2017 tax season is almost over!  You would think that after working so hard I would be looking forward to laying around, watching television, eating bonbons…whatever is a bonbon anyway?  Of course, I have made myself a list of typical and mundane tasks one must accomplish when work doesn’t get in the way — cleaning closets, donating clothes I haven’t worn in over a year, gardening, figuring out what in my shed is important enough to keep.

But, this year, I also have big travel plans.  Between the end of tax season and mid-September, I plan to be away from home overnight at least 58 nights! First, in late April, Chloe and I are taking a short little drive for several days to Naples, Florida to visit my sister, Linda.

Then, in May, I fly to Lima, Peru followed by junkets to Puerto Maldonado, staying in an eco-lodge deep in the Taricaya Reserve, then onward to Cusco and Machu Picchu. After that, I’m off to Panama for several days to explore the canal and take an aerial tram through the jungle. After this adventure, due to the vagaries of American Airline’s schedule, I “get” to spend a night in Miami before finally heading home.  My originally booked flight from Panama included a two-hour delay in Miami before my flight to Tampa but recently American decided to cancel the evening flight and replaced it with one in the morning.  Lucky me.

Throughout my life, I’ve spent time in 44 of our 50 states and, as of now, have not been to Alaska, Oregon, North Dakota, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Maine.  So, when I realized I had almost the entire summer free, I decided a trip to New Hampshire and Maine simply had to happen.  This trip started with my planning a flight to Maine, renting a car, and driving around Maine and New Hampshire.  Of course, how could I not drive into New Brunswick, PEI, and Nova Scotia once I was so close?  Then, I have a friend in Cape Cod who has been after me to visit so I decided, why not.  I have family in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware so it seemed selfish to be so close and not visit.

You can see what happened.  This trip mushroomed to such a point that I decided I might as well expand it even more and take my little dog. So…

After Panama, I’ll be at home for just about a month and then, in early July, Chloe and I will take off on an epic 5,000 mile plus, five to six week road trip — Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.  I found an awesome website, Bring Fido — great inspiration as to where to stay and eat with my companion.

A couple of weeks after we return, I’m flying to Toledo, Ohio where my friend, Cheryl, is picking me up to go to Angola, Indiana for a few days.

When I get home, I may just lay around for a couple of days, watch tv, and eat bonbons.