> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://there-are-no-secrets.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Hello and welcome - URL: https://there-are-no-secrets.ghost.io/hello-and-welcome/ - Published: 2026-09-01T03:16:56.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-01T14:42:21.000Z - Author: David Bass It's a travel blog, maybe, or a maybe just a new blog inspired by big travel plans. Bonnie encouraged me to write something as we prepare to celebrate our 40th anniversary with 80+ days in Europe. My prior experience in Europe is pathetic. I went to England and Scotland in 1985\. Then to Bulgaria in 1994\. And Portugal in 2025\. That's it, and it's time for that to change. By the numbers: 1 day until we leave 2 driving factors motivating us to travel internationally--more on those below 3 phases to our initial plans--more on those below as well 4 pieces of luggage, consisting of one carry-on size suitcase and one backpack for each of us 7 countries on our itinerary. In order: Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Portugal 16 cities, perhaps a few more with some day trips 40 years of marriage, as we tied the knot August 17, 1986 at 2:00 pm. 82 days until we return, on November 21st. There's no theme to this blog... not yet. Maybe one will emerge. Regardless, I hope it will be entertaining and/or informative. A little extra context always helps, amiright? There are really two factors driving our travels. One is a desire to see more of the world. At the University of South Carolina, I majored in philosophy. One quote attributed to Socrates (by a later writer, Plutarch) that stuck with me ever since was this: "I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world." To be a citizen of the world, shouldn't one see more of it? Last December, Bonnie retired from a long career in hospital pharmacy. She had already been following some YouTubers extolling the joys of "slow travel" – the concept of spending longer stretches of time in one place to relax more and get to know the local people and culture better. This brings me to the second driving factor--the relentless attack on democracy and decency by the political right wing in the U.S., led by the current president and his cabinet, supported by the majority in Congress, and enabled by partisans sitting on the Supreme Court. (I'll do my best NOT to turn this into a political blog; just know that my take on American politics partially drives the urge to travel internationally.) After Bonnie retired, we planned the first three phases: First, to South and Central America for about three months. We made it to Colombia for three weeks (one week in Cartagena followed by two weeks in Medellin), then Ecuador for two-and-a-half more weeks (in their 3rd largest city, Cuenca) before Bonnie's father, may he rest in peace, went into hospice care. We missed out on more time in Ecuador and had to skip Panama and Costa Rica, but still had a great time in S. America. Phase two just ended, a stint in Washington, DC, taking care for our first grandson Monday-Friday for the gap between the end of parental leaves and in-laws support, and Baby Jack's enrollment in childcare. It's rather insane that parents in DC need to get on a list for childcare before getting pregnant! For five months, we pushed a stroller all over the neighborhood, rode the Metro and buses, avoided the White House and reflecting pool, enjoyed Friday night dinners with our daughter and son-in-law, dashed back-and-forth to Raleigh (as my father's health deteriorated and he also passed away just three months after my father-in-law) and watched Jack learn to sit up, crawl, pull up, eat solid food, get his first teeth, babble, and display endless joy by unloading the dishwasher and bottom shelves of the pantry (onto the floor). Which brings us to Phase Three--Europe--and the subject of this new blog. I gotta finish packing. See you on the other side of the pond! Feel free to subscribe, share, comment (family-friendly please) and all that stuff.