My Travel List 2024

 

What am I doing in my early retirement? Traveling. 

Last fall my husband and I bought a 2021 Forest River SURVEYOR LEGEND. With purchasing it in September, we were limited on our adventures with winter around the corner. Our goal is to take it out at least one weekend a month. We already have reservations for April, May and June to various Ohio State Parks. We enjoy following a couple other people who fill the RV life full time on YouTube. They have been informative and fun for my husband and I to watch together in the evenings. One of our favorite couples are HappilyEver Hanks. We have just learned that they will be hosting a rally in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee the beginning of June. We are hoping to be able to attend. It would be our longest trailer tow of the year - 8 1/2 hours away. But with our new truck to haul Sweet Sue, our trailer. Yes, we named her. We believe we are up for the challenge.

My travels will actually begin in March this year. My youngest daughter and I will be traveling to Phoenix for a spring break getaway. We have lots of fun plans visiting a wolf sanctuary, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater, Native American ruins and the Painted desert. That is if the weather cooperates which is hit and miss in early March.

We debated taking the trailer to see the total eclipse on April 8th, but considering our home is in the totality window, I believe we have decided to watch it from our backyard and pray that we are not covered in clouds from Lake Erie. Our first trip in the trailer will take place the end of April. We will be back from that trip only 10 days or so before we head out on our 5 countries in 7 days cruise mid May. We have added a couple days before and after to take advantage of our location and take in a few more sites. Our 13 day adventure will find us in Spain, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia and Naples, Sicily, Ravenna, Florence and Rome in Italy. A big shout out to March Travel Group with Dream Vacations in the helping to plan this once in a lifetime adventure. I would by lying to myself if I didn't say that the world's current climate has me a bit apprehensive that this trip will happen, but I am not spending time worrying about it. My husband and I set our cancellation "what if" list and of course the cruise will make their decisions. So if for some reasons, this trip gets thwarted due to the world's landscape, we have a "plan B" that we are both very happy with. Having a "plan B" calms my soul and allows me to move forward with a "whatever will be, will be" attitude.

We will be home 2 weeks from Europe, before we head out back out to the woods with the camper. We are hoping the lake waters will be warm enough to take the kayaks out and do some shore fishing. Even if it is not, I am certain that we will find some good hiking travels and a couple wineries in the vicinity. June may be a full month of camping or a rearrangement of sorts if we decided to attend the HappilyEverAfter Hanks rally in Tennessee. Either way, we will be headed south of Columbus the end of June for a weekend trip. My husband and daughter will be going to Buckeye Country Superfest while I keep the campsite fires burning.

The first half of 2024 will have me on the road a lot and I am excited for all the new things I will see, the adventures I will have and the people who I will get to share it.

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