My Fab Fifties Life - World Archives - Page 2 of 2

Inspire

Fabulous Travel Wardrobe with Just One Suitcase

Looking and Feeling Grand on the Grand Adventure

July 13, 2018

Laureen

Leave a Comment

16 Comments

Location: United States

After wearing the same clothes over and over on our Grand Adventure I was looking forward to some major shopping once I got back in the USA. I knew I could create a fabulous travel wardrobe that would fit in just one suitcase.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the past two months purging my old travel wardrobe and adding fresh new and fabulously fun and comfortable items. There are only five items from my previous wardrobe (excluding underwear) that make the cut for this next phase of my fabulous travel wardrobe.

The white dress five ways. This is from J. Jill. I’m gonna love this dress I think.

I have a really good understanding now of what works for me as a full-time traveler; what makes me feel good; is comfortable, pretty and easy to care for; what is well constructed and can withstand hand washing, sweat and constant wear; and most importantly what is versatile for many kinds of climates and all kinds of fabulous.

That’s what I look for in a fabulous travel wardrobe.

Black Dress six ways. This is a TravelSmith purchase, wrinkle free fabric. I love it. It made the cut for this next phase. Denim jacket is Levi. Black and white kimono scarf I bought in Bali. White tie blouse is from Macy’s.

Granted, most of the clothes I need are for warmer climates. However on this next phase we will see some cool weather, especially while we are in Spain and Portugal in late October and November. So I need to take this into consideration.

I’m basing my fabulous travel wardrobe on some anchor pieces including; one white dress, one black dress, one pink dress and one green dress. In addition I have added; one black linen drawstring pants, one white linen drawstring pants, one white walking shorts and one black walking shorts.

With these anchor pieces I have added multiple tank tops and t-shirts and blouses as well as one sweater, two cardigans and my denim jacket. I also have two kimono scarf wraps (one silk, one cotton) and two

The green dress four ways. This is another Travel Smith purchase. The silk Kimono scarf and the black leggings are from Sirvana

scarfs. All of these items together can create an endless array of options for me. The photos show just some of the ideas I have.

I also have a couple of fun hats and a small collection of versatile jewelry to mix and match. Although most of the time we aren’t getting dressed up, it’s nice to have some jewelry options for casual outfits as well.

My wardrobe includes

Pink dress four ways. I got this dress on a clearance rack at J.Jills. It’s linen – my favorite fabric. There is that Sirvana kimono again. Teal and pink scarf is from Target.

some handbags and six pairs of shoes. My shoe choices are flat or low heeled with excellent arch support and lots of comfort. Anything other than that doesn’t make the cut of a fabulous travel wardrobe.

In my suitcase you will also find my small collection of mix and match items that serve me for hiking, running and yoga. These activities are a big part of most every day in My Fab Fifties Life so making sure I am comfortable when I’m working out is a priority. Our fall hike of the Porto Camino will likely include some rainy days, so I am preparing with a better rain poncho

White pants and or shorts six ways. There are endless options here. Linen pants are Caslon from Nordstrom. The white shorts I have had for years. Black lace duster from Sirvana. Blue and white striped tank is DraperJane by Reece Witherspoon. White Lace tank from Travel Smith. Washed denim top from Marshalls and red top from StitchFix.

than the one I had last year on the Spain Camino.

I bought two of the same swimsuit but in different colors. This way I can wear the first one until it starts to fall apart and have a back up ready. I hated trying to shop for a swimsuit on our travels. And because I wear a suit almost every day, mostly in salt water, they really wear out. I’m also bringing my older one-piece suit that I found in storage. I prefer a one piece suit when snorkeling so I want to have it for those times.

Making the cut from last years wardrobe are my

Black pants and or shorts eight ways. Of course black is flattering, but these pants are also comfortable. Linen pants are Caslon from Nordstrom, black shorts I have had for years. Teal button up tank and print tank from J Jill. White top with black embellishment is from Macys. Mustard sweater is Coldwater Creek.

bold flowered print long sleeve gauze blouse. I love the color and comfort of this top and even though it’s long sleeved it is perfect in hot weather. It will come in handy in Muslim countries where I want to cover my arms.

My gear for running and yoga. Black shorts and shoes are Brooks. Leggings from Sirvana.

I’m also bringing my 12-year-old teal linen sundress which is my favorite and is a perfect beach coverup. I did some hand stitching to it this summer to fix the hem and some fraying. Good as new and ready to go again.

I have hiking options for all weather possibilities. And we likely will use them all! Most everything you see here is from REI. Poncho from Magellan. My hiking shoes are from Kuru- specifically designed for plantar fasciaitis.

In addition I’m throwing in my denim cropped white jeans. I’ve never had a more comfortable pair of jeans and they work in so many ways. A keeper for sure. My black shorts are also on the return list.

And finally, my black dress from Travel Smith I wore over and over on the last phase of our travels I will wear over and over on the next phase. This dress is a wonderful wrinkle free fabric and feels really good to wear.

There are a few other minor miscellaneous items I plan to bring, but I feel more pared-down than when we left two years ago. We both will continue to use our sturdy REI roller bags, now in their fourth year and who knows how many miles and baggage handlers they have endured. We had to change the wheels on one of them, and are carrying a set of wheels for the other bag just in case.

My swim attire – the blue and the green tops are identical except for color. I bought the Sarong in Bali and there is my old trusty teal linen sundress that has been around the world several times.

In addition Arne has his backpack and I have my new roller carry-on. I’m confident we will have plenty of room. Not only for our clothes but for all the other items (did you see the YouTube video we posted about packing non clothing items? We also posted a time-lapse on Youtube that is fun to watch).

The thing is, you would basically pack the same if you were going on a month-long vacation. Granted there are some things you wouldn’t need to pack (back up wheels for your suitcase or 12-months of contact lenses), but it’s essentially the same. I would most likely bring the same amount of clothes for a month as I am for a year, a fabulous travel wardrobe. It’s all about planning and knowing how to mix and match to feel and be your fabulous best. Everyday, every country, everywhere. Go. Be. Fabulous.

