Three more ways to have fun…when you are older

All work and no play is no way to live. I have said that many times to you already. In fact, last week I described three ways to have more fun in life. I hope you found that content helpful. The odd thing is what constitutes fun changes as you get older? I do not enjoy the same things at my age that I did at your age. With that thought in mind, I am going to share three more ways to have fun…when you are older. As a preview, the three ways are to travel the world, enjoy a great cup of coffee, and drink a cold beer. I will cover the first one this week.

My travel plans for 2018 were big

I started this year with big travel plans. Last Christmas I completed the annual Keating summer vacation briefing to both of you. We chose France as the destination. For various reasons that vacation ended up not happening. Quite simply – it was a bridge too far for us. In fact, multiple travel plans I had for 2018 did not work out. Remember, when life hands you lemons, get busy making lemonade. That is exactly what I did, and it worked. I was still able to go on many adventures this year, and had a lot of fun on every expedition.

Seeing more of the good ole USA

2018 included many domestic excursions. I was able to visit New York City, Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Charlottesville, and hike in the beautiful mountains of Virginia. Each adventure was a blast full of memories. Below is a quick summary of these trips in the good ole USA.

1. Food, art and the High Line in NYC

Riley and I visited NYC in February. Our agenda for the journey was simple. We ate delicious food, saw inspiring modern art, and visited the High Line. It was an awesome adventure. Before going we watched several goofy videos to get ideas for places to eat. Below is one such example.

Of course, no trip to NYC is complete without eating some pizza.

We ate brunch at Osterio Morini in Soho with Geoff. Great company and excellent food.

We visited the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Well worth the price.

We stayed at the Standard on the High Line. Really funky hotel – prime location but not the best place to stay for young families. Beware before you make your reservation.

2. A wet Memorial Day in Miami

Kim and I took our first trip together this Spring. We decided to visit Miami, hoping to spend time in the sun and sand of South Beach. The weather was horrible the entire weekend. It rained every day. We took umbrellas with us everywhere we went. Somehow we still managed to have a great time. Remember it is not the weather that matters, but the company you keep.

3. Seeing an old friend in Tampa

Kim and I decided to give Florida another shot. We went to Tampa. Weather was much better and we were able to meet up with an old friend of mine, Andy Crabb. I had not seen Andy for decades. He is doing well. We had a fun time with him and his girlfriend, Cheri. They are wonderful people.

4. Witnessing a wedding in Atlanta

One of my best friends, Jim Fuhs, got married this fall. Kim and I made the trip down to Atlanta to witness this special day. It was a memorable day for Jim and Karen. Beautiful ceremony – really glad we were able to attend.

5. Cheering in Charlottesville for football teams

Charlottesville is one of my favorite places. I was able to spend time there twice this fall. The first time was with Riley for a soccer tournament. We toured the Grounds and visited a nearby school. I also showed Riley the house we lived in when he was born. The neighborhood was smaller than I remembered. It was fun to show Riley my school and this area. 

Unfortunately, I was unable to make the UVA home opening football game due to Riley’s tournament despite being in Charlottesville. I promised my friends to return later in the season for a game. I made good on that pledge by attending the UVA homecoming game against Miami. It was an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends and cheer UVA on to victory. Wahoowa!!

6. Hiking in the magnificent mountains of Virginia

Kim likes to hike and spend time in the outdoors. Each year she hikes Old Rag mountain. I joined her this year and really enjoyed the experience despite the fact that I can barely keep up with her. She likes to move fast and this old Ranger moves pretty slow these days. We had wonderful weather and saw beautiful views on the mountaintop. We plan to do it again next year.

International trips did not pan out as planned

As I already mentioned, several trips this year fell through. Riley and I attended a travel show in January, so I was inspired to put plans in place. For example I booked plane tickets for a Spring Break trip with Riley to Provence. That was a big mistake. He could not go due to varsity soccer practice. I should have known better. Will not make that mistake again next year. In fact, I am thinking about going on my first solo European adventure next year. Still working on the options. Will be a lot of fun.

7. Wonderful Week in Holland

Summer schedules were a challenge, but Kim and I did spend a wonderful week in Holland. We had an amazing time – so much fun. I wrote two blog posts about the trip: visiting the fascinating country of the Netherlands and what makes the Dutch people special compared to others. I am already planning for next summer – Portugal is the most likely destination.

8. U2 live in their hometown – Dublin

Last month I was able to check off a bucket list item – seeing U2 play live in their hometown of Dublin, Ireland. It was a quick trip but packed full of memories and good times. Between Guinness, Jameson, and Irish pubs, I probably had too much fun on this trip, but boy was it worth it. I will definitely return again to the Irish capital. Slainte!

9. One more adventure in 2018

I have one more tripped plan for the year. It is going to be a lot of fun…in the sun. Sick of this winter weather already. Need to head to someplace warm, mon. The year is almost over, so will need to happen soon.