Is The Pursuit of Dreams Selfish?

Written by Karen.
                                                                Well, it finally happened.  In retrospect, I’m a little surprised that it took this long for someone to bring up this question in the light of day.  It really emphasizes just how overwhelmingly positive and supportive the responses have been to our upcoming travel adventure.

I was having a conversation recently with a person that I know casually, when he asked, ”You know, you already have a great life, live in a great community, have a great career, drive great cars, but yet you want more?  Isn’t that a little selfish?”

Progress Report

Written by Karen

Heading for open seas with an uncertain horizon

Oh, the twists and turns of life!  When we decided that we were going to take a year – or two – and go travel the world, I started planning. Adam quickly took the approach that we would depart on our travel adventure whenever we were ready to go, and that planning would only serve to frustrate us.  I took the project management approach that we needed deadlines, timelines, markers, and objectives in order to meet our goal.  How else do we plan for an event like this?  How else would we know that we are making progress towards reaching our goal?  

Essentials - Yes, Less is More

Written by Karen

Full boil reduction

There is more than a slight bit of irony that we are now working so hard to winnow down the amount of things that we have worked so hard to acquire.  In cooking, this winnowing process is similar to the process of simmering something down to its essence, or creating a reduction as a chef would call it.  As you boil liquids down to a more concentrated and flavorful taste, less liquid and more concentrated flavor is the more in this case. 

Flashback: Munich, Germany - Oktoberfest!

Written by Adam

After paying a visit to the Porsche factory in Zuffenhausen, the very next morning we made our way by train into nearby Stuttgart.  We then set our sights upon paying a brief visit to Munich, where the 200th Anniversary celebration of Oktoberfest was imminent.  Even being essentially a white wine kind of guy, I still wanted to go if at all possible.  

Travel Budgeting 101

Written by Karen

Two of the most frequently asked questions that I receive about our upcoming around-the-world travel adventure relate to our budget: How are we budgeting for this trip, and how much do we think this trip will cost us?

Setting aside from this discussion the unknown and possibly significant costs that may result from taking ourselves out of the workplace for a year or so, as well as not making regular contributions into our retirement and long-term savings funds, here’s how we developed our travel budget.  Well, actually more like how we developed our travel budget guidelines.

Flashback: Zuffenhausen, Germany

Written by Adam

Sometimes the seeds that finally sprout to see a particular part of the world are planted years before you actually arrive.  Visiting Zuffenhausen, Germany is one of those exact situations, at least for me.

When I was about twelve years old, I went to the movies with my father and younger brother.  We all drove over to the Century 21 Theater in San Jose, California, home of a big screen and an even bigger sound system - at least in those days.  We saw a double feature way back when.  The first movie was Grand Prix, starring a youthful James Garner playing a Formula One racecar driver.  Open wheel racing, exotic European circuits and locales, but other than that, I don’t remember very much about the plot.

Day Trip to Napa Valley

Written by Karen

A gentle-sloped vineyard in Napa Valley

It’s a relatively short driving distance from the Bay Area, but it is a different world when you arrive in Napa Valley.  So, we took a day trip to Napa Valley with some friends of ours yesterday. It was an opportunity to catch up, hang out, sample some great wines, eat good food, and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather.