“R” is For Reservation-Cruise Tips and Tricks

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Debbie

There are a few activities around the ship which will fill up quickly, specialty dining, salon and spa services, private areas and on board tours to name a few.

Booking these activities is one of the first things we do after boarding the ship. Sometimes we use the time between embarking and waiting for our room to be ready, to get this done. The faster you make reservations, the more options you will have.

The other great thing about booking on the first day of your cruise, is that there are often coupons and promotions happening that day. Your embarkation newsletter can help you to decide which days to make reservations. Formal nights and at sea days will be some of the busiest in the following venues:

If you have specialty dining options (as we did with Sabatinni’s and the Bayou Steakhouse), you will want to book a table as soon as you are on board. These restaurants often charge a nominal fee above and beyond your usual dining options but if you are looking for a special treat and/or planning a celebration, it can be fun to have dinner in one (or all) of the unique venues. These restaurants are often closed on port days.

Formal nights can be very busy times in the salon as women get their hair styled, nails done and indulge in pampering. Massages and spa services may be hard to come by on any sea day. Some of the best sales and discounts will be offered on port days.

Also, if you desire to spend time in the adults only “Sanctuary” (specific to Princess Cruises), you will want to book this as soon as you arrive for your trip. Again, this can be a busy location on sea days.

Finally, if any galley, backstage or bridge tours are being offered, this is a great time to make reservations for those too as spaces will be very limited.

It is important to note that the above items are generally not included in your standard travel costs, so expect to pay extra.

Because there are limited spaces and time slots available at these specialty locations and thousands of guests wanting the same experiences, these activities are often very busy and sell out quickly. Make your reservations early.

“L” is For Los Angeles-Day 1 of Our Pacific Island Adventure

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Debbie

Today is day 1 of our Pacific Island Adventure. For our own sanity, we prefer to arrive at the port the day before we set sail on a cruise, which means that we have some time to pass in this location. Normally we would only have 24 hours to fill but a couple of months before we set sail, the airlines changed our flight arrangements which means we would have about 48 hours to occupy ourselves before our cruise set off.

Los Angeles, would not be my first choice of a destination to travel to. As the second most populated location in the USA, it is busy. Personally I prefer the serenity of a forest, to the bustle of large cities, but that is just me.

Normally I would have been content to spend our time in a hotel room or lounging by a pool, because cities just aren’t my thing but this was too much down time, so I needed to find something meaningful to do. I challenged Alan to an ABC adventure which we will be sharing in its entirety during the month of March. For today we offer just a sampling of what we explored.

Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California. It is rich with ethnic and cultural diversity, giving us plenty of interesting foods to try and fascinating people to observe. Under normal circumstances this might have been enough to occupy our short visit here but our research had revealed a plethora of exciting options and they were just miles from the airport.

Initially we had planned to take a transfer to the hotel in San Pedro but we wondered how we would juggle the extra supplies we wanted to purchase. We will be cruising for a month followed by 2 weeks of land activities. I didn’t want to carry all of our consumables, so a shopping trip was in order. A few minutes of scouting on the internet revealed we could rent a car through Budget Rental Cars. There was an option to pick up at the airport and drop off at the hotel for about the same cost as paying for a transfer but a car would also give us enormous freedom.

This is how our first stop on our Pacific Island Adventure became Target, a large department store/grocery store, located just beyond the airport. It was an added bonus that we would be traveling down Pacific Highway 1, considered one of the most scenic roads in the USA and convenient to get our errands out of the way. Where should we go from here?

Like all big cities, there is plenty to do in the Los Angeles area. There are galleries, museums and performing arts to experience. There are zoos, sports games and educational opportunities. From Disneyland, to the World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios, it seems there is a theme park nearby to fill every interest. While not all are located in Los Angeles, they are all accessible within a reasonable distance from the airport.

The Mediterranean climate attracts millions to discover the city, the waters, the beaches, the Santa Monica Mountains and the San Fernando Valley. The word beach has caught my attention. This was more my idea of a vacation than the towering skyscrapers of the megalopolis of Los Angeles, which sprawls for miles.

After realizing we would be sailing out of San Pedro, just 30 minutes South of the Los Angeles airport, we decided to head that direction. We crave nature and beauty. The entire coastal drive held promise. This area would lead us to beaches and some of the most scenic overlooks along the coast. We set our sights on visiting the Palos Verde area which sits between LA and San Pedro.

This is the area the stars and starlets call home. “Star gazing” is a sport in this city. We are not star struck people. In fact, the only stars I will be looking for today will be starfish! In Los Angeles, Hollywood Boulevard and Rodeo Drive are just two of the places you might run into your favorite A-list celebrities. Often they can be seen going about their normal errands, a cell phone in one hand and a triple shot machiatto in the other. On our adventure, we would be keeping an eye open for them along the boardwalks and piers of Manhattan Beach instead.

Manhattan Beach

Just 5 miles from the airport and 19 miles from downtown LA, we quickly discover Manhattan Beach. This short jaunt to the coast has us busy as we explore an amazing pier, built in 1929. Many consider this pier to be among the prettiest in Los Angeles county and I am in my photographic glory trying to capture it.

