home in Giverny to create a water garden. He diverted water from the nearby Ru river. Monet’s masterpieces of his waterlily collections were painted at this water garden. The garden expanded for years and through his middle and late years Monet painted what he sowed.
Monet’s Gardens
Monet’s Gardens
Unlike many of the highly manicured gardens found in the French chateaus, Monet’s Giverny is a riot of color and texture. The garden changes throughout the season and is designed in color blocks but also includes trees, bamboo, roses and of course, the waterlilies.
Monet’s Gardens
Monet’s Gardens
Monet died in 1926 at 86 years old. He had been in Giverny for more than half his life, and the gardens were mature and substantial by that time. The houses and outbuildings flowed seamlessly with the gardens throughout the 2 and a half acres.
Monet’s Family Home
A Renoir in the house
Today the garden’s and the house are managed by the Foundation Claude Monet . The gardens are cared for year-round but are only open to the public April 1st to November 1st. We enjoyed seeing it in the fall, when everything was still in bloom but also a bit large and chaotic and overgrown. It was both dazzling and disordered and I loved it.
Beautiful day and fun tour
A Few Tips For Monet’s Giverny and A Wee Bit More
Come in the fall or spring when there are less visitors. The tour buses and groups seem to arrive in the morning, so wait to enter until a bit later. Allow two hours at least and don’t miss going inside the house to see how Monet and his family lived and his collection of priceless art from well known painters. We arrived at 10:30 in the morning, did the full walk on our own, and then did it again because the tour groups had left and it was much quieter. I loved the second time around because we noticed new things. I took photos of many plants I’d like to add to my own garden.
Monet’s Gardens
You can make this a day trip from Paris (many people do) but again I recommend staying, strolling, eating and breathing the beauty of Monet’s Giverny and A Wee Bit More.
Last month when I was in Wisconsin with some friends, they mentioned this term “Coastal Grandma”. I had heard the term but really hadn’t paid any attention. I asked my friends what a Coastal Grandma was and they described the fashion and interior design aesthetic that is apparently all the rage thanks to TikTok.
Only a few days after I returned to my summer home in Washington State another friend of mine told me that I was “a Coastal Grandma before it was cool”. Wait. What? Okay time to explore what is this and am I one? And does that make me cool?? Do I want to be cool? Coastal Grandma – Does That Make Me Cool?
Coastal Grandma
On closer inspection I learned that you don’t need to live on the Coast (I don’t), be a Grandma (I’m not) or frankly even be of my generation (fabulous sixties) to embrace the Coastal Grandma aesthetic. And indeed I guess I have been embracing it to some extent long before it was cool.
Love this all cotton ensemble with eyelet skirt and fresh white button down from Talbots
Fashion
Apparently it’s Coastal Grandma cool to wear comfortable yet stylish clothes with simple lines that are made of natural fabrics often in soft tones of whites and beige. Okay, well I got some of that covered. But, with my skin tone and silver hair I tend to gravitate away from beige and instead choose bold and bright colors that flatter my hair color and skin.
Cream Linen pants and tank and silk kimono is so versatile and cool and comfortable too
That said I have been promoting for years the amazing natural fabrics, especially linen, that I find perfect for travel and warm climates. Yes, linen wrinkles, but there are many linen pieces out there now that don’t wrinkle, and especially in humid climates the wrinkles fall out as soon as the fabric is against your body. I adore linen and I have no less than two dozen items in my closet made of linen including pants, tops, dresses and cardigans. I also own a lot of cotton pieces, silk blends and lightweight knits.
Linen dress is lined and perfect for a summer wedding and travel too from Ann Taylor
I guess Talbots must be Coastal Grandma cool because a large percentage of my wardrobe comes from Talbots (with a few pieces also from J Jill, Ann Taylor and Tommy Bahama). Without knowing I was Coastal Grandma cool I have been collecting items over the past five years that work well for travel, are easy to care for, stay bright after multiple washings, hold their shape and look appropriate on my fabulous sixty something body. Who knew it was cool? I just thought it was comfortable.
