Feeling humble but positive.

 

This is one time where writing this is very humbling, having to admit you took some wrong turns brings out a vulnerability and I feel like what I am going to say should stay hidden behind the walls that I have a tendency to build up. But I hope that writing this may help some else that thought they were going to have a life of rainbows and sunshine and ended up getting some clouds and storms not feel so alone. 

So here goes:

Retirement should be the time of your life where you can finally relax and enjoy life.

Well, I guess if you do it right and plan early enough it can be.  Too bad not everyone does that (us included) and I think that is why so many people don’t ever get the chance to retire.  I can remember thinking when we were young, how far away retirement seemed and how we felt we had all the time in the world and then in a blink of an eye I am 65 and looking at the world with a different perspective.

When we made this move and retired together, we thought we had a plan, but we all know the saying we make plans and God laughs.  Well, he does have a sense of humor. 

When you finally decide to retire, ensure you have a budget that you can live with, but figure into this your new lifestyle not the old one. Because none of us want to put all our hopes and dreams for retirement on hold.

We thought we were ready, but quickly learned that happy hours, eating out, golfing, going on trips and enjoying new experiences cost a little more than expected, not to mention airfare to visit family and friends, and doing this all at a time when everything in the country was on the rise. Add in the cost of moving across country and you can put a real dent into the plan. 

I thank God that we have a house in paradise and great friends, our family and most of all our health, so I am very grateful that a part of our dream came true, but it has come to our attention that we need to increase the Retirement fund again.  As they say it’s time to pay the piper. So, in addition to working my travel business, I have taken a part-time remote position.  I look around and many of my friends are still working so why not get back on the horse for a while.  Bert worked very hard, and many more hours than I for a very long time, so now it's my turn. 

Bert has become a pretty good cook and keeps the house up. It’s funny how the roles have changed. I remember my mom working while my father was retired, so I guess I have come full circle.

Every milestone is our life usually starts with a new beginning, so now we are starting Retirement 1.2.  Making a few new decisions and putting one foot in front of another. It is going to require putting some things on hold for a while but I know that when the time is right God will lead us down the right road and even though the light of the future has become a little dimmer it still is shinning and it is up to us to chip away at the tunnel until the light shines brighter than ever before.

So now we are managing our time, and our money a little differently and put a lot more faith in God.  We understand it’s all in God’s plan and that there is a reason for everything.  We will learn and grow from this. 

 Lesson learned: Don’t let a setback end your dreams, keep trusting in the Lord, work hard, stay positive and know that as long as you have the love of family and friends, health and most importantly faith that you can turn things around. Please remember if you are in this same situation, feelings of depression and feeling defeated are overcome with positivity and prayer.

Follow me, so you can see what happens next.  

Fast forward 7 years Part 3. Hurricanes, Family and Retirement.

Despite concerns about hurricanes, we loved living in Florida. As a major storm approached, we readied shutters and a generator, then stocked up on essentials like batteries, lanterns, propane, food, gas, and cash. Trusting our preparation, we waited and left the rest to God. Meanwhile, our son called with a local job offer and visited briefly before Hurricane Ian intensified—we were excited for the possibility of family nearby but remained cautious as the storm grew.

With the news constantly on, we waited, the morning of arrival we got notification to evacuate. Thank God we had friends that were not in the evacuation area and so we continued to prepare and readied for a hurricane party. Together with another couple we went to our friends out to wait for the storm. Being Italian of course I brought Pasta, wine and plenty of food. You know I wasn’t even afraid.  We made the best of it, and after it hit with the full force of mother nature, we were glad that we were together.

We went back to our homes to check on the damage and by the will of God most of our home was spared and although some of our friends lost a lot more, none of us lost our life.

We were incredibly lucky, as we drove home the telephone poles littered the roads like toothpicks. Trees were down and intersections had no lights. There was no gas, and stores were closed. We were grateful that we had prepared in advance. 

The community was broken, but yet positive in rebuilding. We met neighbors, helped each other, and learned how good humanity can be. 

                                                              

A few days after it hit, with power still out, our son moved here.  His job was still available, and they really wanted him.  It was nice to have him here to help but I felt bad that he had to leave his family back in Colorado to do everything so they could all move here.

We recovered and as each day came and went our paradise came back, before Christmas the rest of Nick’s family came out and it was a blessing to have them with us as they prepared for a new adventure.  I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

With that said, our son Anthony informed us that he and his girlfriend were also moving here. My heart leapt with joy to have family close by.  The new adventure had become a family affair and was so grateful.

Next will be "Were we really prepared for Retirement"

Lesson learned, never underestimated the power of mother nature, whether it is a blizzard, a tornado or the biggest hurricane in 100 years.  Be smart, be prepared listen to the experts and God will bring you through it. Also, God knows what you need before we do, you can never measure what a smile from your children or grandchildren can do for your soul.