Launch is in T-minus 25 days!

Leave a comment

Inspire

Preparing to Travel Full Time – It’s In The Details

The Grand Adventure

July 5, 2018

Laureen

Leave a Comment

27 Comments

Location: United States

Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Note – at the request of one of my friends, I have updated this blog, originally posted in November 2016, with fresh new information. Enjoy it again.

“How exactly do you prepare to leave the country and travel full-time?”

As our departure day to leave the USA again grows near, this is the recurring question. People we meet often show, interest, surprise, envy, jealousy, horror and confusion. But most of all they are curious. How exactly do you prepare to leave the country and travel full-time?

The Grand Adventure Thailand

So over the past couple of weeks I have been pulling together some details to share again. A lot of details. In fact, I would answer the above question with a simple sentence. “It’s in the details.”

Before we embarked on the first phase of the Grand Adventure we spent several years preparing. A younger person, like my son, can prepare more quickly, in a matter of months. But for Fab Fifty rock stars like me and my husband, it took more time.

For us about three years.

The Grand Adventure Morocco

When the idea first sprouted, I knew immediately we would do it. Without a question I knew it was right for us. All while knowing it isn’t right for everyone.

In fact, making a major life change like this should take some serious soul searching – are you cut out for a life of travel? What is your tolerance level? Consider everything from beds to cultural customs when considering your personal tolerance for living outside of the United States. Do you have phobias? Afraid of bugs? Snakes? Rodents or people not like you? Are you afraid of cultures where everyone isn’t white? Are you willing to eat new foods, communicate in languages other than English and squat to go to the bathroom? Give it a think because, a life of full-time travel isn’t for sissies or intolerant people. You gotta be open, willing and fairly fearless while being smart, observant and adventurous.

Once you know your tolerance level that in-turn will help you determine your budget. Because if you are only willing to stay in upscale American style hotels, then your budget will need to look very different

The Grand Adventure Vietnam

from ours. Our travels have us staying in primarily Airbnb’s that average about $70. And honestly if you are only willing to stay in American brand hotels with 300 thread count sheets and someone to cater to your every whim – well, you should just stay in the USA. Because you will miss the most rewarding part of travel – getting out of your comfort zone and expanding your world view.

We have a daily budget of $200 all-inclusive (transportation, lodging, food and misc). This is plenty for most places and not enough for a few places, but we are frugal and hope it all evens out. Because the

The Grand Adventure Spain

reality is if we can’t stay within our designated budget then the Grand Adventure will be over, sooner rather than later.

Speaking of timeline – we don’t have one. This of course would not work for everyone, but for us it fits. We will continue the vagabond life as long as we are having fun. As soon as it becomes anything other than fun, we will wrap it up. But so far, 99% fun.

So listed below are some “details” on how to prepare to leave the country and travel full-time. Most of these things we have had to learn on our own – so if this list can alleviate any work for someone else considering traveling abroad full-time in retirement, use it well.

PURGE – we started our purge process more than two years before we put our house on the market, as we let go of nearly every bit of fluff we owned, including house, cars, boats, trailer, furniture and more. We have a 10×12 storage unit now that is holding what remains of our stationary lifestyle and life’s memories. During this same period we worked to purge my Dad’s house, remodel his place and get it on the market as well as move him to a smaller place. It was a big goal to get him out of his large house before we left. It was a huge job but it needed to be done.

The Grand Adventure Cambodia

DOCUMENTS – we updated our passports even though they were not expired, so we would not have any issues with needing to do that from abroad. We also updated our Washington State Drivers License. We will carry a copy of our marriage certificate with us but not our birth certificates because the passport is sufficient. We have researched every possible country we think we might visit to learn the entry/visa requirements. We are carrying extra passport photos because some countries require obtaining a visa on entry with photo. We also carry International Drivers License, even though we have NEVER been asked for one.

SPREADSHEET – we created a spread sheet, which is evolving constantly and we can access via Google Drive, to track all of our travel including air and ground transportation and lodging. This spreadsheet includes notes regarding entry rules for countries. It’s also a fun tool for tracking so many things from miles traveled to beds slept in. The data we have is incredible.

MAIL – we are using a PO Box that belongs to my Mother-in-law, but we are trying hard not to receive

The Grand Adventure Croatia

any mail. We have notified our friends and family not to snail mail us, we have contacted magazines and catalogs to eliminate junk (not very successful however) and we have changed all of our banking, retirement and property related mail to online only. I canceled my 35 year subscription to Bon Apetit.

TECHNOLOGY – we have new smart phones, an iPad and my Brand new light weight Mac Book that will travel with us. In addition we will bring our old flip phone. For our smartphones (we each have an iPhone) we buy a sim card in each country for one of our phones to enable the phone to have a local phone number and data. We then also use our iPhones with wifi for things like blogging, Facebook and Instagram. The flip phone is programmed with our old Verizon phone number from the states. Although we don’t plan to use that number often, it keeps it active for emergency.

The Grand Adventure Seychelles

We also have our Bose noise-canceling headphones and our Bose SoundLink Mini speaker that measures about 6 in x 3 in. We carry this with us and it allows us to listen to music using Spotify and listen to Audible or other books.

APPS – We have a few travel apps we like especially Airbnb, Expedia and Google Maps. We also have a Google translate which is really cool. You can point your phone at a sign or menu item in another language and it will show you what it says in English. Love it. We use WhatsApp, an app that allows you to make overseas calls via the internet, this is primarily the way we communicate with our kids. To call our parents, who aren’t on WiFi, we use an app called TextNow which allows free phone calls from anywhere to the USA. We also use Kindle, Yelp, Uber, Get Your Guide and Trip Advisor.

The Grand Adventure New Zealand

CORDS AND CHARGERS – I honestly don’t understand why there isn’t a universal cord for all electronics, but alas wishful thinking. So we have organized and sorted all our cords, charges and adaptors to travel along. We research ahead to make sure we know what adaptors we need in each country. We have one packing cube we use for all of these items.

