Day 4...Cruise to South America...Part 1, Fabulous day in Grand Cayman with new friends...



Susan and Blair, originally from Canada, have lived in Grand Cayman for the past 15 years and are about to spread their wings further, by beginning a world journey in many ways similar to ours without a home, without "stuff" and with no end in mind. 

"Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising"

A yacht in the harbor at Grand Cayman.

Yesterday, Grand Cayman was our first port of call since leaving Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.  Here's a little information about Grand Cayman:

"Grand Cayman

Island in the Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman is the largest of the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. George Town, its capital, is home to the Cayman Islands National Museum, dedicated to Caymanian heritage. The city is also a major cruise-ship port and site of the ruins of colonial-era Fort George. Beaches and vibrant coral reefs are the island’s hallmarks.

Area: 75.68 mi²

Population: 52,601 (2010)

Largest settlement: George Town (pop. 27,704)

Pop. density: 224.6 /km² (581.7 /sq mi)

Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%"

Indoor seating at Morgan's Seafood Restaurant.

On a prior cruise we'd visited Cayman Island but this time we had an entirely different perspective both from having had more experience traveling, with a  resulting keener eye.  Also meeting new friends and upcoming world travelers Susan and Blair added considerably to our second visit.

Check out this fish chandelier!

This lovely couple, about 10 years my junior, five years for Tom, are blessed with the opportunity to begin traveling at a younger age, already possessing considerable travel experience as opposed to our being relative neophytes when we began in October 2012.

A tour boat under tarps at the marina

As avid and expert scuba divers they've visited some of the finest waters in the world as well as spending the past 15 years living in Cayman Island, a scuba divers paradise.  Originally from Canada, years ago they made the difficult decision to move to this tropical island which we found to be exquisite and enticing.

An social event conducted on the beach.

Again, this year they made yet another life-changing decision...to sell everything they own and travel the world.  Humm...sounds familiar.  Although their travel goals may be different from ours with their passion for underwater scenery and wildlife, as we're inclined toward about water scenery, we found we have many similar interests in common.

Recently, with the help of a competent local real estate agent, their home in Grand Cayman sold and they're expected to leave at the end of December to begin which may prove for them, to be a year's long journey as well.

A sprawling lawn at a luxury estate.

Sharing dreams, hopes, and logistics with them at lunch at the excellent Morgan's Seafood Restaurant at the Cayman Islands Yacht Club was both refreshing and exciting.

As it turns out, Susan and Blair found us online when searching for world travelers.  Over the past few years, as the decision was rolling out, they've found other world travelers, researching for valued information as to how to embark on such an adventure.

View of a small portion Cayman Island from the ship.

As the baby boomer population ages, many are deciding to do something similar to us, each to their own personal preferences to fulfill their dreams of world travel.  

It's interesting to see how world travelers goals may vary.  Some may prefer to spend considerable time in Europe when they begin, as is the case for Susan and Blair while others may choose an entirely different path, as in our case.

A pretty house on the shore as our tender approached the dock.

Whichever path they choose, challenges and obstacles line they way which savvy people can handle with dignity and grace. The ability to navigate online, along with good problem-solving skills and a high degree of patience and tolerance can make this life possible for some.

Susan and Blair definitely seem to possess these skills and we look forward to following their adventures at their site found here. We wish them the very best in safety, good health, and astounding experiences.

Tom just returned from a morning seminar, joining me at a comfy table in Cafe al Bacio where we'll stay until we're ready for the next activity, another seminar this afternoon.

Tomorrow, we'll back with more photos of our time in Cayman Island with Susan and Blair.

Have a pleasing day!
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Photo from one year ago today, November 26, 2016:

I love the look on Tom's face in this shot.  It was one year ago today that we did the swminar on the ship.  A few days later we were asked to conduct a second seminar.  For more details, please click here.