Fast forward 7 years Part 2. Life after the loss of my father

 

After the loss of my father everything changed.

The loss of my father hit me hard, I knew that he was happy, and with the Lord, but my world seemed empty, as did our house.  I had a lot of talks with my father as he was facing the end of his life.  We spoke of regrets and dreams.  He told me “Don’t have any regrets” it was one of the things that made him sad, that he had too many regrets in his life.  He knew that we wanted to move to Florida, He knew how much I wanted to be near the water and how being near the water made me feel close to God.  He told me "when I’m gone, go live your life, enjoy the adventure". So, as hard as it was, we put the house up for sale and with lots of hugs and tears we said goodbye to family, friends and Colorado and found a new home in Florida. 

“Just the two of Us”. That’s the song that kept running through my mind as we drove across country to our new home, that we had only seen online.  I was filled with anxiety as we got closer. We pulled in the driveway, and it was exactly what we wanted.  I took a breath and felt like it was the first time in quite a while that I could breathe.  We walked through the house and other than some small changes it was perfect, I ventured outside and smiled as I looked up, I had a palm tree in my yard, something I never thought I would have. As we sat by the pool and just took it all in, I cried. It seemed like I had dreamed of this for so long and now it had come true.  

All I could think is God is Good.

                                                       

I had never lived outside of Colorado and felt like a fish out of water.  Everything was different, the scenery, the weather, and the flatness. It seemed to bring my husband and I closer together as we had no one else to lean on. With the help of some great neighbors, we found our way around, a place to shop, where the home depot was, (very important when you have a new house), where to eat (especially pizza, a true necessity) and most importantly a Church. Bert had promised that we would meet friends so as soon as we could, we ventured off to a meeting for new residence and that night again changed our lives.

We met a group of friends that moved to Florida all with the same dream and immediately felt like they were family.  I tell everyone, “I met family I didn’t know I had” Even though that was over 3 years ago I feel like it was yesterday.  Our lives here were busy, our days were filled with fun, friends, sun and relaxation. 

This move refreshed my sole and allowed me to feel like the next chapter of our life as Seniors in paradise was going to be amazing.  But was it........

I will leave it there for this week, except my son Anthony said that "I should leave each blog with a lesson learned".  So here is it: No matter how old you are don’t settle. Don’t let the fear of change put walls up around you. If you have a chance to reach for your dream, stretch out your hand and grab it.  If it is meant to be God will show you the way.  Have faith not only in yourself, but your partner and most of all in God.  If you fail it is okay at least you tried and you will as my father said you will “have no regrets”

Lets fast forward 7 years to 2025 and now I'm 65.

 
Wow how time flies and as humans we seem to put things off till tomorrow and all of a sudden it's 7 years later.  We have gone through a very strange period through these 7 years.  Pandemic, retirement, additional grandchildren, caretaker, lose of my father, lose of friends, moving to Florida, new friends, numerous trips, and new found faith.  I cannot express in words the multiple emotions I have felt, the numerous tears that I have cried happy and sad, the fears that I have faced and the anxiety that I have had and am still trying to overcome.

So many stories, so many moments, so many memories.  Where do a start?  Which do I share? What has meaning, and what will bring me peace as I figure out life at 65? 

When I try to put things into perspective it all becomes a blur.  I've been told that writing is cathartic and that is what scares me. If I put down my feelings, they becomes real and not just a passing glance of my past, but a reality in black and white that I have to really try to understand.  Maybe that is what I need, someway to bring not only the last 7 years of my life but my entire being into focus.  I will be forced to see all the shadows that may still be lingering, and open doors to my soul to see if any of it can shine a light on why I am, where I am, now at 65.

 

Our Easter that year with only 2 at the table 

         

The Pandemic brought me a new awareness of my relationship with my husband.  I have always said be careful of what you wish for, because you may just get it.  I have and am still enjoying 42 years of marriage more than half my life with my wonderful husband.  For many years we didn't get to spend a lot of time together. as our many obligations, work schedules, children and life choices got in the way. 

Bert made a very important job choice in 2020, but as you may know we make plans and God laughs. His life change brought him to early retirement right at the beginning of the Pandemic. Then the Pandemic forced 2 people who never had lived as only a couple, (as I came with a ready made family) to suddenly spend 24 hours a day 7 days a week together. Just us, a big house, a TV, with the only outside communication being video calls with family and friends. Even my business was placed on hold.  For many years I prayed that one day me and my husband would have a normal married life with regular hours, where we would get to spend more time together and finally God said in all his wisdom and sense of humor "here you go".  I was afraid, what if we don't like each other, but we did it, we found out that we were good together. After 27 years of only saying hi and goodbye with a kiss and see you later, many times only having Sundays together we were brought to the reality, that we really did love each other even more interesting we liked each other. 

