How It Feels to Volunteer at a School in Africa

How It Feels to Volunteer at a School in Africa

An experience that will live in our hearts forever.

In Tanzania, we spent mornings teaching English and afternoons refurbishing a classroom.

Each of these tasks offered unexpected rewards and challenges and resulted in emotions and memories that will last our lifetimes.... CONTINUE READING >>

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The GypsyNesters Get Married! The Story of Our Goofy Wedding!

We wanted a small wedding - and thank God it was!

Honestly, David (we'll call him The Beanpole) wouldn't have made it through otherwise.

 It still strikes us strange that The Beanpole, who by that time had appeared on stage in front of hundreds of thousands of people as a musician, could be so nervous.

<--j strong="">ust look at the body language! Have you EVER seen a more uncomfortable groom? Sheesh.

 Our ideal wedding was... CONTINUE READING >>

See our full schedule of events, where you can meet up with us, and where we'll be taking you next! 

Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Charms of the Chagga People of Tanzania...and Staying in Touch with Loved Ones when Traveling

Charms of the Chagga People of Tanzania

The Chagga family philosophy extends beyond their borders; they believe that all of humankind is family.

Our stay in the tiny village of Rau, near the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, immersed us in a culture that welcomed us as next of kin.

Follow your GypsyNesters as we travel deep into Tanzania, learning from the Chagga about dance and music, farming and playing, family and friendship... CONTINUE READING >>


Want to Win A Copy of our Book Going Gypsy?

Our friends over at GoodReads are giving away a personalized, autographed of Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All! ... CLICK IN TO ENTER TO WIN! >>

 Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

How We Stay in Touch with Loved Ones as We Travel

We're often asked how we stay in touch with our adult kids as we travel.

 Yes, our phone conversations with family and friends almost always begin with the question, Where are you guys?
Honestly, in the days before cell phones and the internet, we're not sure how anyone would have been able to stay connected while leading the lifestyle we've chosen... CONTINUE READING >>

Hey Boomers! How Important is Travel to You?

We are passionate about travel for so many reasons, but had no idea how many of our fellow Baby Boomers and empty nesters were on the same page.

It's crazy!

99% of Boomers are going to travel this year... ninety-nine percent!

We almost spit-took coffee on our keyboard when we saw that number.

Click in and look what your fellow Boomers are up to - and our thoughts about the many surprises we found - and let us know about your upcoming travel adventures... CLICK IN HERE >>

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Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

We Climbed Kilimanjaro! Well, Sort Of

We Climbed Kilimanjaro! Well, Sort Of

We’re talking about the biggest freestanding mountain in the world, rising over nineteen thousand feet!

Fantastic waterfalls, wonderful people, fascinating legends, vile brew, an unusual apology and a very amicable Plan B awaited us on the slopes of Kilimanjaro... CONTINUE READING >>

 Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

Ever Wonder How Our Adventure Began? Guess We've Always Been a Little Crazy!

Have you ever wondered how we met? 

A one-night stand (not ours!), a beat-up old (heavy metal) car named the Sharkmobile, and the US Postal Service delivered a one-three punch we couldn't ignore.

It might not be the most romantic story and, the odds most definitely were NOT in our favor, but... CONTINUE READING >>

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Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Stunning African Silhouettes and Do recent world events make you less likely to travel?

How the Stunning African Batik Silhouettes Are Made

Ever wonder how the beautiful silhouette scenes of Africa make it on to fabric?

We did and, as part of our Discover Corps experience in Tanzania, we learned the secret.

We even got to try our hand at making our own.
The method is called batik and the process uses colorful dyes -- controlled by... CONTINUE READING >>

Quick Question:
Weigh in and find out how the GypsyNester Community answered this:

Quick question: Do recent world events make you less likely to travel? Posted by GypsyNester-Celebrating Life After Kids on Thursday, December 3, 2015

 Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

Put On Your Big Boy Pants!

I've beaten the crap outta these pants! 

 I've worn them all over the world - while speaking at conventions and book events, touring cities, rambling on ruins, having cocktails and dinners at a fancy resorts, on trains, planes, and buses, volunteering in Africa, eating my way through Italy, taking in theater in NYC...

 Now that’s putting them through the true GypsyNester paces and, at the end of it all... CONTINUE READING >>

The Ultimate Baby Boomer and Empty Nester Gift Guide!

Ah, the holidays are upon us, and as sure as the season’s first chills -- and the smell of turkey fills the air -- the madness of Black Friday cannot be far behind.

Your thoughtful GypsyNesters want to save everyone a trip through the horrifying madness that goes on at the mall this time of year by sharing this hand-dandy gift guide!... SEE ALL OF OUR SPECTACULAR GIFT SUGGESTIONS! >>

Why We are Honored to be a PBS Next Avenue “Sites We Love”

Have you ever had something really good happen to you out of the blue?

