Is it still fun to be traveling around? I’m guessing it is, but I’m also curious how your stamina is. Like, do you feel “museumed out” or “sightseeing weary” or is it still interesting to learn about each new place?
It is and it isn’t. We are still enjoying discovering new places and doing new things. It’s been fun to return to the U.S. after being away and learning that we do love our country and appreciate the people and culture here, for the most part. We enjoy the freedom and flexibility to chase down things that interest us and the serendipity of stumbling into a new discovery.
Since we have been traveling a lot for the past six years, we have learned what our unique style of travel is and what it isn’t. For example, we know that we aren’t going to enjoy staying out really late anymore, so there really has to be a compelling reason to do so. Since we have seen A LOT of museums, castles, churches, and such, we now ask ourselves, “will {sight XYZ] offer a new or interesting experience?” or “Is this an experience that is worth repeating?” We no longer visit all the sights in an area just to “check the box”. Each new area has something to offer, and it sometimes takes us some time to get to know a place and appreciate the more nuanced aspects of the landscape or the culture. We always find something we like.
Are these places in America boring compared to your time in Europe?
Nope. We do less sightseeing in the states because it is more familiar and because we have already visited a lot of places. However, we still enjoy it here. The U.S. is HUGE and there are so many interesting places to see still. I don’t think Nathan has counted, but I’ve visited 45 out of 50 states plus Puerto Rico. Nonetheless, there are tons of places we haven’t seen. Also, there is so much to appreciate about American landscapes.
Do you think you’ll land more permanently somewhere?
In reference to the first answer, being constantly in “travel mode” has its drawbacks. We miss having a home base. Only cooking in someone else’s kitchen or at an AirBnB is difficult. Our planning sessions for where we are going next and how we will do it can sometimes take days. Being away from family and friends can sometimes feel lonely. Although we have absolutely loved spending lots of time with grandkids, we have really taken a hit to our health. They are the cutest carriers of disease!
We look forward to buying a place again. Nathan loves a home improvement project! We would like to be able to become a part of a community again, connect with neighbors, and do some regular volunteering. We will settle down somewhere. When and where are still anyone’s guess. We will maybe have more clarity on that later this year. We are still trying to figure out what we want our lifestyle to look like.
That’s it!
Thanks for the questions, Emily! We will definitely keep sharing things as we travel around, but we might start to change things up a bit. What would you like to hear from us? Would you like to hear about trips we have done in the past? Would you enjoy learning about our “day in the life”? Can we offer travel advice? Just as we might get tired of travel sometimes, maybe you get tired of hearing about it! Leave us a comment to let us know what interests you.
Paradise
Happy October! We hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year! Some people dream of paradise on a quiet tropical beach, listening to the surf with a drink in hand. Not this girl! Give me mountains, especially drenched in autumn color, bursting with new spring leaves, or covered in snow. We are spending October in one of our favorite places–Big Cottonwood Canyon just east of the Salt Lake Valley. We are loving the gorgeous golden aspen with the deep pine greens. Hiking is great and so is the smell of fresh forest! Nathan’s sister, Liz, and her husband, Christian, joined us one morning for a lovely hike through the woods. We got to experience a powerful thunderstorm and then a full day of snowfall. Our condo for the month is just right for us and we love having access to a pool, hot tubs, sauna, and workout facilities. We especially like that we can pop back to the valley to do some shopping or see family and friends. So far, so good!
Fun Family Time
We have had a lovely couple of weeks in Utah. We’ve been able to rest and recover from five months of travel, help Nathan’s mom at her house, and spend time with family.
Full Circle
Five months ago we flew to Rome from Utah. We had a summer of trying new places and experiences and revisiting old favorites and now we’re back where we started. Since we get the question a lot, I thought I would share some of our favorites from our travels in Europe this year.
Thanks for the answers! 😊 They were interesting to read. Regarding future blog posts: whatever you’re inspired to write about, I enjoy reading. And if you want to take a break, definitely take a break! Regarding past trips: have you been to Toronto? I think we’re going there in May. It’s not a city that’s been on my bucket list and. can’t say I’m very excited (like how I’ve been when going to other new cities.) Should I get excited about Toronto? 😊 Any tips/insights to that city would be awesome. And it doesn’t have to be a blog post. I was going message the 2 of you about advice for that city.
I just love being able to “touch base with you” every week through your posts. It makes me feel connected with both of you and to know you’re doing well. I would also enjoy knowing what books you’re reading or listening to, what podcasts you’re currently enjoying, new music or bands you’ve discovered and food, food, food. It’s been so enjoyable experiencing the world through your writing.
Hi Jill, thanks for keeping us in the loop with your travels. When we have traveled outside the US we have had problems using our cell phone. What service works best for Europe? Our phones are unlocked so we’re hoping to figure this out before we travel to Europe again.