When Paradise. . .isn't

 I am the guilty one.  I've led you to believe we live in a continual paradise. 

Cypress silhouettes, the sea and sunset. . .paradise. . .

I'm the one who so often writes about the wonders of this adopted Greek life - those glorious sunsets, the sweeping views of the sea and mountains, of our picturesque fishing village, and the charming taverns where we sip morning coffee or evening wine. 

 Days of bliss, I've led you to believe. 

A toast to sunset at Pantazi Beach - a blissful time of day

Much of the time, the days do pass blissfully, both at our Stone House on the Hill and in our rural Peloponnese community. But the reality is that sometimes even our adopted paradise . . .isn't!  

Victims from my Mediterranean garden hauled away - others burned

I'm guilty of not telling you how storms destroy that Mediterranean garden I've rhapsodized about growing. I haven't told you about the frustrations that come with internet and power outages and water shortages, that can leave us in the dark for hours and without water sometimes for days. Nor have I mentioned unrepaired roads with potholes so large they can crack the sturdiest of a vehicle's shock absorbers.  

Expats and locals could fill a book with tales of dealing with bureaucracy and of resorting to a 'do it yourself' solution when those dealings fall on deaf ears.   

Do it yourself road repair - a neighborhood effort

But then, where is the romance and glamour of expat living in those kinds of tales? It is more fun to write, and probably more fun to read about, those paradisiacal moments that we do have here. 

Every once in a while, though, we go through a spell that makes me think I should tell you about the other times. January was one of those spells. . . those times when paradise simply, isn't!  

The Morning After - not in Paradise

Yucca trunk remains after the storm

Two weeks ago, Mother Nature held us hostage in our Stone House on the Hill for the better part of two days and nights while the wind howled and shrieked around us and horizontal sheets of rain attacked structures and plants. Every so often there'd be a loud crash or bang outside. A window shutter slammed closed after the force of the wind ripped its clamp from the wall.  We had to wait for a break in the wind to even step outside to close the door shutters before they, too, ripped loose from the wall. 

We'd prepared for a storm- the Greek emergency alerts had given warning prior to its arrival - but not for a storm of the magnitude that hit. 

Pantazi Beach Bar this week

We've come to expect a strong storm or two and the cleanup it requires each winter. The kind in which churning ocean waves hurtle stones and sand from the beaches onto the roads and parking lots. There's always plenty of cleanup after a winter storm. But our most recent storm was merciless and left our village looking somewhat like a war zone. 

While not as bad as the storm that had just swept through Malta and Sicily, we had wind gusts of 106 km/hr, (65 mph).  The sustained winds were estimated to be about half that. Large established trees were pulled from the ground as easily as we pluck out a weed. Cliffs and hillsides gave way to small avalanches and dips in roads and parking lots became lakes.

My Mediterranean garden - not my happy place right now

Six yucca tree trunks snapped in our yard, one of which took down my clothesline. Lemons and oranges were stripped from their branches. We lost a large branch out of an olive tree, snapped as easily as a matchstick. Leaves were stripped from bushes, plants and trees. Large ceramic pots had been upended, many broken.

Most of these were damaged and ended up in the compost bin

Similar damage was reported throughout the villages in our area. Fourteen olive trees were uprooted in our friend's olive grove just south of us. There were no injuries to humans - for that we all are thankful.

Several friends were without power and/or water during the storm. We were among the lucky ones who had heat, lights and water to weather it.  We didn't lose water until a few days after the storm ended. Our 2,000-liter water tank ran dry as there was no municipal water coming to our house.

The Search for Water 

Water lines serving our area 

Municipal water is supplied via a haphazard system of small PVC pipes that sometimes lay on top of the ground. They wind down steep hillsides and through gorges, sometimes along remote hiking paths and other times at the side of roadways.

Sunday afternoon a neighbor joined us to hike into the hills and find the source of our problem. We finally found it near our home at the side of the road we travel to get to our home. A toppled Cyprus tree had caused an avalanche when its roots were ripped from the ground, burying the water pipe serving our neighborhood. 

We hired workers to unearth the pipe that afternoon. The municipality needed to reconnect the pipes.

Exit Paradise - Enter One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. . .

The tree that took out the water lines

Monday morning bright and early we were at the Municipality's water department, reporting our problem to one of two - both English-speaking -- clerks..

