About

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven”

Many people my age traveled when they were young. Many young people are traveling now – gap year, anyone? But I’m traveling even though I’m older (mid-sixties), and I’m traveling solo. This blog is for anyone who loves to travel, but especially for people who think they can’t travel solo, or can’t travel because they’re getting too old. I heard too many stories about people who were “going to go to Europe when we retired”, but then someone died, or got sick, and they didn’t make it.

I’m a former software engineer who took early retirement in order to get some travel in before I got too decrepit. In the past when I’ve been traveling I’ve kept in touch using an email list, and posted my trip reports either on my website, or, lately, at Fodors. But I figured it was time to get a bit more up to date, with more opportunity for feedback, so now I’m blogging. BTW, my travel pictures are at Smugmug.

I thought people might be interested in the set-up for a somewhat longer trip so I started with posts about how I decided on the itinerary for the upcoming, two month, trip, where I bought plane tickets, the visa situation, etc. I’ve also moved my packing and leaving home lists over here from my website – although my “Seven Steps to Happy Squatting” is still there.

That trip was to the Caucasus and Middle East in 2009, and I followed it with a six and a half month RTW in 2010-11, featuring East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and a month in Europe. After resting up for the summer, I spent the autumn of 2011 in Eastern Europe.

My next trip will be closer to home (currently North Carolina although I grew up in England), as I travel by rail across the USA and Canada.

27 Comments »

27 Responses

on March 3, 2010 at 9:59 am | Reply aldo

hey,

I work with the cheapoair travel blog and we’re interested in have you guest blog on it (cheapoair.wordpress.com).

Please contact me for further details if you’re interested.

Thanks,

Aldo
on May 5, 2010 at 4:26 pm | Reply karenzo

hello, i love your blog and commend you for doing what you are doing and writing so beautifully about it. if ever you are in nyc with free time for coffee i would love to meet you. good luck with your trip planning – i look forward to further updates.

karen
- on May 7, 2010 at 2:46 pm | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Hi Karen,
  
  I’ll be in New York briefly in September – unfortunately I lost your email address when I approved your comment. Can you post it again, or email me through my profile,
  
  Regards,
  Kathy
on May 7, 2010 at 8:54 pm | Reply karenzo

hi kathy,

see above…. hope this helps and to see you in September!

karen
on May 7, 2010 at 8:54 pm | Reply karenzo

hi kathy,

see above.. hope this helps and to see you in September!

karen
on September 10, 2010 at 7:15 pm | Reply Anna

hi kathy! just stumbled upon your blog. im 25 and living in seoul. if youll be here over the next year let me know! happy travels!!!
- on September 10, 2010 at 8:52 pm | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Hi Anna, nice to hear from you. I’ll be in Seoul in October – 11th and 20th. I’m going to Danyang, Gyeongju, and Jeonju as well.
on September 13, 2010 at 12:11 pm | Reply Gwen Terani

Hi Honey! You ROCK! I am JEALOUS, AND JEALOUS, AND MORE JEALOUS! I respect and adore you so much, and wish you safe travel this year. You are the clear, concrete example, dreams are made of. I love you for going first! Also for not ever licking 2 fingers and trying to put my candle out. It is my pleasure to have been raised by you, influenced by you, touched by you, and prayed for in a deep, and spiritual, nonconformist way. I simply adore you.
Love you so very much,
Gwen
- on September 13, 2010 at 4:07 pm | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Hi Gwen – love you too – hope things are going well in Florida
on September 13, 2010 at 12:15 pm | Reply Gwen Terani

P.S. “MAKE ME PROUD NOW!” lolololololol! YEA RIGHT! I know you never chased a golf clap. Heres one for you…..(she claps quietly….Kathy is putting now….. shhhhhh.)
on September 20, 2010 at 9:37 pm | Reply ReadersHeaven

Hi, nice to meet you !
on April 25, 2011 at 2:38 pm | Reply rustykeel

hey there,

stumbled on your site today. just wanted to say hello, thanks for the photos and the writing.

my wife and i are about to head out on a nine month round the world trip and the main thing that caught my eye was your being, oh how do we say it? older than most of the young’ns out there on the road.

we are an it manager and an attorney in our late 40s and we’ve decided we’ve waited too long. tenants have signed a lease agreement for leasing our home and we hit the road on june 1st.

if you’re out there still (i see the latest posts here are from 2010) and want to cross paths, or just stay in touch, or provide wisdom, we’d love to hear from you.

for practice, i’ve been building up a blog (of course) mostly to get in rhythm with how it works. http://michrusstravel.blogspot.com

maybe we’ll see you out there! happy travels.

russ kiel
russkiel@gmail.com
on May 13, 2011 at 8:07 am | Reply Megan

Hello,
I came across your website and found it alluring and exciting. I am a big fan of travel. If you could e-mail me back, that would be great. I just had a couple questions.
I look forward to hearing back from you soon! Have a great day.
- on May 13, 2011 at 9:13 am | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Glad you like the blog. Feel free to post your questions here.
on June 24, 2011 at 11:16 pm | Reply arthistory.net

Just finished listening to your guest appearance on the Amateur Traveler Podcast. You covered travel to the Republic of Georgia, episode #221

Appreciated the rich history lesson and authentic storytelling. You truely did justice to an often over looked destination. Hopefully you do more.
- on June 27, 2011 at 3:44 pm | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Thanks so much for the kind words! I rather think that Chris found me less enthusiastic than his usual guests, but I think it’s important to give a complete picture. (For others, this is the link: http://europe.amateurtraveler.com/2010/02/27/travel-to-the-republic-of-georgia-episode-221/ )
on August 13, 2011 at 9:50 am | Reply Sales Training Brisbane

Greetings from Sydney. Thanks for the useful info. I’m doing a project at uni and your stuff was quite useful. Thanks for sharing
on August 20, 2011 at 11:12 am | Reply Upset

Great post. Thanks.
on December 8, 2011 at 3:48 pm | Reply Becoming Madame

Wow! You certainly do quite a bit of travelling! Thanks for stopping by our site. All our best with your future adventures!
on July 23, 2012 at 6:44 am | Reply George Brown

I am intrigued by your writings and your travels. Especially those around the Balkans. I have spent some time in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and especially Macedonia as my wife was born there. I would seek your permission to use some of your Macedonian photos on my WordPress site, http://vandaair.com. I look forward to further instalments.
on July 23, 2012 at 6:59 am | Reply mytimetotravel

I am glad you’re enjoying my blog. I’m sorry, but I don’t want my photos appearing elsewhere – you can link to my blog instead.

So TAKE DOWN the one you’ve already posted without permission!!!
on July 23, 2012 at 7:47 am | Reply George Brown

Done, and thanks
on January 9, 2013 at 5:23 am | Reply Lizzie

i am so happy to have found your blog, envious of the time you have to travel and greatful for the vicarious thrills. i am a 40-year-old burnt-out mother of two and am planning a short (2 weeks is all i have) trip to sri lanka. should i worry about riding the train alone? i read the fodors forum, but didn’t see any follow-ups… would love to hear what you think.
- on January 9, 2013 at 9:03 am | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Hi Lizzie – nice to hear from you.Great that you are headed to Sri Lanka! I didn’t ride the train myself, but other posters at Fodors have done so, and while it may be uncomfortable, no-one had any safety issues. I think you will be fine on the train.
  - on January 10, 2013 at 3:29 am Lizzie
    
    thanks for the reply, i’ll continue to look forward to your blog!
on January 9, 2013 at 2:56 pm | Reply Sandy

I’m new to your blog but have read some of your trip posts on Fodor’s. I thoroughly enjoy your travels . . . keep on and keep entertaining us!

Sandy (in Denton)
- on January 9, 2013 at 4:24 pm | Reply mytimetotravel
  
  Thanks Sandy. I’ve now wrapped up the last trip, aside from dealing with the photos, which may or may not happen. I’m thinking of heading back to South America for the next one.