That's how we felt when PBS's Next Avenue contacted us saying that they were featuring us as a Sites We Love.

Shut up! we thought. This seriously can't be happening. We freaking LOVE Next Avenue... CLICK TO SEE WHY WE ARE SO HONORED >>

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Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Trapped in a Giant Crater with Wild Animals... and a BIG honor!

Ngorongoro Crater is a funny name no doubt, but it just might be the best place on the planet to see exotic animals up close in the wild.

The crater formed a few million years ago when a massive volcano collapsed onto itself leaving the largest intact caldera in the world.

The collapse also created... CONTINUE READING >>

Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

Why We are Honored to be a PBS Next Avenue “Sites We Love”

Have you ever had something really good happen to you out of the blue?

That's how we felt when PBS's Next Avenue contacted us saying that they were featuring us as a Sites We Love.

Shut up! we thought. This seriously can't be happening. We freaking LOVE Next Avenue... CLICK TO SEE WHY WE ARE SO HONORED >>

Follow us here too!: Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Google+ - Pinterest - Instagram - GoodReads - RSS

Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Hunting the Big 5 with our Camera in South Africa... and big, big news!

As luck would have it.

The phrase doesn’t necessarily refer to good luck; sometimes it can preface a lament of ill fortune.

In the case of our photo safari in South Africa, as luck would have it, we were about as (good) lucky as anyone could get.... CONTINUE READING >>


Also on GypsyNester.com this week:



We've Been Accepted into the Southern Festival of Books! Come see us in Nashville!

Big, big news! 

We (and our book, Going Gypsy) have been accepted into one of our favorite book events - The Southern Festival of Books in Nashville!

Humanities Tennessee has been throwing this great event for twenty-seven years, and its popularity has inspired hundreds of similar book festivals.

Because of their dedication to the written word, the festival is free to all who want to celebrate the joy of reading!

Join us and two hundred of the nation's most prominent authors for three days of fun, interaction, and - because it's in Nashville, music!... SEE MORE ABOUT THE SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS AND HOW YOU CAN MEET US THERE >>

Ever wonder what's up next in GypsyNesterLand? Want to find out where you can meet us or where we'll be bringing you next? Click here to find out!

New dates!

October

3
Charleston, South Carolina, WAW Women’s Salon, Charleston Harbor Resort, featured speaker "Being Open to New Directions in Life – consciously choosing 'intentional happiness' instead of loss and sadness at life's transitions" with Sharon Becker and Jennet Robinson Alterman

9-11
Nashville, Tennessee, Southern Festival of Books, featured speakers and book signing - Saturday, October 10th, 12:00 pm, Legislative Plaza Room 12 (Corner of 6th and Union) "Ditching the Daily: Chronicles of Simple Living, Finding Joy, and Letting Go" with Scott Dannemiller and Alex Sheshunoff

Book signing 1:30 at the Signing Colonnade

13
Nashville, Tennessee, Discover Nashville with Viator

23 - November 1
Italy, Biking the Southern Coastal Villages of Sicily with VBT 

November

6-8
Woodstock, NY, Women at Woodstock, featured speaker and workshop, see why Veronica loves Women of Woodstock so much!

See all of our events!

Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

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East Africa Unveiled...and living simply

Our volunteer vacation continues as we explore Tanzania…

We've completely fallen in love with our students at our school!

Check out how our service projects are progressing and join us on an incredible photo safari in beautiful Tanzania... CONTINUE READING >>

Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

Is Simple Living in Retirement the Way to Go?

US News and World Report asked us what simple living means to us and why we live the way we do.

"Traveling throughout retirement may not be everyone's idea of simple living, but David and Veronica say ditching the house was one of the best moves they ever made. 'We are in a state of nearly constantly pinching ourselves... CONTINUE READING >>

Ever wonder what's up next in GypsyNesterLand? Want to find out where you can meet us or where we'll be bringing you next? Click here to find out!

New dates!

August

24 - September 6
Tanzania, Africa with Discover Corps - Follow us LIVE

September

9-12
South Africa, Kruger Park Safari with Viator

21
3:00 PM ET Gemjin Radio - Authors Corner - Listen Live

October

3
Charleston, South Carolina, WAW Women’s Salon, Charleston Harbor Resort, featured speaker

9-11
Nashville, Tennessee, Southern Festival of Books, featured speakers and book signing

13
Nashville, Tennessee, Discover Nashville with Viator

23 - November 1
Italy, Sicily Bike Tour with VBT

November

6-8
Emerson, NY, Women at Woodstock, featured speaker and workshop, see why Veronica loves Women of Woodstock so much!

Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All (find out more) Available from Skyhorse Publishing! Order Now - Wherever Books Are Sold! Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

Follow us here too!: Facebook - Twitter - YouTube - Google+ - Pinterest - Instagram - GoodReads - StumbleUpon - RSS