CREDIT CARDS – don’t you hate it when your credit card company announces suddenly that you are being mailed a new credit card because your card has been compromised? Well that would really screw us up if that happens. So we have FOUR credit cards. One is our primary and three are backups. Three cards have no foreign transaction fees (which is a killer). We also have multiple ATM cards. All credit and debit cards are chipped. VERY IMPORTANT is that we do not carry all these cards together in one place. That way, if our wallet or purse is lost or stolen, we will have back up cards available in a different location. We have contacted all of the card companies for both credit and debit and let them know we will be traveling abroad for an extended period. We have put a reminder on our calendar to do this again periodically. We carry several hundred US dollar in cash for emergencies.

The Grand Adventure Portugal

PRESCRIPTIONS – I take two prescriptions regularly. It’s been a challenge to get enough of my meds stocked up. My insurance company will allow, with a special doctor’s note, two 90 day vacation overrides. I have been stocking up in other ways too, but it’s not going to be enough. I will need to find access to these meds to fill the rest of the time, because we won’t be back in the US for a visit until next summer. Shipping prescriptions abroad is illegal. We have some people coming to visit us, so I may have them bring me my pills. But I am confident I can find the meds or an equivalent. I will need to pay cash for those at the time. I have also 12 months worth of contact lenses and we each have our glasses plus a back up pair.

DOCTORS – during the three months we have been in the USA we have had a ton of appointments; family physician for full physicals, new prescriptions and precautionary antibiotics; eye doctor for new contacts and glasses; dermatologist for annual check up; dentist for cleaning and some work; gynecologist for check up; and annual mammogram. I had my updated yellow fever, and DPT shot and did a round of typhoid and got a two month supply of malaria meds.

MEDIVAC INSURANCE – considering our age, we felt there was value in purchasing evacuation insurance. This insurance covers expenses to transport us back to the USA in case of a medical emergency that can’t be handled locally.

The Grand Adventure Spain

EXPEDIA AND AIRBNB – we love how these two
online websites allow us to keep files of all your bookings. This eliminates the need for printing and gives us easy access to our bookings. We use them both frequently.

DECIDING WHERE TO GO – After two years of non-stop travel we feel much more comfortable with our movement around the planet. It feels natural. We usually agree on where we want to go and make our decisions based on budget, weather, safety and interest. We love to go new places, but have a few favorites we return to. We take turns planing the itinerary, often taking a country each.

Although we aren’t completely booked yet, we have a plan for August 2018 through June 2019 that includes; Denmark (visiting Arne’s cousins), Belgium, Germany, Poland, Romania, Greece, Egypt &Jordan (the only countries currently where we are doing a tour), Portugal & Spain (where we will walk our second Camino de Santiago), Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru & Chile (these five countries on a cruise with Arne’s Mom), Brazil, Costa Rica (joined by our friends from Washington), El Salvador, Belize (joined by our two sons), Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba.

The Grand Adventure Tunisia

GIRL STUFF – I’ve learned some things about myself over the past two years. Despite how easy it is to have long hair and wear it in a pony tail everyday, I just hate the look on me. So the budget will need to include more haircuts. Mostly I do my own nails and wear hardly no makeup, but I still like to have my eyebrows waxed from time to time. I have just a handful of earrings and necklaces I wear and of course the charm bracelet. I’ve just purchased a jewelry case that’s I hope will help my jewelry not take such a travel beating.

The Grand Adventure Australia

PACKING – this topic is by far the one most people ask about, and indeed one of the hardest. We will continue to use two large REI rolling bags. Arne will continue to use his backpack as a carry on. But this time my backpack will stay home and I just purchased a new rolling carry on. And packing cubes have changed my life. Organized and categorized I love using packing cubes.

It helps that we are traveling, for the most part, to warm climates or to areas during their warm season. We may see cool and rainy in Portugal and Spain in the late fall. Honestly the clothing choice has been easier than the shoes. And the bulkiest items are not clothes or shoes it’s toiletries and

The Grand Adventure Namibia

medicines. I just purchased a flat style toilette bag to replace the larger boxier cube style one we have been carrying. I’m hoping this will free up some space in the suitcase.

Without a doubt I am bringing twice the clothes as my husband, but I have learned so much this past two years for what works for me and what is comfortable and easy to maintain.

The Grand Adventure Laos

I threw out almost all the clothes I used the past two years and have replaced them with fresh, new and comfortable. Watch for a blog soon all about my new travel wardrobe. I think you’re gonna love it.

In addition we have our electronics and documents and toiletries, first aid and meds. We have our Scrabble game, our hiking poles, a selfie stick, an REI titanium French press, a can opener,a small knife, collapsible small cooler and colander. I have a new “butt cushion” to hopefully alleviate sciatic pain on long flights. I’ve thrown in some pens and pencils, scotch tape and packing tape, a bungee cord, cloths pens, plastic bags (multiple sizes) our headlamps and some extra batteries. Of course I don’t leave home without my Washington State University flag, my Seattle Seahawks flag and THE MUG.

So there you have it. The details. I’ve probably forgotten something. We feel more prepared and less anxious than when we left two years ago. We are looking forward to this next phase.

Ready to launch year three of the Grand Adventure! T minus 33 days.

I welcome your questions.

Fabulous!

Leave a comment

Asia & Oceania Travel

The Great Barrier Reef Australia

Just Keep Swimming

March 22, 2018

Laureen

Leave a Comment

16 Comments

Location: The Great Barrier Reef Australia

“Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills… When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming.” – Dory the Fish from Disney’s Finding Nemo

Nemo

Finding Nemo is one of my favorite Disney/Pixar movies, and this past week I have had endless Finding Nemo moments and quotes running through my head. Being

in Australia and finally snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, my thoughts have wandered to the

Reef and fish

adventures of that movie and I have smiled to myself underwater and thought “Just keep swimming.”

