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Away We Go – The Grand Adventure Begins Again

The Americas – North, Central and South

October 21, 2022

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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.

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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?

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.

See last week’s post Eating My Way Through Paris

Photos in today’s blog post from Canva.

See this week’s top performing pin Capsule Wardrobe for A Three Week Trip.

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Europe Travel

Monet’s Giverny and A Wee Bit More

The Colorful Normandy & Brittany Region of France

October 7, 2022

Laureen

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

See last week’s post about Visiting the English Channel Islands Guernsey and Jersey here. Be sure to check back next week to read about Eating Our Way Through Paris.

See this week’s top performing pin here Fabulous Travel Wardrobe with Just One Suitcase.

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Europe Travel

Visiting the English Channel Islands Guernsey & Jersey

September 30, 2022

Laureen

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We meant to visit here in 2020. But…well, you know. When our travels were shut down in 2020 we eventually got refunds for most of our reservations. But in Guernsey and Jersey we received vouchers from Expedia to be used at a later date for our hotels. And so, 26 months after our original booking we are visiting the English Channel Islands Guernsey & Jersey.

We came with few expectations, just a desire to see a place we have never been. We knew only a bit about these islands and arrived with an open mind. Our stay on both islands was very short. But we enjoyed a taste of these unique places.

Where Is Guernsey and Jersey?

Protectorate countries today, Guernsey and Jersey retain their association with the United Kingdom, despite the geographic location close to France. We flew direct to Guernsey from Gatwick Airport London, a flight that took about an hour. Our flight on to Jersey three days later was the shortest flight we have ever taken, only eleven minutes.

A Brief History

This islands separated from mainland Europe about 6000 years ago and prehistoric evidence has been found. Third century Roman occupation of Europe brought settlers fleeing to the islands and Christianity arrived in the 10th century. The islands fell under the Duchy of Normandy and then King John of England throughout the middle ages. Little changed in the next centuries as the islands were a disputed stronghold.

As Napoleon and the wars of modern times unfurled, the islands once again found themselves under occupation due to their strategic location in the theater of war. Following German occupation during WWII the islands recovered industry, and tourism began to boom in the 1960’s.

Today the people of Guernsey and Jersey are British nationals. The islands are known as Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey, self-governing but under the protection of Britain.

Guernsey Things to Do

Guernsey is very small, only about 6 miles long and 3 miles wide. However since it is very rural we decided to rent a car during our short three night two day visit. Driving in Guernsey is a bit nerve racking…tiny one lane roads dominate the island. If you aren’t up to tackling these roads, the island has a very well run bus transit system.

During our two days we enjoyed a handful of the highlights of the island, but there are many more places to see with more time available. You can learn more at Visit Guernsey.

German Underground Hospital – both islands are home to several museums, tunnels and sites related to the five year occupation of the island by the Nazi Germans during WWII. We chose to visit the German Underground Hospital site. It was fascinating. More than 70,000 square feet, hand dug tunnels that served for a very short time as a hospital and ammunitions storage during the war. Absolutely fascinating. Be sure and have a coat or sweater as the tunnel is very cold.

Little Chapel – In 1914 Brother Diodat began a labor of love to build this beautiful tiny chapel and cover every surface with pottery and tile. It’s a lovely thing to see and enjoy and I highly recommend a brief visit.

Jerbourg Headland Coastal Hike – as I’m sure you know, we love to walk and hike, and the island of Guernsey offers some lovely pastoral and coastal walks. We chose to do a coastal walk on the Jerbourg Headland. From the easy parking access at the start (with restrooms), we wandered the coastal trail with stunning views south east. It was a foggy morning and we saw a bit of rain, but still the views were great…I’m sure on a clear day you could see forever. Some steep parts but not a difficult hike.

Low Tide Visit to Lihou Island – at low tide you can make the trek on the causeway to Lihou Island. Be sure to check the tidal chart or risk getting stuck on the island. At low tide the path and causeway is exposed, though not completely dry so wear the proper footwear to make the trek. Enjoy a brief walk and maybe a picnic on the island before returning the way you came. No services on the island, except for a self-catering hostel for groups with advance reservation. A unique experience, a must when in Guernsey.

Saint Peters Port – on the east side of the island is the capital city of Guernsey St. Peters Port. A lovely little coastal town, with shops, restaurants and historic sites including the home of Victor Hugo and the historic Town Church – the oldest in the Channel Islands.

Guernsey Restaurant Recommendations

The Hook – the best meal we had on Guernsey hands down was at The Hook. In fact it was one of the best meals on our two week trip. The Hook is located right in St. Peter’s Port. Be sure to make a reservation for this popular spot. I enjoyed a lovely cod dish and my husband had the Beef Wellington.

