We begin where we plan to end. Surrounded by family.

My big brother, Justin, his incredible wife, Nicolle, and their three kids have called Bermuda home for their entire lives (or two decades, whichever is shorter). Ironically, after living in separate states or countries for the entirety of his life, our nephew Connor has moved to our home state of Colorado… just in time for our RTW departure. He’s already settled into his off-campus college room in Boulder by the time we touch down in Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda.

Our nieces are also either on the brink of, or have already flown the nest at boarding school. Luckily we are graced with their brillant energy, can-do attitudes, and ever-cool dance moves (inherited from their mother) for our short Bermudian stay. By short, I mean diminutive. After only 24 hours soaking in Bermudian bliss on my brother’s famed boat, The Joker, and gobbling up some of my his famous wahoo nuggets, Justin and I take our exit and begin our commute to the mid-west. Our uncle passed away. Without any need for discussion, all three of us siblings know we will be standing by our mom’s side when she ushers her brother into mystery. It will also be the first time our immediate family of just us five will be together in over 20 years!

Eric and Nicolle hold down the fort in Bermuda, literally. As hurricane Ivan shifts toward the island, the powerhouse team of in-laws kickstart world schooling, keep a tight schedule, and conduct both science and history field trips on the island. Nicolle even manages to get an unforgettable behind-the-scenes experience for the kids at the local acquarium.

Meanwhile, my brother and I are on a trek. Luckily, his endless award miles make for a comfortable travel experience for us both and I savor alone time with a sibling I rarely get to see. We have so much in common. We talk about life and growing up. We sing Michael Jackson, share reading glasses, and laugh hysterically over his interaction with the woman next to him on our last leg to Nebraska. She asks where he is from. When he replies “I actually live out of the country”, she bursts into joy and screams “Oh! I just LOVE the country!”

He doesn’t have the heart to correct her.

Bermuda can be described in many ways, but “country” isn’t an adjective that comes to mind. It is a tropical heaven. The beaches are impossibly white, the water is crystal teal, and the entire island is dotted with brightly colored houses topped with pristine white stepped roofs. Everywhere you look could be the subject of a jigsaw puzzle.

Bermuda’s culture is rich and diverse. It melds together Black heritage (locals’ ancestry is traced to the West Indies and West Africa), British customs (Bermuda is a self-governing British territory), and a peppering of other cultural influences from the many ex-patriots who have carved out a life in this paradise.

The super friendly locals, delicious dark & stormy cocktails, rich maritime history, world-class fishing/diving and so much more make Bermuda one of our favorite places on Earth. If you get a chance, save your pennies (it’s expensive!) and go there. We can’t offer many recommendations for tour guides or accomodations as we are blessed to have them built into our family.

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Reuniting proves to be a challenge. I experience two flight cancelations. Eric and the kids hunker down and wait out hurricane Ivan as their flight is also cancelled. After they finally manage to escape Bermuda and the infamous triangle we meet up in Newark and take our first of many overnight international flights. We add the Zen proverb, “The Obstacle is the Path” in big letters in one of our first RTW family journal entries.

We are off to Ireland!