On balance, Sir5R is a ‘home body’, not straying far beyond the easy range of his motorcycle’s fuel capacity.  This isn’t entirely true.  I have been known to get on a plane occasionally, and did it quite a bit for the benefit of previous employers, which isn’t to say that I didn’t love taking the occasional road trip.  But as a couple we don’t make a habit out of traveling the world as much as moving through it together.  Our travels to exotic locales  have mostly been in our imagination.  But that is starting to change.  A new ‘sense of adventure’ is creeping in.

We’re going to take some risks.

To date, we have been to a limited number of places outside our own community.  These travels in the past few years have been irregular at best.  And to be fair, my lovely partner, G, has been places I haven’t been able to go for various and sundry reasons.

Our most recent destinations together have been;

• the United Kingdom; London, Liverpool, Southport, Bath
• San Francisco and tours of Wine Country
• The Big Island in Hawaii
• Vancouver
• Toronto
• Atlanta

 

Previous destinations travelled to, together and separately or for work include;

• France; Paris, Juno Beach
• Washington, DC
• Palm Desert
• Las Vegas
• Mexico

There is a huge discrepancy in real travels and the travels of our imagining.

What’s been holding us back?  I’d like to blame it on the jobs we had, but that’s an excuse, not a reason.  Its been  more about health, family commitments, and the resulting drama and trauma that has shaped our investment in travel.   And to be totally honest, there has always been the spectre of finances, affordability and an odd hint of xenophobia.

Time to make up the deficit.  We’re both healthy.  Much of the drama has died down providing some wiggle room for adventuring.  Finances will always be a question, however we’ve learned so much about how to manage our limited resources over the years that we honestly believe that we can manage some travel, especially if we can find the right travel agency (we think we’ve got two viable options) and can merge the travel with the obligation to visit family on this continent and Europe.

So where to ?  We’re still discussing and negotiating.  The places and experiences on the table are;

• Spain; Barcelona and a return to Mallorca
• France; with a view to visiting family in the south, Marseille, and a Paris redux.
• European river boat cruise
• Portugal; the Algarve
• Italy; Venice and Florence
• Scotland; genealogy discovery and a ‘whiskey’ tour.
• Ireland; genealogy discovery tour.
• India
• China; riverboat cruise

Suggestions?  Always welcome.