Although going out on a snorkel trip on The Great Barrier Reef took us way over our Grand Adventure daily budget (actually everything in Australia is

Birdseye view

taking us over budget), we could not come here to beautiful Cairns and not see the reef. It’s another one of those “I don’t have a bucket list” bucket list items. I love snorkeling and I wanted to have that once in a lifetime opportunity.

The weather on the day we went wasn’t great – grey and overcast and we even saw some rain. I am in constant worry about my motion sickness

Colorful

problem, so I stood outside and watched the horizon the entire hour and half boat trip out to the reef, even when the rain started to come down. Hey I was gonna get wet anyway right? Luckily, thanks to massive amounts of drugs, my sea sickness problem did not materialize while on the boat. That was a good sign!

“You got a problem, buddy? Huh? Huh? Do ya, do ya, do ya?” Dory

We booked our reef tour with Reef Magic out of

Marine World of Reef Magic

Cairns which took us to the outer reef and a pontoon platform stationed there called Marine World. We disembarked the boat to the pontoon and here we were outfitted with our snorkels, fins, masks and Lycra “stinger” suits to protect us from

Jellyfish

jellyfish.

“I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy.” Dory

Reef Magic offers many options from the pontoon, all at an additional charge including snorkel safari, snuba, scuba, glass bottom boat, semi-submersible boat and helicopter rides. But since

That’s us!

we had already exceeded our budget (for two of us we paid $426 Australian about $330 US), we were just interested in snorkeling. We were dressed and ready to go pretty quickly and one of the first people in the water.

Us with Wally

We immediately encountered “Wally”, one of the biggest fish on the reef. Luckily Reef Magic’s professional photographer was on hand as we entered the water and she got some amazing shots of us with Wally. All the photos in this blog are from Reef Magic’s professional photographer. Since we don’t have an underwater camera we have never gotten underwater photos on any of our snorkel trips on the Grand Adventure. So, despite the fact my husband almost wet his pants when I told him the price, we bit the bullet and bought the photos for an additional $75 (about

Hey Wally

$60 US).

“Ahh you guys made me ink.” Pearl

Wally is a resident fish of this part of the reef. He is an amazing species called Maori Wrasse. This fish is a female for the first eight years of its life. And then poof. It’s a male. I know – what the heck? Isn’t that nuts? Some times I think Mother Nature is menopausal!

Coral

After our encounter with Wally we began to explore the reef. Marine World has a cordoned off section of the reef for its guests to enjoy. Within this area there was a huge variety of corals; big, small, blue, green, orange, white. Some are soft and rounded, others spikey and dangerous looking. In all the

Coral

snorkeling I have done, I had never seen coral that waved in the current like it did here. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. Most of the coral we see in our lives is dead. And while its pretty even when it is dead and dry, the beauty of live coral is spectacular. Yes this is an incredible living

Coral

creature and we surely must protect it.

“Righteous! Righteous! ” Crush

So I loved the corals and kept going back for more of that but of course there were the fish. Many, many fish. I don’t know all their names, but they really are beautiful to watch. Some of the fish are very solitary, just going along and doing their

Fish!

business, feeding and swimming and doing what fish do. Other fish keep in groups, large schools that move together almost as one, weaving above and around the coral mountains. There are some fish that are so tiny you don’t even see them until you are swimming right through them, while others

Giant Clam

are so big that they freak you out a bit. Many fish are shy and you need to look inside the coral to find them. There are also beautiful giant clams, sea slugs, squid, eels and rays. And no we did not see any sharks.

Ray

“From this moment on, you shall now be known as Sharkbait.” Gill

We swam to the outer edge of the roped off area and we were alone in this section just as a beautiful turtle swam by on the surface. We

Turtle

almost missed him because we were looking down and he was swimming right next to us on the surface. But then he dived and we watched him swim to the bottom looking for a snack. I believe this was a loggerhead turtle. We had seen this kind in Sri Lanka. Beautiful brown bodies and not too large. We watched him swim away beyond the area we were confined to and into the great wide ocean.

“Saw the whole thing, dude. First you were all like “whoa”, and we were like “whoa”, and you were like “whoa…” Crush

After about an hour we went back to the pontoon to have a rest. Reef Magic served a buffet lunch

Pontoon

that included salads and fruit, bread, chicken, sushi, lasagna, curry and roast beef. But I only ate a little cause I continued to worry about my motion sickness. Arne ate my share. It all looked good. Coffee, tea and water was also available and a bar on the boat was open when we weren’t underway. Clearly they have had motion sensitive passengers before and they were well stocked with ginger beer (like ginger ale, non-alcoholic). My beverage of choice.

“I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine.” Bruce the Great White Shark

Fish in all sizes

We headed back out to snorkel more after lunch. The water seemed a bit calmer but it was also more cloudy so not as easy to see – but that was okay. We tried to swim to all the areas and to the far-reaching parts of the swimming area. We noticed most snorkelers stayed very close to the boat. Understandably if you are an inexperienced snorkeler or not comfortable in the water. Reef Magic had life jackets as well as float noodles and other devices for anyone looking for a little more reassurance.

Some are shy

We snorkeled for about 30 minutes and then decided to call it a day. We went back on the pontoon and stretched out on a lounge chair for the next hour and a half. Surprisingly, despite the overcast sky, it was warm and we both got a bit of a sunburn.

My Fab Fifties Life!

Finally it was time to turn in our gear and make our way off the pontoon and back to the vessel for the hour and half ride back. Once again I stood and watched the horizon the entire way, including during a deluge about half way home.

But I did it. I did not get sick. I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. I can check that off the “I don’t have a bucket list”

Dory

bucket list. And remembered to just keep swimming.

“Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.” Dory

Thanks goes to the wonderful photography of Reef Magic!

Read more of our Australia adventure here

This post includes affiliate links and I may receive a commission if you buy any of these products. Any money earned goes to help support the cost of the blog.