Crabby Jacks – Much more casual and on the west side of the island facing Vazon Bay; we stopped for a late lunch early dinner at Crabby Jacks after our low tide walk. Lots of fried fish, burgers and salads, my husband had authentic fish and chips while I really enjoyed a delicious fish pie topped with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Jersey Things to Do

We arrived Jersey via a very short flight from Guernsey and had two nights and two full days here. This island is bigger than Guernsey but not by much, coming in at nine miles by five miles. The main city of St. Helier is very cosmopolitan and quite beautiful. We chose to stay close to St. Helier and not rent a car. But with a car, or on a island tour bus (all were full so we couldn’t do this), you can easily see the sites of the island that includes multiple castles and forts as well as WWII tunnels.

Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, Saint Helier – this small but very interesting museum in the heart of the port city is a great place to start and learn the history of this fascinating island and its people. Run by the Jersey Heritage Foundation, we particularly enjoyed a very well done film with a great historic story told through today’s residents. A must in St. Helier.

Elizabeth Castle – Also run by Jersey Heritage visiting Elizabeth Castle is fun and interesting. Don’t miss it. Access to the island castle just off shore is by amphibious boat, or at very low tide you can walk to the island. We enjoyed the boat ride and a self-guided tour of the Castle on a beautiful sunny day.

Saint Aubin and Portelet Bay – on our second day in Jersey the sun shone bright and we decided to do a very long walk from St. Helier to Portelet Bay. This walk took us through the tiny seaside hamlet of Saint Aubin and then up and over the hill to Portelet Bay on the other side. A total round trip on foot of eleven miles; we enjoyed ocean views, pastoral fields, cows and crops and forests. This route would be very easy to do with a car. From St. Helier to St. Aubin you can enjoy Le Petit Train, a 35 minute ride in the summer months. I highly recommend it.

Jersey Restaurant Recommendations

La Taverne – we booked this restaurant in advance, a highly rated small space not far from our hotel. I enjoyed Dover Sole (a favorite of mine) and my husband had veal and oysters. Very good and the service was great.

Quayside – our taxi driver from the airport told us this restaurant was his favorite on the island, but highly recommended getting a reservation no matter where we planned to go as Saturday’s could be very busy. So we were happy to find online an early dinner opening. Covered outdoor seating with a view of the marina, the food was really delicious although our waitress seemed distracted. I enjoyed fish again and Arne had a ribeye steak.

How to Get Here?

Boarding the ten minute flight from Guernsey to Jersey

If you are in the United Kingdom or France flights are easy to either island. You can also take a ferry from Saint Malo, Brittany, France which is what we did leaving Jersey and going to France. The ferry was huge and it was also packed on a sunny Sunday. Many people make the trip as a day trip and turn around and go back the same day. Try to do this on a weekday instead to avoid the crowds. You will need to pass through passport control as United Kingdom is no longer in the EU.

We flew between the islands, but there is also a ferry. The flight was only slightly more expensive and took ten minutes as opposed to two hours so we decided flying was better for us due to our tight travel schedule.

A Few Other Things to Know

Very narrow roads on the island of Guernsey

Weather can be windy and rainy anytime of the year. We experienced, sun, rain, wind and fog all during our short visit. The British pound is accepted on both islands and credit cards are used everywhere. Wifi service is strong and reliable. Driving on Guernsey is not for the faint of heart but doable, Jersey roads are better. Transit and taxis are widely available on both islands.

Agriculture

Both Guernsey and Jersey are known throughout the world for the quaility dairy produced by the Guernsey and Jersey Cows. The cows and the cream are highly prized

Additionally both islands produce cider from locally grown apples. Both alcoholic cider and non-alcoholic I had the cider several times and it was very refreshing. On the island of Jersey the grown the world famous Jersey Royal potato. We were served the potato at most of our meals and it is small, tender and very delicious.

Visiting the English Channel Islands Guernsey & Jersey

Thanks for reading our post this week Visiting the English Channel Islands Guernsey & Jersey. I hope you will come back next week to read about our visit to Monet’s Gardens in Giverney.

Hiking on Guernsey. Come prepared for all weather.

See last week post Most Romantic Sunsets Around the World

See This week’s top performing pin here Capsule Wardrobe For Three Week Trip.

