Goodbye Hectic 2017, Hello Cruising 2018!

a boat by the road in Cozumel

Some things happened in 2017 that will lead to a different year for us in 2018.  Am I excited? Of course! Every change is exciting! Change always brings about new things to think about and do. 2018 will be a stellar year. For one thing, Bill and I will celebrate the 10^th anniversary of our wedding. Becoming a wife is not a small accomplishment given Carol. For another, I will turn 70 and maybe I will attain the wisdom and mellowness that people wish for me. But it is the change in lifestyle that impacts our travels and my writing which should be most interesting to watch. 

Golfing in Catalina Island, photo by Carnival Cruise Lines

Actually, the drift started as far back as four years ago. From 2009-2013, we crisscrossed North America in an RV. In fact, my book, Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream, came out of that adventure. At the end of that period, we began snowbirding at Viewpoint in Arizona during winter and traveled to other countries and visited the homes of our children the rest of the year. In 2016, we were away for all of 8 months. That proved to be very tiring. So In December of that year, we bought a 3br unit at Viewpoint.

What Happened in 2017

We moved to that home in March of 2017 after selling our RV.  But I was committed to taking care of my youngest Apo (grandchild) in Melbourne, Australia for 3 months and did that from May to July and also managed to visit Auckland, New Zealand.  Then I proceeded to Manila to sell my last condo. While there I took a trip to KL, Vientiane, Bangkok, and Brunei with friends. On the way back to the US, I passed through China. By September, I was home. So in 2017, I was away for only 5 months!

Rocks in Ensenada, Mexico, courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines

Bill was only away for 2 really. He followed me to Melbourne and went with me to Auckland. Unfortunately, he developed some health issues and had to go back to the US. When I got back to the US after a month and a half, we went on a road trip. That was when we found out he still had the same health issues. You may read about the details here.

What Will Happen Beginning 2018

I cried in Auckland and was scared in Pittsburg. This has forced us to make the change to a more settled life at once and not just slide into it. Beginning in 2018, we will be based in Arizona as full-time residents. Starting in 2019, our year will consist of 7 months in Arizona in Viewpoint Golf Resort. We will also be spending 3 months in  Mexico either in Mazatlan, Cancun or Cozumel in an El Cid Resort. Yes, we consolidated all our timeshares into this one, all-inclusive treat. The remaining 2 months will be spent taking short trips to bucket list destinations or to our children's homes. But we hope our children will visit us instead! Then it will be the real cruising lifestyle!

Sunset in El Cid El Morro in Mazatlan

2018 will be a transition year. We are currently in Cozumel where we are spending the Christmas holiday. We will greet the New Year in Cancun! In January we will be in Las Vegas celebrating my 2 daughters' birthdays. In March we return to the city for my 50th High School reunion. Then it will be beach hopping, on Carnival Cruise Lines, to the Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico in August for our 10th anniversary with a bonus visit to my first grandchild in Santa Monica, California. Finally, in December, we will have a much-awaited family reunion in Hawaii. Between these trips, there may be visits to Bill's children in Denver and Boise. Total travel time in 2018 will be about only 8 weeks!

Royal Sea Cliff Resort by Outrigger in Kona, Hawaii, courtesy of Wyndham

Thus, my blog will also change and may feature more Arizona landmarks and points of interest,  Hopefully, I can help excite you to come and see why we chose to settle in Arizona. And, since I will be on the road less, I will have more time for Wonderings of our  Wanderings (WOWs) and more travel essays. Maybe then I can finish the sequel, Carolina: Cruising to a Global Mindset, a compilation of 20-25 essays on universal values. New and exciting, eh?