Other than some smaller driving trips, and trips to visit our granddaughters and family, 2024 was consumed with remodeling our new-to-us coastal home from pretty much top to bottom, bow to stern. But . . . with that now behind us, and with Social Security for both of us just beginning to roll in, we are setting our sights on a travel-vibrant year.
We are now without an RV, having sold it when we moved to our new home, deciding that after 20 years of joyful RV'ing it was time to turn our attentions elsewhere. So, all of our travel this year will be via brick and mortar lodging, or by cruise ship.
We started the year, as usual, by attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival. We stayed at a boutique hotel within walking distance of most of the film festival movie venues, which was really pleasant. Certainly the week in Palm Springs cost more than when we visited by RV, but that is one of the benefits our new Social Security checks are providing.
In April we are headed to Miami, Florida for a couple of days of fun in the sun before we board an Oceania cruise ship for a 10 day Caribbean sail. We've cruised to the Caribbean several times before, but this will be our first time doing so with Oceania, so that should be fun as well. I did just learn, however, that our Oceania ship is a refurbished old Princess ship, which made me laugh. We've done a good number of Princess cruises, so our 'new' experience with Oceania may well feel oddly familiar!
In July we'll be hosting our granddaughters here for 10 days, then returning home with them to Tennessee by plane, where Mike and I will then spend some time visiting before heading out to visit two new-to-us National Parks- Mammoth Caves in Kentucky and Gateway Arch in Missouri. That will bring our National Parks grand total to 47, leaving just 16 more to go before we can say we've visited all 63 of them. I question, however, whether we'll ever get to the three in Alaska that can only be accessed by small plane - see mention of my 'love' of flying below, ha!
In August we'll be flying to Iceland for a week of on-our-own touring, then board a cruise ship for the return home by way of upper western Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. We are very excited about this trip!
We'll celebrate my birthday in the Fall with a one week stay along the Central California coastline, where we'll alternate between coastal hiking and inland wine tasting.
In November we'll be meeting up with both daughters and their families in NYC to celebrate Thanksgiving, plus a significant birthday for one of our daughters.
The only wrinkle in our plans is that I experience immediate and severe panic attacks whenever turbulence occurs. I've done everything I can think of to overcome my turbulence anxiety, including attending lectures about the mechanics of flying, practicing meditation, and undergoing hypnosis, but so far nada improvement. So, I'll be visiting my doctor soon to discuss something stronger than the low dosage anxiety pills she previously prescribed. I do smile at how few she allots - 10 per prescription. In that I only take them when I fly, they last a good long time, so no concerns about becoming addicted. My multi-mile walks and hikes around here are more than adequate in keeping me serene in my day to day life!
Looking/Dreaming ahead to 2026, we are taking our older daughter & her partner to India (we took our younger daughter and her family on a Mediterranean cruise in 2023). In that I can't comprehend undergoing a 20 hour flight to India, we'll be doing a weekend stopover in London at the beginning, and a multi-week road trip around Scotland on the return.
Any travel plans for you all in 2025 or 2026? Inspire me!
Exciting travel plans! I look forward to hearing more about them. You mentioned Canada in August. Is it Newfoundland & Labrador? I love Iceland and Newfoundland & Labrador. So far this year I've returned to countries that I like and explored new-to-me places in each country: Costa Rica, Spain, Italy and San Marino (new-to-me). Coming up is the Netherlands in April. From June to September I'll be travelling in Canada then hopefully Europe in October-November. I tried to subscribe to your blog but the link doesn't give me the option to enter my info so maybe I'm missing something.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie! I/We enjoyed the Netherlands immensely - definitely up there with one of our favorite countries visited ever. So, so picturesque.\!
DeleteLosing ourselves for a summer in the Canadian Maritime provinces is still on my bucket list!
Your trips sound so fun! I absolutely loathe flying so I only fly to see family in SLC on a nonstop flight from Atlanta. I do this usually twice a year and have been once this year, in January 2025. I usually have a week trip to Orange Beach, Alabama in June, and then a few day trips to the Pensacola, or Destin area of Florida. I might go visit Ocean Springs, Mississippi and I usually squeeze in a once a year trip to Laurel, Mississippi, where HGTV Hometown series with Eric and Ben is filmed. I may go to a few State and National parks in this state, as usual. Hopefully, I will go to a few COE campgrounds in Mississippi also. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteCindy In The South - Good to hear from you!
DeleteNow that my family is in Tennessee, my husband and I are looking forward to finally visiting our Southern states, so I'm taking notes on where exactly you are visiting, assuming those to be good places of general tourist interest. My family there will be in Destin over the summer, and I look forward to hearing back from them on how it went.
Destin is gorgeous! Since our work conference is at Orange Beach, Alabama, I go there every year.. If you head to Mobile eat at Felix Fish Camp off the Mobile Causeway heading towards Guif Shores.I also like Sea n Suds, for crab claws and for the view ( Gulf Shores) DOCS fried crab claws, Steamers in Gulf Shores, The Oyster House in Gulf Shores, and lots of folks like Caribe in Orange Beach. I like to stay at either Perdido Beach Resort or a Phoenix Condo ( rent from Brett Robinson Realty bc they manage their condos generally well). Anne in the Kitchen blogger can probably tell you more about Fairhope and Magnolia Springs, which is also in Baldwin Co Alabama, where Gulf Shores, and Orange Beach are located. The water is much prettier in Destin though, but I usually only go for day trips and eat on the way down there. Same with Pensacola Beach, which is beautiful and where the Navy Blue Angels practice. I also think Laurel, Mississippi, where HGTV series HOMETOWN is filmed featuring Erin and Ben, is such a cute and beautiful town! Cindy in the South
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