Closing Thoughts

What a year. This trip has been an absolutely incredible adventure that none of us will ever forget. We became true believers in the old adage that “Travel isn’t about the destination”. It’s about the journey and living outside your comfort zone. It’s about learning new cultures and meeting new people. And it’s about living life to the fullest and spending quality time with your family. We questioned how much the kids would really remember when it was all said and done, but when you least expect it they hit you with an obscure fact from the trip even Angie and I had forgotten.

 
Before we left we found a quote by travel writer Rick Steves, who talked about traveling with his own children. It read, “Living on the road, far from their favorite TV shows and neighborhood friends, broadened their outlook. Now, back at school, when they spin the globe, it’s clear; the size of your backyard is up to you.”

We’re so glad we took the plunge and made it happen. Now the challenge is figuring out what we want to take away from it all. Of course we’ll have our mementos, like photographs and souvenirs, but it’s about more than that. Along the way we developed a deeper desire to continue traveling, thus opening the kids' eyes (and ours) to many more new cultures and experiences. Whether or not we can manage to go again this year, next year, or the year after, is one of the questions we now have to figure out. Whether or not we go back as tourists or residents is another question to explore.

 

We have a lot to consider and will look hard at what would be best for the whole family. For the moment though we’re unwinding in Florida, a sort of reunion that includes all of our immediate relatives and their families. After that we head back to Rock Island, Illinois where we’ll enroll the kids in school for at least the rest of the school year. And while they’re doing their homework, Angie and I will be doing ours.

Here's a little list we put together as we waited for our final flight home. 

Favorite Cities...

Bret - Vernazza, Italy / Salzburg, Austria / Rovinj, Croatia

Angie - Florence, Italy / Salzburg, Austria / Rome, Italy

Cole - Castelrotto, Italy (Dolomites) / Monteleone, Italy (Umbria) / Rovinj, Croatia

Mia - Montelopio, Italy (Tuscany) / Rovinj, Croatia / Rome, Italy

Ella - Montelopio, Italy (Tuscany) / Tangier, Morocco / Monteleone, Italy (Umbria)

Top Sights...

Bret - Calcio in Florence & Exploring Mostar (Bosnia)

Angie - Cooking in Chianti & Mosaic-Making in Venice

Cole - Gardaland & Playmobil

Mia - Gardaland & Playmobil

Ella - Playmobil & the Monteriggioni Medieval Festival

Favorite Churches to Visit...

Bret - Assisi & Siracusa

Angie - Florence & The Vatican

Cole - Florence & Milan

Mia - Florence & Bacelona (Sagrada Familia)

Ella - Pisa & Florence

Favorite Apartment...

Bret - Korcula, Croatia

Angie - Monteleone, Italy (Farm stay in Umbria)

Cole - Malcesine, Italy

Mia - Montelopio, Italy (Farm stay in Tuscany)

Ella - Monteleone, Italy (Farm stay in Umbria)

Favorite Apartment Terrace and/or View...

Bret - Dubrovnik, Croatia

Angie - Praiano, Italy (Amalfi Coast)

Cole - Castelrotto, Italy (Dolomites)

Mia - Korcula, Croatia

Ella - Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Thanks again to everyone who took this journey with us, we really enjoyed all your encouragement and emails along the way. And stay tuned, it may be a few months, but we promise to update you as soon as we figure out what to do (or where to go) next.

- The 5 Passports

   Bret, Angie, Cole, Mia, & Ella