My BID!

I took my first overseas adventure trip in 1970 when my friend, Ruth, and I did Europe on $5 a day.  We visited 14 cities in 28 days!!

It was such a life-changing event for me that over the past 42 years I have spent thousands on travel and in 1988 even moved to Germany so I could more easily travel and ski throughout Europe.  Ruth moved to England and lived there for 10 years near London.

I've never regretted one dime that I've spent on travel and just cannot understand the mindset of people who feel travel is a waste of time and money.  I've been to 43 states and 23 countries, but there are still places I've not seen, so long before the movie the "Bucket List", I had created my own BID (before I die) travel list.  #1 on the list was Egypt, which I visited in 2008 and then Alaska.
But it just seemed that my dream trip to Alaska to see the whales and glaciers was just like an elusive butterfly and that every time I planned a trip something happened.

Well, my 2012 Alaskan Adventure seemed doomed too!  I had planned a two week land/cruise tour starting in late May and wouldn't you know it, I was diagnosed in late March with a blood clot meaning no air travel for at least 2 months, cutting it too close for comfort.

 But I diligently took all my meds, rested a lot and luckily, I had a team of pro-active, life-affirming doctors who allowed me to go!   Soon I'll BLOG about my exciting Alaskan adventure.

What about you -- what's on your dream trip list?

Surely, you have wanderlust in your heart for a far-away, exciting place.   Well, I challenge you to begin planning for it NOW!  Take action and make that dream trip just as soon as possible, because as that old cliche' goes "Tomorrow is promised to no one" and that's especially true for us Boomers!

p.s. -- there's always a way to make it happen!  In 1970, I funded my European trip with the insurance money I received when my car was stolen.  When I got back, I still didn't have a car, but I didn't care because I  had memories that have lasted a lifetime and fueled my wanderlust for decades!

Can you let go?

STUFF!

We all have stuff we love - books, our favorite CDs, clothes and furniture. If you're a Boomer, then you've spent a lifetime accumulating STUFF, but can you ever let it go? And when does it become more of a burden than a joy?

I'm embarking on a new life adventure requiring me to get rid of most of what I currently own. So, I decided to start with my favorite piece of furniture - a very unique, Drexel Heritage lingere chest.

I bought it new in 1977 in St. Louis, got it in the divorce, moved it to Germany and finally Denver. I just love that piece so I decided that it had to be the first to go --- sorta symbolic of me really being able to let go of my favorite things.

I was shocked to find 2 websites devoted to the sale of Drexel Heritage furniture and within 2 hours received an email from a lady living in New Jersey who had been looking for that particular piece for over 15 years! After some negotiating, we agreed on a price and frankly, it cost her more to ship it to NJ than she paid me. I really hated to see it go; but hey, if I can sell that; then the rest can easily go. But, I'm thrilled it's found a new home.

What are you holding on to?

Whether it's an emotion, a friendship that's run it's course or a thing..........you need to consider if it's holding you back as you plan for your future.

Reflections

Tomorrow I turn 61!

WOW - that's a big number!

So, I'd like to reflect a little on my 60th year as it was definitely a roller-coaster ride and a tough year for me. It started out great last February as I had a wonderful birthday party here in the mountains with some of my friends. Then I spent several fun-filled weeks skiing in Summit County, Vail and Beaver Creek, CO.

In April, I went to Germany, spent a few days in Italy and then spent 2 weeks in Egypt. It was a dream-come-true trip as I had always wanted to see the Pyramids and go into the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but it turned into a nightmare as I brought home an unexpected guest! I apparently picked up a bug in Egypt resulting in ECOLI poisoning, 2 stays in the hospital, and then spent most of last summer indoors recuperating. Being that ill was a definite wake-up call!

In September, I finally launched my BLOG -- it's one of those things I'd been meaning to do, but never got around too. I was really excited when I wrote my first BLOG - see http://myretirementadventures.blogspot.com/2008/09/welcome-to-my-world.html

I made a few trips back to St. Louis to visit family and friends and spent the Christmas holidays there. Now, I'm back in Summit County skiing as I love to spend my birthday skiing.

As I've been sick off and on since June 08 and am still on meds, my illness in this past year has reminded me of how precious life is, how I need to continually re-prioritize my goals, and to consciously decide who I want in my life. So, tomorrow I'll spend some time setting heart-felt goals for my 61st year and thinking of who I'd like to take with me on my next adventure!

I'd love to hear from you -- what does another birthday mean to you and how do you plan to celebrate it!

FeedBurner

A huge thanks to my friend Mike Jennings, who I worked with in Germany, because now you can get BLOG updates via EMAIL.

It’s so simple – just go to the "Subscribe via Email" Box shown on the right (below my picture/personal info).

It takes just a minute to sign up. All you have to do is enter your email address. You will then get an email confirming your registration.

When I write a new BLOG, you'll automatically receive an email with the Title and first paragraph. To read the entire BLOG, just click on the TITLE.

Thanks so much for your continued interest in my BLOG. If you enjoy it, please forward the link - http://www.myretirementadventures.blogspot.com/ to all your Boomer friends!

p.s. -- go to the BLOG below and check out the comment from Mike. He had another idea on how to stay mentally sharp!

Skiing for Boomers

January, 2009--
The 40th anniversary of the first time I skied.

Little did I know what significance that trip would have in my life as I fell in love with skiing! Over the years I've made some life-changing decisions like moving to Germany because of skiing!

So, after another challenging day on the mountain, I just wanted to remind you that there are some clubs for skiing Boomers and some great discounts for those over 70.

40 years ago many ski area allowed skiers over 70 to ski for free. While most have stopped that deal, there are still some great discounts for us Boomers .http://www.70plusskiclub.com/

Also, check out Over the Hill Gang International which runs ski trips for Boomers.

http://othgi.com/articles.shtml

And even if you don't ski, you can still join your friends for Apres-Ski at your favorite bar!!

Europe-Germany

Schloss Hirschorn

I’ve always loved to travel and was fortunate to have visited many European countries while living in Germany. Like many retirees, I want to keep on hitting the road during my golden years, so to celebrate turning the big 60 this year, I planned a trip to Europe and Egypt. My last trip to Europe was in 2001 so I really looked forward to visiting my friends there. I planned to spend 2 weeks in Germany and Italy with friends and 2 weeks in Egypt on a guided tour. I was so excited as I've always wanted to see the Great Sphinx and Pyramids ever since my first trip to Europe in 1970 when I visited an Egyptian Exhibit in the Louvre. My friend Sue made the trip with me. Our first stop was Germany where we stayed with my friend Danny who lives near Heidelberg. We spent several days touring in Germany, visiting the Heidelberg Castle, Dilsberg and the Hirschorn Castle. The Heidelberg Castle is a well-known attraction with thousands visiting it every year. Personally, I like Schloss Hirschorn which is so picturesque sitting atop a mountain, set against a forested backdrop and overlooking the Neckar River.

We spent a sunny afternoon on the terrace there with my friends Danny and Gretchen, enjoying the scenic view while sipping Rhine wine and eating German pastries. Now Schloss Hirschorn is a 4-star hotel with 8 guest rooms in the main fortress. We dined that night at the Gasthof Zur Sonne in Neidenstein. The menu selections reflected local German fare such as turkey schnitzel and spaetzle, but the taste and presentation was just incredible! Everyone so thoroughly enjoyed their meal that I just had to find the chef and compliment him. Even as an experienced traveler I was shocked at how expensive everything was with the Euro being so strong against the dollar. So if you're planning a trip abroad any time soon, bring at least 50% more spending money. With a can of Coca-Cola or a cup of coffee costing almost $4, you'll definitely need it!

VOTE

Like most Americans I watched the debate tonight. It's not important who I support. That's a very personal choice and I don't even ask my friends who they plan to vote for. But I am asking you to cast your vote in November -- a right still denied to many citizens in other nations.
Having lived in Germany I've seen first-hand what it looks like when freedom is denied. I will never forget what I experienced during my first visit to Berlin in November 1989, just 11 days before the Berlin Wall came down. The U.S. Military Guards at Checkpoint Charlie told that me that Peter Jennings and Dan Rather were in Berlin covering this world-changing event and that with over 4,000 protesters on the Alexanderplatz, they could not guarantee our safety in the East. It didn't matter, I had to go in as I was more afraid of missing this moment in history than concerned about my safety. Shocked doesn't begin to describe the sight of armed soldiers on street corners or the East Germans with spirits so broken that they couldn't even look me in the eye when talking. But I truly knew in my heart what 'FREEDOM' meant when back in West Berlin I saw families who had already escaped from the East. Hundreds of people were herded together like fenced-in cattle, standing in the pouring rain, with nothing more than a suitcase but they were grinning like they had just won the lottery. WHY? Because they knew that they and their families were free. Just do it --- VOTE!