“And They’re Off!” – this phrase is rather common in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. It signals the beginning of a horse race and ensures that excitement will follow. Every horse race has an uncertain outcome with thrills and bumps along the way. We’ve titled our blog with the same name as we embark upon a trip that is also going to be exciting, and perhaps bumpy, with an uncertain outcome.
We invite you to follow along as we leave the comfort and confines of our hometown to circle around a track that is the planet Earth. Our itinerary is set out above. It is taking us to places that are quite unfamiliar to us. We will travel though 6 continents and over 17 countries. We will raft the Grand Canyon, hike to Macchu Picchu, dive the Great Barrier Reef, track Orangutans in Borneo, celebrate Chinese New Year in Singapore, go on Safari in Africa, view the Great Pyramids, cross the canals of Venice and walk the roads of Rome. More importantly, we hope to live and interact with people in these places (and others) to learn what makes us different and find out how we are the same. Ultimately, we hope to better understand ourselves in the process.
It has also occurred to us that “And They’re Off!” could have a second meaning. As in “they are off… their rockers” i.e. “not quite right”, or “slightly askew”. Reactions to our plans have certainly included looks and comments that indicate some folks don’t “get it”. Responses have included “Really? Well, that’s… interesting.” or the more frank, “Better you than me.” That’s fine. We understand that our plans are unusual and definitely not for everyone. While we love our home and our friends and family here, we are looking to disrupt the routine of our lives, do something adventurous, see the world, broaden our perspectives, open doors for our children, and return home better for the experience.
On this site, we hope to document and share our experience. We leave home in 60 days. Watch our trip here – from wire to wire.
And They're Off. . . 