White linen cool and comfy for tropical islands
I’ve thrown a few photos in here of some of my more recent purchases that will be in my suitcase when we head out for long-term travel again this fall.
White linen slacks and easy v -neck cotton blend pullover for cool summer nights. Talbots.
Interior Design
I love my little house that we have been working on for the past few years. We have created a comfortable and cozy space that is bright and airy to spend the summer months when in Washington State. Eventually when we no longer travel for long portions of each year it will be a perfect place for the two of us to grow old together.
Master Bedroom
A departure from previous houses I have had, I wanted this house to have a similar and light color pallette throughout. We did this with matching wall colors, matching floors and matching cabinetry throughout. By adding a hint of natural colors to different rooms we have created a functional and cheerful space. I just love it.
Master Bedroom
One of my favorite rooms is the Master Bedroom which is natural whites with a touch of sea blue. The master bath is also natural whites with touch of gray and beige. This summer we have added a few accent walls in a few rooms including a pale blue in the reading room and a pale green in the entry. I used a new color pallette by Benjamin Moore that is designed to tie together and flow perfectly.
Master Bath
Although I had no idea I was creating Coastal Grandma vibe, but apparently I was and I like it no matter what other people think. It’s where I live and my goal is calm comfort.
Simple
My life took a dramatic turn when I retired nine years ago (about the same time this fabulous blog began) and that dramatic turn was purposeful and calculated. We wanted a simpler life, an easier life, a stress-free life and an affordable life. We choose not to burden our lives with committees, commitments and complications that didn’t fit our retired goals. We chose to let go of “stuff”. We choose minimalist comfort, intentional calm; we created time to do the things we love the most in our silver years, travel being one of the most important. That simple, unpretentious, comfortable and affordable life is what we have achieved.
Coastal Grandma? Well okay if that’s what you want to call it. I call it fabulous. Go. Be. Fabulous.
As you likely know if you have been following all these years, I track my reading year from July to July. Nothing fancy, just keep a little tally in my notebook of all the books I read. This year I read 80 books, and today I will share with you some of my favorites, once again, for Reading Wednesday Year In Review.
Over the past year I have written 52 book reviews, pulling into reviews my favorites of the 80 books. Sixty of the 80 were read on my kindle, five were traditional books, while 13 were audible books we listened to on road trips. Some of my top books of the year were on Audible…a fantastic way to enjoy a book while driving.
My Top Fifteen
So today I will share with you my top 15 of my Reading Wedensday Year in Review, beginning with my top five in order;
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doer – This remarkable book is either loved or hated, but for me, it was one of the most beautifully written, uniquely plotted, and astonishingly creative books of the past several years. I admit, if you can’t spend the time really digging deep to understand the complicated plot, (which jumps from medieval times to the distant future) you might not like it. It is not for the faint of heart. But it took my breath away and it is my favorite book of this year. This is a story of how life goes on.
Trust by Hernan Diaz – Like Cuckoo Land, Diaz is brilliant in plot development of Trust taking multiple complicated storylines and weaving them beautifully into a book I could not put down. The story of early 19th century Wall Street is written in several different styles, and it adds to the fun and intrigue of this great book. This is a story of things aren’t always what they seem.
Project Hail Mary by Anthony Weir – to be honest I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Generally I’m not a Science Fiction reader, but Weir’s story of a space mission to save the Earth had me falling in love with the characters (both human and not) and enjoying every aspect of this fun and exciting adventure story. This is a story of friendship and heroes.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabelle Wilkerson – last year one of my top books was Caste by Isabelle Wilkerson. When I learned she had an earlier book, I really wanted to read it. In this story Wilkerson’s vast research and interviews bring to life in the pages what it was like for the black population in the American South in the years after the Civil War. She follows a handful of real people as they make the life changing decision to leave the racially toxic southern states for points north and west. It’s a brilliant book that every American should read. This is a story of America’s racial tension then and now.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel – Mandel’s Station Eleven was one of my favorite reads of 2018, and once again she captivated me with Sea of Tranquility. It’s another story of alternate realities, looking both forward and back and ultimately leaving the reader wondering about their own daily reality. Is what we do and see each day real? Or is it all an illusion. This is a story about time and place and the human experience.
