We’re Now Aunt K and Uncle G!

Posted on 10 December 2010 by k

Last week was a very eventful one for our family circle.

First, and sadly, G’s 96 year old grandmother passed away in Blackwell, Oklahoma on Sunday, 28 November. When we visited last year, she kept telling us that she tired and was ready to see Alva (her husband who died in ’07). Her wish was granted, she went peacefully after  living a long and full life…and for that we’re very thankful.

But, as if to reiterate the point that life is clearly a cycle…On Saturday morning (4 Dec), G’s sister, Cynthia, and her husband, Will, delivered their first child, a boy named Eric Jacob. A very healthy little guy, he’s doing very well and everyone in Louisville (where they live) is getting adjusted to their new routine. It’s been a great experience for us (thank you, Cynthia) to be a part of it all, though we’re far away. And it’s also opened our eyes to tons of questions that we should be asking and answering while we have the time! We visited the bookstore on Sunday in order to get a few books to help us along in our understanding of what happens after the baby arrives.

And, finally, on Tuesday of this week, my baby sister announced that she and her fiance have bought their first home! So, I’m now asking myself, does this mean that I am no longer allowed to call her my baby sister? I suppose it’s time to put my denial in-check 🙂

Given all that’s going on with other folks, our daily cycle and events seem a bit more mundane by comparison. I’ve had to stand on busy tubes just twice this week and I’m not quite sure if I should be happy or sad to report that others (who were very polite and appropriate) offered me their seat on both occasions. I suppose I’m not fooling anyone these days…more photos to come.

Oh, too, we went to a friend’s surprise birthday party last weekend as a Pirate and a Parrot…

Happy Holidays!

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And Baby Makes Its Inaugral Appearance…

Posted on 21 November 2010 by k
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Upon announcing last week, requests for baby bump photos came through from many. Though I didn’t primp properly for a proper portrait session with G, here’s a photo at 14 weeks 5 days…it’s from today just after we put up our tree. Yes, as you can see, there’s definitely a growing baby in there :^)

Though my weight gain is right on track, I can’t help but feel a bit whale-like. Goodness, we’re in for a very long journey…just over 25 weeks to go.

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And Baby Makes Three!

Posted on 13 November 2010 by g

We are extremely pleased and excited to announce that we will be adding a new member to our travel team!

Our new little one is off to a good start having been to four countries, run it’s first triathlon and completed rigorous training for a half marathon (though convinced mum to pull out at the last minute); not bad for a 3 month old in utero :-). We’re hopeful we’ll be able to keep up with this little guy (or gal) come May.

The response from our friends and family has been absolutely incredible. We have been amazed by the the over the top enthusiasm and support from everyone and feel very blessed to have you all in our lives. Thank you so much.

We have had a fantastic time as Travel for Two, but are very much looking forward to being Travel for Three and the new adventures it brings.


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Weekend in Barcelona

Posted on 9 November 2010 by g

With the weather turning cold and damp in London, it was perfect timing for a quick weekend break in Barcelona. We met up with my parents to spend a few days in the city before they departed on their transatlantic cruise.

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We had a fantastic time enjoying the highlights of the city and sharing some of our knowledge and experience from this spring when we lived in Barcelona for a month. But it wasn’t all old favorites — as we always try to mix in new experiences.

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As we were riding into the city from the airport, my dad asked “Do they have Segways here?” to which we replied, “Funny you ask…” My dad had been wanting to ride a Segway and saw them around Washington DC which was perfect because we had booked a Segway tour of the city. The actual tour wasn’t the most comprehensive, but that was just as well. We were much happier cruising around on our Segways than standing in front of an old church. The beach walk and waterfront are great areas to ride a Segway with nice wide open spaces free of cars and traffic. Once the tour was over, we sorely missed our zippy transport as we were relegated back to our feet.

We were also pleased to dine at Cafe l’Academia, a highly rated restaurant, which we missed out in the spring because we hadn’t booked ahead. We booked ahead this time and it was worth the wait.