During this time my father started to struggle he was 95 and his age was catching up on him.  Seeing rolls reversed where you become the parent of your parent is a struggle that I never wanted to experience but again God gives you paths to walk and mountains to climb and valleys to go through that you never expect.  My father had to be moved into my brothers house and for many months my husband and I went over to help him take care of the man that we looked up to as our hero. As this strong man I leaned on as a child, who picked me up and danced with me, kissed my forehead  and taught me not be afraid of anything, because God was always with me, became more and more frail, my husband and I brought him into our home.  I saw the face of an angel on my husbands face each day, as for 4 months my husband never left his side and took care of his every need.  Yes I was there but my father was a proud Italian man and didn't want his daughter to see him this way.  He always wanted me to see him as my hero.  There were many, many struggles and moments that tore at my heart. Each day we woke up not knowing what to expect. 

Many days I was upset with God as I didn't understand why this time of life is so hard and why I had to witness the dimming of the light that was always shown in my father's eyes. I understand that Jesus suffered humiliation and pain as he hung on the cross, but seeing my father become so dependent and suffer humility in his weakness tore at my heart. It was a concept that I never wanted to understand and still, as we walked with him toward his journey home to the Lord, we learned many lessons. Such as, patience, never assume you have tomorrow, stay close to Lord and count your blessing everyday, never have any regrets, and you can never say I love you to much. 

I will end part I with something my father said to me shortly before he died.  He asked me "what if everything I have always believed about heaven and Jesus is wrong"  I told him that "I would rather believe and hope in the Lord then have to be asked by Lord in the end why I didn't LOVE HIM.  

Hopefully you enjoyed this and will subscribe and follow me for Part 2 next week. 

Catching up to 2019, Israel, Caribbean, Germany, Italy and Windsor.

Last December we were returning from another adventure and learned many wonderful options for our clients. We visited Israel a historical and amazing land and country.  Everyone sees this amazing land with very different eyes and since we were there with other agents from all over the world. Different ages, genders and religions, we were able to see it through many different eyes. 

Since then we were blessed to visit, the Caribbean aboard a wonderful Royal Caribbean ship. We also were able to visit Munich Germany as well as some wonderful Bavarian villages, to end that trip we travel by train to Italy and spent 10 days visiting the land of my ancestors and had a short stop in Windsor England.   

2018 was a wonderful year and as I catch up on my blogging please watch for articles to come describing my travels, my travel dreams and me view on life through the eyes of a travel agent, wife, mother and grandmother.

Old Friends, New Friends and family a successful weekend.

It’s been a regular event this year where I have had to think about our mortality.  This week another old friend past away I went through elementary, middle and high school with him.  He was a nice guy and even though it has been a while since I had talked to him, it makes you think how short life is and how we should enjoy every minute of the life we are given.  

With this on our minds we had drinks with some great friends and dinner with new friends. Reminiscing, catching up and just enjoy the company. It was a wonderful way to celebrate life. 

Sunday, I had 15 of my family for breakfast and then we all went to see the show home model of the house we are having built.  My son said “why are we doing this” I said “because they want to see what our new house looks like” his response “only in an Italian family do you pack everyone in a few cars and go look at a home”  I laughed and said yep we try to make everything a family affair and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

So drinks, and dinner with friends, breakfast and a field trip with family. although a star went out in the sky this week. With the love I felt over the last couple days, I would say that it was a successful weekend, full of laughter, memories and love.

Don’t take for granted a minute of your life.  Love, laugh, and create wonderful memories every day.

New experiences, bigger isn’t always better, peace and quiet.

First, I want to say that I am grateful that my husband has a job. As much as I hate his hours and hate how it beats him down, it does provide. And on weeks like this we get to reap the benefits with date night two weeks in a row. This week we thought we would try a couple of new things.  We had drinks at a new distillery The Mad Rabbit, in the neighborhood, really good whisky. They also make their own rum, vodka and Gin.  It was a very cozy neighborhood hangout, I notice quite a few people that came in the were recognized by name. Hard to find that now-a-days. I would definitely recommend it for a happy hour. We ended the evening with nice dinner and great theatrics at Benihana’s.  Bert had never been there, we sat with a young family watching the chef through the eyes of child and chatting with strangers really made the whole experience very enjoyable. 

We also realized this week that, bigger isn’t always better. With our new house being built we visited show homes to pick up some design ideas.  Most of the home were very large, very expensive and confirmed that the small home we chose is going to be perfect for us.  There was one home that I must say took my breath away, the indoor/outdoor space was outstanding but still not for us.

Lastly, Mass today was enlightening, and it’s a little ironic that I am writing about quiet and faith using the same technology that at times takes those 2 things out of our life.  The priest pointed out that in today’s world we are always being bombarded with noise, some good, some bad, but even when we are out on a walk we have things in our ears providing noise to our brains and how once in a while we should listen to the quiet that surrounds us.  God isn’t going to speak to us or guide us through our phones, our TV's or our computers, but he will seek us out in the quiet and peace of life.  After mass, we visited Mother Cabrini Shrine, it had been a while since we went up there.  It was calming, we sat, we prayed and we walked, and we did this without our phones or even much conversation.  We listened to the wind, the laughter of children running up the stairs and the quite that surrounded us.  No, I didn’t hear God’s voice guiding me, but I did feel an inter-peace and Bert and I left both know that our lives are good and we are going to be okay no matter what the world throws at us.