And Ten More I Loved
In no particular order, these ten more I recommend very highly;
3. So Brave Young and Handsome by Leif Enger – This is story about the early 1900’s in the United States and coming to terms with aging and choices we have made. Sentimental.
4. The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn – This is a story of WWII and brave females who changed the course of the war. Exciting.
6. Playing With Myself by Randy Rainbow – This book is about more than a comedian and satirist – it’s about growing up, coming out and love that binds through thick and thin. Heartfelt.
7. The Candy House by Jennifer Eagan – This book is about a near future life where the internet rules our thoughts and memories. Creepy.
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – This book is a classic American novel about a young girl coming of age in tenement in Brooklyn in the early 1900’s. Wonderful.
10. The Maid by Nita Prose – This is a book about a quirky and lonely young women who finds adventure as a maid in a swanky hotel. Hilarious.
Go Read a Book and Explore a New World
Thanks for reading my Reading Wednesday Year in Review. I always welcome book suggestions, and I hope some of these make their way onto your reading list. Reading, like travel, is a door to understanding the world. Go read a book.
This island. It will always hold a very special place in my heart. I truly love it for so many reasons. Cyprus in my heart forever.
How do I love thee? Let’s count the ways…
1.)Lockdown 2020
The day before lockdown…we had no idea what was coming in March 2020
In March 2020 after fleeing lockdown in Israel we landed in Cyprus. Our thoughts at the time were that we would sit tight for two or three weeks and wait out this crazy Corona thing. Five days later, we went into total lockdown which I always describe as house arrest. We could only leave our house once a day with permission from local Cyprus authorities, which we obtained through an app on our phones. What initially was presented as a ten-day lockdown became two months for us…and even longer for the Cypriot people.
Empty Cyprus airport Spring 2020
The airport shut down with no flights in or out, and so we hunkered down for a long stay. It was March, still cool in the Mediterranean, but dry and sunny most days. All archeological sites and museums, all beaches, trails and recreational facilities were closed. As well as all shops and restaurants except for a handful of grocery stores and pharmacies.
My friend Patience who helped me stay sane during lockdown
Lockdown 2020 on Cyprus was definitely not something we had on our travel itinerary, but it became one of the most unique and memorable experiences of our life – putting Cyprus in my heart forever.
2.)Lemon Grove Villas, Argaka
Lemon Grove Villa in the middle of a citrus grove
Lucky for us, we were in an Airbnb called Lemon Grove Villas in the tiny village of Argaka. Argaka is on the far northwest corner of the island, about as far as you can get from the international airport city of Larnaca.
Lemon Grove Villas
Not only was Lemon Grove Villa comfortable and spacious, but it also had one of the absolute best hosts we have had in all of our travels. Maria and Fytos were outstanding and made such an effort to make our unexpectedly long stay, unexpectedly comfortable.
3.)We Shall Return
Lemon Grove swimming pool
When we finally left Cyprus after two months, we vowed to return – and we kept that vow, returning 26 months later this past June. We only had a week this time, but we spent the entire week back at our beloved Lemon Grove Villa, getting to see our sweet hosts Maria and Fytos. And this time, thanks to fabulous weather, enjoying the beautiful pool.
4.)Sunshine and Sand
Sandy beaches
If you have been to Greece, Cyprus feels just like that. But without the crowds or the price tag. Sunny skies, turquoise water, beautiful beaches. It’s surprising Cyprus is not one of the Greek islands, but most Cypriots consider themselves Greek and you will see the Greek flag everywhere. At least on the Greek Cypriot side (south side) of this island.
5.)Ancient History, Recent History
Aphrodite’s Rock
This island is said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love. The island has been occupied by many civilizations dating back as far as far as the 12th century BC. Given its strategic position in the Mediterranean it’s no wonder so many wanted a piece of it over the millennia. Throughout the 140 mile long by 60 miles wide island you will find a fascinating array of ancient ruins and archeological sites all worth a visit.
