So how did this trip come into being one might ask. Well the story goes like this. Last April we were cruising around quite comfortably on our 40 foot power vessel "Jeannie". We were discussing our cruising plans for the 2014 cruising season. We were all set in our plan to finally cruise down the west side of Vancouver Island. We have been told by many who have made that trip, that it is one of their favorite places to go. There are several bays along the coast with a myriad of anchorages. There are hot springs to visit, numerous hikes to take, whales to watch, and lots of salmon fishing. So 2014 would be the year to cruise the west side. But then we got to thinking about Alaska. So by the end of the ... read more

Two major items crossed off the To-Do List today. 1. Procured a ride to Medford on Saturday the 12th. We have been searching for someone who would be going that way who could drop us off at our motel. We catch the plane from Medford in the wee early hours of the 13th. A very kind couple surfaced today and offered us a ride. Ride to Medford - check! 2. The Euros arrived!!! We ordered them from our bank just a few days ago. What interesting money. Not only are the bills color coded for the different denominations but the sizes are different also. The smaller the amount of the bill the smaller in size it is. That is unique. But then I suppose we are going to be finding out a lot of "unique" things ... read more

We are just about ready for our new adventure. Most of the final arrangements have been made. The home exchanges have been set in place. Hotel reservations have been made in the few places where we do not have exchanges. And here at home we have arranged for mail pick-up, house sitting when there are no exchanges in place, lawn service, weed control, and the list goes on. Jerry has received his international drivers' license, Euros have been ordered, and on and on and on. We have been planning this adventure for several months and the countdown has officially begun for the day we head to Europe. We will be visiting Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Germany, Amsterdam, and Belgium. Half of the trip we will be staying in houses that we have arranged to exchange with ... read more