And Just Like That, We’re Heading Home

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And just like that, our big adventure has come to an end!

We landed in Galveston this morning, bringing our time aboard the Norwegian Viva and our five-week journey to a close. As I write this, we're making our way home to Toronto, probably with a few mixed feelings.

It's always a little bittersweet when a trip like this ends. We've had such a wonderful time, and the Viva was a great ship to spend part of our adventure on. From travelling through Europe with our family, to exploring the Caribbean, to spending six and a half days crossing the Atlantic, we've made some pretty special memories along the way.

We're sorry it's over all too soon, but I think we're also ready to go home. There's something nice about getting back to your own bed, unpacking the suitcases, and settling into a familiar routine. And after five weeks away, I'm sure we'll appreciate a little home cooking again!


Our Trip in Numbers

Now that the journey is behind us, I thought it would be fun to look at just how much ground we've covered.

Here are a few numbers from our adventure:

  • 5 weeks away from home
  • 5 flights taken
  • 2 cruises
  • 10 different countries visited
  • Approximately 11,300 km travelled by air
  • Approximately 12,400 km travelled by sea
  • Nearly 24,000 km travelled in total
  • 6.5 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean
  • A whole lot of memories to bring home!

Of course, these are approximate distances, and they don't include all the walking, excursions, taxis, and exploring we did along the way.

When you look at the numbers, it's quite something to realize how far we've travelled. From Toronto to Amsterdam, through the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic, around the Caribbean, and finally to Galveston. Not a bad little journey!


The End of the Ultimate Blog Challenge

 Today also marks the end of the October Ultimate Blog Challenge.

When I signed up, I honestly wasn't sure how it was going to work out. Posting every day is a challenge under normal circumstances, but doing it while travelling for five weeks, especially with half the trip spent on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, was going to be interesting!

Thankfully, I had a plan. We had 150 minutes of complimentary Wi-Fi that I saved specifically for our days crossing the Atlantic. Those minutes certainly came in handy when we were out in the middle of the ocean with no cellular service. For the rest of the trip, our international cellular data allowed me to write and publish posts along the way.

There were a few days when finding the time to write was a bit of a juggling act, but somehow I managed to keep up. I'm rather pleased with that!

To all my blogging friends who have been following along, commenting, and sharing your own posts, thank you. I promise I'll spend the next day or two catching up on reading everyone's blogs. I've missed seeing what you've all been up to!

And so, this chapter of our travels comes to an end. The suitcases will soon be unpacked, the photographs sorted, and everyday life will take over again.

But the memories? Those will stay with us for a long time.

Now we begin planning our next adventure - but until then, we get to enjoy 2 months at home. I’m looking forward to that!


Comments

  1. Paul TaubmanOctober 31, 2026 at 10:56 AM

    Barbara, saving your 150 minutes of Wi-Fi for the Atlantic crossing was a smart plan! You traveled nearly 24,000 km and still posted every day. Welcome home to Toronto. I hope to see you back in January.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lily LeungOctober 31, 2026 at 12:36 PM

    Congrats, Barbara! What a fabulous holiday and feat doing the UBC at the same time. My friends just left for a cruise starting in Barcelona yesterday. It's enviable but I am happy for them. They're all widows and travel together regularly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnvilcloudOctober 31, 2026 at 12:40 PM

    You planned well and it worked.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lynn and PreciousOctober 31, 2026 at 2:57 PM

    You had an amazing adventure. I wondered how you got WiFi time on board. Welcome back to North America!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mary KirklandOctober 31, 2026 at 4:16 PM

    Have a super Halloween weekend. We don't get Trick or treaters for many years but my grandson is going Trick or Treating in a neighborhood that goes all out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jeanine ByersOctober 31, 2026 at 11:57 PM

    Wow! Congratulations for being able to participate all month long despite those challenges. I'm glad you were along for the ride. Glad you enjoyed your trip and I hope you'll have a great holiday season at home. See you in January!

    ReplyDelete

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Where We've Been

Red Flags have corresponding blog posts. White Flags mean I still have yet to write about it