Cruising Past Seventy: The Inner Journeys: Looking Forward to Our 2020 Travels

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Looking Forward to Our 2020 Travels



It’s now time to look forward to our travel plans for the coming year. We will go to ten new destinations, return to ten old-time favorites, and visit family and friends. On the road for five months on three separate road trips, we will have seven months of rest at home. I think it is a good way to cruise past 70.

Part 1 Mexico, Season 2

We all read about the recent massacres in Mexico. Indeed, the conditions for safety have deteriorated. But, as we had concluded before, the danger towns of Mexico are no different from the crime-infested towns of America. In fact, they all share spots in the listing of the most dangerous cities in the world. So Bill has decided to drive again to and from Mazatlan. We have found it so convenient to bring as much as we need and to bring home as much as we want. We leave Viewpoint on January 1 and drive down to Mexico going through the towns of Tubac, Arizona, Hermosillo, Sonora (only five and a half hours from a massacre site), and Los Mochis, Sinaloa. 

Concordia, Mexico

On January 4, we reach Mazatlan. For two months, we will have our annual all-inclusive vacation at El Cid Resorts composed of four hotels and a country club complex. Season 1 featured day trips to the towns of El Quelite and El Rosario. During Season 2, we plan to go to the towns of Villa Union and Concordia, famous for their artisanal wooden furniture. We also plan to climb the 325 steps up to the highest lighthouse in America, El Faro Mazatlan. Of the islands around the city, we sailed to Deer Island in Season 1. During Season 2, we intend to go to Stone Island.

Marietas Islands, Mexico

At the end of February, we drive farther down south and spend two weeks (and Bill’s birthday) in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. This is my first time to visit this famous Mexican destination. Aside from its Mercado and Malecon, we hope not only to experience the city’s renowned nightlife scene but also to take a boat tour to the spectacular hidden beach in the Marietas Islands. 

Guaymas, Mexico

Two weeks later, we go back to Mazatlan for a reunion of friends from the Philippines, colleagues from the Institute of Advanced Computer Technology. In our last week, we will shop for what we want to bring back home. Our long drive home will be broken with a short rest at the resort town of Guaymas, Sonora. It’s an upcoming Mexican destination that is close to the border. Our final stop will be the border town of Nogales, Sonora. We get home on April 1.

Part 2 Road Trip, Season 2

We are also continuing the tradition we started last year of escaping from the summer sizzle in the Phoenix desert. We will do another road trip of four to five weeks through Americans states and Canadian provinces, visiting family and friends. We will break the long drives with one-week stops at great resort towns.

Cliff Lodge and Spa

From July 7-12, we will be in St. George, Utah. It is the nearest city to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Thus, we will have plenty of opportunities to have outdoor fun with Bill’s son and daughter and their families in our annual reunion with them. Just a four and a half hours north is Salt Lake City. We have often passed through and so we have seen the city in bits and pieces. The week after St. George, we will explore it fully and explore the Great Salt Lake and Temple Square. We will definitely luxuriate at Cliff Lodge & Spa in Snowbird, Utah where our unit has a large hot tub inside.

Lands End, San Francisco

Afterward, we spend a week in Calgary, Alberta, the home of my second daughter and her family. And then we visit our Arizona friends’ mountain cabin for a round of ATV riding in the hills around Essex, Montana. On the way down to my other daughter’s California home, we will pass through Richland, Washington and Klamath Falls, Oregon waiting to be surprised!  Then, from July 29-August 4, we spend a week at the home of my eldest daughter and her family in Livermore, California. The day trips we hope to make while there are to San Francisco’s Land’s End, Point Bonita Lighthouse, and the Cliffside Ruins.

Big Bear Lake, California

Before going home, we will spend our 12th Wedding Anniversary with a week in Big Bear Lake, California. Summer recreation at the lake includes water fun at the Alpine Slide and a visit to the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, a large rehabilitation place for animals. Hopefully, my eldest grandchild who lives two hours away can join us for a couple of days. We should be glad to be home on Aug. 10.

Part 3 A Short Getaway with Neighbors

Puerto Penasco, Mexico

After these two trips, we will still have two weeks of studio or one week of two bedrooms of timeshare vacations available for the balance of next year. We plan to use this at Puerto Penasco or Rocky Point, Mexico which is just three and a half hours by car from our Viewpoint Home. We have never been there and would like to see if it is a good place to visit regularly, being the nearest Mexican resort town. For a week in September, we plan to party there with our neighbors from Viewpoint Golf Resort.

2020 will take us to ten new destinations, make room for revisiting ten places we have come to love, and allow for visits to family and friends. What's great is that we will even have seven months at home, giving me time to finish my second book. It is the kind of cruising that’s ideal for travelers past 70.


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66 comments:

  1. Our travel plans for 2020: 10 new destinations and 10 old-time favorites.

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  2. You have great 2020 travels already all determined. Always great to go back to places you have enjoyed. But it should also be exciting to visit 10 new places. Looking forward to following your travels.

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  3. Oh man, I so want to go to Mexico, but it's not my time yet :P So I be awaiting for your next instalment. Also have fun in Alberta, I love that provence and hopefully I be back next year.

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  4. It is awesome that you can see such wonderful sites and see family at the same time.

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    1. We try to do road trips and differ our routes so we can pass through new towns.

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  5. wow 2 months in an All-inclusive resort is a long time! I sure hope you get out to experience the real Mexican villages and culture. We visited the Yucatan along with Cuba last year and, with the exception of Cancun, absolutely loved it!

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    1. Oh we do because we make day trips to all the small towns around our base.

