In which I reveal partial secrets

Several of you have asked where are you going, why are you going, how long are you going, and how are you paying for all of this?? Well, I'm going to you my darlings.

Let's start off with the most popular question shall we?

1. Where are you going?

We were originally planning on going to Prague, as some of you know, but due to hike in airline prices {nasty business} we reverted to another location that was on the short list. After careful thought and prayer we decided on a place, bought the airline tickets for all 5 of us and we leave the first week in April.

*Yes, I did notice I didn't say were we are actually going; we are keeping that top secret a little while longer.

2. How long are you going for?

We will be in our first destination for 6 months. Ideally the plan is to continue on from there with more travel, but we may have to come back home for a while and regroup/take care of a few things before we go back out. All in all, extended travel is the plan.

3. Why are you going?

I have lived in my dream house for just about 2 years now. We have updated the kitchen, spruced up the back yard, painted every room, installed hardwood throughout the entire bottom floor, renovated bathrooms and our dining room and have had a blast doing it. We have played together and laughed together, welcomed a new baby, and helped out family members in this home. It's not that we aren't happy here, but if I'm being honest with you all, Georgia is not a place I've ever wanted to call home forever. We are northeastern folks. Five years in Georgia is enough for us.

Instead of plotting the next places we want to spend 5 years waiting to be bored yet again we thought why not do something radical. Have you looked at a map lately? There is a whole lot of world out there. So many people to meet and cultures to experience. In our family we home school and the plan to see the world just fit together so perfectly. The idea of learning through hands on experiences resonates with me so strongly that one can only ask, what better way can we teach our children about the world than by exploring it together as a family?

4. How are you paying for this?

Well I think the biggest way we can afford to do this is the fact that we are totally debt free. No student loans, credit card debt, car payments, etc. We are finding it leaves us with extra funds to play with.

We are in talks with a home management company so that we can rent our home out while we are away. So that makes our mortgage payment a nice little wash.

Besides special keepsakes, everything else we own is being sold to friends or via craigslist to help fund this adventure. We are going to be using it so why not get rid of it.

Royal has the ability to work from anywhere. He is currently the IT director for an Atlanta based company, and is also a contract employee for other local companies. If he is hired via elance to build a website for a company to bring in some extra cash he can do it from our back deck or a mountain base camp in Nepal. {presuming they have internet at said base camp...lol} It really is a beautiful thing.

Well I hope this clears up some questions that you may have had. If not...please do NOT hesitate to ask. I'd love to answer them.

Happy trails,
Etheline