As we stroll out over the water, we should have been able to see the entire Santa Monica Bay, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and Catalina Island but there is a haze. It feels like a different world from the city which lies directly behind us. At the end of the pier is a beautiful two story octagonal roundhouse which has been converted into an aquarium, offering both fresh and saltwater tanks, a touch pool and many educational exhibits. Best of all, its completely free!

Coming off the pier I realize we are so close to the airport and city that we can still see the planes arriving and skyscrapers which occupy LA! We took a few minutes to explore the underside of the pier. The recent rain in this area has created a high surf which is now fascinating to watch.

Our next decision was whether to play a game of volleyball on the 2 mile long beach, watch the surfers or take a stroll along “The Strand”.

The Strand

The Strand is a 22-mile paved path, extending from Pacific Palisades (close to Santa Monica) to Torrance. Some people refer to The Stand as the “Manhattan Beach Boardwalk.” Some of the countries most expensive real estate is situated in this area. This pathway is so long that it actually connects to our next destination, which is Hermosa Beach. Since it is only two miles, we could walk along the Strand but the day is drawing to a close so we will drive there but many choose to run, bike or skateboard. First we have a little more to discover in the Hermosa area.

Farmers Market

Before heading in that direction we take a little time to explore the downtown area of Manhattan. We have arrived on a Tuesday, which lucky for us is the one day of the week that the Farmers Market is open. From 11am-4pm, 45-50 vendors sell their goods. There is a wide variety of products to choose from including cheese, vegan cheese (made from cashews), dates, honey, berries, orchids, olive oil, ice cream, hummus, fish, and prepared foods. They even have activities for the kids such as a mini-train and face painting! This is one of the best markets I have ever been to.

Shopping

Following our trip to the market we did a bit of shopping in the downtown area then wandered along Manhattan Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue. This is one of the wealthiest areas in the LA area, yet this beautiful beach town offers an inviting welcome to all. There is something humorous about spotting a 20 year old driving a Ferrari. We are all enjoying the same beautiful views, even though our experiences might be slightly different!

Ice Cream

As we finished the day in Manhattan Beach we decided it was time for an ice cream.We never pass an opportunity to sample the local recommendations, so when we heard about Manhattan Creamery, we knew we had to find it. The store has a party-like vibe. They are famous for their signature Cream’wich ice cream sandwich made with artisan cookies. In addition customers may choose macrons, caramel apples, candy, cupcakes and other frozen treats. It is a sweet lover’s paradise. After loading up, it is time to move to our next location.

Hermosa

As we make our way along the coast we quickly come to our second stop. Hermosa lies just a few miles from Manhattan Beach. There is a different vibe in this community, it is more relaxed than Manhattan. This town is filled with art. We set out on a walking tour to locate some of the decorated utility boxes which line the street. Murals cover numerous buildings. The one below was visible for miles and we had to take a close up look to prove to ourselves that it was indeed just a painting!

The Strand continues through this town. Palm trees guide us towards the open space.

The surf was so high today, they have closed off the pier. We watch the sunset as a flock of birds takes flight. We take a final walk along the Strand, a lone volleyball player practices in the blaze of orange. The first of many beautiful sunsets we hope to see.

Redondo Beach

As the sun begins to dip along the horizon we hop to our last beach of the day. This beach is filled with romance. The sea beckons as light scatters diamonds across the surface of the water and waves swell to propel surfers toward the shore. Gondolas line up ready to whisk lovers to embrace a sunset. Tour boats sit ready to embark on dinner cruises and whale watching tours. Overseeing it all are the seals and sea lions barking their orders to embrace the moment. At least this was what we had expected to find from all our research, but none of that was here! We suspect that many boats were moved as a series of strong storms passed through the area for the past couple of weeks.

What we did see was a beautiful pier filled with every variety of eateries ranging from fair foods to fine dining.

We chose to eat at Tony’s where pub food and bar are located upstairs and fine dining is in the lower level, So our evening came to a close over a glass of wine, next to a roaring fire, looking over a beautiful surf.

During our two days in the Los Angeles area, our days have been packed with beaches and beautiful views Some of the most valuable real estate in the USA exists along this California coast. So many of our adventures are completely free and absorbing this stunning beauty leaves me contemplative. Sitting high upon the cliffs, these amazing homes look out over the Pacific Ocean. There is a world of discovery ahead of us.

Visiting the cliffs, beaches and hiking trails, we can almost imagine that we are far from civilization but then we hop on another highway and are quickly reminded that nearly 4 million people call this area home. Like our circulatory system, I can almost feel the coursing of life running through society.

As night approaches, the city takes on a whole new vibe. Searchlights arc through the air, announcing the latest silver screen premier. Like a heartbeat there is a pulsating sound which seems to resonate atop every rooftop bar, as the music, pools and alcohol draw slinky-sexy crowds to come out and play.

