leavin it all behind

hey all!

this week hubby and i took an old buddy of his (mark) and his good friend (elena) out to dinner.  they are both unemployed and homeless…

…because they quit their jobs to travel together the rest of the year!

tomorrow they are leaving the country and will be staying in barcelona, spain for a few days, then taking a train to montpelier, france, where they will take residence for the next three months.  they dont really have a formal itinerary—so it will be a true adventure!

after three months, currently the plan is for mark to travel in africa. (everyone—especially his family—is trying to convince him otherwise. LOL.)  elena plans to travel europe—including biking in the swiss alps (i think?  SOME mountains! hehe) and visiting her family in romania. 

then around christmastime, they’ll meet back up here in WI and start to integrate themselves back into normal society. hehe.     

it was a blast hearing how they’ve prepared for the trip and what their expectations are.  but out of all the things they told us, i think what i was most surprised about is that in france, a bottle of wine is cheaper to buy than a bottle of water!  hahaha!! ;) 

they’ve both started their own travel blogs and i encourage you to stop by!  elena’s adventures captures the travel experience from the vantage point of someone who just takes it all in.  and mark’s 2008 travels chronicles all the important—and sometimes funny—little details and nuances of taking such a big plunge in life!

quitting my job and leaving everything behind for nearly a year would be something i’m not sure i’d ever do.  but i’ll live vicariously thru them. ;) hehe.  for now at least…i guess ya just never know! 

i think they are very fortunate (and brave. or crazy? hehe!) to be able to do this!  i wish them the safest travels and adventures they will treasure for a lifetime.  

au revoir, mark and elena! have a great time!!

~josey~