The Countdown is On! Mid 2022 Update

I have to apologize for falling behind on my blog posts. As you may agree, the last few years have flown by so quickly that our heads are still spinning. So many of you have subscribed to our website and are now following our YouTube Channel and other social media that I feel that this is the time to begin regular blog posts updating you, our crew, on the latest GenXPats news.

First and foremost, THANK YOU! Thank you for following our journey! We are honored and humbled by your interest in our adventures. Each and every day our GXP Crew is expanding and as a result, we are committed to sharing our story with you as it develops.

Secondly, if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our GenXPats YouTube Channel. Every subscriber, view, like and comment helps growing channels such as ours. We are also active on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter so be sure to follow us on those platforms as well. Stay tuned to find out what we will be offering to our Patrons in the coming months. Hint: find out how YOU can follow your dreams just like we are!

Now, let's get to the reason that you're here...what's the latest and what's the plan moving forward for the GenXPats? Last week we returned to the states (Louisiana) following a three-week trip to Guatemala and our sailboat, Maverick. The time flew by, just as we knew it would, but this was an important trip for us. After our short visit in February to finalize the paperwork and purchase of Maverick, we needed some time on the boat to assess where she is and what she needs to meet our liveaboard needs.

After arriving, we spent a few days in Guatemala City with our amazing friend, travel consultant, and the owner of I Can Travel Too, Becky, as well as our new friend and owner of Guatemala Medical Travel, Lori (lori@guatemalamedicaltravel.com) in nearby Antigua! Make sure you are subscribed on YouTube because you won't want to miss our upcoming videos featuring these brilliant ladies and what they are doing to help expats travel and/or relocate to Guatemala.

Another BIG reason that we took a detour to beautiful Antigua will be the focus of another upcoming video that you won't want to miss. We'll show you how we saved several thousand dollars by having Shane's dental work done in Guatemala versus the US...and the care was TOP notch! Keep following along to see how it went.

Once we made the five-hour journey from Guatemala City to Rio Dulce to spend some time on Maverick, we were able to relax and do a little exploring. We decided on some upgrades that we will need in order to take her sailing when we return. Soon, you will be introduced to Captain John. He is the owner of Captain John's Marina, our home in Rio Dulce, and the man that trusted us with the purchase of his beloved Windy Dancer (now Maverick). The countless hours of work that have taken place to update Maverick, a 1973 Cal 2-46 to the beauty that she is today, were under his care and direction. You will get to meet Captain John, his hard-working team, and see the fabulous shop where he can take care of your total refit needs from keel to mast with expert knowledge and a network of skilled professionals. Of course, we will give you a tour of the marina as well! If we're lucky, we'll snag an exclusive interview with the salty Captain himself! Don't miss that upcoming video!

So, when will that be? The Caribbean sailing season is roughly December thru May when the weather is perfect: dry, sunny and clear skies on most days. Of course, this also means hurricanes aren't a concern during this time. We plan to spend the next several months (August thru December) back in Louisiana because it's not prime cruising season, and we will be able to spend the holidays with our boys and see Jack's first college soccer season in person.

That leads us to January, so the countdown is on. In early 2023, Shane and I, along with our middle son, Cole, will return to Guatemala where we will move aboard Maverick! Cole graduates from high school in December so he'll take about 8 months off to come along and explore with us! When we arrive, we will likely need a few weeks to prepare the boat and then we will set off on our first big sailing season. Belize, Roatan and Mexico are all possibilities so you will want to be sure you don't miss the adventure.

Another incredible group of people that we have the chance to see in action are our dear friends, Eric, Mary and Rita. You'll learn about these heroes in the coming months and all of the work that they are doing for the people of Guatemala. For a sneak peak, check out this video and the Island Missions Support Facebook page. Much more to come on this remarkable team!

In 2023 we plan to stay in Guatemala from January thru August, returning to Louisiana during hurricane season, the holidays and Jack's second college soccer season. In this life, things can change quickly, and more opportunities are presenting themselves daily so be sure you stick with us to find out what's coming!