The last 48 hours have already been filled with travel and sight seeing. We have even made a final shopping trip to purchase the last of our cruise supplies. Tonight, safely tucked back into our hotel room at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro, California we are happy enough to begin to wind down. We can’t resist one last adventure as we head to the Rainbow Lagoon, where the illuminated Swan Boats guide gracefully across the surface of the water. As we cuddle together on this January evening we are wrapped in a hug by the warm lights of this shining city. Los Angeles hasn’t turned out to be so bad after all.

How would your ABC Adventure look in the LA area?

This is city life. With so much to offer, there is no excuse for boredom. We are happy enough to have been able to play in this area for 48 hours. As with most of our adventures, we have filled every moment. We are now exhausted and ready to spend the next 5 days at sea before our next stop which will be in Oahu, Hawaii.

The sea is calling, my bags need repacking and we are suffering from the time change. We need an early night before embarking on our cruise tomorrow.

Tomorrow we set sail on our 42 day Pacific Island Adventure! We invite you to continue to follow along.

“A” is for Arranging an ABC Adventure

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Debbie

The ABC Adventure is meant to encourage you to explore deeper and is intended to assist you with documenting your journey, You are using your camera and language skills to document a story while adding some creativity to both.

An ABC Adventure is part personal guidebook, part word game, part photography challenge and part Scavenger Hunt. It is all fun.

“Rules” of the Game

The first rule is that there really are no rules! There are however a few missions. The purpose of the ABC game is to live more deeply and to document the journey, but mostly to have fun along the way.
The game is similar to a Scavenger Hunt. It may be played by yourself, with a group, or in teams. You will take one photograph representing a word or phrase (that you choose) for each letter of the alphabet. You do not need to complete the alphabet in order. There is no time limit to the game (unless you choose to set one).
Begin by choosing an anchoring theme for your game. Put your anchoring theme at the top of the page. This offers a little confinement to your mission. ABC games are not limited to travel. Here are a few themes we have used:

Art in an Airport
Birthday Celebrations
Date Nights
Exploration By Country
Exploration By the City

You could also do an ABC food tour, an ABC cruise ship tour, an ABC art in the airport tour, your ABC Adventures are only as limited as your creativity.

Write out the alphabet leaving blank space next to each letter. Each letter will represent a single word or phrase. Once you assign the word or phrase, you will take a photo to represent it (or you can take a photo first and then assign it to a word). There are no limits to how creative your photography or word choices may be. In fact, the more creative, the more interesting the game becomes.

The choice of creating a guide before you begin a game is entirely up to you. You can follow our process below, or jump straight to the Scavenger Hunt section.

Creating a Guide (Wordplay and Personal Guide)

The value in making a list is to see where you are going to be challenged. Some letters are more difficult than others to represent. Write out the alphabet leaving blank space next to each letter. We generally create our lists on the computer because the word list can become very long. By having all the options, you can quickly see where an alternate word or phrase choice might exist. Mostly the guide is a long series of questions.
Where are you going? What is the mission of this ABC Adventure? If you are doing a travel themed ABC Adventure, this may be continents, countries, states, cities, towns and/or villages. If you are limiting your exploration to something like the cruise ship, then you might write “C” for cruise or “I” for Island Princess (or whatever specific ship you are on). If you were looking just for art in a museum then you might just record the name of the museum. In our example below, My theme is ABC’s By State. We knew we would be visiting several Hawaiian islands but I began with H-Hawaii then added K-Kauai since I knew we would be experiencing at least that much. My list will eventually expand to include Maui and Oahu as part of an overall Hawaiian Adventure.
Next ask yourself who is going to play the game/travel with you. In our case, it will just be Alan and I, so I will add and “A”-Alan and “D”-Deb to my list.
How will you get there? (example A-airplane, C-cruise, “R” Rental car etc). Do you know of any other transportation you would like to experience? *Since much of Kauai inaccessible by road, it is recommended to see from a sailboat “S” , “C” catamaran and/or “P” plane. Do you already know if certain tours use a specific kind of transportation? You could use “K” for kayak.
Next, begin to research tours or activities you might be interested in. This is your “what will we do question”. I often visit Trip Advisor or Pinterest to find fun things to do. We knew we wanted to take a flight tour over Kauai so our abc list began to look like this… A-airplane, F-flight tour etc. Always list multiple terms for each word, this is how you will eventually fill the entire alphabet with options. Move from broad to specific. You could also begin to get creative here…what about the letter “U” for Up (as in up in the air). Each guide will be personal to your interests, activities and goals.
Begin to fill in things you will likely see on the tour. For example, as we researched the flight tour we knew we could use “N” for Na Pali coast and “W” for Waimea Canyon. These were both included on the tour. As we read about these places we noted that Waimea Canyon was also referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. We cross referenced the list with a “G”. We knew these areas would be “L” -lush. Our words were beginning to get a little more descriptive. We knew that we would be seeing “W”-waterfalls and “R” rainforests. We noted that the Na Pali coast was undulating. We added these words. Hint, words spark creativity of photos and vice versa.
Stay open to discovering new things to explore. As we researched our options, we also discovered many other things we might be interested in exploring such as “F” for Fern Grotto and “R” for Riverboat cruise, if we had time. My mind raced with the possibilities of how we could spend our time. What restaurants are recommended? What sites are top to see? You likely won’t “do” everything on your list but writing down everything which interests you, means that you will have numerous options when it comes time to actually going on your personal journey. If it were raining, you might need to move an activity indoors, you will already know where to go. This is the personal guide portion of the game. Think of it as a travel guide.
Now imagine the culture. What foods, games, dances, music, language etc do you want to discover. Your abc list might begin to look like “H”-hula and “U”-ukelele. Is there a traditional dress which people wear? For example, “A” Aloha Shirts.
Begin to add other categories which interest you such as A-architecture, animals, B-boats, beaches C-churches etc. Continue to move from broad to specific for example you could add A-animals but research showed that we would likely see C-chickens and W-whales on this trip, so they were also listed.
Keep asking questions and adding to your lists. What foods are eaten? Example “M” Macadamia nuts, “S”-shave ice. How do they taste or smell? Sweet, sour, pungent? What time of year is it? What season are you in? What month is it? Is it dry, arid, wet or humid? Sunny or cloudy? What do you hear? What colors could you add? What emotions are triggered? Do you expect to stand in awe?
*The more descriptive terminology you add, the more interesting your writing will become when it comes time to tell your story. This may also give you some interesting ideas for photography.
Keep building your alphabet lists with creative exploration of language. For example “C” could be coffee (which Kawaii is famous for) but perhaps you already have a “C”, you could also use “J” for Java.
Add some colors to your list. Kawaii is very “G”-green but dig deeper and add interesting words like “V”-verdent.
Did you know the “Y”-Yellow Hibiscus is the state flower? Build, build, build on the ABC/word list before you begin playing the game. The more time you spend here, the more options you have once you begin the game.

