Wind and Whim’s Monthly Update: July 2023
Hi there! It’s time for another monthly update. I hope you are surviving the summer heat. Steve and I spent most of July in Bucharest, Romania, where it was hot but, thankfully, not too humid. Even so, we didn’t do as much as planned since we were lazy about getting out before the days got too hot. We enjoyed four…
Wind & Whim’s Monthly Update: June 2023
Hi there. I hope your summer is off to a great start. Ours sure is. After laying low in May, we had a busy June. We spent most of it based in Pula, Croatia. While there, we took a six-night side trip to three other Croatian locations. After Pula, we spent a few days in Venice, then headed off the…
Overtourism in the Places We Love
Do you dream of riding a gondola on Venice’s Grand Canal, visiting the Game of Thrones filming locations in Dubrovnik, or getting a little wild in Amsterdam? If so, you aren’t alone. These places ignite our wanderlust. They have something else in common; they, and many others, are overtouristed. So how do we reconcile our desire to experience the places…
9 Reasons Why Traveling with Adult Children Rocks
Adult children. I believe that is an oxymoron. But what else can you call them? They are your children, your kids, your babies, all grown up and running their own lives. You may live with them, see them regularly, or not very often. Whatever your situation, I ask you: now that they’ve evolved into self-sufficient beings, should you travel with…
Back to the U.S. (For One Month)
More than three years. Almost 38 months. 1,146 days. That’s how long it was between our last visit to the U.S. and our recent one in March of 2023. As the months and years rolled by, Steve and I were less and less interested in returning home. Aside from our daughters being there, we had little motivation to return. Then…
Wind and Whim’s 2022 Full-Time Travel Costs
It’s that time of year again! I get to put my accountant hat on and share our full-time travel costs with you. I started sharing our travel costs in 2019 when I wrote about what it cost for our first eight months of full-time travel in 2018. I did this because I wanted to show how affordable full-time travel can…
The Surprising Truth About Full-Time Travel
Updated March 1, 2026 Come on, admit it. I bet you’ve dreamt about chucking it all and traveling full-time. Your dreams were probably packed with jaw-dropping adventures, golden beaches, and smiles that stretch for miles. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? But here’s the thing: reality doesn’t always match the fantasy. After eight years of full-time travel, Steve and I have learned…
Memorable Moments From a Year of Full-Time Travel (2022)
Happy New Year! Is it just me, or did 2022 go by faster than a Parisian pickpocket can grab your wallet? I hope last year has left you with wonderful memories and new friends. Steve and I have been fortunate on both fronts. Sometimes when we are having a low-key day or two (or seven), I feel guilty that we…
Why I Wish Every American Could Travel the World
“A great way to learn about your country is to leave it.” — Henry Rollins Starting a post with a quote feels a little cheesy, but this quote by musician, writer, and actor Henry Rollins just fits too well. If you were born and raised in the United States as I was, you likely grew up thinking you lived in…
Cute, Weird, and Funny Signs From Around the World
Updated 3/31/25 As Steve and I explore the world, we keep our eyes open for things that tickle our fancy or confound us. Sometimes these are cute, confusing, or funny signs. Here are some of our favorites. Some signs are just too cute, like this “puppy parking” sign near a grocery store in Barcelona. Or this one, also in Barcelona,…
Wind and Whim’s 2021 Full-Time Travel Costs: Hungary
Are you wondering how much it costs to travel the world full-time? Then you are in luck. It’s that time of year when I summarize and share our full-time travel costs for the previous year. Because of the pandemic, we spent all of 2021 in Hungary. Even though our 2021 full-time travel costs are not representative of our usual travel…
December 2021 Recap: Christmas in Budapest
Goodbye 2021, hello 2022! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to start the new year. Like me, I’m sure you are hoping that 2022 will bring an end to the pandemic and a return to normal. Despite an increase in Covid cases, our December was remarkable. That is because our daughters, Stephanie and Laura, visited…
November 2021 Recap: Lying Low in Budapest
Hi there! I hope this finds you well as we enter the last month of 2021. If you are a regular reader, you know that Steve and I enjoyed a summer full of activity, including visiting many baths and taking several side trips from our current home base in Budapest. Then November arrived. Not only did November bring colder weather,…
October 2021 Recap: More to Explore in Budapest
Can you believe it’s November already? This year is flying by. I can’t decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Steve and I stayed busy in October, but this month all our activities were close to home. The most exciting thing that happened this month is that we began making arrangements for our daughters, Stephanie and…
September 2021 Recap: Castles, Caves, Baths and the Beatles
Pandemic Update One and a half years into this pandemic, and it’s still wreaking havoc with lives. Like everyone else, Steve and I can’t wait for our lives to return to normal. Still, we respect how dangerous Covid is and how it is overwhelming healthcare systems, so we will continue to be cautious as long as necessary. Early in the…
