Aloha Everyone,
Our 1984-1985 travels with our two sons was an epic one-year long planned adventure. Prior to that time, we would take the boys on a one to three months trip, but always returned to our base to resume our work.
What made this travel drastically different from our previous ones was that we packed all our household goods, had them forwarded to Hong Kong for safe storage with instructions to wait for our further directive as to the destination. We then sold our house, gave away numerous personal effects to our family, friends and our employees, then boarded the flight to Frankfurt, Germany. J.J. had arranged to rent a motorhome from a company called InterRent for a duration of 6 months.
Our route took us from Germany to Denmark to visit our friends in Randers. They graciously offered to store our suitcases during our travels. From Denmark to Germany, Austria, Italy to visit our dear friends, then to former Yugoslavia and Greece. The latter is where we spent an entire month. Back to Italy before meeting my Mother, my sister and her daughter who joined to spend Christmas with us.
True the world was safer then. There was no EU. We had to go through each border crossing with passports in hand and in some cases visas. It was unusual for anyone to see a young foreign family traveling in a motorhome. In reflection, J.J. and I were brave. We trusted the goodness, the humanity of people and they in turn treated us graciously.
Aloha -- Cathi