So, this week my wish for you all is a new experience, even if it’s the smallest thing like a smile from a stranger, it can change your life. I wish for you a balance of technology that seems to be a necessity in our lives and the quiet that we may ignore.  I pray that the quiet brings you peace, calms all your worries and allows you the time to reflect on all that is good in the world.

Peace to you all until next week.

Home ownership re-wind, "we have a hole" and re-programming my life long learner brain.

Yes, home ownership is back in our future. Renting and no maintenance has been nice, but with 3 new grandsons, I need to have room for them to come visit Nonnie, and Bert was needing to have home owner after his name and a 2-car garage again. It’s a nice little 3 bedroom, just right for this phase of our life.  It’s a brand-new home, so we won’t be moving until next April but this week they broke ground so now we have a hole, and I will keep you appraised of the progress.

Also, this week I started a new section of my class. Some of you may know that I am working towards becoming a certified luxury travel specialist. It’s been many years since I have had to study, keep notes and do book reports, so it’s been a slow process of retraining myself.  I passed my first course, selling luxury travel, which made me feel good and I had to do my first book report in years. Reading “The Millionaire Next Door” was eye opening and surprising, a good read for anyone interested in understanding the mindset of the wealthy.  As part of this course I must take some specialty destination courses and of course one of the destinations I choose was Italy.  Imagine that.  It’s seven parts and I finished the first part this week. Even though I do sell a lot of Italy trips, I think this is really going to be beneficial. 

I have always said that age is just a number but I never thought that at 57, a grandma of 3 and not to mention a little set in my ways. I would be back taking classes, and picking out colors and designing a new home.  Life little surprises….. More next week.

A Child's smile, tears for a freind and the love of a husand.

The smile of a child in the morning, is better than seeing the sun peak over the horizon. - Gina Kemper

It’s Sunday and I am back.

This week I was blessed to have our first overnight with my grandson, as his parents enjoyed some relaxation and well-deserved time off.  It was amazing seeing his face light up after a good nights’ sleep and seeing the expectation of the day to come.  We played, we ate, we shopped and we read. It was a wonderful way to spend a couple of days.  This time together also shows me how me what wonderful parenting my son and daughter-in-law are doing with their son and makes me proud that I may have had a hand in teaching my son some parenting skills.

This week also brought a loss of friend, although it's been a long time since high school, the memories created there are deeply embedded in our being. I am so blessed to say that my school years were filled with very happy memories and friends that will last a lifetime. We may not see friends from high school on a regular basis and maybe it's only being able to keep up with them on Facebook. But when one of your own leaves this world and at a young age. It makes you sit back and reminisce a moment, remember the smiles and laughter. So you shed a few tears, remember the good times and live your life knowing tomorrow's not promised.

We ended the week with a rare thing that we get to experience, a date night. It started with drinks and games at the Assumptions Bazaar. We saw friends and family while enjoying the music and a wonderful summer night.  Then it was Pizza and drinks at 3 Son’s Italian restaurant. There are many times as a wife of a night-shifter, that you sit alone, to have a date night like this occasionally, reignites the fire and helps you understand how important working on a relationship is, even if it is over 30 some years in the making.  You should never stop trying to keep the passion of love in your hearts.

I would like to shout out to me, as this week also brought 5 days of workouts, yes, I said 5 days of workouts. 3 in the gym and 2 walking over a mile while enjoying the company of my wonderful husband.  Waiting to watch the pounds fall off.

Have a great week my friends, I look forward to what the new week holds. 

Being Consistent and beginning again.

As most of you have notice writing consistently is not one of my better traits. With my business, my travel blog, gina'straveltidbits, (which hasn't fared much better) and life in general, I always seem to find an excuse to put it off until tomorrow.  Well tomorrow has come.

 Since my last post, I have become grandmother of 3 wonderful boys. Duke, Noah and Theo. They are all so different and changing everyday. Being a Nonnie is more than I ever dreamed of and has filled my heart with joy. It makes me feel close to God every time I get to see them.  It is so rewarding seeing my sons as fathers and the happiness they have found. My business is growing and for that I am so grateful, I am beginning to find my niche and am am currently taking a class on becoming a Certified Luxury Travel Specialist.  Our home has changed and our expectations have evolved. One thing that has suffered over the last couple of years, besides my writing, is my weight.  My son's Anthony and Nick are so health conscious and physically fit that it makes me see I need to start doing better.  I am envious how that is a priority in their life, so improving that starts today also. Wow, how life can change in such a short time.