August 2021 Recap: Budapest Baths and Hungarian Town Attractions
Can you believe August is over? I don’t know about you, but for me, time is flying. Steve and I have done more this month than in any of the previous sixteen months we’ve been in Hungary. We spent many hours luxuriating in the Budapest baths. We also revisited the zoo and explored three nearby towns. These are the highlights.…
July 2021 Recap: Living Life Again
It’s been a long haul for all of us, and it isn’t over yet, but at least life has begun to return to normal. After almost eight months of lockdowns and slowdowns, we are living life again. I hope you are also returning to your pre-pandemic life. Here is what we’ve been doing this month. We Keep Getting More Legal…
Medical Care on the Road
One of the biggest concerns people contemplating long-term travel have is handling medical care on the road. I am not going to sugarcoat it: it can be a challenge. And if the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that no matter how well-laid your plans are, something will come along to mess them up. After more than three years…
June 2021 Recap: Things Are Looking Up in Hungary
Hello, I hope all is well with you. Steve and I are still in Budapest and plan to be here for another year. It’s been another low-key month, but things are definitely looking up here. Hopefully, they are where you are too. Our big news is that we finally got our Covid vaccines! Pandemic Update Here in Hungary, things appear…
May 2021 Recap: Still Sidelined in Budapest
Well, here we are, fourteen months into the pandemic. I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and sane. It can be a challenge at times, but things are looking up. Steve and I are still in Budapest, waiting to be vaccinated and be able to travel again. Here is a look at what May 2021 was like…
Too Many Languages
Many years ago, I was picking out pastries in a bakery in Paris with my older daughter Stephanie. When the clerk pointed to a pastry, I confidently replied, “por favor.” My daughter quietly said, “Mom, that’s Spanish.” Looking back, I wondered if this error was a harbinger of things to come. Too Many Countries, Too Many Languages Steve and I…
Oops! Did We Do That? Our Biggest Travel Mistakes
As Steve and I prepared to travel full-time, we knew that we would make mistakes. Fortunately, we have been able to keep them to a minimum, partly due to luck, partly due to the graciousness of others, and partly because we spent more than half a year under lockdown. Here are the biggest travel mistakes and near-misses we had during…
Laundry on the Road
What’s the biggest challenge of nomad life? The language barrier? Missing family and friends back home? Boring footwear? Yes, yes, and yes. But perhaps the biggest challenge is laundry. As a full-time traveler, I have dealt with possessed washers, a myriad of drying setups, and excess laundry soap issues. I have learned that clothes dryers are not common outside of…
The Cats and Dogs of 2020
I’ve been feeling a little out of sorts lately. It is so easy to blame it on the pandemic, especially since we have been on restrictions since November*. But going back over the photos of cats and dogs we enjoyed seeing in 2020 made me think that there might be more to it. I need a pet fix. Badly. As…
12 Ways To Be An Amazing Airbnb Host
Steve and I are currently in our twenty-eighth Airbnb since beginning our worldwide travels in April 2018. As of December 31, 2020, we have spent 800 nights in Airbnb apartments. Overall, our experiences have been good. Even so, we have identified twelve things Airbnb hosts can do to take their guests’ experiences from good to great. Much More Good Than…
Wind and Whim’s 2020 Full-Time Travel Costs: Europe
What can I say about the year we just had? No words can adequately express the sorrow of the almost two million lives lost, the lingering health impacts suffered by the long haulers, and the economic and mental costs COVID-19 has wrought. I will not complain about having to hunker down in Hungary for 9 1/2 months out of the…
12 Full-Time Travel Questions Answered
Do you dream of traveling full-time? You’re not alone. Between thoughts of Parisian cafes, Maldivian beaches, and African safaris, you may be wondering how feasible it is. You are probably concerned about costs and practical issues like medical insurance, prescriptions, and cell phone usage. In 2016 Steve and I announced that we were planning to retire and travel full-time beginning…
Bye, Bye Bucket List
Barcelona sat right at the top of our bucket list. It was the first city in which Steve and I would spend a month as we began our new life as full-time travelers. La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell awaited us. We couldn’t wait for the city to cast its spell on us as it had for several friends who…
Is Full-Time Travel Right for You?
It may seem strange that I am writing about full-time travel during a pandemic. But the pandemic will not last forever. While it lasts we all have plenty of time to dream and plan. It’s a dream shared by many. Leave behind the hassles of daily life and travel the world. See faraway places, have exciting adventures, and meet interesting people.…
24 Delightful Dog Photos From Around the World
As full-time travelers, my husband Steve and I can’t have any pets but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy meeting random cats and dogs during our travels. Here are 24 delightful dog photos from around the world that showcase dogs we have enjoyed meeting over the last two years. I hope you enjoy meeting them too. This fella lives in…