Leave a comment

Inspire

My Fab Fifties Life Travel Awards

And the Winner Is…

January 19, 2018

Laureen

Leave a Comment

8 Comments

Location: Travel Awards

And the Winner Is…

Oscar nominations this week! A big week if you are a movie fan – which of course I am but since I have not stepped foot in the United States in more than 14 months I haven’t seen any of this year’s big films. But instead I have seen a world of real life drama, fantasy, comedy, mystery and animation. Enough to last a life time. So in keeping with the announcement of this year’s Oscar Nominations, I give to you our picks for World Travel Awards, Best and Worst of 2017 and 2018 – My Fab Fifties Life.

And the winner is…

Hoi An Vietnam

DESTINATIONS

Favorite City – Hoi An Vietnam

By far our favorite destination in Vietnam with it’s colorful old town, beaches, rice fields and fabulous food. We loved this place and the airbnb we stayed in here.

Most Surprising – Namibia

We came to Namibia practically blind, allowing our tour guide from Wild Wind Safaris to hold our hand and we were not disappointed. A spectacular destination I think everyone should visit.

Best Value Destination – Bulgaria

We loved our month in the friendly, beautiful and historic country of Bulgaria where we didn’t

Bulgaria

meet any Americans. Put this inexpensive and great country on your bucket list and go!

Best Overall Scenery – New Zealand

Jaw dropping scenery no matter where you go or which way you look, New Zealand is an

Abel Tasman New Zealand

outdoor enthusiast dream and is stunningly beautiful.

Most Crowded City – Hanoi

The scooters alone make this wild city that never sleeps total chaos. Then add the cars, trucks, carts, pedestrians, vendors and well – its pretty wild.

Most Beautiful City – Split Croatia

Whether you are perusing the mega yachts in the

Diocletian’s Palace, Split

harbor or wandering through Diocletian’s Palace, Split is a magical place and my favorite Croatian city.

Most Interesting City – Fez Morocco

Around every corner as you get lost in Fez there is something interesting and amazing and I enjoyed this maze of a city

Fez Morocco

Most Disappointing City – Tangier Morocco

Getting lost in Tangier is easier but nowhere near as fun as getting lost in Fez. We found Tangier a bit of a disappointment.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Best Airbnb for Service – Asilah Morocco

We adored our “mom” Latifah during our ten days

Latifah unveiling the Tajine

in Asilah and wanted to put her in our suitcase and take her with us. The food and care she gave us was unparalleled.

Best Airbnb Overall – Koh Samui Thailand

We had a lot of discussion over this one. We have been, frankly, so lucky with our airbnb’s. And even this one had a few quirks. But we loved it for the view, the private pool and the car that came with it. It was however, also our most expensive Airbnb. https://myfabfiftieslife.com/sweet-samui/

We loved our private pool in Koh Samui

Most Authentic Airbnb – Siem Reap Cambodia

Staying in an authentic Khmer home in Siem Reap was a treat in itself, but then adding the wonderful breakfasts and services our host provided us made this place one of our all time favs.

Cambodian Khmer House

Most Unusual Airbnb – Motueka New Zealand

Funky Truck

We spent two nights in a funky old truck/camper with an outhouse and it was a hoot.

Most Rustic Airbnb – Hikkaduwa Sri Lanka

We nicknamed this place Castaway Cottage and it was like living on Gilligan’s Island – complete with lots of critters including rats, snakes, mongoose, monitor lizards, gecko and BUGS!

View from our Sozopol Airbnb

Best Value Airbnb – Sozopol Bulgaria

We loved this top floor unit with a huge deck and amazing view. We think we might return to this place some day, only $55 a night.

Best Hotel – Luang Prabang Laos

Luang Prabang Laos

We spent three nights in the beautiful Maison Dalabua hotel in this darling and historic city on the Mekong River and it was one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. From the comfortable and spacious room, the food, the pool, the flowers and the service, everything about it was first class on a budget.

FOOD

Because noodles always put a smile on your face.

Favorite Overall Cuisine – Thailand

This is the best food in the world. Simple, healthy and so flavorful I can’t get enough of Thai Cuisine.

Best Restaurant Meal – Ceverjaria Ramiro Lisbon Portugal, Honorable Mention to Ladja Podlanica in Piran Slovenia

I’ll never forget the dinner we had at Cervejaria Ramiro with our son Erik and his friend

Lisbon Portugal

Salvador who lives in Lisbon. It was a gluttonous evening and I loved every bite. Someday I will go back. In Piran Slovenia with our friends Raymond and Marbi we gorged ourself on the most amazing anchovies in oil followed by spectacular spaghetti

Ladja Padlanika Restaurant in Piran

con vongole. We loved it so very much we went twice.

Worst Food Overall – Camino de Santiago

When we really needed the sustenance the most, our 41 days on the Camino de Santiago provided the least inspiring of food.

Best Cooking Class – Chiang Mai Thailand with Honorable Mention to Cape Town South Africa

I try to take a cooking class in most of the countries we visit, and I do it as much for the cuisine

My favorite Chiang Mai Noodles

and culture as to meet local people who love their food and want to share it. My classes in Chiang Mai (two full days) and my evening class in the home of our instructor in Cape Town South Africa fulfilled what I am always looking for.

Best Beer – Cape Town South Africa and Honorable Mention Piran Slovenia

Capetown because they had a vibrant micro brew scene and good non-lager beers available in most stores and restaurants, and Piran because here my husband had the single best beer he has had since leaving the USA. Don’t know what brand it was but it was a spectacular Slovenian IPA.

Worst Grocery Availability – Seychelles

Hands down the most difficult place to find decent produce and healthy ingredients for day-to-day cooking, we learned to eat a lot of rice, lentils and beans during our month in the

Hmong Village Laos

Seychelles Islands.