So with this my first official personal blog of  2017, (yes a little late I know), I am going to write more consistently.  To own your own business, to be your own boss, to be a good wife, mother or grandma, or to be the best you can be, entails you to be consistent and disciplined.  Consistent in your ideals, in your goals, in your attitude and in your actions. Discipline to keep this consistency in all you do is what is what is gong to make you successful, loyal, trustworthy and eventually the best YOU.

Every Sunday from now on watch for my personal blogs as I review and look back on the good, the bad and the crazy of the week. Watch for my revelations and insights into my world and the world around me.  I hope to give you something to think about, something to laugh about, cry about and maybe something to help us all become better in whatever we are pursuing.

  “For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent.”
-Anthony Robbins

2015 So much to look forward to and reflect back on.

  My plan for 2015 is to start keeping up with my blogging. Giving you a little insight to Gina and my journey in life.  My father at 90 years old became a published writer last year as his dream of writing the book of his memories “Papa’s Footsteps” became a reality.  This showed me that which much perserverance no matter how old you can reach your goals.  I have begun many new journeys over the last 5 years and not one was more important that the rest.  In 2014 Bert and I partnered to create our own home based travel agency,  This venture was done with a desired goal to give us some independence and extra income into our retirement.  Over the next few weeks I will reminisce about some over our journey again in case any of you missed them.  I will talk about new trips we are planning and maybe add a little of me interpretation of what 32 years of marriage, raising 3 sons and starting a business with my husband has brought to my life.  Maybe giving you a new perspective on your life and what may come.   No life is without hurdles and I would like think that reading a little about mine may help someone out there get through their darkness as there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.  

Five words that can change your life: Love, Peace, Happiness, Health, and Wealth.

LOVE – The most important word in the English language. This 4 letter word can fill your heart with joy or break it right in half. It can be a powerful force that gives you strength or a debilitating emotion.  A word that is so powerful it can change your life in a second and change the world if we let it.  I have learned that first you have to love yourself, inside and out, if you can do this then you open yourself up to love someone else and allow them to love you.  I have been lucky enough to have felt the love of a parent, the love of friendship, the love of family, the love of my God, and the romantic and passionate love of a spouse.   I have witnessed love grow and love die.  I want to tell you that there is no greater feeling, whether you feel it for the first time or the 100^th time. Love will pull you through the worst of times and lead you to the best of times.  Love yourself and everyone around will love you. Keep yourself open to love and to being loved. If we allow ourselves to love each other, no matter who we are, the world will be a better place. 

PEACE – Whether it is Peace of mind, Peace between people, Peace between nations.  Peace of mind is to know what you are doing is right, knowing that your innermost thoughts are true and having no regrets.  Peace between people is to accept everyone, LOVE everyone and treat everyone with respect and if you can do those three things you will have peace in all your relationship.  Peace between nations, God has given this wonderful world to all to enjoy, if we ignore greed, eliminate our pettiness and appreciate the differences in every person on earth, then Peace will reign in our nations.  Peace has to start with one person and grow from there. Let Peace reign in your heart and pass it on with kind words, a smile, a handshake or a hug and Peace will grow.

HAPPINESS – I have learned that happiness is a choice.   No amount of money can buy happiness, but it is an emotion that can be stolen from you, if you let it.  For instance I’m sure there has been a time when someone has asked “why are you so happy” or “you don’t have anything to be happy about” Well I tell them, yes I do, I am alive, and each morning I have the ability to choose to be happy or unhappy.  Yes there are times in our lives that sadness, depression and anxiety comes over us, allow yourself to feel those emotions, recognize those emotions and you will then be able to say nope I want to be happy.  Once we learn how to control our own happiness, we can face every obstacle that we may come across with a better outlook. Happiness is also contagious; it is very hard not to be happy when you are surrounded by other people who are happy.  We can learn this lesson from our children.  Even on a bad day, if you go and watch children playing in a playground, laughing, and smiling without a care in the world, you can’t help but smile.  As adults we do have a lot more to worry about but those worries are lessened and a lot easier to handle with a smile on our face.  So tomorrow when your feet hit the ground, say Thanks for another day, and say I understand there is a lot of sadness in the world, but I am going to choose to put a smile on my face and be happy. Maybe my smile will help turn someone else’s day around and then let there be an outbreak of happiness for everyone to feel. 

HEALTH - The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." I would agree.  There are many determining factors, other than genetics that affect our physical, mental and social well-being a lot of them come from choices we make.  Diet and Exercise are only a couple choices we make that help or hinder your physical well-being. But when it comes to our mental or social well-being the lines aren’t so clearly drawn. In choosing HAPPINESS over sadness we can help our mental health. Choosing to open yourself up to LOVE will help your PEACE of mind and help you overcome many things that endanger your social well-being.  Even when there is an ailment that you are faced with, the right frame of mind will not only help you through it but will let you allow others into your world that may be able to help with your overall well-being. So when you are faced with a possible threat to your health, Physical, Mental or Social, deal with all the emotions you will feel and then say I have the power to overcome this, put a smile on your face and fight all the bad with good, because without our health we won’t be able to enjoy the many wonderful things out there that make our lives wonderful.