Scavenger Hunt

Use your blank alphabet list. The goal is to try to represent each letter of the alphabet with a word or phrase and a photo. Hint: take more photos than you think you need.
You are using your camera and language skills to document a story. Add some creativity to both. How do you document words like yellow? Did you know that the state flower of Hawaii is yellow? Since my theme is ABC’s By State (Hawaii), this would be a great way to document my “Y” for yellow. This can often be a tough letter to find, so it will be high on my list to get this photo. if I see the word pineapple, I might choose to photograph a pineapple plantation, a single pineapple growing, or a wonderful pina colada (or all of the above). I might also try to experience the local pineapple french toast with coconut dressing, all would be wonderful ways to represent the word pineapple.

Detours-Sometimes you won’t have an idea for a letter. This is your chance to become very observant. Words and opportunities are everywhere. Detours are what create the adventure, don’t be afraid of them.

Did you see a sign which begins with your needed letter? Detour.
Could you find a quote which begins with your desired letter and fits the theme of your adventure? Detour.
Could you rearrange your photos/words to be able to use something somewhere else? Detour.

Share Your Story

By the time you finish this game, you are sure to have had some grand adventures. It is likely that you took more photos than just those that you selected for the Scavenger Hunt. It is likely that you imagined more words and phrases than you used (you did save your list didn’t you?). I know that I will have tried to capture every single word on my list. I will have let my creativity flow through my photography and word choices. It is now time to use these to put the words and photos together because a photo without explanation is left to interpretation and words with no pictures means it never happened. By the time you complete an ABC adventure, your photos and descriptive writing should represent who, what, where, when, why and how of the adventure you set out to enjoy.

We experience the world one letter at a time and discover our world one word at a time, but we write our legacy by one story at a time.

The Overall Kauai ABC List

Here is how our Kauai, Hawaii list eventually shaped up. (Yours may look different based on personal interests/goals).