Much to our surprise, the visit was quick and efficient.  We made the report, we provided photos of the damaged pipe needing repair and of the area it was in, we dropped a pin on the exact location on a Google Map so the plumber wouldn't have to spend time searching for it. 

We were told that the municipal plumbers had a lot of calls to make so we offered to hire a private plumber. No, we were told, it would have to be prepared by the municipality.

No the repairs hadn't been made - we sent this photo

Next morning we received an email saying the plumber had made the repair and asking if we had water. 

No, we didn't have water. And no repairs had been made.

These two pipes still need to be connected, we wrote

We took photos showing water still flowing out of an unattached pipe and of the two disconnected hoses.  We sent them to City Hall. 

Next morning we called the nice human who spoke English.  Yes, he said, he'd seen the two photos we sent (the two appearing above).

Then he told us in English that the plumber had repaired the pipe and that we should check our meter because it might be leaking. . .

It wasn't paradise - was it  a remake of the movie, 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'?

We've got water again at our house!

That was when we hired a plumber. He came out and in less than a half hour made the repair pictured above, restoring water to our house.  

More Expat Tales

Our stormy weather continues as we await spring in the Peloponnese.  It is a good reminder for us to enjoy those good days when they finally return.  We appreciate the time you've read this tale of sometimes Paradise Lost, expat version.

And among the speakers are. . .

The Scout and I will be speaking about our expat life during a 'Greece Online Workshop' February 19th, sponsored by the Live and Invest Overseas organization.  Practical advice will be provided by a number of professionals including a Greek attorney and a real estate representative.  

I know a number of you are considering expat life in Greece and you may find this event to be of interest.  For a complete rundown of the details, click the link above.  

And a big Thanks to those who've subscribed to receive my Substack articles (Jackie Humphries Smith) as well as continuing to read my occasional postings here!  Until the next time, safe travels to you all ~

A Toast to Travels and A New Year!

 When last I wrote here I said our bags were packed and we were off on an adventure that would take us out of our comfort zones to new countries and into new cultures as we sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to Singapore. 

 

Setting sail from Cape Town, South Africa

We did just that with some 500 fellow cruisers in December as we crossed the Indian Ocean aboard Oceania's Sirena ship.  

Cruise port Maputo, Mozambique

The cruise line had been up front about some of the places we would visit. Among the things they advised:        

Some of our ports of call were in developing countries, not well established for tourism. We'd visit places where English was the third or fourth language, where there were no formal qualifications for local guides and restrooms and guest services might be in short supply.

Crossing the Indian Ocean in December

Some shore excursions would be done in convoy, they said, with buses all leaving and returning at the same time. (We didn't have that experience anywhere, but we took few of the ship's excursions.)  Buses in many cases were not new, and road conditions in places were somewhat, shall we say, minimal.  But after all, they are still developing countries.

From the ship in Columbo, Sri Lanka

Other stops were in popular tourist destinations like Mauritius and Phuket, Thailand that offered gorgeous beaches and ports of call designed for tourists.  We shared dock space with freighters in most of the places we visited but then we like the hustle and bustle of the shipping industries so that was an added bonus to our way of thinking.

It took a dozen sea days to complete the journey. It took three days alone to travel from Maputo, Mozambique (on the African continent to Reunion Island to the east of Madagascar). Another four days were required to travel between Mauritius and the Maldives.  We'd underestimated the vastness of the Indian Ocean.

Our ship off shore on tender day - Maldives

I did write dispatches from the Indian Ocean on Substack, the writing platform where I write as Jackie Humphries Smith @TravelnWrite. I mentioned my move to it in the last blog post.  And I thank those of you who've already subscribed to receive those articles.  (It is free, arrives in email format, just like this one, so hope to see more of you there). 

Street scene Male, Maldives

Just a bit of a reminder here for my subscribers (current and future): Google Blogger, the platform this is written on was sold to another company.  Mailchimp the platform that sends these posts to you is also changing in a few months. I will gradually be moving from here to the Substack platform and if you want to keep reading of our travels and expat adventures and misadventures, please do sign up there using the link above.

I will be writing more there about our Indian Ocean 'cruise of discovery'. I named it that about halfway through the cruise when we realized that not only were we discovering new places, but also learning a bit about ourselves as travelers 

Waves wetting our sixth floor cabin balcony

One of the first things that became clear about us was that we tired quickly of the sea days. And that was a surprise because sea days used to be a favorite of mine. These Indian Ocean sea days were rough, literally, rough. The kind of days you braced in the shower so that you didn't topple out and you staggered down the hallways.  Some days outer decks and pool areas were closed because of the wave action and the wind gusts ('mild gale' means just that we learned).  A larger ship would have offered more indoor activity space which we could have used to while away the hours.

