In the Beginning…
Get to know us – blogging is a new adventure for us, and we’re excited to share our journey — both the new and the past — with you as it unfolds. We’re grateful that you’ve chosen to spend some time with us, and we hope the stories, tips, and insights we share will be helpful as you plan your own travels. Here’s to the joy of exploration, learning, and discovering the world together!
Picture it – we’re packed and ready to go, sitting in the airport with a mix of excitement and anticipation. Our journey ahead is finally about to begin, and though there’s that familiar tinge of pre-trip nerves, we can’t help but feel the thrill of what’s to come. As we watch planes take off, the adventure feels just within reach — a world of new experiences, sights, and stories waiting to unfold. It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for, and soon, we’ll be on your way to discovering something incredible.
Easing Into Slow Travel
After Ron retired, we made a bold decision: we were going to immerse ourselves fully in the places we traveled to, rather than just skim the surface. A couple of years ago, we took the plunge with our first two-month adventure in Italy. While we’d already explored Spain and Greece on month-long trips, two months felt like a whole new level of exploration — an opportunity to truly sink into the culture, meet locals, and experience life like residents, not tourists. It was a leap, but one we’re so glad we took.
After much back-and-forth about where to start our trip, we finally decided on Malta — and it turned out to be the perfect choice. We’d both dreamed of visiting for years, and while it was a bit out of the way, it felt like the right starting point. From Malta, it was a short hop to Sicily, and from there, we could easily explore the rest of Italy.
Riding a Dghajsa tal Pass in the Great Harbour ~ Valletta, Malta
Getting Ready for a Long Trip is Like a Trip Itself
The year leading up to our departure was spent deep in research. We poured over countless towns we wanted to visit (and there were so many!). We carefully crafted a timeline, making sure it struck the perfect balance between not rushing through any experience while also leaving room for the must-see places we were eager to explore. Accommodation was another key piece of the puzzle. We mixed it up, booking everything from charming hotels and cozy vacation rentals to authentic agriturismos, ensuring we’d have a variety of experiences throughout our journey. It was a lot of planning, but every detail felt worth it.
Fast forward to 2024, and we’re in the final stages of planning our next big adventure — a trip to The Balkans in April/May 2025. This will be our third major journey, and over the years, we’ve fine-tuned our approach to planning such a large-scale trip. We’ve learned that breaking it down into manageable, bite-sized chunks is the key to keeping things from feeling overwhelming.
The colourful doors in the walled city of Mdina, Malta.
Research is King!
Our research process is a blend of everything we can get our hands on. We tap into the firsthand experiences of friends and fellow travelers who’ve been there, dive into travel guides and novels for inspiration, and scour blogs and websites for tips. Tourism boards are a great resource, but we also take it a step further, using Google Maps to dig deeper — finding hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path spots that don’t always make it into the mainstream recommendations. Each piece of the puzzle helps us craft an itinerary that feels thoughtful and tailored to what we truly want to experience. It’s a process we love — and it’s one that makes the journey feel as exciting in the planning stages as it will when we finally set foot in The Balkans, and any other future destination.
Who’s the chick with the hat? Youza!
;P