WEALTH – when people see this word most people think money. But Wealth can be so much more.  You can be wealthy with an abundance of family and friends or because you have a wonderful relationship. Maybe you live paycheck to paycheck, but you have a wonderful husband, great children, food on the table and a roof over your head, to some people you may be the wealthiest person on earth. On the other hand you may have all the money you need but aren’t happy and can’t find love then maybe you are looking for wealth in material things and not feeling it in your heart.  So, if you’re needs are provided for, you have happiness and love in your life and peace in your heart, YOU ARE WEALTHY, no matter what your bank account says. 

These five little words can be your strength or be an excuse; you can blame them for your situation in life or use them to better your life.  I hope that you choose to look at them as I do and allow their true meaning to shine within you.  You may be surprised on how changing your point of view can change your life.  With all my heart I wish you LOVE, PEACE, HAPPINESS, HEALTH AND WEALTH forever in your world.

God Bless

Happy and Safe Travels.

 

Learning to hit the bad pitch

It’s funny how even as we get older and we think we have everything figured out, life can still through us a curve ball.  My father always said a good hitter can hit a good pitch; a great hitter can hit a bad pitch and keep you in the game.  Well lately we’ve had to swing at a couple of bad pitches and so far we have been able to foul them off and remain in the game.  Just as I am working on getting my travel career growing, my husband loses his job.  It was a partial choice, but as I witnessed the crap they put him through and saw how miserable he was I thoroughly support his decision.  I wanted the man I married back. The man that is fun, smiles and has a passion for life.

So here we are in our fifties, very little income, no insurance, 2 sons’ recently engaged, aging parents, an unsellable house and cars in need of repairs.  Not exactly what you might picture when you dream of closing in on retirement, but it is our reality and part of staying in the game is learning what to do when it’s the bottom of the 9^th and 2 outs. So (since we haven’t found that winning lotto ticket) it’s back to the job market for Bert and myself.  Am I giving up on my travel business, ABSOLUTELY NOT, but I am going to have to find a position that will allow me to do both.  Now a big decision do we stay in Colorado or relocate. We have been talking for quite a while about moving; maybe this is our sign from above that it’s time. When you’re in the game and the coach gives you a sign you can’t argue.  I can do my travel from anywhere (thanks to the Internet) and cost of living is better in some other areas, so it’s time to weigh the pros and cons and make some hard decisions. 

This blog is called “Gina’s what’s now what’s next” and it definitely says’ it all. I hope that writing about my real life I can help put a perspective on yours.  So when you’re down and out, when you don’t know which way to turn, when you’re down to your last paycheck, DON’T GIVE UP, HAVE FAITH, keep your eye on the ball and keep fouling off all those bad pitches until you get the one that you knock out of the park and changes your life.  It only takes one. 

PS. I am busy arranging my group cruise for next year.  (I’m gonna need it). Call me to get your cabin booked soon, (special surprise if you get your deposit in by June 19th). Hope you can join us in celebrating hitting that homerun.

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God Bless

Happy and Safe travels

 

 

Choices, Choices.

May 1^st and I am sitting here staring at the snow falling, something is wrong with this picture. I am pondering the fact that this week I turn 53 and the older I get the more I would rather sit and watch the waves roll in.  I know that the life I lead now was determined by choices that I made a long time ago and I don’t regret those choices as they are what gave me my wonderful husband and 3 wonderful sons.  I just hope that the choices I make today will lead me in 15 years to place that I will be able to sit and watch the waves roll in.  As each year passes my priorities change.  I am looking for a simpler life with more adventures and experiences and less demands and stress.  Maybe that is why my choice of a change of life career was a good one at the time.  It gave me some opportunities to see places I wouldn’t have been able to see and meet people that are able to travel the world, so I know that having that lifestyle can be obtained.  But now I again have to make some hard choices, do I continue to pursue a dream fulltime and hope that struggling financially will end, or do I settle so that I can help my family more. Making choices is never easy especially when there are other people involved, do you follow your heart or your head, and do you worry about your dreams or everyone else’s ideals.  I guess it comes down to do I have the faith and confidence to believe in myself and my choices or not.  Is there ever a time when you have to face reality and accept that where you are is where you are going to be. I am lucky that I have the ability to make choices right or wrong. I look at my wonderful husband who choices were all made unselfishly for his family and not to pursue a dream. Am I being selfish? At my age should I be a more responsible adult.  To all my young followers out there being a responsible adult isn’t easy. Admitting that you may have made a wrong choice and correcting it is hard, but what is even harder is challenging yourself to stand by a good choice even when everything and everyone around you is telling you it is wrong.   You must look deep inside yourself and decide what you really desire out of the choices you make.   I see my children making choices that are going to direct their lives and I pray that it leads them to all their hopes and dreams coming true and  I hope they understand when I try to give them some educated advice on making choices, I am doing it out of love.  LOVE, I wish you could live off of love, I would be a millionaire and all my choices would be easy.  