Hambantota, Sri Lanka

Three of 11 ports of call were missed.  The sea was so rough in Mossel Bay, South Africa that the captain dropped anchor, set out the tenders we'd use to get to shore and two hours later pulled up the anchor having determined it unsafe to try and use them.  In Maputo, Mozambique we stayed on board for not having gotten a Yellow Fever vaccination (more on that and travel vaccinations in a later post). Galle, Sri Lanka, a UNESCO cultural and historic stop was switched for Hambantota (Where? you ask. So did we! I'll be writing about that visit on Substack.)

Tender to shore in Male, Maldives

We wouldn't call this trip a magical journey - yes, I know I am famous for labeling places and travels as being magical. This trip didn't make the cut.  BUT as with each of our trips we are certainly glad we went.  We saw some amazing places and other places we don't feel the need to visit again. Traveling by ship got us to those places without the fuss, muss and cost of traveling by airplane. We met some wonderful people on board our ship and some pretty amazing ones as well.  I will be telling you about them on Substack!

Touring by tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka

Thanks for being with us again today.  We wish you a Happy New Year and Happy Travels. (And while you are traveling, head over to Substack and sign up for Jackie Humphries Smith @Travelnwrite! )

Bags are Packed Are we Ready to Go?

 Our 'big' trip begins soon.  

A stop in Thailand on a cruise several years ago

And frankly it has been so long since we've undertaken such an adventure, that despite the bags being packed and pet care arranged, I keep wondering if we are really ready to go.  I am blaming this antsy feeling on our two-year Covid travel hiatus. Or maybe it was being confined to Greece during the long wait for our residency permits? 

Or could it be that I've forgotten how to recognize the nervous excitement of heading out into the unknown?

I love arrivals and departures at new ports of call

I've gotten out of the swing of living out of a suitcase and traveling to new destinations. Our travels in recent years have been primarily back to the States or countries only a few hours away from Greece. 

Just getting to the place from where our cruise will depart requires a 14-hour flight: four to Doha, and the following day 10 hours to Cape Town.  Yet, after that long flight, the crazy thing is that Cape Town is in the same time zone we are here in our expat home in Greece.

But once we set sail and start crossing the Indian Ocean to Singapore, we'll not only cross the equator a couple of times, but we'll change time zones. Another crazy realization is that it is only six times zones between South Africa and Singapore.  

Route map for the trip

Our Pacific Northwest home is further away from Greece than Singapore is from Cape Town. Yet they are some 5,000 nautical miles apart. 

Oceania Sirena

We will be aboard Oceania's Sirena for 24 nights on this cruise named the 'Indian Ocean Opus'. Sirena, considered mid-sized in today's cruising world, accommodates 670 passengers (double occupancy) and 400 crew members.  On sea days - those wonderful lazy days between ports of call --we'll be able to work out in a gym, read books from a library, attend lectures, classes and presentations and gamble in a casino, or watch a live show in the theatre. 

Our meal in Red Ginger on a sister-ship, 2023

We'll have a choice of any number of restaurants including specialty restaurants, Red Ginger (Asian) and Tuscan Steakhouse (Italian and steak) at no extra cost. No longer are there expectations to wear tuxedos and sequins and stilettos on fancy nights, the ship is simply 'resort casual' which does make packing a whole lot easier.

And these days we should even have good internet access as the ship now uses Starlink.

Oh, the places you will go

Several of the ports of call are in countries that I never dreamt I'd ever visit, among them: South Africa, Mozambique, Reunion Island, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka. We'll also be revisiting some of our favorite places in Thailand and Malaysia.  

A Scene Phuket Town, a decade ago on another cruise stop

Forty-three years ago, we celebrated Christmas in Phuket, Thailand; back then, not quite the tourist destination it is now. It was one of the most memorable we've celebrated together.  I still laugh at the memory of a skinny Santa Claus who looked to be about 20 years old and who struggled with his cotton beard as he tossed candy canes into the crowd.  I'd have never imagined then that we'd be back so many decades later at Christmas.  