Allerton Gardens/Aloha shirts/ Aloha/Airplane/Alan/animals/Awe
Blow Hole (Spouting Horn)/Beaches/Botanical Gardens/blue
Chickens (thousands occupy the island)/coffee (see also java)/coconut/crater/chocolate/cruise
Deb
Eucalyptus trees (Tunnel of trees on way to Koloa Town and Poipu Beach)
Fern Grotto (lava cave overgrown with ferns-about 2 miles up the Wailua River-accessed by kayak or boat trip)/Flowers/Forbidden Island (Ni’Hau)/Flight
Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum/Grand Canyon of the Pacific (Waimea Canyon Park)/gardens/ green
Hanalei (shopping)/Hanalei Bay/Hanakapi’ai Beach/Hawaii/Helicopter tour (Island Helicopter Tours are the only one which land at a waterfall)/Hula Dancers (Sheraton Kauai Resort, Grand Hyatt Kaui and Kilohana Plantation estate)/humid
Island Plane Tour
January/Jurassic Park Falls/Java (see also coffee)
Kalaheo Coffee Co (breakfast/baked goods)/Kawaii/kayak/Kilohana plantation/Koke’e State Park/Kalalau Trail (first half mile)/Koa wooden bowls/Kauai coffee/Kilauea Point/Kilauea Lighthouse/Koa wooden bowls/Kipu Kai/Kalapaki Beach/Kalua (the act of cooking a pig in the ground for hours)/Kauai/Koloa Town
Lighthouse (Kilauea Lighthouse)/Luau/leis/Lanai/Larsen’s Beach/lava cave/lush
Mountain tube/monk seals/Moreton Bay fig trees/McBride Gardens/Mount Waialeale-(wettest spot on earth)/Mahaulepu Beach (monk seals/beauty/hiking)/Macadamia nuts/ Moloa’a Beach/music/ Mountains/mango/mai tai
Na Pali Coast/Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens)/Ni’Hau (Forbidden Island)
O
Pineapple/Pineapple French toast with coconut dressing (at the Kalaheo Coffee Co)/Passionfruit/Pupu Platter (cross between tapas and bar food)/Poipu Beach (Tunnel of trees and spouting Horn)/Pu’u O Kila Lookout (Kokee’e Park)/pottery/passionfruit/Polihale Beach/palm trees
Queen’s Bath (Kalapana)/Poke (Hawaiian sushi)
Rainforests/Red Dirt Falls (Grand Canyon of the Pacific-located in Waimea Canyon Park)
Shave ice/Spouting Horn/Shop/surfing/seashells/Shipwreck Beach/Smith Family Luau/Sticky rice pudding/Spouting Horn (blow hole)/sunset
Tunnel of Trees (see also Euclyptus trees)/Tidepools
Ukulele/Undulate
Vintage train (Kilohana plantation)/volcano/verdent
Waterfalls-Wailua Falls& river/Waimea Canyon/Wailua River/Wai’oli Hui’ia Church (Hanalei)/Whale watching (winter only when Pacific humpbacks migrate to mate and give birth), wasabi mustard, wooden bowls/ Wai-ale-ale Crater/wet/winter
X
Y yellow
Zen/Zipline (Skyline Hawaii)

The words above words also give me an opportunity to expand my language as I write the descriptions and stories of each experience. How interesting does a story about cooking a pig in an underground oven (Kalue) become when I use local terminology and/or language? How much more authentic does the experience become when local culture is infused into the adventure?

The ABC’s give us structure but this is your adventure to design in any way which you choose. Enjoy the journey!

“Q” is for Quote-Our Pacific Island Adventure

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Debbie

“Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes.”

We are just about to set sail! We are so excited to share our upcoming Pacific Tour with you. Follow along as we spend the next 43 days exploring the Southern Hemisphere.

“P” is For Pacific Island Tour-ABC World Travel

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Debbie

“P” is for our “Pacific Island Adventure.

Our bags are packed! Very soon we set off on our 42 day, Pacific Island Adventure. We have been planning for six months and I think we are ready for our next ABC Adventure! The list below includes geographical areas, countries and states, as well as the cities we will visit along the expedition.

At each location we will be attempting additional ABC Adventures. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing our adventures in real time, as we experience them. Be sure to check back often to see our immersion into the cultures and beauty of this part of the world.

Here is our ABC List for the areas we plan to visit:

A-American Samoa/Australia/Auckland (New Zealand)

B-Bay of Islands (New Zealand)

C-Cairnes (Australia)

F-French Polynesia

H-Hana (Maui)/Hawaii (USA)/Honolulu (Hawaii)

K-Kauai (Hawaii)/Kahului (Maui, Hawaii)

L-Laie (Oahu, Hawaii)/Los Angeles (California, USA)

M-Maui (Hawaii)/Moorea (Society Islands)

N-New Plymouth (New Zealand)/New Zealand

O-Oahu (Hawaii)

P-Pago Pago (American Samoa), Papette (Tahiti), Port Douglas (Australia)

S-San Pedro (California), Society Islands, Sydnee (Australia)

T-Tahiti, Tauranga (New Zealand)

U-USA ( just because Hawaii is also part of this tour)

W-Waikiki (Hawaii)/Wellington (New Zealand)

“R” is for Ruby Wedding-ABC Celebrations

Posted on January 8, 2023 by Debbie

Forty years we have been married! I was just 17 when we met, he was 21. In a nutshell, we spent every minute together of that first three weeks after meeting. It was an intensive, accelerated summer romance. Then he proposed.

We knew we would be separated by distance. He had a year long contract in the Middle East to fulfill. I was about to start University.

Before he asked the question, I remember walking on the beach one night, holding hands. I had a strong vision of an old married couple doing the same thing. Somehow I knew it was us. I had found my best friend that summer. Somehow I knew to trust myself and hang on.

We would spend the first year of our engagement in different countries, We were about as far apart physically as we would ever be.

This was a time long before cell phone and facebook had made it possible to communicate. At $8 per minute, even phone calls were a luxury, so we wrote. Every day, we would talk about our lives, although looking back at it, it is really funny to see more “I Love You’s” scrawled across the pages than any substance to what was happening in our days.

This is what young love is, pure passion. Yet there has always been something deeper with Alan and I. Even in those early moments, if one of us had a headache, the other was experiencing the same. Our roots have always intertwined until we could no longer tell where one of us starts and the other ends. We are symbiotic.