Well, I know I can’t be the only one having to make choices that will affect their lives and maybe my thinking out loud in this blog will help you put into perspective all the choices you have to make or at least give you something to think about.

God Bless
Happy and Safe Travels.

Smiles and tears, love and anger, happiness and passion all universal

I wanted to write a few things about what I witnesses that is similar all over the world.  It doesn't matter whether you are in the city or the country, whether you are in the bush of Africa, a boat on the Mekong or in the richest country in the world there is one thing that hit me.  Humans are humans. Yes you can have different beliefs, wear different clothes or carry different money, deep down we are all the same.  We desire happiness, love and passion in our lives.  In every country I saw a mothers love for her child by kissing their tears away, I saw young people falling in love by holding hands and staring into each others eyes.  I saw senior citizens get a helping hand from a stranger, I witness siblings arguing and parents disciplining. I heard laughter from a child that made everyone smile, and laughter from an adult that made you feel their happiness. If there are tears in someones eyes or a smile on there face it doesn't matter where they are from you understand. Passion is definitely universal. Each person I talked to spoke with passion about something and that passion is what helped you connect to that person. How can you not connect to someone that lights up when they see a child running through a park, hold a dog in there laps, see wildlife at its best and worst, have tears come to there eyes when they speak about their city or even reach out there hand to you in a church and say peace be with you. I realized if you don't have a burning passion whether it be for your country, your employment, your family and friends or just life. You are empty.  People all around the world just want one thing to be happy.  I met people that lived in mansions which everyone assumes are happy but I also saw people that lived on the river banks with dirt floors that invited us in to their homes, had nothing but each other and  were happy,  Happiness it's a universal emotion.   If someone asked me what was one thing that I learned about on this trip that may change my life I would have to say is that no matter your race, no matter your religion, We all look at the same sky, same stars, we all the same dreams.  Humanity is amazing.  Oh and one more thing.  ANTS and Traffic are everywhere.

You can see pictures of my adventure on facebook, Pinterest or on my website www.glkdreamtravel.com

God Bless

Happy and safe travels.

Buenos Aires the city of Parks

Buenos Aires the city of Parks

It was pure fate that we got to visit this great destination just a couple of weeks after one of their own became Pope.  The city was filled with pride and Vatican flags.  We stayed in the Rigoletto part of town and it was wonderful, clean and quaint, we felt safe and walked the all over the neighborhood. Our first night there was Palm Sunday and there was a little church just a few blocks from our hotel, we went to beautiful mass, walked through a street market and then stopped at a sidewalk café for dinner and glass of wine, a perfect evening. Our city tour took us to some hidden treasures such as a cemetery that was unbelievable and also where Eve Peron was buried.  Our guide also informed us of so much history about this city and I wasn’t aware of such as the amount of Italian influence from the immigrants that settled there. She took us to the La Boca area I don’t think I have ever seen such a colorful area, I could have spent an entire day walking around. I was amazed at the amount of parks and dogs in this town everywhere you looked there were dog walkers and the parks were maintained with such care the garden of roses was so beautiful it really made you want to stop and smell the roses.  These parks were free to walk around in and made you feel at home. We went to a dinner and tango show in the St Elmo section of town that made you fall in love with their passion of music and dance.  I will definitely return to this lovely town. 

This destination was a wonderful way to end our Around the World Journey.  My next blog I will try to sum up our adventure.

    

 

