As far back as I can recall, I have always wanted to travel. Like many of us, the dream was moved to the back burner once career, marriage, family and all that comes with it became a part of my life. The children grew up and careers ended. My life looked to be settled pretty much in one location. That ended abruptly wh
en my husband was diagnosed with cancer. He was understandably shaken to the core but somehow determined for us to make the time count. 
The man who never really had a desire to leave his native land and had planned to spend his retirement either lounging by the pool or watching sports on TV suddenly wanted to travel. I will never cease being grateful for the years we were able to see the some of the most exciting and beautiful places on the planet. While treatment for his illness came with a cost, we were able to manage the limitations with very little difficulty. We traveled to multiple cities to see baseball games, went dog sledding in Alaska, saw Iceland, London, Paris, Rome, Cairo/Giza, Athens and so much more. It can be done.
I should explain, my husband and I chose to treat his illness out of state so there was an element of travel involved on a pretty regular basis. I think after the first few trips, he realized that travel, for whatever purpose, wasn’t all that complicated or scary and it would probably be much more fun if it were for enjoyment rather than medical care. No regrets there. The course of treatment bought us another 6 years that we used well. That experience brought a new person into my life, also a cancer patient, who is now one of my dearest friends and my travel companion. I will go into detail in future posts how my friend has managed to stay engaged and enthusiastic despite the ongoing challenges she still has ahead.
I hope for now, I’ve gotten your attention. I’ll be back soon with highlights from some of our adventures and helpful advice for navigating your first adventure.
Ciao! Lorraine