2emptynesters

It was about a year ago that the dreams we shared about seeing more of the world started turning into a proper plan.

There we were: two empty-nesters; with four daughters between us, all of whom were capable of fending for themselves. We had the ability to work in a flexible way, and some savings that we could draw on to treat ourselves.

Between us, we’d already done a fair bit of travelling. We both had favourite places and a wealth of special memories. We’d started creating some of our own, too, with short breaks in Tuscany, Dublin, and Loch Lomond.

But the prospect of a Big Trip…was intoxicating.

We knew that travel can open your eyes; let you into new worlds, help you experience different cultures….change your life, sometimes.

But understood, too, that it can be tiring, and taxing; not least on a still-new relationship. Sure, we enjoyed each other’s company (we had passed the Tuscany Test which gave us reassurance). But the plan that was emerging would involve being together 24/7, for 57 days.

To see the countries we’d agreed on would involve 33,000 miles, sixteen flights, three very different train journeys, some breathtaking mountain-pass driving, a couple of ferries, a  luxury junk, 33 hotels, and a dozen crazy tuk-tuks.

It would mean two months with no work, but no income, either. There would be limited contact with our families back home and a long haul back to deal with any unfolding crisis. We’d sample luxury; and the stark realities of third world poverty, too.

But there was no question. We’d go. And start a new website to record and share all our travel experiences.

And so ‘the time of our lives’ for ‘2 empty nesters’ was born in February this year and has continued to grow, fuelled by encouragement from readers like you.

We hope that in writing about our travel experiences as ’empty nesters’, we will inspire you to do the same. And that’s why – new for 2017 – we’re going to share some of our detailed itineraries with you in eBook form. So if you’ve always fancied exploring New Zealand, riding the bullet trains through Japan, or treating yourself to the stunning sights you see from the luxurious carriages on board The Rocky Mountaineer….our Empty Nester Travel Plans will work as a great starting point for you.

If you’ve already signed up as a ‘travelling companion’ by reading our posts and following our website, then thankyou! As we knock our travel plans for 2017 into shape, we hope that you’ll continue to journey with us. If you haven’t signed up, just hit that ‘Follow’ button in the top right hand corner of this page for an email each time there is a new post.

Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip, a short city break, or a one-night hotel stay, we’ll continue to write about and review the hotels and experiences we sample. In a few weeks, we’ll be experiencing beautiful Slovakia and the stunning city of Vienna for the first time. There are whispers of a bigger trip in the offing this year, and a whole list of other places that we’re keen to tick off our ‘must-see’ destination list.

We’ll be writing more ‘bite-sized’ features, too–about great places for special celebrations, or just somewhere quiet, to escape. And now and again, there will be rewards for our followers,  with our continuing prize draws and competitions.

We hope you will continue to drop into our website, comment on our posts, as well as sharing your own travel adventures and dreams with us. We LOVE it when you get involved!

Best wishes for a wonderful 2017!

Nigel & Jane (yes…of COURSE we’re still talking !!)

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