Safari in South Africa

Safari in South Africa, something that is on almost everyone’s bucket list and I can mark mine complete.  It started with me getting on a small airplane that held about 10 people and a pilot that looked like he was 12 (okay I am exaggerating a little, but he was very young).  I sat right behind him and could watch all the gauges on the dash, it actually was kind of interesting and I did okay.  We arrived on a very little landing strip in the middle of the African Bush in the Medikwe Animal Reserve and were taken to the Mateya lodge. The lodge is wonderful, it was originally built as a personal residence and only has 5 suites; we were greeted by a very nice young lady with cool towels and a very nice lunch and were informed that Bert and I were the only guest in the lodge. We were treated like royalty, candlelit dinner for 2 on the balcony, and even dinner in a beautiful wine cellar.  I never expected to ever have the luxury to have an entire resort and staff to ourselves. The food was wonderful except Bert ate Pumba (warthog). I couldn’t do it. One thing I had to get use to was no television; it is a place where you totally interact with nature. Our first evening there we began our first outing into the wild.  I never in my life have been so close to amazing animals.  There were Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Wildebeest, black and white Rhinos, Lions, Kadu, Leopards, cheetahs, jackals, African wild dogs and other animal I can’t name them all.  Over the next 2 days we went out 4 times, 2 evenings and 2 early mornings. Our guide and tracker said that we were so lucky we witnessed more in 2 days than some people see in 2 or 3 trips.  He had clients that are on their 5^th trip and still haven’t seen as much.  Our biggest surprise was, we witnessed a lion kill.  We came upon a watering hole and there was a Kadu trapped in the water and being attached by the wild dogs and the rest of the pack were around the parameter of the watering hole. As we were watching this, a Lioness came, the dogs ran the lioness spotted the Kadu and it was over from there.  We watched as the lioness killed the Kadu and carried it into the bush for her cubs.  A true act of nature at its worst and best, as after the kill the cubs curled up with mom and I witnessed a tenderness that after seeing the kill would never have imagined could happen.  I would say to you if this is something on your bucket list it is well worth it. Let me help you create a trip of a lifetime. at the amazing Medikwe Reserve and Mataya Lodge.

See more pictures on my face book page.

Happy and Safe travels, God Bless.

Mauritius, a tropical paradise. The Oberoi is made for romance. 2 days is not enough time to spend on this beautiful island. There are so many things to see and do. We Kayaked in the Ocean and went on a Glass bottom boat ride, went into Port Louis for a couple hours (you should spend an entire day there). It only takes about an hour to drive from one end of the Island to theother, next time we rent a car and explore. (they do drive on the opposite side, so that may be a problem) and then we watched the sunset on the Indian Ocean. This island is perfect for a little relaxation and romance and apparently is used mostly by the Europeans; it is very unusual to have people there from the US.  
We were picked up from our hotel to be taken to the airport.  Our driver pulls up to this little building away from the terminal.  We ask him if this is was the right place and he said yes.  We were greeted by several people given our choice of champagne, wine or beer.  We were brought inside to a wonderful waiting area with snacks.  Now we had no idea what was going on we hadn't checked in and it was only about and an hour and half until we left.  They asked us for our passports and tickets and Bert and I were like what is going on.  I finally asked and a lady came out and explained that this is a special service that is offered by this company on Maritaus and soon on St Kitts.  They treated us like royalty, checked us in took our bags right to plane and at time of boarding put us in a wonderful car and drove us to the gate, took our carryons and walked us on the plane.  It was simply amazing to learn that this service exists.  No other way to fly and one note we were economy fliers you don't have to be first class.
Now on to Safari in South Africa.

God Bless, Happy and Safe Travels.

 

Dubai Wonderful

Dubia loved it, Actually the United Arab Emerites as a whole.  I wasn’t sure about visiting this country either, I thought I would feel like a second class person being a women and not being Muslim, and the not showing affection and having to wear more clothes was giving me second thoughts, but it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated.  The people there were very nice. The architecture there was so amazing.  They have not only the world highest tower, of which our hotel was in.  They have the world biggest shopping mall, (now you know I am not a shopper but one level entirely of shoes, even made me swoon.  Every color and kind you could imagine and really not bad prices. It also held an indoor ice rink and an aquarium.  The décor was amazing; they have a beautiful waterfall and a gorgeous starry sky inside the building. Yes they are a little indulgent, but the government really takes care of you if you are an emirate. Yes their price of gas is cheap but the cost of Water is outrageous.  I think I would rather have water.  The Armani hotel is fabulous.  Every detail was perfect and right out our window was a fountain like at the Bellagio in Vegas designed by the same guy but 3 times larger.  It was beautiful.  I learned a lot about this country.  The head of the country drives himself around in a jeep, He has no security and mingles with the people.  He seems to be a very nice man. We went to his Palace and although you couldn’t go in you could walk around the grounds without a guard in site.  Women’s rights have come along lately which is a good thing, actually there are 7 women on their government board not sure what it is called and many women didn’t wear the traditional outfits, some were even a little daring in their dressing.  That was a surprise.  We visited the Gold and Spice Souks.  It is surprising to me was the number of people buying and selling gold from every country in the world.  One thing that impressed me most was how clean it was. Overall Dubai is a destination I would visit again.

We went from Dubai to another province of the UAE and stayed 2 nights at the Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resort.  A very interesting place in the middle of the desert.  We had a villa with a private pool.  The first night we sat in the Moon bar a rooftop bar where you can watch the sun go down, have a good drink and listen to music, and then the second night we went on a sunset camel ride, there was a lot to do there 2 days wasn’t enough.  During the day they have a beach resort that they shuttled us to.  Now this is the place I would go to when I go back, beautiful sand beaches, warm clear water in the Arabian See, beautiful Golf courses absolutely someplace to put on your bucket list. 

Will be posting more pictures soon face book.  Internet a little slow.

Next stop Mauritius.God bless and Happy Travel