World Map in our dining room

It was much easier to plan this trip two years ago than it is today. Between COVID and the war in Ukraine, we realize that the best laid plans are likely to change unexpectedly and often. Eight months ago, with the start of Omicron in South Africa, we thought the safari plans were dashed. Now South Africa seems ok, but Eastern Europe is a hard no. We’ll see what the world has in store for us over the next 14 months. As of May, here’s our tentative plans:

Southern Africa: safaris, wine tasting, culture, wildlife, landscapes, exploring the great outdoors with family! Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls; Botswana – Okavango Delta with Becky and Matt; South Africa – Kruger National Park and Cape Town with Gigi and Pop-pop.

Qatar: Middle Eastern culture, markets, mosques! Doha

Europe Alps Region: road trip with mountains, castles, chocolate, cheese, hiking, paragliding, wine! Switzerland – Geneva, Interlaken, Murren, Lucerne; Luxembourg; Germany – Fussen, Munich; Austria – Salzburg, Vienna.

Portugal: seafood, wine and port, coastal hikes, relaxing with friends! Porto; Douro Valley; Lisbon; Sintra region

Greece: history, mythology, ruins, food/wine, catamaran sailing with Pa and Nana, small islands and towns! Athens; Saronic and Cycladic islands (TBD!)

Sweden: Ice Hotel, dog sledding, Sami culture, reindeer, northern lights! Arctic Circle

Northern Europe: Christmas Markets, city landmarks, hygge, wine, food! France – Paris, Alsace Region; Denmark – Copenhagen

Netherlands: Christmas with old and new friends in their home town!

Iceland: volcanoes, beautiful landscapes, hot springs, road trip!

Jordan: desert adventures, food, iconic sites, Middle Eastern culture, scuba diving! Amman; Petra; Wadi Rum; Red Sea; Dead Sea.

Egypt: ancient civilization, pyramids, temples, dahabiya sailing on the Nile, markets, resort life, exploring with some of our best friends and travel partners! Cairo; Luxor.

Turkey: food, markets, culture, mosques, exploring an ancient and modern city, hot air ballooning and hiking in unique landscapes! Istanbul; Cappadocia

Argentina: Hiking in Patagonia, glaciers, home stay on a ranch, Buenos Ares culture, tango, and food!

Northwest South America: exploring, hiking, food, ancient and modern culture, jungles, mountains, and deserts (oh my)! Bolivia – Lake Titicaca, Uyuni Salt Flats, Sucre; Peru -Amazon headwaters, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

New Zealand: wandering for a month in an RV, mountains, Lord of the Rings scenery, volcanic sites, pasture land, coastline, unique wildlife! Auckland; Christchurch; Hobbiton

South Korea?: food, culture, landscapes! (was originally China, but those plans are on hold)

Japan: culture, food, temples, modern cities, Mt. Fiji, Disneyland! Tokyo; Kyoto; ???

Maldives?: over the water huts! or maybe more Europe? or ????

South Pacific: beaches, relaxation, food? OR jungle trek, eco-tour, culture? Indonesia/Bali/Philippines (TBD)

Singapore: modern Asian city-state, amazing food!

Vietnam: explore, amazing food, lovely people, landscapes, waterscapes, our favorite country to date! Halong Bay?

Thailand: sailing, food, elephant sanctuary! Phuket islands; Chiang Mai

Cambodia: ancient temples (Angkor), photography, culture, countryside, food!