We were married just 18 months after meeting for the first time. Since then there have been 3 children, all boys. We have had 3 cats and 2 dogs, numerous fish and a couple of lizards. We have been self employed for most of these years.

So now it is forty years later and we are indeed that old couple walking hand in hand on the beach.

What would my letter look like to him today? What do you say to someone who is your entire world? To that person who knows you almost as well as you know yourself? What do you say to a man who has held steadfastly to love and upheld ever vow he made?

If I would write a letter today, I would still probably fill it with “I love you’s” but there would be so much more depth to the words as we both reflect what they really mean.

I often ponder what wisdom I can offer young couples. I think the most profound thought is that the words “I do” are very simple, but you can never really understand what it is to be a committed partner.

I do means you will still cherish the person, even on the days you don’t like them.

I do means you will stand by through the most difficult of challenges…babies, teenagers, menopause/manopause, job loss, career changes, financial challenges, body changes, illness…

I do means a respect an honor of the relationship.

I do means you will endure and endear through it all.

So today, as we celebrate our Ruby Anniversary, I am told that Rubies are as precious as diamonds. I believe this. We are so lucky to be here. We have been gifted 40 wonderful years together.

We skipped out of the church on our wedding day, we have overcome many of life’s challenges and somehow we came through it all.

The rest of the journey seems easy now.

Today we celebrated under the Marquee…him saying he wanted me to “see my name in lights”. I am incredibly blessed by this man. After 40 years, he is still my best friend. What an amazing adventure we have had together.

“B” is for Bucket List Goals-ABC Words & Phrases

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Debbie

What is a Bucket List? It is a list of all the things you hope to do in your lifetime. Since we are starting our Pacific Island Adventure in a few days, I thought I would make a list of the things we hope to do while we travel around the the Southern Hemisphere.

Of course we used the alphabet to design our Bucket List, because we love exploring “one letter at a time”! Be sure to check back to see if we fulfilled our mission. This is just a small sampling of what we plan to explore on our Pacific Island Adventure. Here are our goals so far:

A-Admire the ARCHITECTURE of the Sydney Oprah-house

B-Photograph the colorful BUSES of American Samoa

C-Complete a CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR of Papeete, Tahiti

D-DARE TO DRIVE the streets of Los Angeles

E-Cross the EQUATOR

F-Feel the freshness of a FERN GROTTO in Kauai, Hawaii

G-Gaze at GLOWWORMS in Bay of Islands, New Zealand

H- Play at HOBBINGTON & HOT SPRINGS in Tauranga, New Zealand

I-Experience the ceremony of crossing the INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

J-

K-Kiss the KIWIS, KANGAROOS & KOALAS in Sydnee, Australia

L-

M- Marvel at the MOSSMAN GORGE & the Daintree Rainforest in Australia

N-Capture the NATURAL BEAUTY of New Plymouth, Australia

O-Get OFF THE BEATEN PATH in Moorea, Tahiti

P-Play all day at the POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER of Honolulu, Hawaii

Q- Sail on the QUEEN CHARLOTTE SOUND in Picton, New Zealand

R-Marvel at the ROAD TO HANA in Maui, Hawaii

S-Take in as many SUNRISES and SUNSETS as possible.

T-Travel by TRAIN in Cairnes, Australia

U-Get UP in the air in Kauai, Hawaii

V-View the sunrise over a VOLCANO in Maui, Hawaii

W-Witness one of the WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Great Barrier Reef) in Port Douglas, Australia

X the International Dateline

Y-Say YES again, as we renew our vows

Z-ZIPLINE above a forest in Auckland, New Zealand

“X” is For Xenomania-ABC Words

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Debbie

X is often one of my more difficult letters to represent when we are designing an ABC Adventure. I was so excited when I realized there are over 400 “X” words to explore! I was even more excited to find the word “Xenomania” as one of them.

Xenomania is found in the Urban dictionary. It is defined as “a passion for all things foreign and the customs associated.” This seemed really fitting to begin a new year.

Since our mission for this year is to stretch ourselves, we will soon be setting out on our Pacific Island Adventure.

We also needed an “X”, to represent our purpose.

Travel opens our minds to the differences between people. What better way for us to discover the Southern Hemisphere than to allow ourselves a full immersion in cultures and customs! We are excited to share the journey with you. In the coming days we will be exploring new foods, seeing new sights and fully embracing all things foreign. We plan to become “Xenomaniacs”! Tomorrow I will share the Bucket List of goals we have created for this trip.

“G” is For Getaway-ABC Relationships

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Debbie

It’s snowing in our part of the world. Winter is my least favorite time of year. This sounds like the perfect time for us to “get away”.

Where should we go? Somewhere warm.
What do we want to see? Something exotic and culturally different.

These were the criteria we used for planning our next adventure.

The ability to get away and travel has been hard for the past couple of years. With the shutdowns caused by a Pandemic, the regulations around Covid and the subsequent supply chain and employee shortages, it has seemed easier to just stay home.

We love to travel. Even during our early marriage, when we had no money, we prioritized getting away. For nearly each of the 40 years we have been married, we have traveled “somewhere”.

