Travel – Thoughts From The Passenger Seat

2026, life

Always Our Baby

Posted on February 8, 2026February 8, 2026 by nancyb422

As a parent, will we ever NOT worry about our children?

Our 35 year old son, married, business owner, and dog father to two cocker spaniels, borrowed my car so he and his wife could go to Foxwoods Casino for a concert. The casino is about an hour and a half away by way of 95 North to 395 North.

Of course I said yes, so he left his truck in our driveway and said, even though it would be late, he would come and swap vehicles. Which was good because I didn’t want to drive our truck to church!

Our New England weather this weekend includes temperatures of single digits, blowing winds, and snow squalls. Brrrr.

I went to bed and didn’t put in my earplugs thinking I would possibly hear him pull in later that night. Of course, I couldn’t, so I slept fitfully wondering if they had come back yet.

Every time I woke up, I wondered. But I didn’t want to get out of bed to check because if his truck was still there, I’d worry more!

I woke up at 6 and went downstairs where my husband was drinking his coffee. He said on one of his trips to the bathroom, when he saw the truck was gone, he was able to sleep better.

Now, if they had gone in their own vehicle and we didn’t know their coming and going, we’d have slept blissfully through the night!

2025, Memories

38 Years of Life Together

Posted on October 12, 2025 by nancyb422

On October 10th, my husband and I celebrated the second of two anniversaries that were life changing for both of us.

38 years ago, on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend, I boarded a plane from Hartford Connecticut to my new home in Castro Valley California.

My boyfriend/future husband and I met on May 2, 1987 in the Monteiro Bay Jamaica airport. A girl from Connecticut and a guy from California who both made last minute plans for the same week at the same resort. What better place to meet than the back of a box truck selling beer, followed by a 2-1/2 hour bus ride to Negril separated by an aisle and a row with some flirting going on. How did we know?

Following the end of the week, we lived on letters and phone calls, a long weekend encompassing 4th of July, a family wedding reception in Connecticut, and a week long visit to California to become engaged and plan my move.

The day came quickly, and I said my goodbyes to my dad and twin sister at the gate and I boarded the plane.

2025, life, Travel

Greetings From Alaska!

Posted on July 29, 2025July 29, 2025 by nancyb422

After 2 flights equaling 9+ hours, one suitcase (my husband’s) put on a “later flight”, and a 2-1/2 hour bus ride, we are on the Viking Orion for an Alaska inner passage cruise with approximately 928 other people.

We booked this trip last August. We took a Viking cruise in October of 2022 down the Seine from Paris to Normandy and back but this was our first ocean cruise. It always seemed so far away. Until it wasn’t.

Our embarkation was in Seward on Saturday evening and we spent Sunday there with the ship departing at 5pm. This, we thought, was going to be the opportunity to have his suitcase delivered to the ship.

“Just in case”, we went shopping for hiking shoes and a fleece jacket for our afternoon hike. Because my husband only had Sketcher slip ons from our trip, we knew he would need some shoes for hiking. I knew there had to be something in town for clothing and luckily there was. We headed to Seward Outdoor Store at 8am which was a short walk from the ship. They had what he needed and it was a necessary purchase for him to enjoy the day.

We also paid a visit to a gift shop which is owned by a friend of a hometown friend! We walked in and introduced ourselves and talked with the owner about our trip and our friend who directed us there. It was nice to make the connection and to tell my friend we visited.

*If you’re ever in Seward, tell Fred we said hello!*

For our excursion in Seward we decided to do a hike to the Exit Glacier. The cruise has an included excursion at each port but sometimes they can be a little dull so we usually pay the money for something that really interests us. A hike is right up our alley.

At 1pm we boarded a bus right off the ship and it was a 15 minute ride to Kenai Fjords National Park. 50 of us got off the bus and divided up among four young guides. Ours was a delightful young woman named Morgan. Morgan has done more in her 24 years than some people will do in a lifetime. She was very knowledgeable about the area and the glacier.

We all expected (and packed) for temperatures to be in the low 60s. Well – Sunday afternoon it was 78 degrees! Thankfully I had my own water bottle and one provided by the tour group because I needed every drop.

It was a 2.5 mile round trip which took us over areas where the glacier has retreated over the years. Morgan explained how they determine how long ago it retreated by the types of trees that have grown. We also saw the striations in the rock and the angle which tells the direction the glacier retreated. It was worth the money and the exertion!

Sadly, we didn’t receive the suitcase by the time the ship left at 5pm. More on that in my Day 2 post!

2025, Healthy Living, Memories

Wheels Turning

Posted on June 12, 2025 by nancyb422

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

I feel joy when I am riding my bike.

