After more than a year of planning and maybe (at least for me) a lifetime of dreaming, my partner Robert and I are only twenty-two days from departing on what most would call a trip of a lifetime.
It truly will be a trip worth the planning. We drive to San Francisco where we board a non-stop flight to Hong Kong. After a few days exploring that city, we board a Holland America ship to embark on a 57-day cruise. Before we arrive back home nearly two months later, we will have sailed in three major oceans, touched land on four continents, visited 16 countries and seen sights ranging from gambling casinos in Macao to safaris in Africa to the waters of the Amazon.
Other than our final port in Ft. Lauderdale, every place we visit will be a brand new experience for us. Despite our long history of travel, there is a whole swath of the world still unexplored by us. That’s about to change. Whether it’s the beach in places like Phuket or the Seychelles islands, the cityscapes of Singapore or Capetown, or the natural wonders of places as varied as Madagascar or Belem, it will all be for us a brand new world.
What do we expect along the way? Well, we hope to meet some interesting people, see some incredible sights, and gain an appreciation for the incredible variety and beauty of this planet. Some laughs, a few good reads, a better tan, and some time spent writing are also likely to be some of the benefits. It’s also a time to acknowledge major milestones. During the quarter ahead, Robert and I celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of our meeting, and I turn sixty.
So the preparations for the grand journey are nearly complete. The Brazilian visas have been secured; the passports are in place. We’ve gone shopping for appropriate clothes. We made sure our tuxedos still fit for those formal dinners. We’ve been exercising to leave some of the weight behind, since we’re sure to pick up a few extra pounds in the weeks ahead. And we haven’t forgot the mundane: we’ve set up online payments for all our bills for while we’re gone, and we’re working hard on those tax returns so they can be mailed before we leave.
Last fall, when I retired from Sage, one of my employees gave me a fantastic digital camera and exacted a promise that I would post lots of trip pictures and video on this blog. So, Mike, if you’re reading this, I’m committing to do just that. Instead of a monthly blog, you can expect to see weekly, if not daily, postings, usually with a few photos.
I hope you find them interesting and visually stimulating. As we travel along, I also encourage you take the time to send us some feedback and reactions.
And as for this being the trip of a lifetime, I actually am hoping it is only one of many adventures ahead.
frahmannthoughts 
Hi Dennis, We first a big aloha to you both. We wish you a wonderful trip filled with adventure, stories, new people, funny stories, love and most of all a trip to remember! Let’s promise to get together in Cambria this summer when you return. It’s been way too long and we would love to see you both in the magical part of the Cali. An early Happy Birthday to you….. 60 really??? I thought you were younger than me…xoxoxo
Hi Dennis, This is such a fabulous trip you have planned! And what a great way to celebrate your milestones – I’m a couple of months ahead of you on one of them. I can’t wait to follow your adventures. All the Best, Terri