I’m a voracious reader, but poetry is not my thing. However, my favorite poem is Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” from 1923.
When I discovered it as a child, I took it literally and loved it because it mentioned snow. As I matured, I read it deeper and more symbolically about life and death. With that in mind, I hope I have miles to go before I sleep.
I just celebrated another birthday. While not a milestone one, it’s a perfect time for reflection. And, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m grateful for all that I’ve been blessed with in life.
I’ll never be rich, but my career fulfilled three things for me: (1) I achieved my childhood dream of becoming a television meteorologist, (2) I’ve been able to save money to help with retirement in a few years (the countdown in on), and (3) I got to travel and see the world!
People spend their extra money differently — on homes, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and cars. I love to travel.
Now that I’m a “Dog Dad”, I limit my travel to road trips so Pug Xanadu can go along. (Okay, there was the Rhine River cruise of Europe in the spring of 2024, as a tour group leader, which was work-sponsored!)
Before I got my first passport in 2013, most of my travel was domestic.
My first flight in October 1992 was to Houston, Texas, for a scandalous, hedonistic, vodka-filled Halloween weekend with my friends Steve and Dennis. (Yes, there are photos out there!)
In 1993, I visited Las Vegas and Cancun (pre-passport days) for the first time again with Dennis.
After that, all my trips were in the U.S.: Reno (Nevada), Sedona (Arizona), and a few visits to New Orleans, Palm Springs (California), Branson (Missouri), and many trips to Las Vegas.
From the fall of 2012 through the spring of 2017, I honestly don’t when I worked because I was always going somewhere!
Here are just the domestic (and North American) trips: Las Vegas (October 2012); Caribbean Cruise (December 2012); Las Vegas (January 2013); Kansas City (February 2013); Cancun (August 2013); Nashville (December 2013); Las Vegas (May 2014); Branson (August 2014); Chicago (October 2014); Caribbean Cruise (December 2014); New York City (January 2015); Las Vegas (May 2015); Cancun (June 2015); San Francisco (September 2015); Anchorage (AK) (October 2015), Saint Paul (MN) (October 2015 for a night to see Madonna again); Chicago (December 2015); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (December 2015); New York City (March 2016); Las Vegas (July 2016); Southeast Tour — Charleston (SC), Savannah and Atlanta (GA) (September 2016); Cleveland (OH) (September 2016); Detroit (MI) and Windsor (Canada)(October 2016); Caribbean Cruise (December 2016); Jacksonville (FL) (Janaury 2017); and Las Vegas (March 2017)!
But, in the fall of 2013, the travel stakes went up — international, baby — when I got my first passport to celebrate my ex’s 50th birthday on a gorgeous Danube River fall cruise.
Let me tell you, I made good use of that passport over the next ten years.
I visited Canada’s capital, Ottawa, in September 2014.
But, my big trip was to celebrate my 50th birthday.
Originally, I was going to spend my birthday week in October 2014 in Tel Aviv, Israel. However, once I learned the connecting flight was in Paris, France, I thought, “Why not spend a few nights in the “City of Lights” and then head on to Tel Aviv for four nights?” And, that’s what I did!
My ex made that birthday very special — a dinner cruise on the Seine River, a visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and a show at the historic Moulin Rouge sitting right at the stage sipping champagne as I turned 50!
And, then it was on to Tel Aviv with a beautiful view of the bustling city and the Mediterranean Sea out my hotel window.
This incredible dessert is waffles, chocolate syrup, bananas, diced fruit and whipped topping with coconut, pistachio, caramel, and vanilla ice cream!
The morning Israeli breakfasts at our hotel, Prima City Hotel, was very tasty.
However, my favorite meal was at בני-הדייג, which translates to Benny The Fisherman, right on the Sea.
That was just the fresh salads and “starters” they brought out. Fifteen of them, including fish and the bread basket!
Extensive domestic travel continued and I didn’t let up with the international trips either!
In 2016, I visited China…
I traveled to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in 2017…
and, once single, I went off on solo trips to Morocco for my birthday in 2018…
Bangkok, Thailand in 2019…
Greece in 2021… (this is birthday 57 in Athens)
and Costa Rica in the spring of 2022…
Some of my favorite meals there…
Then, it was off to Turkey in the fall of 2022 for the last trip on my passport…
and, the food!
Also, I saw a cute little Turkish pug.
At this time, I already knew that Miss Xanadu, my pug was coming in early 2023. She just ended up being a little black pug instead of fawn!
Again, I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel. I’m happy that I didn’t end up like George Bailey. His dream was to see the world and he never left Bedford Falls!
Thank you for coming along for this travelogue.
Looking back, I honestly feel like I traveled more than I worked (unlike this summer when I worked most of June and July)! One day I still want to see Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos on one trip and India on another.
Also, I’d love to go back to Morocco…
and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Again, I’m so thankful I’ve been blessed with the ability to travel and see the world.
Anthony
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