For all of you following my efforts as I write my first book, I thought you might enjoy a brief progress report on my work thus far. I’ve just sent two sample chapters and short blurbs on the content of the fifteen chapters to a professional editor who will assist in making the manuscript as clear and clean as possible. After I complete a book proposal, I’ll send sending the lot to publishers to see if any are interested in my work.

I may as well start from the beginning with this, my first, progress report. The idea for the book to assist Baby Boomers who want to travel came as a result of the hundreds of travelers we met on our 26-month ‘round the world trip (RTW).

Many people told us that they were in awe of our journey and asked us all sorts of questions about our travels in forty countries and how we were doing it. Through hundreds – and possibly thousands – of conversations with travelers we shared our experiences and provided advice while gathering information and learning from others. This on-the-ground exchange of tips provides an invaluable base for this book. So, it won’t be just my advice but that of many, many travelers who learned by doing.

Travelers in their forties, fifties and sixties often expressed the desire to undertake a journey similar to ours but said that they “simply wouldn’t know where to start”. They were the most avid listeners and asked hundreds of questions on, amongst other topics, how to make decisions, do research, find resources, get advice, book transportation and accommodations, etc. etc. etc.

Most of the Baby Boomers we met were traveling independently, many hoping to recapture the freedom they felt when they backpacked through Europe, the Hippy Trail in Asia or the Gringo Trail in Latin America. They wanted to know whether it was safe, affordable, accessible – in other words, doable. Many of them were on the road for several weeks or, occasionally, a month as a trial to see whether they could still do it. These were younger Boomers (45 to 55 years old) and all dreamed of the day when they could travel more when they fully or semi-retired from their jobs.

Other travelers we met were older Boomers who were on packaged tours and regretted the decision as they were now ‘stuck’ with a group of mostly seniors and couldn’t go off when they pleased. Many asked us how had we researched and planned our ‘RTW and the many sections of it as they couldn’t find information on many of the places they wanted to travel to and had been told “it can’t be done without a tour”.

We met many twenty-somethings on their gap year or a break before or after college. Even members of this difficult-to-impress group were astonished by our pluck and ingenuity. What we heard most often, though, was: “My parents could never do something like this. But they should! They need your book.” Their parents are, of course, the Baby Boomers who are beginning to travel more as their children and jobs take up less of their time and money.

Next week, I’ll let you know about the types of questions Baby Boomers asked and how they inspired us to think of our travels not only as a learning experience but also as an opportunity to teach.

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