We didn't know it yet at the beginning of 2025, but this would be our last year of full-time RV living. (Read to the end to find out why!) Looking back at everything we did, though, we definitely didn't slack off at all on our adventures! January New Year's Day…
Read moreCategory: Tours & Excursions
Falling in Love with Lecco
Lecco was the second town on our “where shall we live?” tour of northern Lombardy. Before our trip, we made a list of the qualities of our ideal location, and Lecco seemed to check all the boxes. But the natural beauty of the area, the food, and the warmth of the people all exceeded our expectations.
Read moreBergamo, a City of Contrasts
Our week in Bergamo marked the start of the second half of our autumn 2025 trip, during which we planned to visit several cities in northern Lombardy to “try them on for size” as possible places to live when we move to Italy next year.
Read moreA Walk from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino
On our last Saturday in Sestri Levante, the day after our classes ended, our language school offered an excursion to walk along the Ligurian coast from Santa Margherita Ligure to the famous resort town of Portofino. It promised to be a long day (and it was), so Cheryl decided to…
Read moreLearning Italian in Beautiful Sestri Levante
After visiting Genoa for a few days, we took the train along the Ligurian coast to the beach town of Sestri Levante, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the east. The ABC School of Italian Language and Culture, which we had attended in Florence for six weeks earlier this year,…
Read moreGenoa, Italy
Our first stop in Italy was in Genoa, in the region of Liguria. Earlier this summer, we had been considering the Ligurian coast as a possible place to call home, but since then, we decided that we were more interested in mountains than beaches. We left a few days in Genoa on the itinerary, though, just for sightseeing and to give us a chance to recover from the jet lag before we started language school.
Read moreSilver Springs State Park, Florida
Yesterday morning we took a fantastic guided kayak trip on the Silver River with Tania from LiveWater Experiences. The river is fed by several high-volume artesian springs. The water is almost 100% pure when it leaves the aquifer, so the river water is crystal clear and the area is full…
Read moreElephant Caretaker Experience at Myakka Elephant Ranch
Yesterday, we participated in an amazing "elephant caretaker experience" at Myakka Elephant Ranch, about an hour inland from St. Petersburg, Florida. Myakka Elephant Ranch is a non-profit center dedicated to educating visitors about elephant conservation. As part of a small group, we got to prepare the elephants' breakfast, give them…
Read moreHiking in Sunshine Meadows (video)
The Sunshine Meadows hike near Banff has the kind of dramatic beauty that takes your breath away every time you come around a curve in the trail to a different view. It should be on everyone’s “must-do” list when visiting the Canadian Rockies.
Read moreA Week in Santa Fe, Part 1: Foodie Heaven
Santa Fe is a foodie heaven–especially (but not exclusively) if you like New Mexican cuisine as I do. We pretty much ate our way through the city and barely scratched the surface of the gastronomic experiences it has to offer.
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