New directions!

I have decided to start a new Wordpress blog to go along with my new podcast
Kelownagurl's Adventures: Travel and Fitness into Retirement.

Check it out here!

http://kelownagurl.wordpress.com


The new podcast can now be found on iTunes. (Just search Kelownagurl in podcasts and it should pop up).


You can also listen on my Spreaker account if you're not into subscribing to podcasts.

Or check out my Youtube channel here.


As always, thank you!!!!

~ Barb  aka Kelownagurl

:)

April 5, 2015

Well as of today, I am now officially a member of the 55-59 age group and I even qualify for the 55+ senior discounts.  I don't know if I should be happy or depressed but I figure if I am still here, it can't be all bad.  :)

Once again, it's been awhile since I blogged but I'm not going to spend a bunch of space making excuses about what I have or have not been doing. Suffice to say, I'm still 10 lbs up, and haven't been running much since last summer, although I have been walking home from work, 3-5 km a day, 4 days a week, since January.  However, I have only been on a bike twice in the past 12 months.  Sad?  Maybe, but it is what it is, and the past really doesn't matter. I'd rather focus on the here and now.

I have a pretty awesome 2015 lined up actually.  I just got home from a 2 week trip to New Zealand to meet Erik's new grandson, and to tour the North Island for 10 days.  It was beautiful and I really enjoyed the trip, even though it was a short one (I only have a 2 week spring break).

Erik and I have a 3 week trip to Italy planned for the end of August and we will spend some time in Rome, Tuscany and Umbria, and finish up with 5 days on the Amalfi Coast. I love Italy and I'm really looking forward to the trip.

We will get back a week before school starts up for my last year of teaching. Yes, I am going to retire.   I am almost 100% sure it will be at the end of March 2016.  We plan to take off for a 2-3 month stint in Europe in mid April 2016.  We don't have all the details nailed down yet, but the plan is to spend about 2 weeks in Portugal or Greece, then walk the Camino de Santiago for 35-40 days (500 miles/800 km), and then spend a month in one place - either Provence or Tuscany. I have always wanted to go to Europe and try to live like a local.  Our dearest wish is to be invited to a typical family dinner somewhere.

I am so excited about this trip but it is also a bit daunting so I have decided this Tuesday will be the first day of a year's worth of training. In this case training means losing 5-10 lbs, and regaining my strength, fitness, and stamina.  I will go to the gym, walk lots, get back to running, ride my bike, do the physio and yoga and core work, and eat healthy so that I am in top form by next May.  Hiking 500 miles with a backpack is a big challenge but 1000's of people do it every year, so I know I can be one of them.

So - that's  my life in a nut shell.  I plan to revitalize my blog and share my travel planning tips, give regular updates about my "training" progress, and talk about the next transition in my life.

Stay tuned!