It has always been Alan’s desire to visit New Zealand and Australia. It was suppose to be his retirement gift, but that was two years ago, before the world shut down.

Now that things are opening up again, I have begun to dream.

When I found a super deal on a Pacific Island Cruise, I knew immediately that we would be booking it. At 29 days, this would be our longest cruise to date. We added on an extra couple of weeks of land exploration and suddenly realized we would be going on a two month journey. This was the longest we have ever been away from home and our family.

There were times that we questioned our own sanity about getting on a cruise ship (these saw some of the greatest challenges during the outbreak) but as the snow began to pile up, we grew more and more excited to travel to somewhere warm and exotic. Part of the travel experience is taking risks and overcoming challenges.

Vacations are a way to reset. Did you know there is actually a National “Plan For Vacation Day?” It is January 28th. It is humorous to me to realize that vacations are so important that there has been a full day set aside, to do nothing but plan for them! This trip has taken me six months to prepare for!

Vacations are so important that Alan and I prioritize them as part of our life. This is a big reason we became ABC Explorers.

Maybe your vacation will be to stay close to home, or perhaps you will visit someplace far away. Maybe you will camp, or travel by train. One thing is for sure, travel will have an impact on you. Here are a few things we have found to be true through our experiences:

Getting away breaks up the monotony of our days. Routine can lead to predictable (and boring) results and relationships. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (the same is true for Jill).
Travel gives us something to dream about, to aspire to save for. It gives purpose to earning money.
Travel creates stories.
Travel helps us to bond with family and form lasting memories. When days are busy with school activities, work responsibilities and day to day chores, there is little time to really “see” each other or to spend quality time together.
Traveling is a great way to make new friends. Travelers often have a lot in common. The bonus is you then have an excuse for visiting new people and places.
Travel gives you photos. Photos capture a tiny bit of life. They allow you to revisit your memories over and over. Remember, without a photo, it never happened!
Travel allows us to be creative in “how” we experience the world…we can sail, fly, or ride a train. You can go by tuk tuk or ride an elephant. You could choose to visit art galleries or hike a mountain. Our journey is really only limited by our imaginations.
Travel allows us broad introspection as we experience different cultures and traditions. We are more open to the differences in people as we understand the world which they live in.
Many parts of the world are impoverished, yet I have often found the people to be extremely welcoming and happy. We can return from a vacation with a great appreciation for what we have.
History, geography and anthropology come to life as one travels.
Travel allows the mind, body and soul to rest. Working can be very stressful. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much pressure we are under. Stress leads to illness. Sometimes you just need a moment to let some steam off.
Travel can allow you experiences you could never get at home. I do not live by oceans. I do not have penguins or elephants nearby. I do not have mountains to ski or climb. The USA is a young country, there are few monuments or buildings which date back to the period of the Roman’s or earlier.
Travel allows us to learn new languages. Communication is universal, language is our only barrier. There may be great humor and humbling moments in learning to ask where a bathroom is.
You don’t have to go far to “get away”. In fact there is always plenty to do, see and discover, even in your own back yard. Much of the time, this is an unexplored place.
Life is short. We have known so many elderly people who wish they had seen and experienced more. They waited too long until they “had time”, then found they were unable to travel due to illness (or the loss of a partner). There are only two things guaranteed in this life…taxes and death. Travel while you can.

So what is stopping you from designing your next adventure? Isn’t time to “Get Away”?

Continue checking back often as we get ready to set sail on our Pacific Island Adventure!

“A” is For Art at the Airport-ABC Air Travel

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Debbie

Airports are busy places. Often we rush around and miss much of what is offered there.

Have you ever been stuck at an airport and/or had a long layover and wondered how to pass time? Why not design a self paced art tour while you are waiting?

This was how we created our next ABC Adventure. Our mission would be to see as many art installations as we could, while traveling through airports. We wondered if we could complete an entire alphabet. The next time we find ourselves with some time, it will be a great excuse to walk around and get some exercise. On this day we passed 2 hours walking from terminal to terminal at Chicago O’Hare Airport.

In our quest to complete the alphabet, we have found paintings, sculptures, fiber art and so much more. Airport art rivals that of any gallery. The long walls, high ceilings and open spaces lend themselves to bigger installations of art.

The next time you are stuck in an airport, take a look around. Can you complete a full ABC adventure with art as your theme?

As we try to complete the alphabet tour, we will continue to add photos as we travel and the airport locations which we find them, so be sure to check back often.

A is For

Adler Planetarium Exhibit (Chicago O’hare Airport)

The Adler Planetarium has an exhibit in the Pedestrian Walkway on the way to the CTA O’Hare Blue Line Station. The Exhibit features many posters such as the one above offering views of beautiful constellations in the night skies.

After School Matters Benches (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Located throughout the Terminal 1/2 Bridge and Terminal 5, the After School Matters Benches depict various designs. All benches are hand painted by teen apprentice artists in the After School Matters art program. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

B is For

Beacons by Steven Heyman

A large square “Blue Beacon” and a large circular “Orange Beacon” suspended above the “Meet and Greet” area in the lower level of Terminal 5. Illuminated with fluorescent lamps, they measure 16′ x 16′ x 4′. The artwork was commissioned in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program.