CULTURE, NATURE AND EXPERIENCES

Best Authentic Cultural Experience – It’s a tie between Hmong Village Laos and Himba Village Namibia

Seeing these two places will stay with me all my life – when you think about opening your mind to understand cultural

Himba Women and Children

differences, embrace and learn from living hand to mouth and become more tolerant of other cultures – visiting these two places had all that and more.

Best Beach for Scenery – La Digue Seychelles

No wonder Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition has shot here several times. This place with it’s unique rock formations, sparkling white sand and out of this world blue water is about as spectacular as they come.

La Digue Seychelles

Best Beach for Spending the Day – Meia Praia, Lagos Portugal

It helped that our condo was a short walk to the beach, where we went everyday during our three weeks in Lagos. Golden sand, lots of room to spread out and easy and safe swimming made this our favorite.

Best Day Hike – Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand

An experience I will never forget, climbing the mountain, seeing the volcanic crater and lakes and just accomplishing this feat will always hold a special place for me.

Tongariro Crossing

Most Difficult Day Hike – Climbing Down Table Mountain, Cape Town South Africa

We thought down would be easier. It wasn’t. There were times where I literally didn’t think I was going to make it. My body gave it all I had, and it was

Table Mountain Hike

more than a week before I didn’t hurt.

Best Outdoor Experience – Able Tasman New Zealand

Our three-day Glamping Tour on the Able Tasman was one of the highlights of our time in that country. We were blessed with spectacular weather, met new friends and were introduced to the wonders of New Zealand.

Best Historic Sight – Angor Wat, Siem Reap Cambodia

Angor Wat Cambodia

It was a lifelong dream for me to see Angor Wat and it was not disappointing. The fascinating ancient story that unfolds in these ruins set amidst the friendly and persevering Cambodia people is not something I will ever forget.

Fewest Tourist at a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Dougga Tunisia

Nothing like having an entire UNESCO site to

Tunisia

yourself, and that is exactly what we enjoyed at the beautiful Dougga Roman Ruins in Tunisia. Not many tourists in Tunisia, but slowly they are returning, and we loved our time in this ancient country, cradle of civilization as we know it today.

Best Tour – Namibia

Our ten-day tour with our amazing guide “Seven” introduced us to this unknown country so full of natural wonders and spectacular animals. I love Namibia..

Etosha National Park Namibia

Worst Tour – Three day bus tour of the Mekong Delta Vietnam

This tour was cheap but it wasn’t worth it still. Terrible traffic, over pitched and very touristy. Sorry we went.

Most Unique experience – Camino de Santiago Spain

Even though the food was bad, the experience is now branded on my soul. It changed me and I loved it.

On the Camino

Best Live Performance – Tie Violin Concert Piran Slovenia and Carmina Burana outdoors in Dubrovnik; Honorable Mention to Kandy Cultural Show, Kandy Sri Lanka

Front row seats in a tiny historic theater in beautiful Piran Slovenia made for a special night as we enjoyed a beautiful violinist accompanied by a guitarist. It was just so pleasant. Just as mazing the spectacle that was hearing Carmina Burana performed outdoors in historic Dubrovnik

Carmina Burana performed outdoors in Dubrovnik

town center. Spectacular!

Kudos also to the very authentic Sri Lankan dance, music and firewalker show we enjoyed (also front row seats) in Kandy Sri Lanka.

Best Nature and Animal Experience – Etosha National Park Namibia

I’ve said it before – this country was such a surprise and this National Park was the bomb.

Best Free Experience – Free Walking Tours

Our Free Walking tour guide in Sofia Bulgaria

In nearly every major city you can take what is known as “Free” guided walking tours. These are awesome and we love them because it is always a local guide, someone young and enthusiastic. You tip them at the end – so its not really Free – but it is worth it and we have done this at least ten times. A great value.

Friendliest People – Sri Lanka

Hands down the kindest and friendliest people we

Monk in Sri Lanka

have met – despite all the hardships they have been through; colonialism, monarch assassination , civil war and tsunami. Still they smile. Love them.

Worst Drivers – Vietnam

There are several runners-up here, including Sri Lanka (and we haven’t gotten to India or Bangladesh yet), but still Vietnam takes the prize for the craziest drivers, most dishonest cabbies, scooter

Scooters in vietnam

mania and absolute lack of any pedestrian rights.

Worst Experience – Dog Bite Koh Samui Thailand

Hands down the worst day has been the day Arne was bit by a dog in Koh Samui. The one saving grace is it could have been much worse. But still it makes me angry and the overall feral dog situation in Thailand makes me question whether I will ever visit again.

Experience I liked More Than I thought I would – Camel Ride, Erg Cheba, Sahara Morocco

The colors and the light of the desert at dusk, the animals, the other guest from around the

On the camel trek in Morocco

world and having this experience with our friends Sarah and Steve all added up to a very fun two days and one night camel trek in the desert.

Least English Spoken – Spain

Only in the last decade has English been taught in schools, so few adults are fluent. Especially in the small towns and villages on the Camino we did a lot of pointing and hand charades to communicate. It was fun!

WEATHER

Hottest – Seychelle’s and Honorable Mention Doha, Qatar

We saw some rain in the Seychelles but it was never

Seychelle Islands, Praslin

under 85 degrees and the water was like a bathtub. We only spent one night in Doha Qatar, but it marked the hottest one day on the

Doha Qatar

trip at 113 F.

Coldest – New Zealand

We were in New Zealand in the fall and we had a few nights were the temperature dropped in the 30’s. Living in the Kiwi Karavan we wore hats and coats and wool socks to bed to stay

New Zealand

warm.

Worst Rain Storm – Tie between Hua Hin Thailand and Koh Samui Thailand

After a two hour taxi ride turned into a five hour taxi ride in a monsoon we arrived in flooded Hua Hin Thailand not sure what we had gotten ourselves into.

More than once the sky opened up in Koh Samui, accompanied by flashing lighting and booming thunder.

Best Sunrise – It’s a tie between Napier New Zealand and Galicia Spain

I’m a sucker for a good sunrise, and we have seen

Napier New Zealand

some amazing ones but these two stand out above and beyond for the sheer majesty of the experience.