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Capsule Wardrobe for Three Week Trip

Carry On Luggage Only for Three Weeks

September 9, 2022

Laureen

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Airline travel is stressful these days. Lost luggage, canceled flights, delays. It’s a tough time in the travel industry. Up until this year, our six years of the Grand Adventure has been relatively stress free with limited luggage or flight issues, six years and 161 flights, we only lost luggage twice (see last week’s blog about this Around the World Nine Times Lost Luggage Twice). But it’s a different beast now, and so I’ve put together a capsule wardrobe for three week trip we are embarking on.

We booked this trip last spring, before so much airline trouble began. I’m hopeful we might be past the worst of the summer travel nightmare, but still am not going to take a chance checking my bags. This trip is tight between flights, and I have enough to worry about with connections and potential cancellations I don’t want to worry about luggage too. So for the first time I am doing carry on only, so needed a capsule wardrobe for three week trip.

Although I consider myself a really good packer, when we go for months at a time I never do carry on only because I need to bring so many things like months worth of contact lenses, or months worth of prescription meds. I also carry our French press, the mug, laundry supplies, first aid and toiletries for extended travel.

Carry on to avoid loosing luggage (canva)

All that said it’s time to tighten up the bags, and this trip, just under three weeks, gives me a good opportunity to give it a try with a capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I’ve learned a lot from my friend Katherine who writes a blog called The 5kilo Traveller. Her information and instagram posts are helpful and inspirational. Check her out on Instagram and her blog here.

What is a Capsule Wardrobe

With just a little bit of planning, it was easy to pull together a capsule wardrobe for travel from my pieces I already have. A capsule wardrobe is a small wardrobe with multiple pieces that you can mix and match and layer and use in various ways. A capsule wardrobe starts with a simple color pallet. I chose black and white for my pants. Then added in pieces that I can mix and match.

Of course your capsule wardrobe will vary depending on your travel destination and the weather. But you should be able to bring the same number of items for five days as you might for five weeks. It’s all in the planning.

My Trip

I’m headed to the English Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, followed by a few days in France. Then I return to the USA via Boston and head immediately to Acadia National Park in Maine for five days of camping. So my capsule wardrobe needs to consist of comfortable and versatile clothes for fall weather that could be in the 70’s or the 40’s, sunshine or rain, as well as both city strolling or rugged hiking.

Layers on the Plane

It’s rare you get blankets on the plane anymore so I like to have a coat handy to use as a blanket. This is my airplane outfit in this photo. It consists of layers that should keep me comfortable no matter the temperature of the plane…and you never know what that will be. Also by layering I’m able to wear several items instead of squeezing them into my bag.

Airplane layers in Capsule Wardrobe colors

My airplane outfit is a tshirt, long sleeve cotton button up blouse and a cotton long sleeve sweatshirt paired with black leggings and my running shoes. The leggins will be handy for the camping portion of our trip and will likely serve as pajamas while camping too.

Black and White

I am packing one pair of black slacks, one pair of white slacks and one pair of black shorts. These staple bottoms will carry me through most days. To mix and match with these three bottoms (and also the leggings) I have another short sleeve tshirt in a bright pink, one yellow tank top, one blue linen lightweight blouse, one blue linen long sleeve blouse, a sweater set (polka dot and black) and a black and white pullover cotton sweater. These all mix and match with the airplane outfit items.

Dresses

If we get fine weather in the Channel Island and France I have packed two cotton dresses. My green TravelSmith dress has been a workhorse in my travel wardrobe for years. And this orange cotton dress I added this year from Talbots. I can layer both of these with the black sweater or checked blouse. I’ve thrown in one scarf.

Camping

In addition to the leggings and the tshirts already mentioned I have packed my long hiking pants, my hiking shorts, my short sleeve hiking shirt, a long sleeve tshirt and a lightweight quick dry hiking sweatshirt. Camping could be wet, my Gortex jacket with hood will serve for both rain and warmth.

Shoes

It’s always hard for me not to bring too many shoes, so the fact that I’ve decided to only bring two pairs is kind of amazing. I am wearing my black running shoes on the plane and though I don’t plan to run during this trip, these shoes can be walking and hiking shoes as well. In addition I am bringing my new white leather sneakers from Soludos. These work with everything including dresses.

And Everything Else

Beyond my wardrobe I will be bringing underwear, first aid, one towel, a paired down toiletries bag, travel alarm and a small travel umbrella. We also have purchased two collapsible water bottles and we will try those out for the first time as well as a new collapsible hot water heater. I’m curious to see how I like that. I always carry my laptop, kindle, cords and chargers too. I have a new over the shoulder travel purse for my documents, passport, cash and credit cards as well as a few essentials for the airplane like my noise canceling headphones, lip balm, Tylenol and tiny toothbrush and toothpaste for the plane.

