I’ve been reminiscing these past few weeks over where I was just a year ago: on a wonderful Mediterranean cruise with my family and then in an idyllic little village outside of Rome for a week with my husband. It was a trip of a lifetime, with wonderful weather, new and exciting destinations and the chance to share those experiences with family and new friends.

Now my husband and I are contemplating what our next adventure abroad will entail. Our very good friend Paul has just begun a two-year assignment in Saudi Arabia, working on a joint project between the Saudi government and his company. For him it means long stretches away from his home, wife and kids; but it also provides opportunities for travel he might not otherwise have. This coming month he and wife, Julie, are journeying to Australia, and next spring the four of us are discussing where we might meet up to see some sights together.

With Paul’s schedule still a bit hazy, we have some general guidelines. Our excursion will likely be in the first half of May, and it sounds like Paul will only have a total of about 10 days off. He and Julie have yet to see the Mediterranean region, and that seems a likely target, as he won’t have to spend too much of his precious time off getting there from Saudi Arabia. We’re strongly considering another cruise, as it allows us to visit several different destinations without the hassle of packing and unpacking several times and worrying about transitting between them.

We’re finding that because we’d be traveling before the peak tourist season begins, there are fewer options available (although rates would be lower, the weather cooler and sites less crowded), especially as we’re looking at a shorter (seven-day) trip. Still, we haven’t explored in depth too much yet, and we’ve discussed doing a river cruise somewhere in Europe as another option. 

I’m hoping some of you might have some suggestions for a great way to spend a week or so that would fit our travel wants and needs. What say you?

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor