January Challenge — My Travel Wish List 2023

Our 2023 International travel will be to Mexico and Japan.

If this were a true “Wish List,” I would ask my Jennie in a bottle to give me a “round the world” first-class airline ticket, and I could visit all the bucket list places I haven’t been.

But back to reality for a minute.

We are making two international trips this year — one trip to Japan to visit our son and his girlfriend, Mayumi.

And then we have a cruise to Mexico booked on the newest Princess Cruise ship this February.

Outside the two international trips, we will make a road trip to the Grand Canyon, which will be my letter “G” for the A-Z travel. And I’m planning on several camping trips to use my new camping gear when the weather warms up.

Anne Bonfert is heading on road trips in South Africa, which sounds exciting. Adrienne Beaumont is heading to the Philippines to visit her son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Another son visit, along with a trip to Europe next year.

I look forward to hearing where everyone else is going.

With travel open to most countries, it should be much easier than in 2022.

Speaking of which, I had to cancel my earlier travel to Japan at the start of Covid when travel to Japan and the U.S. were locked down.

Japan was one of the last to open back up, but travel is now open for tourists. So, with my fingers crossed, I will try this again.

Even though I lived in Japan a couple of years. . . a long time ago.

I never made it to Osaka, so I’m hoping with the help of a bullet train, I might be able to see Osaka on this visit.

Junior and Mayumi recently visited Osaka and took some fantastic pictures, and our son is into food pictures, which made me want to pick up some chopsticks and jump on a plane.

Soon enough.

I have to work around our Son’s schedule, but I’m hoping to go in Spring around the time of the Cherry Blossoms.

My wife may or may not make the Japan trip, as international travel is a challenge for her now.

On our second trip, she will be going, as it’s a Princess Cruise to Mexico on the newest Princess ship, the Discovery.

The port of Long Beach is only a couple hours away, so we can board without flying, airports, connections, and all the logistics that makes travel hard in a wheelchair.

This picture gives me the willies every time I look at it.

We have been to Mexico many times and enjoy our travels there. We live only 70 miles from the Mexico border, so many from San Diego travel to Mexico all the time.

It’s cheaper than the U.S. and has great food, fascinating history, and impressive churches and missions.

I’ve lost count of how many times we have been to Mexico.

Most of our travels have been on the Pacific side, but we also visited the Caribbean side several times.

I have friends who live on the ocean for a fraction of what a tiny condo would cost here.

I thought about doing that, but jobs and other things kept us planted. So now it’s more about doctors, hospitals, and closeness to the VA hospital.

Commuting across the border daily if you work on the U.S. side is much too difficult now.

But visiting is still a thrill and something we enjoy.

So, that’s it.

I look forward to seeing where the Globetrotter family is going in 2023.

Here are two more January Challenge stories.

the first is from Scott-Ryan Abt, and the second is from Adrienne Beaumont

Here is a great story about Japan from Linda Ng

Here is a Story you will enjoy from Mexico from Robert Knight