And one more thing – if you aren’t using packing cubes go buy some now! Game changer.

And That’s It

So that is my capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I feel good about my choices. It won’t surprise me if I end up not using something, but that said I still don’t think I have over packed. It’s actually a fun challenge for me. If it goes well, we will see if I can compress when we leave for seven months in October.

Be sure to check with YOUR airline as there are some differences as far as carry on size allowed. A little planning and you should be good to go.

Thanks for reading my post Capsule Wardrobe Three Week Trip. Be sure to see last week’s post about our data from six years of world travel and airports and airlines around the world Nine Times Around the World Only Lost Luggage Twice.

See this week’s top performing pin here Coastal Grandma Does That Make Me Cool?

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Europe Travel -- Island Life

Cyprus In My Heart Forever

July 22, 2022

Laureen

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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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

8.) Kind and Hardworking People

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

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.

Learn more about the Civil War and unrest in Cyprus through this beautiful book The Island of Missing Trees.

Read our post the Cyprus Test Kitchen here.

See last week’s blog post about our trip to Israel, Visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back.

See this week’s top performing pin Authentic Moroccan Food Tour

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Inspire

Travel Wardrobe for Multiple Climates

April 8, 2022

Laureen

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We are excited to launch again…headed out this time for ten weeks of travel as we settle back into a life of long-term travel. Unlike our two months in French Polynesia, the next ten weeks have us in nine countries. It’s going to be a whirlwind. Unlike French Polynesia this time I have to think about a travel wardrobe for multiple climates.

Where Are We Going?

This black trench from Calvin Klein I got at Marshal’s for $15.99! I will wear this a lot.

I have a blog coming up next week where I will share our full itinerary, but for the purposes of today’s post, we are headed out to New York City, the Caribbean Islands, North and West Africa, Paris and the Mediterranean. Packing for these ten weeks means I need slacks and dresses, coats and walking shoes, shorts and tank tops as well as respectful attire for Muslim countries that will be hot in the day and cool at night. It’s a challenge to create this travel wardrobe for multiple climates without over packing.

But I’m always up to a challenge.

New York and Paris

I’ll be in New York City for eleven days and Paris for only one. Both cities could have temperatures anywhere from 45 Fahrenheit to 75. It’s hard to say. Since for the last few years our travels have mostly been to tropical locales, I went out and did some shopping for a variety of new items that I hope will be useful and stylish and flow seamlessly into my existing travel wardrobe.

I bought these black crepe pants at Talbots that I think I am going to love. I also bought a white t-shirt, white button down and a little black and white shrug. Here are four ways I can wear the black crepe pants in the big cities. You’ll see these tops used over and over in the weeks ahead.

I’m also bringing my navy linen pants. They are lightweight and I can dress them up or down. Here they are four ways for both the city and rural destinations;

Morocco

We are really excited to return to Morocco, this time with our two adult sons. Together the four of us will travel for one week, then we will attend a very formal and traditional Moroccan wedding in Fes. The bride and groom are special and dear to us, and we are excited to share this event with them. Carrying formal clothes is definitely not something we normally do. We even purchased a new suit bag to make this easier. We are sending the suit bag with our sons and will ship it home with them too (maybe with some other items) giving us more flexibility with our bags. Here are three formal looks for me;

Probably wear this to the wedding. I love the fit of this dress from Ann Klein

This dress never wrinkles. Might wear this for the wedding breakfast. From Tommy Bahama

And my husband’s wedding looks;

And Into the Oven

Two stops in the Caribbean, Senegal and three countries in the Mediterranean will put us back into tropical weather with highs in the 80’s and lows in the 70’s. Of course we love this weather and already have the wardrobe for it. I purchased two new swimsuits from RipCurl (my new favorite) and have done some mixing and matching in my current tropical wardrobe. Since I am a big fan of linen in the heat, some of my favorite linen pieces have made the cut for this trip. Yes linen wrinkles but in warm humid climates the wrinkles just fall away once the garment is next to my body. We will be in Muslim countries as well as conservative Israel where covering shoulders and sometimes knees is required. I can do that with linen pants, dresses with sleeves and scarves and sweaters. I purchased another item, this rust colored duster which I hope will be versatile. It’s from JJill. Here are some of my new and recycled pieces that made the cut.

