That’s us on vacation in lovely Arizona. Don’t be fooled, we weren’t lucky enough to work there. We lived and worked in Cincinnati, Ohio for 30+ years; Ohio is a nice state, really, and Cincinnati has a great arts scene, but it’s pretty conservative politically (don’t change anything!) and lacking mountains. So after retirement, it’s time to go somewhere else more wild. Now, to help you understand 
our thinking, we spent a year living in Italy, due to me pushing and pulling like crazy at work to get an assignment there. Living in Italy was different than living in the US, and we learned a lot about life from the Italians. Well, maybe there is more to learn? So one of our thoughts was “Why not investigate how other countries live life? Why not live for a short while in other countries and get to know the culture? And see more of the world?” And the next thought was “How the heck can we afford to do that when we retire?” The answer to that was – we can’t, unless we eliminate expenses. So that’s what we did. We (eventually) sold the house – long story – and sold the cars, and sold almost all that we owned (we kept some of the stuff we love, stored in a not-full 10’x10′ storage room). Actually, we told the 2 kids “Take what you want before we sell it”, and it was like the proverbial plague of locusts descending; so we actually sold what was left after the plague – much reduced stuff, and sold alas for almost nothing – another long story. Then, homeless, we mooched off our kids (revenge!) for some months before finishing preparations to leave for the wild world for a few years with only a few things on our backs – literally – and our only debt, Fed taxes.
So here we are, finally off and traveling as senior gypsies. “Got no strings ….” Some problems getting off, and some problems getting phones and Garmin, but all is well.
We are looking forward to going to New Zealand, but since they kick you out after 9 months, including a winter makes no sense; so we are marking time until October. We are starting off in Spain; to my surprise, my “Spanish from a book” is enough to get by. I am only speaking to the natives in Spanish, and somehow they understand it! Now, me understanding the replies is a little harder (they seem to know a lot more words than I do), but hopefully I’ll get better.
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Gee, it’s been a long time since I wrote that! Two years, really, and we’re still going. If you’re new here, the top (pull down) menu presents the order in which we’ve done things. The sidebar menu (“Places We’ve Been”) are those same places listed alphabetically. Should you sign on to receive auto blog feeds, the Word Press format that you get by email is not user friendly (IMHO), so your best bet is to simply click on the title of the blog, and that will take you to the easier-to-use true blog format. Feel free to add comments!
trekin' time 
I look forward to reading about your adventures!
Welcome to New Zealand, you guys are an inspiration….so lovely to meet you.
Looking forward to hearing all about your travels!
Looking forward to your posts!
Wow, Ron and Ginger. You are our (Joe and me) role-models. Living in another country and learning the language is on our bucket list. We are about 9 years. (Alex graduates HS in 2024)away from our new life. I plan to visit your blog more and live vicariously.
Hi Ron and Ginger,
I would suggest Belize ( or Crete or Iceland) where we have been for short visits. Your Newzeland stay seems like a dream to me ( someday, when I stop wasting life working, we would go there). Your blog has been as much ( or more) of an inspiration to me as your scientific papers have been ( sorry about reminding you of the working life in conservative Ohio )- but you definitely look much happier !
With a lot of envy,
Gopi
Great to hear from you Gopi!! And thanks for the reco’s, we haven’t been to any of them. Let me recommend back to you Barcelona (soon to be a posting) and Croatia. And yes, retirement is pretty nice, I recommend it.
Ron & Ginger,
Croatia has been on my dream list for ever ! Barcelona is one of my favorite cities- and been there a few times.
I am looking forward to reading more of your blogs.
I found your site via a search for images of Doune Castle. This is a wonderful blog. Photography and commentary are well done as is the layout of your site. Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, Gary! Always a pleasant surprise to find someone actually reads these things.
So where are you currently living (in 2018)?
Hi Mark! Good to hear from you! We’re back in Cincy, at least for a year or two. Both kids came back to the area (one from Ireland, one from England); in today’s world, how often are one’s kids both going to be in the same vicinity???? So we decided to stop traveling and join them. We’re currently in a small apartment in Kenwood (it was interesting – we had to buy a bed, sofa, china, tableware, mop, bucket, etc etc. Almost like getting married again). So where are you nowadays?
Ron, I’m still at P&G, as Mason. Send me an email at hayworth.ms@pg.com and we’ll have lunch.
Hi Ron,
So good to hear about your current moorings ! We followed your recommendations , and made the trip to Croatia last year. Ginger’s tip on avoiding the Cruise ship schedule had been extremely useful. Later , on our annual trip to India, we also made it to Sri Lanka for the first time.
Early this month we spent a week in Budapest and its vicinity. But nothing on the scale of what you guys do- as my knees are not what they used to be- yet, an inspired by you to see what lies in shores beyond that of NJ !!
With warm personal regards,( yes, finally spring is here).
Gopi
Hi Gopi, thanks for the update! I too am discovering that my joints are talking to me in a very disrespectful way. Climbing tall mountains might be a thing of the past; one day I’m going to run the experiment, though, just to see. It would be nice to get together again!
Hi Ron & Ginger,
Hope you guys are doing well. Noticed recently that you are back in Cincinnatti. Are you still traveling?
I went to India early this year- and now I go to places that I have not been in my own country and even the state I was born in: Kerala. This December I have plans to return, and see eastern parts of the country as well- God Willing.
Best wishes
Gopi