Well, well, well. Just when some might think the Career Break movement has taken a break of its own, the WSJ pumps out a powerful article about Baby Boomers embracing the “Midlife ‘Gap’ Year.”

Read all about it! The 60-year-old couple who escape their routine and sell their stuff and high-tail it to a mountain retreat. The tech exec who takes the early-retirement package and weaves her love of textiles back into her life. The New Yorker who cuts his film career and flies off to three three-month adventures.

Gurus from Encore.org, Reboot Partners, and more offer tips and stories. AARP provides survey-sez results that verify the profound need for career breaks, since many retirees report disturbing dissatisfaction.

Yet the article reminds us that sabbaticals need not be about African safaris and sailing the seas.

“Sometimes they may do very little,”

writes author Anne Tergesen.

That may raise the question: But isn’t that what unhappy retirees complain about? Maybe. But perhaps the difference lies in the mindfulness, planning, and intention that happens to those committed to BreakAways as a way of life.

And whether you choose to catch up on sleep or climb every mountain doesn’t really matter. The point is to stop off the treadmill. Do what matters. And take your time.

A provocative blog post recently crossed my desk, written by a woman named Satori who exhorts her readers to “Do yourself a favor and buy that damn plane ticket already!” A photographer by trade and a traveler by passion, Satori spells out and debunks the five excuses that keep dreamers asleep and stuck:

1. Traveling is too expensive!
2. It’s way to0 dangerous to travel.
3. I don’t have friends who can travel with me. And I don’t want to travel alone.
4. But I can’t just quit my job. What happens if I can’t find a job when I get back?
5. I’m not sure if I can take that risk.

It’s a good read. And the comebacks and questions to the excuses make a convincing case that, by golly, a guy could actually get up and, like, go for it!

• The more you travel, the easier (and more addictive) it gets

I’ve tried, myself, to address the obstacles and Big Buts that keep people from busting a major move to another country or culture.

And let’s face it, I’m lucky. My resume of journeys might get trumped and trampled on by countless others, but I’ve had five big career breaks—with highlights including one year off, going RTW, heading out alone and (with 1, 2, and 3) taking my kids, replete with homeschooling (I got a B), and much more.

But more important than the prolonged trips—and perhaps a side effect of them—is the way that travel has become almost second-nature to me. Oh sure, those damn excuses still pop up powerfully at times. But they rarely get in the way any more than that dazed shopper you must navigate around in the grocery store.

So spring break getaways become a virtual given; after all, winter bites in Minnesota. Holidays away happen almost routinely; after all, what better gift than to celebrate somewhere exotic? Flying off to meet up with faraway friends has become an annual event. And summer vacations are a must—and usually don’t call for airfare, rental cars, pricey hotels or much planning. Yet there ain’t nothin’ better.

• But the “Big One” always lingers…

Yet every seven (make that five) years of so, a bona fide BreakAway is in order. I feel it in my bones, and it kicks my body and brain so powerfully that those damn excuses become easier to knock down than a row of dominoes. In fact, the next big trip simmers in my thoughts daily already—even though the last one (to Europe with the kids) ended only and exactly one year ago.

Call me cocky. Call me spoiled. Call me stubborn. Or just call me lucky (as I already admitted). But maybe you are too, right? Satori is, whoever she is.

Thanks for the insights and insights, Satori.

Happy sails…

Travel is never a matter of money but of courage.  I spent a large part of my youth traveling the world as a hippie. And what money did I have then? None. I barely had enough to pay for my fare. But I still consider those to have been the best years of my youth.The great lessons I learned has been precisely those that my journeys had taught me.”

-Paulo Coelho

Domeni Hedderman and her husband uprooted their three kids and five super-routines to BreakAway for six months in Belize. On an island. You can read all about it here.

Or you can write your own story—if you and yours are just wily enough, savvy enough, and stubborn enough. My family sneaks away fairly often, but whenever winter drags on like a cold torture test, my mind (and soul?) drift back to exactly four years ago, when we flew to the West Indies for four months of island hopping.

Ms. Hedderman offers a few perfect quotes to reminisce the process, frustration, and euphoria that made that trip so—dare I say—epic.

I believe in travel with my kids…before they’re too cool to hang out with their parents.”

Yes, all parents fear the Too-Cool Chill; we put our parents through it, right? But any more, I beg to differ: Once you’ve sprung your offspring into a world that is cooler than Coolsville, they’ll say “Yes!” from then on. Just last summer, my two children (now 9 and 15) eagerly abandoned sweet summer in Minnesota to do Europe. Elsa now wistfully calls Italy, “My favorite place in the world…”

We wanted to create our own life.”

If this statement suggests that school, sports, lessons, friends, and all the rest conspire to usurp one’s freedom of choice, that’s sad. But true. Sometimes fleeing is the best path to self-determination—and to the fascinating opportunity to start from scratch. The world becomes a great co-creator.

Every moment has potential to be a prayer.”

The delightfully slow pace of Belize inspired Ms. Hedderman to write that. But that warm, spiritual high has also graced me amid a frenetic sailing race on Grenada, a busy train station in Copenhagen, or a languid lunch in Tuscany. At home, one often prays for strength and patience. When far away, one prays this moment won’t end.

Here, it’s okay to just be a kid.”

Oh my, kids grow up fast. But do they really want to? I think not—and taking them to exotic lands without a pile of digital crutches has inspired them to do amazing, kid-like things. Like have a water-balloon fight in a mountain village for days on end. Like making sand castles by the dozen. Playing dominoes. And…

The world…has the potential to teach us more than a textbook ever could.”

