USA

When Dave and I packed our bags for the year we knew our plans would have to be flexible for 'life' things that popped up. What better reason than a family wedding. Dave's sister Karen married Charlie on October 11 at a picturesque chateau in rural New York.

The family: Charlie, Karen, Dave, Elizabeth and Jessica (Dave's other sister.)

Before the wedding, we hiked with Jessica and Dave's cousins Pat and Ellen to the Sterling Forest fire tower. We were all staying with Dave's mom Edie who was busy with wedding preps while we walked, but that didn't stop her from running a well oiled hostel. The bed was so comfy I had trouble getting used to it and the daily bagels were very much appreciated!

After an early snowfall in the Sterling Forest area, Dave and I went to chilly Manhattan. We strolled through Times Square as it seemed like the touristy thing to do.

We also took the opportunity to hang with friends. The college gals from left to right: Andrea, Rebecca, Wendy, Taal and good high school friend Joanne with me. A special thanks to Wendy and Joanne who gave up beds and mucho food for us nomads. You were great hosts!

Dave and I both spent some time after the wedding with family. I met my second cousin Shayna for the first time. Long story! We also hung with Dave's cousin Shaina, but unfortunately we forgot to take a photo. Oops!

While we were in Australia, my good friend Rocco left RNEWS in Rochester for a job with NY1 in Queens. After working the crazy morning shift, he was kind enough to stay up past his bed time for a late lunch with us. He is doing fantastic, so tune in!

By being back in the States, Dave and I both felt the reality of coming out of early retirement. We could feel the stress in the air in New York. Everything seemed so fast and busy. I must say I felt unproductive and guilty for not working. On the flip side, it acted as a strong reminder that when I return to work I must do something I feel passionate about, and we must continue to keep doing the things we love outside the office.

We're now in Rio de Janiero, our first stop on the final leg of our trip. More to come . . .
- Elizabeth

Dave leaves American soil, Nov. 2. Now in Peru, he is hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. He'll likely find out if Obama or McCain won a trip to the White House the Friday after the election. An update on his Peru trip will come then. Meanwhile, still in Boston, I've been post office hopping looking for a fleece he recently left on a New Hampshire hiking trip, and ordering tools at REI to fix his backpack, which already broke! Mission accomplished on both accounts. Hopefully, it will be smooth travels from here :- )
- Elizabeth

On March 2, 2007, I met Dave on a blind date at Silvertones, a little, chic bar in Boston, Mass. He was in town on business from Boulder, Colo. I won't give you details of our entire first date, rather a quick story about travellers' fate.

During dinner Dave told me about his crazy plan to travel around the world. I nearly froze. Dave assumed the date would quickly end as I wouldn't want to pursue a guy on the go. Yet, my reaction was quite the contrary. I was in disbelief, as just one week before on my birthday, I declared to my friends that I would stop talking about my ficticous plan to travel the world, and would actually do it. Details, of course, were still TBD.

It was tempting, but on that March night we didn't run home, pack our bags, and escape together to circle the globe. Instead, we took time to get to know each other, but it didn't take long for us to realize we had a true companion in each other. We both firmly believe people should work to live life, and for us, living life is about seeing the world, experiencing new places, meeting new people and learning about new cultures.

Engaged just nine months later, we planned our wedding while also planning our trip around the world. The latter was definitely the key to our sanity. On Nov. 2, 2008, Dave leaves for Peru to hike the Inca Trail with two of his cousins. (I've already completed the hike.) I will meet him one week later in Santiago, Chile. Our dream is quickly becoming a reality!

Photo above from our wedding: September 19, 2008, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

- Elizabeth

E & D knocking on the Queen's door, London, Oct. 2007.

The Human GPS

I swear Elizabeth has a built-in GPS in her brain. It doesn't matter how foreign or strange a subway station we emerge, she points and says, "It's that way." I can almost hear the Terminator like beeping sounds doing GPS calculations in her head. Meanwhile, as I try to avoid taking out a map in fear of looking like a tourist, I'm usually spinning around gaping at the street signs and the bright lights in the big city. I must look like some crackpot high on his favorite hallucinogen. My only reply as Elizabeth shakes her head at me is typically, "oh, yeah, just getting my bearings." (In other words, I have no !@#$@# clue where I am.)

Anyhow, Elizabeth mentioned that she'll be my GPS for life to our Rabbi who married us. He ended up making it a part of his spiel during our wedding ceremony. He loved the symbolism. My first reaction was, "Hey Rabbi, what are you saying about me?!?" While my first interpretation is somewhat true, I may be a bit lost (not just directionally) at times, the deeper meaning to his thought sums up why we're embarking on this around the world adventure together. Travel time is a microcosm of our lifetime together. As we travel we'll enjoy seeing each other experience new surroundings, cultures and unique situations, sharing views and possibilities based on new perspectives, and always being there as backup for each other to help guide in the many directions we may take. It'll be an experience to reflect back on during all the other adventures life brings our way.

- Dave