On the twelfth day of a twenty-four day cruise through the Mediterranean and Adriatic we were at the halfway point, Venice, Italy. I couldn’t wait to show Ol one of the most romantic cities in the world. I had been there without him several years ago when I chaperoned Olivia’s volleyball team in international competition. When we disembarked we bought a water taxi pass. We had two full days to explore this wonderful city, and we were determined to see it all. Our first stop w

After a long restful stay in Barcelona, Ol and I booked a last minute, twenty-four day cruise on Holland America Line’s Veendam. It is the first cruise we have ever taken, unless we count a day cruise to the Bahamas when we were dating. After spending the last four months in Africa, we wanted a break from the logistics of planning every day. It felt like we were selling out. We felt more like tourists than world travelers on an adventure. Though we didn’t want to admit it Ol

We hated to say goodbye to our home away from home in Dubai. We had a wonderful visit with our children, celebrating Ollie’s 21st birthday. We particularly enjoyed Steve and Cheryl’s villa, and getting to know Mary, their live in housekeeper, who was now a part of our extended family. Having looked for great airfare deals, we hopped a flight from Dubai to Barcelona. The European leg of our journey was about to begin. Within an hour of dropping off our bags at our Airbnb, Ol a