One Year Off: Leaving it all behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children
by David Elliot Cohen
Overview
From the Publisher
With three children under the age of nine, the youngest still in diapers, the Cohens decide to do something many dream of, but few actually undertake: sell the house, the cars, and the belongings and take off for a year-long journey around the world. Demonstrating great creativity and tremendous tenacity, David, Devi, and their children create the adventure of a lifetime -- an inspiration to anyone who dreams of leaving it all behind.
My thoughts
I love travel diaries and I'm totally captivated by the idea of selling all my worldly goods (oh, OK, almost all my worldly goods) and using the money to travel the world, so this book was for ME!!!
I think the Cohens were incredibly brave to make the journey with a 2-year old but it seems to have worked out fine for them. Alas, I can't get either of my kids to agree to an Around-the-World trip. Ashley says No. That's it. Just no. Mika said she'll go if she can take her two cats and four suitcases. Can you say High Maintenance?!
The Cohens totally convinced me that I should see the the Burgandy canals by houseboat, and if not by houseboat, at least by land, stopping at the villages along the way to mingle with the people. I'll never do Class 5 rapids, although I've done Class 3 and they were tons of fun! I'd love to go on a wildlife safari but I won't be making an overnight excursion in a tent, thank you very much! Australia is already at the top of my list, and the other exotic locales sounded intriguing but I think I'll stick to my own wish list at this point.
I enjoyed the book but it's not one I'll keep on the shelf for reference. Bookcrossing.com -- this one's for you!
Favorite Passage
"No, Daddy," Willie groaned. "Please don't take us to an art museum. Anything but that! I mean it. I'll even go to a church." His anguish was truly poignant.
"Look," I said, "this isn't your normal, run-of-the-mill art museum. It's the greatest art museum in the world. They have the Mona Lisa there, the Venus de Milo, the Nike of Samothrace."
Willie perked up slightly at the mention of Nikes, but both he and Kara were clearly poised to sulk.
Fortunately, Devi had anticipated this reaction. She told Kara and Willie that they could each pick out five postcards at the Louvre gift shop. Then we'd have a competition, and whoever found the most pieces of art depicted on their postcards would win a treat. Having a winner and a prize made all the difference. Kara and Willie could now engage in their favorite hobby: sibling rivalry. They also figured any place with a gift shop couldn't be all bad.
The competition was a great success. As we wandered the wide marble hallways of the Louvre, dwarfed by heroic Delacroix and lush Fragonards, the game compelled the children to cast at least a perfunctory glance at every work of art we passed. They even discovered a few pieces that captured their imagination. And whenever they found a painting or sculpture that matched one of their postcards, they were in seventh heaven. Miraculously, the kids didn't want to leave -- even when a guard tapped us on the shoulder and told us it was closing time. Kara had the back luck to choose three postcards from a touring exhibit that had recently departed for another venue. So, much to her chagrin, Willie won the competition. Cheated by fate, Kara desperately wanted to return the next day for a rematch.