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  6. Looks like a fun-packed year ahead and so varied too. Enjoy!

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  7. Oh, there you have a lot going on!
    We will enjoy the warmth of Morocco in January and drive to Sicily in March. Let's see what we will do then.

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  8. Looks like an action packed year! Hope your travels treat you amazingly!

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  9. Looks like your 2020 travels will be filled with marvelous destinations. We can't wait to see all of the photos and read the stories of the adventures. Travel safely!

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    1. We will. Mexico might be a little challenging...like done cities in America.

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  10. Oooh Carolina it sounds like you already have a fantastic year of adventures planned! I love that you are heading both South, then up North so you'll cover all possible seasons! These road trips sound epic!

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  11. Wow! What a fun year you have planned! I am jealous. :) I agree that it's not necessarily more dangerous in Mexico than certain places in the US. It's all about where you go. Have a wonderful time!

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  12. Sounds like a fabulous year you have planned with 10 new destinations and revisiting 10 places you have been to before. I look forward to reading about your travels.

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  13. It sounds like you've got a fantastic year ahead planned for 2020. Oh my goodness, that hidden beach looks absolutely spectacular. I'm sure they've probably used it for movie shoots in the past. I'd love to visit that.

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  14. It’s an exciting travel for sure especially meeting family and friends along the journey! I have my dates and places determined for our 2020 trip next summer too. I hope to start booking some of the hotels this January to avail the perks of Capital One Venture.

    I love how you both can visit Mexico every year and be warm during the winter months.

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    1. That makes us snowbirds from Phoenix...a bit of an anomaly.

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  15. What an exciting year ahead! I bet Alberta will be gorgeous, and I look forward to seeing what you discover in Utah.

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    1. I already have listed down the not well known spots in Southern Utah.

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  16. That's a very detailed travel plan for 2020! I wish I could look ahead so precisely but 12 months is a long time. Canada and the coast of Mexico are definitely of interest, I'll be following your adventures closely next year!

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    1. Thanks. We have to plan 10 months ahead because of the timeshares. I also live to plan!

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  17. Your plans for 2020 travels sound just perfect: see some new places, return to some old places, and all at a relaxed pace! I never seem to manage to plan that far ahead.

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    1. We have to because our timeshares need to be booked 20-12 months in advance.

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  18. Your plans sound incredibly exciting! Very jealous :) But I cannot wait to read all about them on your blog! Safe travels

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  19. Like others we never plan quite that far ahead. Your 2020 itinerary looks awesome. Safe and slow travels to you.

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    1. We have to, otherwise our timeshares would be fully booked.

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  20. Looks like some nice, warm destinations ahead. I'd love to go to Mexico, but the current dangers there scare me a little too much. I'll be looking for your tales of what it's like there and whether it's safe before I make any plans myself. I hope, like you, that the majority of tourist towns are still safe to travel to.

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    1. We were there from r 3 months KAS ctear,vtoo. We hope it is still as safe!

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  21. Sounds like a fun packed travel year.
    I visited Bryce Canyon a few years. Its such an amazing and photogenic place

    Enjoy

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  22. You are so organized! I wish we could relate our 2020 plans as well as you do, but lots is still pending. My guess is it will include Spain, Japan, Alaska, Iceland, and mystery TBD (with a wedding in Washington state tossed in). May your new year of travel be merry.

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  23. Looks like you have an amazing year planned! I haven't explored much of Arizona so I'm jealous of your plans to go there!

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  24. You have a lot of great adventures planned! I'm torn between wanting to tag along to Mexico vs tag along to Utah. Maybe I could be a "third wheel" on both trips?!? :)

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  25. I've always wanted to take a boat tour to Marietas Islands! Loved Bryce Canyon when I was there and Oegon i just stunning too. Enjoy!

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  26. Such a love itinerary you have for 2020! So much to have everything already planned out.

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  27. looks like awesome travel plan for 2020 and I am also visiting Yuctan peninsula in 2020.Wish you all the best.

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  28. You are definitely adventurous! It sounds like you have it all planned out and it will make for great future blog posts! I look forward to reading about your travels, especially Utah and surrounding area.

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  29. Great list of something new and something you have already explored. I have just recently started looking at my plans for 2020.

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  30. Great destinations! I wish you a wonderful time. From the locations on your list that I have been to, Bryce Canyon and Puerto Vallarta are my favorites. Make sure to time your visit to Islas Mariettas to coincide with the low tide so that you can swim to the beach.

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  31. I love how you have the whole year planned out and spend so much time in Mexico. I never have my whole year planned in advance. Very impressive and it looks like it will be wonderful!

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  32. It's great you have already planned 2020. I am an impromptu traveler and just hit the road when I feel like or when an opportunity knocks. But I do hope to tick off atleast 3 countries next year. Fingers crossed.

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  33. Planning the next year’s travels is one of the most fun things I do! I’m adding the secret beach to my places to visit in Mexico. I’ve never been to Utah but I keep looking for great air fares to go soon. Looking forward to reading about your adventures.

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  34. I am so excited to read about your upcoming adventures in Mexico! Like you, I have spent significant time there and know that the situation on the ground is not how it is day to day. As always, stay safe but enjoy your trip! I think you are also going to love Puerto Vallarta. Despite being a resort town, it just has so much character.

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  35. I found it fascinating to look back on our plans for 2020 and compare them to what actually happened for most of us. I see that you have started to travel again in 2021. So can get many of these destinations back on the travel plans. For us, we are still focused mostly on road trips. So the international destinations that were on our 2020 plans are pushed out more.

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