Paphos Archeological Site (UNESCO)
More recent history has included a civil war in 1974 when Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, occupying and taking over entire cities including property and homes. Greek Cypriots fled south and Turkish Cypriots fled north, leaving everything behind. Still today Turkey has control of the northern part of the island but it is not recognized by the United Nations. It wasn’t until 2003 that a border crossing was opened. Today you can still see the sad remains of people’s homes and businesses abandoned and bullet ridden along the UN Buffer Zone.
Looking towards the former resort town of Famagusta, now a ghost town on the Turkish side of the occupied North
6.)Hiking and Running
Beautiful slot canyon hike
We love to run and hike and Cyprus offered beautiful and safe places to do both. In Argaka we ran nearly every day, both during lockdown and in our recent visit. And we also enjoyed several hikes along the ocean, in the mountains and through some glorious slot canyons.
Early morning beach run
7.)Food Glorious Food
Kleftiko one of the island’s famous dishes made with lamb
Very similar to Greek food, Cypriot food is abundant with fresh and locally grown produce. Throughout the island and especially in Argaka you will find citrus, olives, nuts, and berries growing next to wheat, barley, watermelons, zucchini and tomatoes. Honey and breads are abundant as are candies and amazing coffee. You can find local wine that is cheap and delicious and recently a surge of craft beer. It is a breadbasket of the Mediterranean. The cuisine includes a lot of fish, lamb, beef and chicken as well as yogurt, feta and amazing halloumi cheese. Oh my goodness. I was in heaven. Learn more about Cypriot foods and cooking in this post In the Cyprus Test Kitchen.
Grilled Octopus
8.) Kind and Hardworking People
Cyprus Cooking Class
And then there are the quiet and kind Cypriots. Some of the hardest working people I have ever met, yet always ready with a shy smile and a welcome.
Cyprus in My Heart Forever
Orthodox Church in Argaka
What more could anyone want in a destination? It’s inexpensive, beautiful, delicious and great weather. There is interesting history and architecture, nature and views. Each city offers a wide variety of accommodations and restaurants. If I compare it to Maui it is half the price or less, with fewer tourists and traffic. For Americans it’s a bit difficult to get to, but there are lots of direct flights from London, so that’s typically the best way to get here. But however you get here, just get here.
The UN Border crossing between Cyprus and the occupied north
I am already working on a plan to get back to Cyprus for a long extended visit in 2024. Cyprus, in my heart forever.
Back in the USA, the place we like to spend our summers. But this summer is going to be a bit chaotic, as we have several stateside trips planned and we head off again in the fall.
Home
As much as we love our travel life, it’s always nice to get back “home” to familiar things. Our house was painted while we were gone, and I’m very anxious to see it and my garden as well. We have a few tiny projects around the house this summer but not many, particularly since we will have so little free time.
House getting painted
Family
Spending precious time with our sons, and our parents and other family is our priority this summer…time is fleeting and we are aware. We hope to have some free time to see dear friends as well.
Family time
Back in the USA – A Brief Visit
We hit the ground running on June 30th, because we depart again mid July. My husband is off to Alaska with some college friends while I am off to Wisconsin to explore with some girlfriends.
Back we both come for a few weeks at home before we head to Oregon for a week with Arne’s family in an Airbnb in Sunriver. That should be a fun time.
We return to our home in Port Orchard briefly before heading to Jolly Ole England for a quick visit. In an effort to use the last of our vouchers from a trip cancellation due to Covid, we will have a quick visit to Guernsey and Jersey before an also brief visit to Normandy and Paris France.
Returning from Europe we fly to Maine for another college reunion “camping”. Arne then heads back to Port Orchard while I head to Palm Springs for a high school girl friends reunion. Phew. This is gonna be crazy.
All of that will happen between June 30 and October 4, and then on October 20th we head out for seven months of travel that will include Maui, Roatan Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Bolivia, the Carribean and a few stateside stops.
Yep. We are on the go. I plan to keep the blog going as much as possible through it all, so thanks for all your love, comments, support, interest and encouragement. Our travel life is My Fab Fifties Life and we love having you along for the ride! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
See last week’s post about our Marvelous Malta time! And watch for next week’s post about Israel.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
