Greetings to our travel friends and those of you who have so kindly followed our adventures over the years. We want to acknowledge that this has been a challenging time for so many of you. Our sincere wish is that your lives have or are in the process of returning to normal.
Our worldwide pandemic has now been reduced and is no longer considered an emergency.
“…on May 5, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern, …that had been in place since Jan. 30, 2020.” ~ msn.com
Like so many others, we took a step back from traveling and watched the world go by. Tim and I both had only relatively minor cases of the virus and were lucky to have a well provisioned cabin that allowed us a safe place to isolate. Tim has since stayed busy helping our son build his business. I wrote a very tiny eBook and have tried to improve my culinary skills. Both of our hair got long. Tim’s got longer than mine 😁. Oh, I almost forgot to mention – WE GOT A PUPPY!
After three and a half years it is time to get back out there!
We are so excited to finally be dusting off our passports, pulling suitcases out of the back of closets, ordering a few new travel outfits, reading daily travel offerings, and daydreaming about all the new and exciting places we have yet to explore.
So far we have two International trips booked for this year, one to Europe this summer and one to the African continent in the fall. I’ll be spilling the beans shortly on where and when we are going. We have another trip that we must make a decision on in the next day or two that is a brand new offering through Gate 1 Travel. Those of you who are also Gate 1 fans will have no trouble guessing that destination…
In the meantime, before we head to the airport, I thought I might share pictures and thoughts about a few places in the Southern California area that we enjoyed as restrictions were starting to ease.
My head is spinning a bit as I’m trying to “relearn” how to use WordPress, sort out some new features as well as do some updates. I thought doing a couple posts might help me get back in the saddle so to speak so that by the time we actually get on the road it will be more familiar.
Here are a few teaser photos. Any guesses where these were taken? Full posts coming soon!
Sometimes being a tourist in your own backyard is not so bad…
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful for so many things, but at the top of the list is that we are healthy. For those of you who are still here, we give thanks and send out our love and appreciation.
A Note From Abroad 
We are sooo glad you are traveling again! can’t wait to live vicariously through you :)!
Drop us a line about the new gate 1 trip, maybe we can join u???
lots of love and best wishes,
Linda and Paul
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Hi Linda & Paul,
The new Gate 1 tour is to Tunisia! We were looking at going with Dick & Karen, but they have decided to not book it, for now anyway. Sooo, we are back looking at a trip to Egypt instead. Have you two been there yet? We would love to travel again with you two. I’ll let you know if we pick something out. Trying to decide between a Uniworld river cruise package vs Gate 1. Decisions decisions 🤣. Big hugs to you both.
Joanne
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You both have been in our thoughts, so pleased that you weathered the World Health Storm. Looking forward to ArmChair travelling with you again.
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Hi Gaye! Wonderful to hear from you. Do you and Daryl have any traveling planned for later this year? Big hugs to you both!
Joanne
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Yes, Daryl and I are enjoying being in our Eighties. Four cruises between Nov 22 and Mar 23. All around OZ and NZ. Four different cruise companies. On Cunard we had an upgrade to the most expensive suite, sadly it was only a Syd to Melb cruise, but an amazing experience that we were able to share with our daughter and friends.
Sept we are travelling Lax, Seattle, Vancouver to pick up Brilliance of the Seas for b to b, via Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Syd. Wacko !!!!
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Yay for you guys! We’ve been on a few trips since we were forced back to Canada from Malaysia in March 2020: Croatia and Greece last May/June, and Australia last Dec/Feb. Nothing new planned at the moment.
Wishing you happy and safe travels.
Alison
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Hi Alison! I’m so glad that you and Don have been able to get back on the road. Croatia, Greece and Australia- all fabulous destinations. I hope that you will find something else that interests you before the year ends,
Joanne
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Yay! Glad you’re back! Dying to know what Gate One’s new destination is. I’m now retired so anxious to travel anywhere!
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Hey Lisa! The newest Gate 1 tour is to Tunisia!! Our travel buddies have decided that this is not the right trip for them at the moment so we are rethinking perhaps Egypt instead. Still a bit up in the air.
Joanne
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Hi. Welcome back. We’ve Ben touring on and off since last summer. We start again in June. We’ll be in Europe in July in little ancient towns like Lucca, Italy. But, bigger news is that we left New Orleans and bought a farm in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. 82 acre former dairy farm. We just grow summer vegetables and dogs. I’m not sure whose hair is longer, mine or Tim’s. I was going to cut it but I had a little domestic blowback.
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Wow Ray, that is a major change of scene for you! 82 acres in the Shenandoah Valley sounds like a slice of heaven. Are you breeding dogs? Tim and I have both gotten haircuts and look somewhat civilized once again. It was rather fun for awhile 😄. One of the places still on my travel wishlist is to do a driving tour throughout Italy from Cinque Terra all the way down to the boot. Enjoy your time there!
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Lucca is only one of 13 stops over 20 days. We’ll be in Monaco, Linz, Croatia, Ghent and like that. We left New Orleans For a number of reasons, not the least being enough murders per week to be considered a mass shooting if they happened at once. When the farm was put up for sale, we bought it the next day. The area has some interesting history. Apparently, Union and Confederate forces chased each other around here without ever making contact.. We have six dogs — four cockers,a poodle and a golden — who allow us to live with them, but no breeding. Every time I say that I’m getting a haircut, there is too much domestic blowback so my hair is still long. We’ve lucky, no CoVid in this house despite being on the road for 76 days last year. If you recal, my wife is a musician so we deal with too many people everyday.
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Great to hear you are restarting the blog Joanne, looking forward to reading about the adventures!
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Thank you Kevin. I feel a bit like a fish out of water trying to relearn, but I think I’ll get there.
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What a nice surprise to hear from you again. Many times during the last several years I have wondered about my fellow travelers/bloggers. Glad you’re getting going again. We are picking up again what Covid stopped in 2020 – heading to Europe and Egypt for several months.
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That’s awesome that you are getting back out there too! I’m still hoping to get to Egypt within the next year. Where in Europe, or are you just winging it as you go?
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In late July, after the Holy Land tour we fly to Poland for 4 wweks. Since it’s summer, I’ve booked everything and then a month in Albania and then 11 days in Egypt, 10 days in Greece, a week-long cruise, 6 nights in Bologna, a flight to Barcelona for a 2-week Transatlantic cruise! All booked – and what a job it’s been!!! Hoping to winter abroad somewhere and that we can wing it.
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How fabulous that all sounds! And yes I can sympathize that had to have been a lot of work getting it all organized, planned out and booked. I would love to do a transatlantic cruise again. Very relaxing. I got to do some reading and simply enjoyed the ship board activities, entertainment and of course all the food choices.
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My husband and I went to the south of France in Sept 2019 with no departure date. We stayed for 3.5 years! Returns to Alberta for three days and had a little two week trip to Cartagena to avoid the -30 weather we returned to in Canada. Now we’re in Quebec living with my 91 year old father-in-law. Never saw that one coming!!! ☺️🌷
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What an amazing experience that must have been to live in the south of France! To be there 3.5 years, you became a local. Living with or caring for our parents is something many of us have taken on. I hope that you feel blessed to have him still with you at 91.
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Almost local… except I didn’t learn French 🙄. My husband does though. Whew. It was a wonderful adventure. Thank you ❣️
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