I received my first bike when I was about 7 years old. It was a second hand bike that my dad painted and put a new seat on. I would ride it all over the neighborhood. On weekends, my dad would take me, my sisters, and anyone from the neighborhood who wanted to join us on rides around town. The bike gained a banana seat with sissy bar and upraised handlebars when they came into style.

I outgrew the bike and riding during high school but then received a 10-speed bike my senior year of high school. I brought my bike to college and rode around campus and up and down the country roads.

When I moved to California, I brought my bike with me (in pieces, in a box!), but based on the rides my husband to be and his friends did, I bought a new bike designed for my short stature and for long miles. My longest ride to date is a 100K through the hills of Sonoma Country. I never did become fully comfortable clipping my feet in to the pedals!

*Dry Creek Road area, Healdsburg California*

After moving back to Connecticut, the road rides ended but we would take our mountain bikes with us on camping trips and ride from our site to the beach at Hammonasett and Rocky Neck State Parks or ride around Lake Waramaug. We also took our bikes on the ferry to Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard for traveling around.

*Sights to see on Block Island, Rhode Island*

Recently we purchased e-bikes to ride on which are electric, but pedal assist, which means you still have to pedal to move. People get the wrong idea because there are other types. When I first started riding my new bike, I would turn the assistance on and off and at the same time try to work through my gears. I quickly realized I need to just leave the assistance on at level 1 and just work through my gears and it created a much more enjoyable ride!

So why does it bring me joy? I love the movement both in my legs and traveling a distance quickly! I love the feel of the sun on my shoulders in nice weather. I’m not incredibly fond of cold weather but my first ride was on ice and I can say I finished that ride! Some of the rides involve gravel, uphill and downhill, and I feel challenged, physically and mentally, to get up the hill and DOWN the hill! I’m always in the back of our 6 person pack but I’m getting better! The bike pedals allow for my shoes to clip in or remain free and I currently remain free.

Free like I feel while riding my bike.

2025, family, Holidays, leisure time, life, Memories

New York! New York!

Posted on May 7, 2025 by nancyb422

New York, New York, what a wonderful town
The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down!
—from On Our Way with Gene Kelly

My first memory of visiting New York City is when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. It was a Columbus Day trip with my mother, two sisters, aunt, and cousin and our destination was the Statue of Liberty.

We took the Metro North train out of New Haven and got on the subway heading to Battery Park. We were looking for the Bowling Green stop but how we missed it a few times! We probably headed into Brooklyn and then had to get back on in the direction we came from. We made it to the Statue and had a great time, and I got a pen in the gift shop with a floating statue.

The next time I traveled into the city it was with my sisters during Christmas time. Those trips bring back memories of Crabtree and Evelyn scents and Dansko clogs! We would visit Rockefeller Center to see the tree and shop.

When I lived in California, I always raved about New York, and must have been incredibly obnoxious! San Francisco just didn’t compare.

After we moved back to Connecticut, my sisters and I would take our kids into the city to wander. We weren’t very comfortable on the subway – we didn’t want to get lost – so we dragged the kids all over the place on foot! One trip by the time we got the Met on 82nd Street, they were exhausted already! They were very happy when we were finally comfortable enough to take the subway.

My husband is now my favorite traveler to New York. We’ve gone for concerts and basketball games at Madison Square Garden, stayed a few days at a time to shop at Christmastime, and this year I’ve (dragged him along) taken him to a broadway play, with more to come.

Today we headed in for a short trip to see the newly re-opened Frick Collection. We had an early lunch before our 12:30 check in. The museum isn’t very large so we saw all we needed to see in an hour. We were headed home on the 2:04pm train.

We’ll be back down there in early June with my husband’s aunt and uncle from California. Tickets have been purchased for a play (Six), tickets for the Vessel, and ideas ready for dinners. I can’t wait!

What’s your favorite place to visit and how often do you get there?

2025, family, friends, hikes, hobbies, life, Memories, thoughts, Travel

Looking Back at 2024

Posted on January 2, 2025 by nancyb422

I can forget what I did the day before yesterday.

I really want to be mindful in 2025.

I took a look at my Day Planner for 2024 and my phone calendar and made a list in Notes of What Happened in 2024. I was surprised at all the events from the year. Sometimes in my mind I think “I never do anything!”, but this proved me wrong. There were lunches and dinners out with friends, two trips to New York other than our yearly Christmas shopping spree, and three week long vacations!

I’m looking forward to this new year of adventures!

2024, family, leisure time, life, Memories, photography, Travel

12/10/2024 Hump Day Photo

Posted on December 10, 2024 by nancyb422

I’m sifting through the 29,000 photos in my IPhoto app and came across photos from a trip to South Carolina in 2016.