Best Sunset – La Digue Seychelles (see cover photo)

Mother’s Day Dinner in La Digue we watched the sunset from a beach restaurant and it was a religious experience.

TRAVEL

Favorite Airline – Emirates

They know how to treat their passengers, even those of us in Coach

Least Favorite Airline – Air Maroc

The only airline (after 37 flights) to lose our luggage. Eventually it was found. Plus the smell of something (not cigarettes) burning during approach. Ack.

Best Airport – Hamad International Qatar

A very user-friendly and beautifully designed airport.

Teeniest Airplane – Air Seychelles

Eight seats. ‘Nuff Said.

Most Expensive Visa – India

We haven’t even arrived in India yet, but it was hands down the most expensive Visa we have purchased and one of the most difficult online applications. Hopefully when we arrive tomorrow everything will be in order!

Easiest Airport Entry – Capetown South Africa

We breezed through passport and customs so fast in Capetown we were totally surprised.

Worst Airport Entry – tie between Siem Reap Cambodia and Carthage Tunisia

In both cases we got in the wrong line. The line with the guy who was arrogant and pompous and was going to make every passenger know he was the boss. Any sign of dissatisfaction could get you pulled out of line and make your life hell. And so we waited.

Lucky Girl. Fabulous Life Award.

So there you have it. The winner of the Fab Fifties version of the Oscars for 2017-2018. But you do know, the real winner is me. Me and my husband. The luckiest people on the planet. Who needs a little gold statue when you have a Fab Fifties Life?

What a fabulous life it is.

Leave a comment

Inspire

One Year of Travel

The Grand Adventure Abroad

November 26, 2017

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

One full year. On the move. Out of the USA. Living the Grand Adventure.

Yes it’s already been a year. So very much has happened. So many miles we’ve traveled. And I am not the same.

Thailand

58,000 Miles

Living outside of the United States as an American creates such an amazing opportunity to really understand privilege and gluttony and consumerism. These words I use not only because I am guilty of these things but it is how much of the rest of the world sees Americans. Not flattering.

Cambodia

What is a surprise is when we are able to spend quality time with someone we meet in our travels and change their view of the average American. This means more to me than most anything else over the past year.

My eyes have been opened, looking back to the USA and my friends there, I now clearly see two kinds of people – those who embrace this image of Americans and cultivate it greedily, happily and knowingly, and those who acknowledge it but want to change it.

To each his own. I know both kinds. But as for me and my travels, there is only one way to

Vietnam

move forward in our travels and that is to do anything and everything to debunk the image. In my own little way – one human at a time. One country at a time. This is not what I expected when I started this journey but it is important to me now more than ever.

23 Countries

New Zealand

We get asked the same questions over and over, and always the first question is “what has been your favorite so far?”. It’s become a little joke. We keep telling each other we need to come up with an answer to this question. But we honestly don’t have a favorite. We have favorite things about every place we have been. We have things we disliked about many places. Mostly our favorite thing is the surprises and education we get from staying a long

Laos

time in a place and really feeling the culture, the food, the religion, the life of the place. That by far is our favorite thing. I’ve changed in my travel goals – loving the days we truly are not tourists, the days we are able to haltingly communicate in someone elses language, the days we blend in. Not the things I was expecting – but definitely

New Zealand

the most meaningful of all our “favorite” things.

We’ve learned most people are sincerely nice and helpful and interested in telling us about their country. They are proud and patriotic. And yet so many countries are oblivious to trash and litter and pollution and it can really be astonishing. Feral cats and stray dogs another big problem in so many countries – as a visitor you notice these things, all while being acutely aware that many people have very little and live on the street as well. In some countries people just can’t worry about dogs and

Portugal

trash – they are just trying to find their next meal. It would be nice to see governments addressing all these issues. But, none of these things stop us from visiting these places. It is part of the Grand Adventure.

I’ve become more aware of the negative impact tourism has on many places and I am uncomfortable contributing to that. Europe is very different in 2017 than the first time I visited 1988. We are tourists some days, while other days we steer away to less traveled and under the radar destinations. But in a global world things begin to

Bulgaria

feel the same – tchosky souvenirs start to look the same in Bulgaria and Morocco. Locally handcrafted? Not likely.

We’ve learned to sleep in beds hard and soft and eat every imaginable cuisine. We’ve learned food is a great introduction to culture and a great conversation starter but also a comfort when we feel a bit homesick. A good taco makes me happy when I miss our old life.

6 Mexican Restaurants in 4 countries

We embrace technology for communicating with our children and parents and for tracking so

Seychelles

much of our travel details. I do miss my kids but speak with them frequently and marvel at their own personal journey each is on. I think the coming Christmas season I’ll feel their absence the most.

Speaking of holidays, they go by in a blur. Other than Christmas last year in Thailand, most places

Bulgaria

we have been,holidays have shown little consumerism and celebration. In the USA we embrace every little holiday from St. Patrick’s Day to Halloween and have our own unique set of holidays that we make a big to do over such as Thanksgiving and Fourth of July.

19 holidays abroad

Croatia

Holiday celebrations in countries we have been in so far focus mostly on family and religion and food and almost not at all on buying things and decorations or gift giving. I think it used to be this way in America, but our focus is different now. As for me, I no longer want the gifts to give or receive. The experiences we are having are the best gift of all.

Slovenia

Sometimes a holiday sneaks up on us. Because we spend much of our time not even knowing what day or month it is. When it’s 85 degrees in February or 32 degrees in April my brain and body get confused. Am I above or below the equator? Is it winter or summer? What country am I in? What day is it? It’s actually a bit scary how often we have to stop and think about these simple questions.

I’ve learned how little you need in a day-to-day life

Portugal

to feel satisfied. Although I did get pretty tired of the three sets of clothes I wore over and over on the Camino, in general I don’t desire more than what we currently have in our suitcase. It’s enough. I have what is comfortable and works for our life. I still have one pair of shoes in the suitcase that I’ve only worn twice in a year – the low black heel. I keep looking at those thinking I should throw them away.