Are We Ready? that is the question

The bags are packed - actually quite lightly for as long as we'll be gone. Our philosophy is that fashion must give way to leaving room for 'finds' along the way. 

Actual pirate drill on the Red Sea

We've notified friends and family of our travel dates, hotel stays, and cruise routing.  We've jokingly told them if we are captured by pirates, to simply send money.  (Joking aside we realize parts of the Indian Ocean is notorious for its pirate activity. We were once on a cruise that had required pirate drills so would not be surprised to have one on this cruise.  And, frankly, 'at our ages' we know that it is wise to let those close to us know where we plan to be just in case, we find ourselves having more adventure than we planned.)  

At least a couple head scratches a day for Princess

We have a Trusted Housesitter, a person we've met on previous sits in the area, arriving the day before we leave and he will be in charge of serving our Princess while her regular staff are on vacation. 

The requirements for entry and exit visas and vaccinations have been checked for each destination - thanks to regular communication from the cruise line in the last half year since we booked this cruise.

A smattering of currencies collected on past trips have been tucked away in our hand carry luggage. Passports and residency permits are tucked in as well. 

Cruising to a new adventure

We'll soon be off and the one thing we didn't check until too late was our Surface, our travel computer. It works, but its external keyboard doesn't. (as I said, it has been a while since we traveled). I am not a fan of writing on a mobile devices so you'll likely not be hearing from us unless you are a FB friend or follower of our TravelnWrite page there, or if you signed up to follow me as Jackie Humphries Smith on Substack. I'll be posting photos and brief updates on those sites. 

My mantra as the trip nears is, 'IF all goes as planned'. 

So, 'if all goes as planned, I'll be back at this computer by the end of the year. Until then. . .

Our wishes for a happy holiday and safe travels to you and yours!

  

 

Living Differently. . .expat style

As I walked across the two-lane highway leaving The Scout shopping at the garden store while I popped into the blood lab to make an appointment, I was reminded - again - of how differently these two boomer-aged Americans live in rural Greece.

Our view of the Taygetos Mountains - rural Peloponnese

I mean how often do you just pop into a blood lab to make an appointment in the U.S.? Or 'pop in' anywhere for that matter to conduct business? Or would you walk across a main north-south highway for any reason?

Home for the last eight years: Peloponnese, Greece

Living in Greece's southwestern Peloponnese for the last eight years, you'd think we'd be taking this expat lifestyle - a rather laid-back and unhurried one - for granted by now.  Far from it!  We still regularly marvel at how it differs from the one we lived in the Seattle suburbs of the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Long time readers know that one of the drivers of our move was to 'live differently'. We were tired of the growing anonymity of suburban daily life. We'd become patient numbers and birthdates in medical facilities; we pumped our own gas at stations and checked ourselves out at grocery stores - we missed the 'humanness' of interactions of daily life. We'd sat for too many hours on congested freeways that linked us to our work and our friends.

Our village, Agios Nikolaos. Photo credit

Our decision to live differently in Greece came after several vacations here. We liked the climate, the people, the culture and the lifestyle. There wasn't any long, drawn-out retirement plan involved in the decision. Basically, we were like so many other recent newcomers to the area known as the Mani: we liked the 'village vibe' and we wanted more of it. 

Living walking distance from the fishing village, Agios Nikolaos, overlooking the Messinian Gulf, and surrounded by olive groves, certainly provides a great backdrop for a different way of life. I've picked a few snippets from the last couple of weeks to illustrate some of the everyday differences:

In the Moment Living

The village blood lab

Let's begin with the blood lab. I just decided after months of procrastination, that I should get my cholesterol checked. We don't have all those annual senior citizen wellness screenings like the US; instead, the onus is on the individual to keep track of your health.    

I could have had it tested on the spot, but I hadn't fasted the required 12 hours beforehand, I duly 'fasted' and returned the next morning. At check-in there was no requirement to show government issued ID nor to repeatedly tell them my birthdate as is required at our health care provider in the States. 

Reception area Falireas Medical Laboratory in Stoupa

However, noting that two years had passed since my last visit, they suggested I have a full blood screen. And I can assure you that it wasn't for the purpose of making extra money as the full screen, which I opted to have, cost only 35 euros/$41US. I had missed their October special, a blood osteoporosis test for 25 euros, regularly 91 euros, or I'd have had it done as well.

