Unexpected Decision

I have acquaintances that retired and moved to Mexico. They loved it. I have friends who bought that property and cabin in Colorado. That is where they and bought a townhouse on the beach in Florida and are rearranging their Texas life to retire in Florida. I know a couple who retired to a nudist community in Florida. And of course, there are the many that bought a big motorhome and now tour the country or travel north to south and back yearly as “snowbirds”.  So as my husband and I approached the years of cutting back on the daily grind of regular work, we began to ponder what our future living situation might be…

Along the way, we had “lake friends” who not only retired “to their boat”, but they went on The Great American Loop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_loop).  We paid only minor attention to their planning, boat purchase, house selling, and even their actual departure. We did, however, follow their two year trip via their flicker journal. Upon their return to our lake, and our subsequent visiting, something changed in us.

I believe, the events in our lives that occur for many people in their 50’s (arrival of grandchildren, deaths of parents and friends, and changes in our interests) coincided with the vicarious journey we made via our friends, and so....our adventure was born. Or at least the initial planning was born.  We are going to join the many retirees who cruise. However, our cruise will not be on the big cruise giants of the ocean, but on our own boat and on the rivers and east coast waterway of the United States.