Brett and I are still feeling restless, and not ready in many ways to again take on the responsibilities that come along with settling down in one place. The biggest argument against us stopping our travels is still that there are too many places in the world we want to see and experience!
Below are some of the places we’ve talked about wanting to visit in just the last three weeks:
- Botswana photo safari (it’s too expensive really, but we still love talking about it).
- Capetown, South Africa
- Morocco
- Kenya (Brett has visited before but would like to go again – me too!)
- Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland (we’d also like to see Iceland, but it’s not as high on our list)
- The Benelux Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxemburg)
- Germany
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- The south of France
- Spain
- Northern Portugal
- Naples and Sicily – Brett has been to both, courtesy of the navy, and would love to return
- Greece (yet another place Brett has been before and we both want to visit)
- Ireland
- SE Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Singapore
- Australia (to ride The Ghan from Adelaide up to Darwin)
- The South Island of New Zealand
- Mexico
- Costa Rica and Panama
- Argentina (including Mendoza, Patagonia, and the Iguazu Falls this time)
- And, just because, a trans-Atlantic cruise on the QE2
Of course, we also want to continue to spend time in Japan with family, and we’d also like to visit some parts of China we haven’t seen yet.
This continues to be an ideal time in our lives to travel, and even with helping out YaYu for the next couple of years, if we’re careful it’s doable. And, we ask ourselves, with a wish list of destinations this long how can we possibly think we’d be happy settling down?
And yet . . . from the We Did Not See This One Coming files, our daughters let us know the other day that they would like it very much if we settled back on Kaua’i again. That was a surprise! While Southern California is still high on our list, we’d love to live in Hawai’i again but up to now hadn’t considered just the two of us going back. They’ve given us lots to think about there.
So, everything is still on the table, with good arguments on both sides. For now though, we feel our plans for after June will be a good compromise between the two . . . stay tuned!
The Occasional Nomads 
Listen to the girls!!!!!!
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Oh, we are! We honestly had not considered it, but agree it would be wonderful to be there and unconstrained by the girls’ schedules like we were before. We could also live anywhere on the island this time – no more worrying about living close to the school – and can get a smaller, more affordable place.
See you soon! We’ll be there on Saturday, staying for nine days. I’ll contact you as soon as I know what’s going on to arrange a get-together.
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I know, right!? Just too many places to see, things to experience, people to meet.
Quite a few on your list are on mine. Don’t make the Ghan before at least four years. I have the UK to visit in 2021. And probably/possibly Fiji.
The girls clearly liked their life on Hawaii! I think you often form a strong bond with the place at which you go to high school.
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We have put the Ghan trip on our 2024 calendar, and will adust the dates to coordinate with your and Mr. LS’s schedules.
The girls thrived on Kaua’i, and said one of their reasons for us living there again is that they would have a solid reason for visiting the island. We loved it too, except for the humidity, but if we go back it will not be without air-conditioning!
Out of all those places, we cannot prioritize them. Every one would be a great destination!
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I like how completely open you are travel and finding places to just “be”. I don’t have any children holding my reins, so I cannot offer any opinion in that area. You two, as well as your family, seem to communicate well, so I am sure you will sort it out.
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We’ve discovered that every place can be “home,” even if it’s only for a few weeks. We’ve pretty much decided that a month is the shortest time we will spend in a place (with a few exceptions), and two months the longest, until we officially settle. Settling down on Kaua’i again is looking better and better to us every day.
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Most of your European destinations are on my list also! We’ve been to Kenya a few times (we have family there) and have had some really interesting and cool experiences there. On one trip, we rented an Airbnb with a watering hole in the back yard. We saw all sorts of large and small wildlife (think eland, zebras, wart hogs, and monkeys etc.) without leaving the house!
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I sure wish we could stay in the Schengen Area longer than 90 days, and just be there traveling all over for a year. But alas, that’s not happening, and we have to be out of area for 90 days before re-entering so we think that visiting Africa for a while might be the way to arrange that. We’ll see – it’s a ways off, but it’s never too early to start thinking about it.