Falireas Medical Lab in Stoupa

An hour and a half after the blood draw I received the results via email. Had anything been seriously amiss, it would have been noted on the report, and I would have then made a call to our village doctor for an appointment and likely she would have seen me that same day.

Slow Lane Living

I hang clothes and The Scout stacks wood - living differently!

The blood test illustrates both the speed and ease of accessing health care, but it also shows my developing relaxed approach to life. Things for which I would have once sought immediate solutions for or answers to, just don't get done.

Take my clothesline. It was almost brand new, having just been strung in January. Out of the blue it snapped last Saturday afternoon, dumping several pieces of clothing into the flowerbed. By the time it broke, the hardware store was closed for the weekend. (Many retail stores still close on Sunday in Greece.) 

Come Monday morning we learned they didn't have clothes lines and they recommended the supermarket down the main road a few kilometers. 

'I am not doing laundry for a couple days, no need to make a special trip,' I heard myself telling The Scout, despite the fact we are less than two weeks from departing for a trip and I will need to wash and dry some clothes between now and then and rain is in the forecast. However. I'm adapting to the Greek approach to such problems: it will get done when it gets done, fixed when it gets fixed.

Traffic outside Seattle, Washington

While on the topic of the slow lane, I must again, sing the praises of traffic in this world compared to that of the big city.  They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so note the Seattle traffic we encountered on our annual visit back to the States and the contrasting slow down we had going to dinner in a nearby village last weekend.  Bet you can guess which we prefer.

On the road to Platsa - traffic jam

New Challenges ~ New Solutions

We've not yet adapted to the free roaming wild animals that like to do damage to our grove, garden and property.  Wild boars have taken aim at the groves, while kunaves (think marmot-like animals) have hit the gardens. Jackals are attacking cats and dogs throughout the valley. The only solution longtime Greek locals have offered us is to buy a gun and take aim -- trust me, we haven't yet shifted our lifestyle that far yet.

We've developed arm muscles with the digging we've done to repair damage. Yet, sometimes the critters throw us a curve that requires some new solutions:

New skills - new solutions!

After finding piles of insulation under HiHo Silver, our trusty RAV, we realized it was being harvested from the thick pad affixed to the underside of the hood over the engine, a pad that serves for heat and noise reduction.  To replace the pad replaced would be the simplest solution but also is a costly one at 250 euro/$300US. and we know it would soon be harvested as well.  

As they say. necessity is the mother of invention, and we turned to our trusty roll of high heat duct tape to repair the damage at least temporarily. These aren't skills he learned in law school nor I in journalism classes but there is a certain feeling of satisfaction when completing the challenge!

It's Not for Everyone

 

Night out in the village. . .a quiet night out in the village

Rural village life isn't for everyone. Neither is expat life. Or living and trying to function in another culture.  We've had many tell us they couldn't live with the uncertainty of water shortages and power outages. They wouldn't have the patience to deal with all the comes with living differently. Others visit and count the days until they can embark on an expat adventure of their own here.

Lastly, writing differently . . .

More Greek tales (and tails) coming soon!

I've been out of the 'blogosphere' for a while as I am trying to teach myself some new skills in the world of online writing and publishing. I knew the time had come when in September, we who use Google Blogger as the writing and publishing platform, learned in a roundabout way that Google had divested itself of that division. Another company had taken it over. Yet another company had taken over the domain rights (that means, in my case, TravelnWrite).  I quickly took steps to purchase the rights to TravelnWrite.com, but I am a bit uncertain about the future of blogging in general.

The shift in Blogger came at the same time many of you were saying you wanted more tales of expat life and our vagabonding adventures.

So, as part of my new learning curve I posted my first article last week on Substack, another popular online writing/publishing platform.   There I am writing as Jackie Humphries Smith.  Subscriptions (signing up to receive the articles in your inbox, just like here) are free.  I will continue to write on both platforms in the foreseeable future about our travels and expat life in Greece, but the articles will differ.   

Take a minute, click on my name and check out my first article there.  

I hope to see your name among the subscribers there as well as here. And if you are one whom already subscribed, many, many thanks to you! And I promise you all I won't overfill your inbox!

As always, thanks for your time - both in reading TravelnWrite and for checking out my Substack writing as well!

In the Blink of an Eye

 'We've got all the time in the world!' was The Scout's mantra after we closed the door to our workaday world; now, nearly half a lifetime ago. Travel beckoned. So many places to explore and we had years ahead of us in which we could accomplish the task. 