Lost luggage once. Found luggage once.

I’ve learned to live without a clothes dryer and sometimes without a washing machine. No dishwasher, no movies, no American TV. Don’t miss it. Don’t need it.

I’ve also changed as far as what I would describe as “beauty ritual”. Water conservation in most

Camino

countries makes me realize I don’t need to shower and wash my hair every day as I used to. I no longer wear makeup (except on a rare occasion) and my hair is easy and manageable with a washing every few days. And nobody cares. Really. One more thing I can let go of for now at least (and I still get so many compliments on the grey).

3 hair cuts

Occasionally I have a nesting urge – when I miss my

Spain

house and garden – but it’s rare. Sometimes I see things I’d like to buy for a future home but I check myself. Sure the Moroccan rugs are stunning – but, I really don’t know what my next house will look like so I walk away. Save my money for an experience instead of a thing.

Our “home” over the past year, and actually over the past 19 months since we closed the door and walked away from our house in Gig Harbor, our home has been wherever we are at the moment. When people ask where we are from we say the United States, Washington or Seattle, depending on who we are talking to. And if we meet someone from the Pacific Northwest we say Gig Harbor. But really none of

Tunisia

those places are home. Where is home? Right this minute as I write this it’s Morocco. In a few days it will be Namibia. On Christmas it will be South Africa. Home is where I am with Arne at this moment.

27 Airbnb’s

63 other lodgings (boats, hotels, apartments, Kiwi Caravan and Albergues includes 41 nights on the Camino)

I read more than I ever have in my entire life. I walk more than I ever thought possible. Yoga is a very important part of our lives to keep us going. I challenge myself at almost 58 years old in ways I could never, would never have even considered at 28 or 38. I see myself in an entirely different way than I did just ten years ago. I am better, stronger, smarter, happier and more relaxed than at any other time in

Morocco

my life.

This is not a coincidence. It is entirely by design.

I want to influence and encourage other people to seek happiness for themselves. Not my kind of happiness but yours – whatever that is. I ignore those who push negativity towards me – and yes they are out there. Masquerading as “friends” on Facebook while criticizing our life, our message, our politics our choices and our success. I don’t ask or expect everyone to understand this journey I’m on. But it’s not about you is it? It’s about us and it is exactly what we needed and when we needed it.

Morocco

62 books read

20 pounds lost

2446 miles walked

And every day of this journey, nearly every minute of it and every mile has been spent with my best friend Arne. People have asked if we get tired of each other? Nope. In fact the opposite. We find we are the best companions – encouraging and collaborating better now than ever in our entire lives. It’s both a test and a testament to our relationship and how we have developed it and defined it over the years. We celebrate our wedding anniversary tomorrow as a matter of fact. Yes we do, it seems like we have been married forever, and

Vietnam

I hope forever is how long we will be together.

35 years

And now year two begins. Can I do this forever? I doubt it. Some times it’s exhausting and frustrating. Those times are infrequent though so I think I can do it for quit a while longer. So for the next six months we have ten more countries before heading back to the USA for a two and a half month visit. Then we will finish year two back in Europe and Africa. We are already toying with ideas for year three. But it’s a bit too soon. Let’s not get

The family last Christmas in Thailand

ahead of ourselves. Take it just a few months at a time is best.

Thank you for sticking with us this past year and continuing to love our blog because the blog is a labor of love for me. Tomorrow we fly to Namibia for ten days then on to South Africa where we plan to really relax for three weeks as we end 2017. A year for the record books!

One year. One fabulous year! Year two here we come!

Leave a comment

Europe Travel

The Scallop Shell “Vieira”

My Camino

September 28, 2017

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

Location: Camino de Santiago

The Camino is many things including a walk through history, legends and lore. And the history and lore that surround the significance of the ever- present scallop shell is fascinating, religious, utilitarian and beautiful.

Scallop in Spanish is Vieira.

The shell I am carrying

The connection between the scallop shell and the Way of Saint James is very deep. So deep that in France a scallop is called Coquille Saint Jacques, while in German scallops are called ‘Jakobsmuscheln’ (James mussels). Not a coincidence. (taken from caminoways.com)

You cannot walk The Way of Saint James and not be surrounded by the scallop. It has become, in the

Embedded in the sidewalk

modern times, the “brand” of the caminos. But in medieval times it had many purposes and stories.

One story is the scallop shell represents the numerous caminos that all lead to Santiago. The lines on the shell all pointing to one center.

Another story is that before Christianity, pagan

Artistically in the road

walkers went to Finisterra to the sea (50 miles past Santiago) believing it was the end of the earth. The word Finis Terra meaning the end of the world. To prove they had made the journey they returned bearing the scallop shell that is found there.

Ancient and worn symbol in a fountain

Because the Camino Frances is essentially a walk west to the sea, many associate the scallop shell and its shape with the setting sun.

Medieval pilgrims began carrying scallop shells as symbols of their pilgrimage and the tradition continues today. EVERY pilgrim carries one. In addition to the symbolism, pilgrims of old times found the shell useful as a utensil for both eating and drinking. Today the shell has become a souvenir more than a eating utensil, although many pilgrims use their shell to drink wine from the

Modern day graffiti

fountain provided for the pilgrims at the Bodega Irache.

This use comes partly from the Catholic story of the devil appearing to a pilgrim who was dying of thirst. The devil promised to save the pilgrim if he would renounce God. When the pilgrim refused, Saint James himself appeared and fed the pilgrim water from a scallop shell.

A home and garden decorated

The people of Spain embrace the symbol and often you will find the shells on homes and fences and in gardens and art. A constant reminder of how much history is present in every step of “the way”.

Viera

La vieira ilumina el camino. Muy Bien.

Total miles walked 339. Miles to go 150! 😁

Leave a comment

Newer Posts