Brett loved Kenya. His ship did a port call in Mombasa, but he got on a bus and headed out to a lodge in the countryside and spent a relaxing three days there. He saw lots of animals, and has always wanted to go back.
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You both loved Kauai. Is that where you would return or would you be interested in exploring one of the other islands? My vote is to continue to travel while you still have the health and the desire to do so. Many in my family have reached the point health wise where travel is no longer a possibility. A year or two longer to travel and then re-evaluate whether or not to settle somewhere for half a year and travel for half a year.
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We did love Kaua’i – other than a few issues (humidity, a crazy landlord) it was a happy place for us, but previous issues are ones that can be corrected and/or mitigated. Its so funny to us that we hadn’t considered moving back, or that the girls wanted us to go back either. Who knew?
But, if we go back travel will become more sporadic because of the distances and costs. We’re healthy now so we kind of want to get most of the travel bug out of our system while we can.
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Oh gosh!! Your wish list amazing!!!
Indeed a wrench in the mix was the ‘settling back on Kauai’ request 🙂 🙂
I’d suggest to travel a bit more and then in a couple of years revisit your next choice of travelling or settling down. Is seems we need to travel while we can, so GO FOR IT!!!
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We definitely have caught the travel bug, and hopefully we can fit in most of those places before we become unable to travel. None of them are a priority either – all of them would be a “next great place to go.”
I don’t think the girls expect us to settle down right away, but wanted us to know that when we did they would prefer it to be Kaua’i.
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After you past travels I am surprised there are still so many places on your list! Life is short and the globe is big.
I vote for Kauai again, only because it it one place I know Betty and I could finally spend time with you. The radio station is chugging along and a trip is a business expense, so why not!
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We sort of surprised ourselves with the number of places we kept coming up with that we want to visit. Hopefully we’ll get to some of them in the next couple of years.
We talk almost daily now about whether we should think about moving back to Kaua’i and when. We wouldn’t need a “family-size” home this time, and our life would be our own, rather than our time dictatated by the girls’ schedules and needs, so it seems like a better and better idea every day. And yes, it would be a wonderful place for us to meet up! I am going to make it a point to listen to your station when we’re on the island next week.
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Still hoping to move there someday. been talking about and dreaming about it for 15 years. After both our Moms have passed and we retire it will probably happen.
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Are you talking about Kaua’i? We loved our time there, and the idea of returning is growing on us more and more.
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That made my day!!!!
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Wow, that’s quite a list of places to visit! I agree that you should do all the traveling you can while you and Brett are healthy and able. You both still have ‘wanderlust’ even after all the traveling you have done, so you need to get that out of your system. 🙂 I look forward to reading all about it!
It’s wonderful your daughters weren’t shy about letting you know where they’d like you to settle. I completely agree with them! I love Kauai and would move there if I could. Do you think you will rent again or buy this time?
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I’m not sure if we’ll ever get the wanderlust out of our systems, but I agree that we should try and see as much as we can before we really settle down. Kaua’i would be a great location for future visits to Asia and Australia and New Zealand, so we’re sort of thinking to do the European and African destinations first.
We would definitely rent again (although do a better job of screening landlords) – we have no desire to own a home again. The fun part now is that we could live almost anywhere on the island this time – before we were restricted by school district (so the girls could go to Kapaa HS). We’d definitely have to buy a car there as well.
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Princeville!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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If you can find us a rental in our price range we’ll be there!
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Will do!!!!
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My bet? Two to Three more years of travel. Your youngest will graduate. Your grands will be old enough to spend some significant time with you in Hawaii. You can hit the Africa/Europe places you want to see.Maybe a drive across the US or Canada. Christmas can be on the East Coast. Then off to Kauai.
My question is, is there enough medical support on Kauai? I really dont know.
