We are excited to start a new leg of our trip, we are heading out Saturday for seven weeks in Europe and the eastern bloc. Yeah we are visiting some of the old Warsaw Pact states, I have this vision of it being really cold with statues of Lenin on all corners and guys with bad mustaches selling fruit on the streets. I know the vision is just plain old ignorance with a healthy dose of Hollywood mixed in, hence the interest in traveling. In preparation, which basically started monday, we realized how much we forgot about the RTW trip; What we loved, what we need or more importantly what we don’t need.

Timing is everything

As we reflect back and prepare its clear we have definitely taken opportunities like this for granted. Because when you travel one becomes a free spirit, everything is new and you tend to do things that you wouldn’t normally do in everyday life.  You are focused on the experience and with everything being new, you tend to only look forward to the next experience. We all know Life is hard, we deal with struggles everyday, so how do we stay on track and focus on what’s important to us and not let the rat race win? We bring this up because travel and being grounded is very very important to us and until we started preparing we forgot this. During the trip and for a good six months after we meditated every morning, not anymore.  Now we try to wake up every morning and think about what’s most important to us each day (meditation for the adhd who can only concentrate for 30 seconds) It works but only when you do it (wake up and focus on what’s important) and little by little we are doing it less and less. Very frustrating! We aren’t beating ourselves up over it but it’s so fascinating to think about how we humans know what we need to do but can’t keep doing it.

So what are we thinking and talking about these last few weeks? Last trip we learned a lot about happiness around the world and it was one of the biggest takeaways from our travel. What makes you happy is possibly the most important question in life. So how is the rural farmer in Laos with no healthcare, electricity or shoes on their feet happier than financially successful, family person with access to every imaginable luxury In the world? Wants v needs is my answer. You NEED shelter but if you WANT a 10,000 sqft mansion and don’t get it you won’t be happy. So want what you have, don’t need what you want. This was really important for us to think about since our first stop is Greece which is struggling. We don’t know what to expect since the chaos of the country being bankrupt; with no access to cash and 50% of the population living off a government pension with a retirement age of 55. Well time to put on our big boy pants and see it first hand. After all, for us, this is what it’s all about, seeing “it” not just reading about it or watching it on TV.

Lastly, my analytical side kicked in and Google kicked out the needed information. Greece ranks 53rd in a recent prosperity ranking, behind countries like Croatia ( don’t even know where that is and more to come on that later) Poland (isn’t it really cold there) and Hungary (they don’t even have food). It is also the country that’s happiness ranking has fallen the most in the last 5 years. Remind me again why we are going there? I thought Greece has stunning islands, memorable sunsets, great cuisine, beautiful people, olives and gods that protect us from everything. I guess we will soon see for ourselves.

“iss to epanidin”