We went to Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet twice during out time there. It was early May and really beautiful, full of sculptures and flowers.

In addition to the gardens, we took a carriage ride around the gardens and to the river and marshes where rice was planted and harvested.

2024, family, hikes, leisure time, life, Memories, photography, Travel

Rocky Mountain High

Posted on December 5, 2024 by nancyb422

Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

One of my favorite places that I have visited was Colorado!

I was in Fort Collins in September of 2022 for a long weekend to “help” my niece select her wedding gown. My two sisters and two other nieces were all there and we had a fun “girls weekend” which included her fiancé!

Very early on a cold September morning in Estes Park

In one day we saw the sunrise in Estes Park, went to the Alpine Ridge Trail at 12,005 feet above sea level, went to the CSU football game walked 100 miles to a bar after (and then back to our car!). It was a great adventure!

We went back again in September of 2023 for her wedding. Family was together and we had fabulous weather, until the day of the outdoor wedding! Luckily the rain stopped and we had indoor access.

Before we met up with family, my husband and I had time to visit a good friend in Denver and also had time to hike a little bit in Boulder and visit Red Rocks Amphitheater.

On our off day with family, besides the hike, we rented bikes and explored the fabulous trail system in Fort Collins. Of course we hit New Belgium Brewery too!

The day after the wedding, we went to Laramie Wyoming, because, why not? We went to the old prison which is now a museum. First we had breakfast in a bar! Just us and a guy drinking a beer at 9:30!

There is so much to do all over the state and we both look forward to going back!

2024, family, hikes, hobbies, Holidays, leisure time, life, photography, Travel

12/4/2024 Hump Day Photo

Posted on December 4, 2024 by nancyb422

January 1, 2020 was brisk and bright when I set out for the guided first walk of the year with my sister and niece.

Machimoodus State Park was the location and it took us through the woods and towards a view of the Salmon River before it meets up with the Connecticut River in Haddam, Connecticut.

“Machimoodus” is an indigenous term for “place of bad noises” because of noisy rumblings and echos heard by the Pequot, Narragansett, and Mohegan tribes. The sounds were real and in 1981 geologists determined “micro earthquakes” were the cause amplified by a nearby cave!

We didn’t hear any rumblings, but we saw some beautiful scenery and had a brisk hike to start out the new year!

2024, life, Memories, thoughts

The Music Of My Life

Posted on December 3, 2024 by nancyb422

Sitting at my desk, I’m listening to “The Bridge”, a station on Sirius XM. Jackson Browne singing “The Pretender” comes on and I’m immediately transported back to the fall/winter of my junior year of high school in 1976.

It was a very tumultuous time for me. I had a boyfriend through my sophomore year, but we broke up in the waning days of the school year. Aww, poor me! It would have ended here, and I might have gotten over him, but I couldn’t because we continued to see each other. During the day, I would go to his house to swim. His mother was home so it wasn’t anything sneaky. But I’ll bet his friends didn’t know about it!

Silly, naive me thought we had a chance to get back together! But, in public, he had moved on from me with his group of friends, painfully one of them, who it was rumored he liked, had just made the incoming cheerleading squad!

Back to Jackson Browne!

I had moved on by fall. Ha! You obviously don’t know me very well, do you! I hoped he would ask me to Junior Prom, but no luck. Was there a possibility? I’m sure he kept my hopes alive. He went as “a friend” with someone in his group. I lived in the periphery of that group and I went with a boy that someone in that group set me up with! It was complicated with that group. I was friends with almost everyone in it, but not really included.

By prom time, I was dating someone else, that fact is important only to this story.

Christmas came around, and I hinted at and received Jackson Browne’s The Pretender album from the new boyfriend for Christmas. I wanted the album because the song “Here Come Those Tears Again”, reminded me of my old boyfriend!

In hindsight, the relationship with the original sophomore boyfriend was a match made in Hell for so many reasons! Stay tuned….

Here come those tears again
Just when I was getting over you
Just when I was going to make it through
Another night without missing you
Thinking I might just be strong enough after all
When I hear your footsteps echoing in the hall

Baby here we stand again
Where we’ve been so many times before
Even though you looked so sure
As I was watching you walking out my door
But you always walk back in like you did today
Acting like you never even went away
Well I don’t know if I can
Open up and let you in baby
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again

I can hear you telling me
How you needed to be free
And you had some things to work out alone
Now you’re standing here telling me
How you have grown
Here come those tears again
Now you’ll tell me how to hold them in
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again

Some other time baby
When I’m strong and feeling fine maybe
When I can look at you without crying
You might look like a friend of mine
But I don’t know if I can
Open up enough to let you in
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again

Walk away
I’m going back inside and turning out those lights
And I’ll be in the dark but you’ll be out of sight