That’s it, we’re doing it. Our oldest child Aryk is off at university in England. Our youngest child Gavin has just graduated from high school. Rather than be empty nesters, my husband Bob and I are stepping off the treadmill and hitting the road to spend the next decade or two exploring the planet.
Our oldest child Aryk is off at university in England. Our youngest child Gavin has just graduated from high school. Rather than be empty nesters, my husband Bob and I are stepping off the treadmill and hitting the road to spend the next decade or two exploring the planet.
We are relatively young and healthy, and the stock market has done good things with our investments over the last few years. So we are renting out our house just outside Denver, putting our stuff in storage, and packing up a few suitcases, three cats, our daughter (for a gap year) and our musical instruments and heading south of the border to explore Mexico for the next few years. We plan to spend three months at a time in different communities, mixing up cities, mountains, coast and historic pueblos, to really get beyond just a taste of this glorious country.
I know people think we’re crazy. Whenever I tell them the plan, they look at me uncomprehendingly.
Why are we doing this?
- Because travel opens your eyes and heart in ways nothing else can.
- Because meeting all kinds of different people expands your horizons.
- Because learning a new language stretches your mind and keeps your brain supple.
- Because settling in one place forever feels limiting.
- Because the ocean is beautiful and the mountains are glorious.
- Because thanks to social media we can stay connected to old friends and dear communities while we make new friends and create new communities.
- Because Mexico has a low cost of living and high quality of life.
- Because … salsa and mole sauce.
- Because … bougainvillea and pelicans.
- Because … waves and reefs.
- Because … whales and dolphins.
- Because … ruins and festivals.
- Because … the Day of the Dead and Three Kings Day.
- Because … tequila and mezcal.
When we’re done with Mexico, we plan to move on to Central America and South America.
When we’re done with Central America and South America, we’ll give the cats back to the kids, ditch the truck, fly across the pond (Atlantic Ocean) and begin exploring the rest of the planet.
Because life is short. And the world is big. Join us on the adventure!
Posted by Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt
