Turkey, September 2005

By Shiffy & Benny from Santa Monica, California, USA, September 2005

On The Road - Living Our Dream

Benny said, “let’s take a trip around the world”.
“What do you mean,” I said, “what about the kids, work, family and how could we afford it and what about taking care of our retirement?” And Benny said, “The way we travel, it will be cheaper for us to travel than to live at Sea Colony in Santa Monica. We can sell my home and invest the money for our retirement and rent Sea Colony and travel on the rental money.”
"You mean stop working and have no home? Are we going to become homeless? And what about the kids and grandkids, who is going to help Karen with babysitting? And I am going to miss Dean’s birthdays and Owens’s and all the family celebrations and the holidays..."

Our possessions were reduced to two backpacks. There was a long process of elimination: What do we really need? Two pants, two T-shirts, three underwear, three socks, light jacket, heavy jacket, hiking shoes, hat, swiming suit, sun-glasses, water purifier and empty plastic bottle, Turkey Lonely Planet and a map, books to read, journal to write and pen, almonds and dry fruit, first aid kit, electric fork, finjan, 2 stainless steel bowls, 2 forks, one spoon, small knife, flashlight, good camera and charger, tooth-brush and tooth paste, hair brush, razor, scissor, tweezers, Vaseline, laundry soap, toilet paper, address books and credit card and money. Anything else we can buy along the way.

The Family We Left Behind

- Click here to see photos of our children and grandchildren we left behind in California, Israel and traveling in Australia

Recently Posted Reports

- January 22 thru January 28, 2006 - From Bloemfontein to Cape Town

- January 13 thru January 21, 2006 - Graskop to Bloemfontein

Index of Reports

- Editor's note:: - Jerusalem

- 37 RRReports from our trip to Turkey during September 4 thru October 28

- November 22, 2200005 - Experiencing Cape Town Thorough the Eyes of Benny's Cousins Merylin and Morris Goldberg

- November 23 thru December 2, 2005 - From Cape Town to Swellendam, Oudtshoorn, The Garden Route, Mossel Bay to Jeffrey Bay. Stop at Knysna, Plettenberg and Tsitsikamma National Park and Storm River Mouth

- December 3, 2005 - Joining Xolile for a tour of Graaff Reinet Township

- December 9, 2005 - Telephone report from Coffee Bay

- December 3 thru December 14, 2005 - From Graaf Reinet to Addo Elephant Park to Port Elizabeth to Hogsback to Coffee Bay to Umtata and finally to Port St. John

- December 14 thru December 21, 2005 - Umtata and the Nelson Mandela Museum, R61 toward Port St. Johns, camping at the Monkey Jungle Backpackers, leaving for Port Edwards, driving through the Wild Coast, staying at Bernice's Vuna Valley Backpacker in Port Edwards, walking along the Umtamvuna River, the Pondo Cultural event, great early morning yoga with Bernice on the river dock, moving on to Umzambe, staying at Monti and Moon Backpackers in Umzambe, arriving at Nomad Backpacker in Durban and meeting Barbara, Valley of the 1000 hills, visiting the uShaka Marine World

- December 22 thru December 30, 2005 - Our last day in Durban, Eshowe in the heart of Zululand, How we talked ourselves from getting a traffic ticket, and Benny said: “We can stay for a week at International Backpacker in St. Lucia!”, Visiting the village of Khula with Mboli, Inside a rondaval, How we lit Chanukah candles while watching hippos and crocodiles, meeting Betsy the maple syrup farmer from Vermont, Hopping on lava rocks at Mission Rock beach, How do you pronounce Hluhluwe? Looking forward to a Zulu New Year party

- December 31 thru January 13, 2006 - New year at Thonga Village, Swaziland, Graskop

- January 13 thru January 21, 2006 - Graskop to Bloemfontein

- January 22 thru January 28, 2006 - From Bloemfontein to Cape Town