We’ve recently been traveling A LOT but blogging un poco (a little…) well actually, nunca (never.) So here’s a quick blog to catch you up in case you haven’t been following our Insta or FB. (Take a minute and click those links so you can like, follow, subscribe, vibe, groove…whatever the lingo is. Do it! Then you’ll be in The Know, every minute of every day. We’re more active there than on here atm.)
Covid shut down more than the city
We were teaching English and living in China (Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Shanghai) until Covid started and made life too unpredictable and scary. (Spring 2022 was especially frustrating and terrifying with lockdowns, fangcangs [makeshift hospitals where the government carted potentially Covid-positive people to] and unreliable grocery shopping.)
After a two-month lockdown where we couldn’t leave the apartment – and yet I made zero time for blogging – we packed some backpacks and took off to explore Europe, a promised mask-free land of unrestricted travel and adventure. We packed all around and our path went something like the Netherlands to the Czech Republic over to Austria then to Croatia followed by Spain then to Greece and finally Turkey. We surprised ourselves by really liking Turkey so we went back to Shanghai to pack up and prepare to move back to Istanbul, where we had secured jobs and made good friends.
The Gang in Belize
We did this with a big family vacation already planned for San Pedro, Belize from late January to early February 2023. We successfully moved our life to Istanbul and mostly established ourselves before our visas ran out and it was time to head to Central America to see the kids. But first we had to make a surprise stop in Boston to apply for our Turkish paperwork. Then it was time for the Waltersgang Reunion 2023, which was full of excitement, good food, a little petty larceny and a lot of laughs with the occasional side eye.
Vacation ended and the kids all went home. Now we’re in Mexico, waiting for our Turkish paperwork to be completed in Boston so we can go back to work in our new home in Istanbul. I have to admit, looking back in my old pictures for this post gives me all the feels about our European adventure. When I have feels, I want to share them with you! Does anyone want to see more posts? Tell us.
Absolutely love your style of adventure telling! So much fun to read about all the different places you go to and foods you eat! I long to try the freestyle way of traveling… maybe someday! In the meantime, I’ll enjoy travels through your eyes… 🙂
Thank you for your kind words Susan! It’s our pleasure to be your eyes on the world. It is “Your World, Our Way” afterall. 😉
Love reading about the adventures you and Kim go on. They look and sound fun. Makes the kids and I want to travel.
Aw Stew! Thank you. We’ve seen quite a few families around the world, traveling like we’re doing. If you ever want to take a trip, we can help plan it.
How thrilling! I’m living your adventures vicariously (I am like a basking turtle soaking up energy and expending very little.. 😝) Can you give a little more insight into what has attracted you to Turkey, and more specifically, Istanbul?
Oh my god Dick, we JUST saw a sea turtle on a snorkeling trip with the kids in Belize! We saw you! Except you weren’t basking, you were swimming… We decided to move to Istanbul for several reasons: the Muslim calls to prayer that happen a few times every day are soothing, so many of the people we met and befriended are funny and caring, and the fresh markets and culture are vibrant and enticing!