Finally ready and they are off!

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Geo: 30.2672, -97.7431

We got back from Costa Rica and had less than six weeks to prepare for the longest trip we have ever embarked upon. We leave on May 7th for California where we still spend a few days with Paul possibly helping do some clearing and then head up and down the coast camping from Monterrey to Mendocino. We are heading back to Africa from May 28th until August 15th. Spending time in Kruger National Park in South Africa, Wildlife camp in Zambia and do a little exploring in Malawi on Lake Malawi before hopping on a plane to Paris France.

Robert does a great deal of research and planning on our frequent flyer trips. Last year he was able to get us a free stopover in Switzerland and this year it was a free stopover in Paris where he was able to find cheap flights to Venice and then on to Santorini Greece and then back to Paris for the end of the trip. Venice and Santorini are new places for us to travel, bucket list destinations at that. More research and information from a person we met in Switzerland last year has us also trying out for the first time, airbnb accomodations in Venice and Paris.

We are going to be camping in Africa, and so that required making decisions about what to bring, what to leave behind .............decisions, decisions! It will be winter in Africa and summer in Europe so that also requires more decisions!

Did take some time out to go to Badu House for music Thursdays, Crawfish Festival Wednesday night, and a couple of kayak breaks on the river. One of the days we kayaked on our side of the river and went up the creek that is across the river from our house. There was enough water to go up past the bridge and it was so very beautiful and lush. One of those places where "if the trees could talk" there would be a lot we could learn!

Finally we had all the bags packed and weighed and final decisions made and were ready to head out on the Great Adventure! Reggie took us to the airport where we both got TSA pre-approved and were able to breeze through the security checkpoint.

Went to find something to eat and got to listen to some great live music in the airport while we ate our meal. Were in the first 55 people to board the plane so we were able to sit together with an aisle seat.

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