Another highlight of this weekend was our location. We rented an apartment in the central Born neighborhood. It is in the old part of the city with narrow twisty pedestrian roads and lots of charm and character. We hardly needed the metro as we were able to easily walk from the Ramblas to the beach.

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Ah… the beach. We really enjoyed sitting on the beach and taking in one last bit of warm weather before returning to the winter months of England. We hadn’t planned this as a beach trip — and it wasn’t. We thought it would be too cold for the beach, but the weather was brilliant, especially for November (23ºC/74ºF). So we joined the thousands of locals getting in a little beach time. It is interesting the difference between a city on the beach and beach destination. Similar to Tel Aviv, the people of Barcelona just go hang out on the beach. They don’t bring umbrellas or blankets, sunscreen or sand toys. Because the beach is right there, there is no need for planning ahead or packing a lunch. They simply take a break from the bustle of the city and sit on the beach for an hour or two. We did the same. We just took off our shoes, found a nice spot of sand and enjoyed the warm air and mediterranean sea.

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Relaxing in Naxos

Posted on 27 September 2010 by g
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When leaving for holiday, I told my co-workers that I was going to sit on an island and do nothing. I was off to a good start our first day on Naxos. We grabbed a couple of beach chairs, lathered up with sun (screen) cream and soaked up a bit of sun while listening to the waves lap against the shore. Ah… holiday!

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Naxos was a great low-key island. It has great beaches and plenty to do, but isn’t overloaded with tourists. It does have a healthy share of tourism and the typical shops and restaurants that come with it. But it also has substantial industry otherwise supporting a good population of friendly locals. This mix allowed us to enjoy generous portions of great home cooked Greek meals as well as get fruity drinks delivered to our beach chairs.

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We stayed in the north of the island on the edge of the main town. Our hotel was convenient to the beach and a short walk from the main street of restaurants and shops.

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The highlight of our time in Naxos was Wednesday, which happened to be our 9th wedding anniversary. We rented bicycles and rode about 40km to the south of the island taking in the scenery and local character. It was a windy day which brought out the wind surfers an kite boarders in full force. It was fascinating to watch them zig zag across the sea skipping and jumping over the waves. The wind also made our ride fly by which we noticed on our return trip where we had to pedal twice as hard!

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Arrival in Athens

Posted on 26 September 2010 by g

Athens has a bit of a bad reputation. Supposedly it has improved greatly in recent years largely due to the 2004 Olympics, however the guidebooks still recommend seeing the sites and getting out. A friend of ours told us “only some who hasn’t been to Athens would look forward to it.” Perhaps this has set low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised with Athens.

We stopped over our first night before heading out on an early morning ferry. With just an evening to spend we’d have to save the Akropolis for our return, but we were able to enjoy its floodlit beauty from below in the city center. With the well-lit pedestrian streets and the shops open late, the city not only felt safe, but indeed pleasant. We browsed the shops and settled in to kick off a week of al fresco dining on authentic Greek cuisine. Yum!

I wouldn’t rank Athens among my favorite destinations, but would certainly recommend it for a weekend break.

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Greece

Posted on 17 September 2010 by k

This Sunday, we’ll be off to Greece for a bit of autumn sun. Though we traveled this Spring, this will mark our first ‘new’ country of 2010. We’re a bit slow this year, huh?!?

We’re excited for a bit of time in Athens, Naxos and Santorini and will be taking along our snorkels AND running shoes for this bit of sun. G and I are training for the Royal Parks Half Marathon (10.10.10) and will be running the Grecian hills as part of our training (though admittedly not too keen about this aspect of the trip :)).

Though it may seem crazy to plan a trip just before a race, our timing was planned. Next Wednesday will also mark our 9th wedding anniversary. And this month marks our 13th anniversary together. We’ve been blessed in so many ways, but perhaps one of our greatest blessings is that we still enjoy one another’s company after all these years and continue to find new adventures to undertake–together.

Stay tuned for photos and posts from the road. And do let us know if you have any pointers 🙂

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