This sundress is several years old, topped with the duster

Shoes, Always Too Many Shoes

Shoes create havoc in my packing process, and this time, with the formal events, I am even more stymied on how to not over pack the shoes. But, here are the ones I plan to take, more than usual. Some are new and some are tried and true;

Two new for formal events – I’ll send these with our sons

Ecco brand is comfort all the way, and I love both these shoes for travel

Sneakers for many reasons; walking, running, hiking and more

The Hubs

My husband indulges me with selfies most of the time, but was reluctant to let me photograph him for this blog post. I talked him into it though, because I convinced him this time to update his wardrobe with a few contemporary pieces. He is a pretty simple guy, and especially for travel has found his favorite and minimalist travel pieces and rarely needs anything more. But we did a shopping trip for him this month, and I think he looks amazing in his new travel wardrobe for multiple climates. These items plus the linen blazer (see above) will be great additions.

Versatile Henley and new shoes by Cole Haan

He loves these slacks, they are a nice fabric by Perry Ellis

And All the Rest

The total going into the bag for me (I may edit further) is;

3 pants
1 walking shorts
1 hiking shorts
2 t-shirts
2 tank tops
2 short sleeve blouse
3 long sleeve blouse
2 lightweight sweater
1 linen duster
4 sundresses
1 denim jacket
2 formal dresses
2 swimsuits
1 sarong
1 coat and 1 windbreaker
running clothes

It looks like a lot of clothes, but actually it is less than I have brought in the past. And before it all goes in the suitcase I will likely edit it down further. I’ve learned what works and what ends up just being dead weight. I don’t really think much anymore about my toiletries, my jewelry or other items we carry regularly. We have a good system now that includes first aid, our French press, The Mug, a foldable cooler, a beach bag and usually some spices and coffee. Our cords and electronics are all conveniently organized in what we call our gadget bag and it all runs pretty smooth. We covet our packing cubes that are life altering and after so many flights and hundreds of thousands of miles, we are kinda experts with this.

After seven years we continue to use our two REI roller duffel bags. Arne replaced all four wheels on these bags this month and they should be good for thousands more miles. These bags are true workhorses and we love them.

Travel Wardrobe for Multiple Climates

It’s with caution that we launch this next episode of The Grand Adventure. We are excited and ready to tackle the challenges travel presents in this crazy world. Of course we always travel with caution, and will of course do so again…and still look amazing and be comfortable in our travel wardrobe for multiple climates.

I hope you will come back next Friday to read about our nine stops on our itinerary, and why we have chosen these places to visit – we have put a lot of heart and soul in these choices. It’s going to be an amazing journey, and I can’t wait.

Thank you for reading this week’s post Travel Wardrobe for Multiple Climates. We love it when you pin and share our posts. Thank you.

See this week’s top performing pin here Nashville for First Timers.

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Reading Wednesday

Book Review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel

Conscious, Caring Women Who Make a Difference

April 6, 2022

Laureen

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One of the most fun things for me about traveling all over the world and being a travel writer, is meeting so many other travelers and travel writers. One travel writer I consider a friend is Heather Markel, despite the fact we have never met in person! Heather and I will meet for the first time when I am in New York later this month. She has a wonderful story about how she became a full-time traveler, and it is one story featured in this week’s book. Here is my book review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel.

Voices of the 21st Century

This book is the fifth in a series of Voices of the 21st Century books, highlighting women who make a difference. This book focuses on a series of inspirational essays where women from all walks of life and from many countries share. From triumphs to tragedies, these brave women motivate and galvanize through their writing. They influence and encourage other women to overcome, validate and soar.

My Favorites

I really enjoyed reading all of these essays (a total of 50) but certainly had a few I identified with the most. Of course I enjoyed my friend Heather’s story (page 97) about leaving the corporate chaos for a life of travel. And here are a few more that really spoke to me;

Clearing the Clutter by Sandra Ateca page 5

Dear Younger Me by Kim Combs page 25

Impacting the World One Child at a Time by Dr. Gloria Gonzalez page 41

Dear Zan: A Letter to My Younger Self by Zaneta Varnado Johns page 61

Nature is Conscious by Chiara Marrapodi page 101

An Ever-Evolving Journey: Coal-Mine Canary to Living Legend by Dr. Michelle St. Jane page 133

Calling All Parents: Don’t Forget to Say Thank You by Janet J. Sawyer EdD page 149

And many more…as you can tell from the variety of titles these women discuss a wide range of experiences, challenges and achievements. There is truly something for everyone in this book. I enjoyed getting to know these remarkable women through their individual stories. I think you would too. Thank you for reading my book review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel.

Four Stars for Voices of the 21st Century

Read last week’s book review Short Night’s of the Shadow Catcher

My current read Taste – My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

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Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. We find inspiration in our Retired Midlife through travel and learning new cultures, writing and reading! What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! We write regular travel posts and book reviews and have been sharing this blog for 12 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!