We are looking at a smart home for our aging years. I have a “time map” laid out tonight. It is slipping quickly…
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There is a pretty good hospital on the island and most medical specialities are represented. We can be flown over to Trippler if necessary. But, people often become healthier after time on the island. Not everyone of course, but people do improve.
We’re thinking Europe and Africa would work as a good combo – Europe for 90 days, then Africa for 90, then back to Europe. There’s lots of ways to do this though – we have fun tossing ideas back and forth.
Our “smart” home may end up being a studio apartment! There are so many things we don’t need or want any more these days, and if we’re on Kaua’i we’d be outside a good deal of the time anyway.
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The healthcare both of us have received has been outstanding. Look up Dr. David Rovinsky, orthopedic surgeon to see what fantastic credentials he has. He’ll be doing my hip surgeries starting Jan. 21. My cardiologist and pulmonary specialist are the best in their fields. My week in Wilcox Hospital was outstanding. We couldn’t be happier!
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Good physical health and finances willing, I vote that you both continue to travel! Don’t settle down! You need to compile all of your notes to write that travel book that we’re all hoping for. That travel wish list is just to beautiful to put roots down now…please!!!
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For now, continuing our travels is miles ahead of our settling down, although it’s good to keep that in the back of our minds so when the time arrives we have a plan and the means to make it happen. Now is not the time though – there’s still too much in the world we want to see and do.
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What a great list! I can see how you would combine Europe/Africa. And having Kaua’i in the future would be lovely to look forward to, especially as it’s closer to Japan as your grands get older. As you say, you’re used to living in a smaller space while traveling and probably will be comfortable in a smaller (but air conditioned!) studio. What a nice turn of events to have your girls suggest that!
I had to laugh at the QE2 idea. My DD lives in Southampton and we saw it docked on my last visit. My DH is forever talking about doing the ocean crossing, but it has zero appeal to me. The long days at sea sound like my idea of punishment. Of course, it’s cheapest in the coldest weather, but every time we discuss, I just point out the cost and the expedience of air flight. LOL.
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Brett and I talked about that list some more today (we’re always talking about traveling, it seems) and agree that a Europe/Africa rotation would be our first choice of all those places on the list. Brett said today he’d also like to visit Nairobi if possible. Who knew?
We could definitely live in a studio these days. As long as I have a full kitchen and bath, and room for a comfortable bed and either a sofa or two recliners, we’d be good. We’re just more comfortable in smaller spaces these days.
Re. The QE2: Brett has crossed the Atlantic many times, but was always repairing something, launching aircraft, or trying to sleep with the sound of airplanes landing on the deck above him. He said he’d like to do it once where all those things weren’t happening!
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I’m not at all surprised that the kids want you to be in Kaua’i. Young adults are a sentimental lot and they want their (most recent) childhood home to come back to for holidays! I bet when they picture you, and they picture home, it is there.
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Kaua’i was a very happy place for all three of the girls. Meiling only stayed three months, but enjoyed her time here and loved coming back (she returned to the mainland to keep her Oregon residency and for a relationship that didn’t last even one month after she got back). Although they were very unhappy about our decision to move to the island, they came to love it here.
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Such a wonderful life, and such a terrific example that anyone can live their dream if they really, really want to.
Kauai seems like the perfect in-between spot to land with regard to your widely flung family. It’s hard to put a price on living someplace that makes your children want to come to you!
We are soon off for a five week S. American adventure. Our new home is proving to be pretty lock-and-go, and we’ll be putting it to the test this year for sure.
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We were just talking about this last night with our friends, about how within reason, if there is something you want to make happen, you can make it happen. The hard part is that often one has to give up other things to get there, and that’s where people can get stuck. Letting go of one thing, or one’s safety net, in order to achieve another dream is a very, very difficult thing to do, often insurmountable.
The longer we’re on the island, the more we want to come back. We learned a lot the first time and feel better able to make good choices about where to live this time, etc.
I honestly envy your travels to South America. We loved our time there and dream of going back.
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