Do you travel to get lost…

– In the adventure

– In a new culture

– On public transportation

– In new textures, foods, smells, sounds, and sights!

I do. And I have been doing this with my willing husband for nearly 50 years.

In getting lost, we see things we’ve never seen before. We photograph lines, curves, and shapes that intrigue us. We view art to shift our perspective of the world. We look for a story to add to our own.

The idea for this website started after we hiked Kilimanjaro in our sixties. Everyone wanted to hear about our journey, so the website concept was born.

I can only tell you what worked for us in seeking adventure. How we planned our trips varied from country to country. In Germany, every step was planned by my husband. In Japan and Saudi Arabia, we hired professionals to organize private guides who spoke the language. The only prearranged tour I did was for Poland. I prefer the trips we planned ourselves.

I don’t worry about getting lost in a city where I don’t speak the language; that’s happened. I survived it and learned that strangers help gray-haired old ladies. I got lost in Lisbon and needed to take a train back to my hotel. I hopped on what I thought was the correct train and showed my ticket to a person, with a question mark on my face. He nodded, “Yes.” I sat down, and as I approached my stop, he signaled for me to get off.

I don’t worry about my physical safety in another country. I was in Japan when my tour guide warned me about getting up before dawn to wander the streets to photograph, as I tend to do. She said, since my next stop was Tokyo, I couldn’t do that there. When I asked why, she said, “People get killed in Tokyo!” “How many?” I asked. “One,” she answered. “How often?” I asked, and she said, “Every year.” I wondered at the time how many were killed yearly in my hometown. Needless to say, I wandered Tokyo’s streets before sunrise.

I don’t worry about getting on the wrong train; someone will help me. We’ve had to get off and switch trains. We paid a hefty fine in Vienna for not stamping our tickets, but one fine in a lifetime of travel—so what?

My husband fulfilled his dream of driving on the Autobahn in Germany at over 100 miles per hour. I decided to try it too. Even at our speed, we had to use the slower lane because most drivers went faster. We were amazed by our car’s technology, which told us the speed limit, when approaching traffic lights, and whether they were green, yellow, or red. I know, deep down, my husband wants to return to the autobahn, and so do I, secretly.

Our travels, aside from Kilimanjaro, have never been expensive. I read reviews for tours and cruises, and often our daily costs are lower. I shop for airline tickets because prices vary greatly. I use frequent flyer miles, but I’m not obsessive about it.

This website aims to inspire you to create your own adventures based on your passions and encourages you to share your stories through your personal website. Pursue YOUR adventure—don’t hold back…

Remember, traveling has a learning curve like everything else.  The mistakes you make on your first trip, you don’t need to make again.  The first time in any airport can be a challenge, but once you have figured it out, the next time will be easier.  Give yourself time to learn, and enjoy the adventure built into those experiences.

“Do not go gentle into that good night,” Dylan Thomas