About

My vision of life

As a child, I would listen to my father’s stories when he returned home from work. He would share tales like, “Jef had a few more months to go before retirement, and he tragically lost his life in a work-related accident” or “Pierre had only been retired for six months when he passed away.” Even back then, I decided to savor life before reaching retirement age, ensuring that I wouldn’t find myself in a similar situation—having worked hard but without truly enjoying life. These experiences laid the foundation for my life philosophy, shaping my determination to embrace and appreciate every moment.

I believe life is about finding a balance between working to make a living, staying positive in our outlook, and making the most of each day. “Work to live” reminds me not to let my job take over everything, but to enjoy life outside of work. Being positive helps me handle challenges with a hopeful attitude. “Carpe diem” is about seizing the day, taking advantage of opportunities, and enjoying the present moment. This mix of ideas guides how I see and approach life—finding joy in the journey, staying positive, and making the most out of each day.

Of course, putting this into practice is easier said than done. Life unfolds as a result of the choices we make. When you’re young, there’s a belief that the balance between work and life will naturally be maintained. Then, you meet someone, get married, start your own business, and have two children. Before you know it, your schedule dictates your life, and many of your initial intentions seem to fade away. Life tends to happen, and it often reshapes your priorities, sometimes leaving little room for the resolutions you once held.

In my life, there have been two challenging moments that required a complete overhaul of my existence. The first came after my divorce, and the second followed the end of another significant relationship. Surprisingly, despite these setbacks, I still maintain positive relationships with both of my ex-partners to this day. These difficult periods, while emotionally taxing, also presented me with an opportunity to make fresh choices and realign my life philosophy. 

Today, I wholeheartedly embrace my life philosophy. Since the age of 35, I’ve ensured I have four days a week dedicated to free time. I’ve always believed in working to live, not the other way around, allowing me ample time for exploration and travel. At the age of 47, I took a significant step by selling everything – my home and business. This decision provided me with the means to pursue my passion even more fervently, translating into more opportunities for indulging in what I love most – traveling.

So, at the age of 54, I continue to explore the world and have taken on a new challenge – the creation of this travel website. Now, after a year of hard work, it’s finally starting to take shape. The journey of building this platform has been a significant learning process, and I find myself gaining new insights every day. My current focus is on expanding the content to include a cruising section, an area I’m particularly excited about exploring. Perhaps in a few years, I hope to break even as, for now, it’s a passion project that requires investment rather than generating revenue.

Would you like to support my work for this website? You can do so by clicking on the links in my articles to book your journeys. By doing this, I receive a small commission without any additional cost. I’m putting a lot of effort into maintaining this website, and with your help, I hope to improve its condition soon. Thank you in advance, and I look forward to writing about many more exciting travels with your support.