2024 - What A Year!

Life has twists and turns that we often do not expect. Those unexpected twists are new opportunities.  I feel one of the greatest opportunities that we have in life is the ability to travel the world and experience different cultures. I was shocked to learn that approximately 50% of Americans do not even have a passport. That means that almost half of America only travels within the U.S., if at all. That limits our worldview and leaves us vulnerable to believing what other people tell us about the rest of the world. Don't take their word for it. Don't just take my word for it. Live, love, laugh, travel, and see it for yourself!!

In 2024, our travels included New York City NY, Bimini Bahamas, Prague Czech Republic, Vienna Austria, Bermuda, Tokyo Japan,  BangkokThailand, Singapore, Atlanta Georgia, Houston Texas, St. Thomas USVI,  and Las Vegas Nevada. 

Let's start with the "place for me" list that consists of places we enjoy every time we travel there. New York City never disappoints. Broadway alone makes the city a staple for us. We travel the world and have visited the theater districts all over the globe. There is no place like Broadway. We saw the Wiz and Hell's Kitchen. Both of those plays were absolutely amazing!! Hell's Kitchen is still playing. Run, don't walk to see it. It will make you laugh, cry, sing, and want to dance. Alicia Keys is a BOSS! Las Vegas is back on the "place for me" list. We went with friends who had never been to Las Vegas and that renewed our love for the city. The food, the shows, the magnificence of the resorts all came flooding back to us as so unique and fresh. The only place we have ever been that is similar but still not quite there is Macau, China. Finally, Atlanta remains on our "place for me" list because our daughter is there and the people are so friendly. We also always enjoy the food on our visits there. 

Next, let's go to our "place to be" list. These are the places that we feel you need to at least visit, even if just for a day or so on a cruise. Topping this list is Bangkok, Thailand. We had an amazing time. We toured the city, including the river, saw all of the amazing temples, and even had custom business suits made in 24 hours. The food was fantastic and we enjoyed the culture and the people. Next up is Singapore. Singapore is one of the cleanest, most beautiful cities we have ever seen. It is such a vibrant and lush country. There is no litter on the streets, primarily because of the harsh punishment, but emaculate nonetheless. Tokyo, as the largest city in the world, is an absolute must see just to experience the culture. Prague and Vienna were nice spots to round out some of our travels to Europe. Prague had amazing culture and beautiful architecture as did Vienna. Vienna also has one of the largest castles in Europe, some of the best museums in the world, and of course the Vienna Opera House. You must see those cities in Europe. For us island lovers, St. Thomas and Bermuda will not disappoint. The water is gorgeous. The people are kind. The food was outstanding. I highly recommend either location. We planned and managed a group trip to Bermuda and had a phenomenal time!!

Finally, there are 2 places that are on our "not for me" list, but I know some people love these locations. So, it is just personal preference. Houston is a place where the people are amazing and the food is great. We have been a number of times and we are split on our opinion of the city. It is just not a place for me, but my husband enjoys the city. We are in total agreement on our final location.  Bimini is not a place for us. It is not even worth the day trip fare from Florida. We stayed for a weekend at Hilton Resortsworld and that was a huge mistake and a total waste of money. Don't do it. Only go to Bimini if it is a cruise stop that happens to be part of your journey elsewhere.  The ocean is gorgeous and that is it. Skip it!! 

In 2024, we reinforced our belief that ONLY seeing for yourself is believing when it comes to travel. A life well traveled is part of a life well-lived. We thank the Lord Jesus for every opportunity to travel and for every safe return.

Live, Love, Laugh, and TRAVEL.....

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