Yes, we had all the time in the world.

All the time in the world

Yet, in the blink of an eye, the stack of filled travel journals has grown; the years and decades filled with travel adventures have flown.  I can't recall the last time he used that phrase.

Living on Borrowed Time

Sunset clouds Manson, Washington

Our activities while in the States included The Scout's high school reunion. It was there that I heard him remark, 'We are all living on borrowed time, aren't we?' His comment was in response to the news that, yet another longtime friend had passed. Within the span of a few weeks this summer, we've quite suddenly lost three good friends. Each was a well-traveled, active 70-something, seemingly healthy person who had suffered a fatal heart attack.  

Sunset in the Mani, Greek Peloponnese

Living on borrowed time. Is that the new mantra? I actually spent a few sleepless nights pondering that thought and others: Were we too old to travel? Had we become too old for our expat way of life?  How old are we anyway??  

So, what is 'borrowed time' anyway?  Its definition is 'to exist or function longer than the expected; death or failure has been postponed not prevented.'  

Are we living on it? Statistically speaking, The Scout wasn't that far off base.  

In 2025 the average life expectancy in the United States is 79.4 years, up 0.18% from last year.  Males come in lower at 75.8 years and females, slightly better at 81.1 years. We are both in our 70's.

Our Greek village, Agios Nikolaos, Peloponnese

I then checked life expectancy in Greece, hoping this Mediterranean diet and lifestyle might give us an edge. And it does. . .a bit! The average life expectancy back in 2023 (the latest data I could find) was 81.5 years.  Men fared better at 81.9 years and women at 85.2 years.

The Third Phase/Third Act

The 70-somethings in Cambodia

As you might have surmised by now, none of that was very uplifting. So, I took a more philosophical look at where we are; a place some refer to as the Third Phase of Life. It is defined as the time between leaving the working life and before advanced old age. It is a time for pursuing hobbies, traveling and spending time with friends and family.  Now, that was a bit better way of looking at it. 

Then I found an article that completely pulled me out of the blue funk my research had put me in:

70-something American expats in Greece

In Psychology Today I found this age referred to as the Third Act in the Theatre of Life. With fewer life minutes in front of us than behind, it is a time of intentional and joyful living. A time of gratitude, joy and acceptance. Insights deepen. It's a time filled with opportunities to thrive and flourish.

And the article concluded, 'It is where the richness of the life story lies.'  

How about that as a counter to 'borrowed time'?!

In the Blink of an Eye

In the blink of an eye, we've reached an age where we don't have all the time in the world anymore.  With fewer days ahead, we'd better be making the most of them.

Ready. Set. Pack and Go.

We'd been planning to step up the travel anyway after obtaining our Greek residency permits last July. We've outfitted ourselves with new - tiny - backpacks that comply with some of the low-cost European airlines' (Ryan Air and Easy Jet) carryon requirements. We'll be using those airlines and backpacks once our Kalamata airport reopens for the 2026 travel season. There's a lot of Europe still to be explored. 

Alaska Airlines goes international with new livery

We rejoiced at the recent announcements from our old favorite US regional airline, Alaska Airlines, that it is going international in 2026 with direct flights between Seattle and Rome and Seattle and London.  We will have new options for returning to the States. . . hopefully for a few more years yet!

Oceania's 'Indian Ocean Opus' is coming up 

We've given ourselves permission to splurge a bit on travel if it means getting to places we might otherwise never see. And we did just that on a cruise that will take us from Cape Town, South Africa to Singapore.  We will spend the month of December on board the Oceania Sirena visiting ports of call that we've only dreamed of:  Reunion Island, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, among them. 

I'll add that with a nod to 'borrowed time', we are this time buying travel insurance for the cruise. . .a sure sign that our travel mantra has changed.

Dame Patricia Routledge

It's taken some time to write this one and while I've been drafting and rewriting, it happened that a beloved English actress and singer, Dame Patricia Routledge, passed away at age 96. In an interview she gave at age 95 she recounted that many things she'd tackled in her later years, learning a foreign language, pursuing painting and other such endeavors among them.

And in the blink of an eye, she nailed it when she said, 'Growing older isn't a final act - it can be life's most exquisite chapter if you allow yourself to bloom once more.'

With that, I will close for this time around and as always thanks for the time you spent with us today. Happy and safe travels to you and yours.