Boeing Mosaic

This mosaic piece, created by After School Matters teen apprentice artists, celebrates aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s 100th anniversary in 2016. The piece hangs in Terminal 3, in the hallway between the Rotunda and H1. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens innovative out-of-school activities through science, sports, technology,creative writing and the nationally recognized gallery program.

C is For

Chicago Sister City Flags (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Representing the nations of Chicago’s Sister Cities, the flags are presented with help from Chicago Sister Cities International. Public art in and around Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport; January 2020.

City Windows by Qiao Xiaoguang (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Created using ancient Chinese paper cutting techniques, City Windows depicts iconic sites from Beijing and Chicago. The piece commemorates the friendship and cooperation between China and Chicago. It is located near Terminal 1 Gate B19.

D is For

E is For

The Evolution of O’Hare (Chicago O’Hare Airport)

This gallery of aerial photos offers travelers a look at how the O’Hare airfield has evolved since it opened in 1945. A timeline of historical events accompanies each photo. The gallery can be found in the Terminal 3 L Stinger (Gates L20-24).

F is For

G is For

H is For

Here and There by Mitchell Egly (Chicago O’Hare Airport)

Created as a part of the City of Chicago’s 50 x 50 Neighborhood Arts Project and initiated during the Year of Public Art, Here and There is a visual representation of the many neighborhoods that comprise the 41st Ward, the Ward O’Hare is within. This piece was sponsored by by 41st Ward Alderman Napolitano’s office. It is located within the airport’s Bus Shuttle Center.

I is For

I’ve Known Rivers by Alejandro Ramero and Gallery 37 (Chicago O’Hare)

A 208-foot long mural painted in acrylics, that brings to life the words and spirit of the Langston Hughes poem of the same name. The mural, created by teen apprentice artists from After School Matters, is located in the CTA Pedway. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

J is For

Jet Trails by Guy Kemper (Chicago O’Hare)

This sculpture measures 50 feet in length and 12 feet in height and consists of hand-blown painted glass in cool shades of blue, green and violet. The sculpture is suspended onto the window mullions directly across from Security Checkpoint 3 in Terminal 1 (past security).

K is For

L is For

M is For

N is For

O is For

On The Wings of Water (Chicago O’Hare)

A 35,000-piece Venetian glass and tile mosaic shows how air travel and water link cultures across continents and between cities, towns, and rural areas. It was completed with the help of After School Matters student artists and can be found in the Rotunda between Terminals 2 and 3 (past security). After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

P is For

Palimpsest by Nick Cave (Chicago O’Hare)

A dimensional tapestry constructed of hand-strung, beaded shoelaces woven with memory-steeped iconography and patterns through a nylon fishing net base layer. The piece represents a travel to understanding, the web of humanity, and future memories. Its colors come directly from Chicago’s unique skyline and is a continuation of the greeting a visitor takes in through their airplane’s window as they begin their decent for landing. It is located within the airport’s Multi Modal Facility.

Q is For

R is For

The Runners by Theodoros Papagiannis (Chicago O’Hare)

The Runners, a 16-foot sculpture, is located along the I-190 south side embankment and can be seen by motorists and CTA Blue Line riders exiting the airport. Donated by the Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and supported by Chicago’s large Greek-American community, the sculpture depicts five runners emerging from antiquity into the modern world. A maquette of this same piece is located within Terminal 5, behind the Arrivals Level information desk.

S is For

77 Neighborhoods (Chicago O’Hare)

This photo exhibit, located in the Terminal 5 corridor approaching the US Customs and Border Protection Federal Inspection Services area, showcases architecture, life, and popular scenes from across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods.

Skies The Limit (Chicago O’Hare)

A multi-sensory sculpture which extends above the walkway connecting concourse B and C in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The artist, Michael Hayden was commissioned by the airport in 1987 to design the 744 foot-long, neon kinetic sculpture which changes color in time to music.

Sister Cities by After School Matters (Chicago O’Hare)

Inspired by Chicago’s numerous Sister Cities, the mural depicts scenes from cities across the globe. Teen apprentice artists from After School Matters created the piece. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. It is located in the hallway between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Student Frontiers by After School Matters (Chicago O’Hare)

Teen apprentice artists participating in After School Matters programs created this mural in 2016. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. This mural is located in the CTA Pedway.

T is For

Treasury of Petra by Sonia Twal (Chicago O’Hare)

A limestone and marble mosaic donated to the City of Chicago from its sister city Amman, Jordan. It can be found in Terminal 5 near Gate M14. The mosaic was inspired by the carved rock and stone facade of the red-rose city of Petra in the southern Jordanian desert. The limestone and marble used in Twal’s representation were obtained from the Petra region.

U is For

V is For

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X is For

Y is For

Youth in the Loop by After School (Chicago O’Hare)

Teen apprentice artists participating in After School Matters programs created this mural in 2015. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. This mural is located in the CTA pedway.

Z is For