The people you meet when wandering the globe make for excellent teachers. And there’s no better school than the open classroom offered by foreign lands and new experiences.

Oh sure, textbooks are important. That’s why I diligently tried home schooling when island-hopping. And while it wasn’t much” fun” at the time, as is true with many worthwhile challenges, I’m glad we stuck it out.

But if math sometimes made us miserable, imagine the glee (not the TV kind) whenever we finished it and could go back outside to body surf, chase hermit crabs, or take the “dollar bus” to town to stock up on fresh passion fruit.

Thanks, Ms. Hedderman for sparking some great memories. They’ll last a lifetime when, frankly, that basketball tournament or history test just won’t. Those sabbatical trips are the best gift you can give your children. I’m certain, but don’t believe me.

Just try it. And then ask your kids.

It takes a lot to be a lifeguard in Viareggio, Italy, as these two gentlemen proved when I was lucky enough to spend a few sunny days there last June. It takes guts, as you can see. It takes fishing nets, and the desire to repair them. It takes a comfortable beach chair, sunscreen (optional), and the ability to roll cigarettes.

That’s not all, though. Because the long, long, long beach of Viareggio is sliced into private little beach clubs (that one pays for and ergo gets many amenities, like a nice chair, umbrella, changing rooms, and F&B service). A lifeguard there is only responsible for the guests of that club, and only when they are in the water in front of that slice.

That means that the lifeguard who does his job swimmingly needs to do some yelling, like,

Go back to your beach slice; you are not a guest of this club;”

and

Go swim in your own water—you are not my responsibility;”

and

Get out of the water—the waves are too big,”

even when they are not.

Successful lifeguards, once they’ve scared everyone off their sand and out of their water, can then focus on things like mending fishing nets. Socializing with other lifeguards. Enjoying a hand-delivered panini and San Pellegrino. And, best of all, taking a nice nap in the lounge chair and getting back to work on that tan.

It’s a rough job—rather like the frightfully stormy seas in this picture—but someone’s got to do it. Fortunately for the few and proud, summer lasts only so long in Viareggio, and then these laborers can finally take it easy for several months.

Maybe hang out at the bar. Play some indoor bocce. And of course, go to Momma’s daily for three-hour lunches, before heading back to the bar. Salute’!

Following Google alerts for “career break” is a pretty uneventful task. There are a few bloggers and advocates that get the occasional mention. But beyond that, the newsmakers are mostly athletes and celebrities. Today, we focus on rock stars who are choosing to fall away from the stage for a while.

• When Rock God Peter Gabriel announces he’s taking a sabbatical from his endless world tour to focus on his two loves, “family and travel,” we flick our Bics and offer a standing ovation. If you’ve heard his hoarse voice lately, you’ll also hope for some healing.

• When the Scissors Sisters make news because they’re taking a break, we’re like, “Who!?!” Yet, many S2 fans are leaving distraught comments in the blogosphere, though we experienced Breakers suspect it’s mostly jealousy.

• When One Direction hints that they’re pondering taking a 10-year hiatus to start prepping for their mammoth comeback tour in one decade, we reply, “Please!” (Just don’t tell your tweenie daughters, or you may drown in their tears.)

• But that’s not all: It appears the Foos might also be tired of Fighting. Until further notice, they’re breaking from fans, superstardom, and the road. Any music-head worth his ticket-stub collection knows that Dave Grohl may be one of the hardest-working musicians ever, so this one raises eyebrows. Still, more power to Growling Grohl. His potency is astonishing, particulary when you ponder the depressing demise that met his one-time bandmate and BFF, Kurt Cobain—a couple of rock-star lives ago.

• Oh yes, and in case you missed it, Christian metal-core stalwarts Underoath are taking a cue from the Old Testament and taking a sabbatical, possibly permanent. Oh sure, first they’re releasing a remixed greatest-hits collection—and doing a farewell tour. At any rate, Godspeed.

Of course, we all know that rock stars are famous for quitting, then lauching a comeback, then collapsing onstage or at the spin-dry center, and then embarking on another comeback tour or two: Cleanse, rinse, repeat.

Even Sinatra made a surprising and stunning exit in the 70s, ending with his famous lyric:

Excuse me while I disappear.”

And so he did. For a while.

Hey, whatever it takes. Career breaks are always good news. And for revered rock stars, a little R&R may is likely just what the doctor ordered.

Last week, on Tuesday night, about a thousand people gathered in 10 cities to for Meet, Plan, Go!, the annual career-break event. Here in Minneapolis, yours truly served as moderator for a panel of recent returnees—and also manned a table labeled “Prepping the Leave,” along with Leif Pettersen, accomplished travel writer.

Dozens of travel enthusiasts visited that table and pelted us with questions. Here are five pretty-good queries and brief answers…

• We hope to leave early next year for six months or a year. We have a house—and can’t decide whether to rent or sell.  Any advice?

That’s easy: Hold! I mean, if you try to sell your house in this (or any) market, you may lose control of your timing, since so many things can go weird or wrong. Plus, prepping and selling a home can take dozens—hundreds?—of hours. You need that time to plan your trip.  Stay focused!

Not to mention, where would you live when you came home? Another conundrum, right? Why not come home to sweet home. You can always sell then. Find a good renter or house-sitter. Now get outta here!

• I might want to stay longer in my destination country than their visa allows for. What to do?

That’s a common desire, and there are ways around it—but (as they say about investing), you’ll have to determine your own risk tolerance! In some countries, they legislate such laws but hardly enforce them, unless, of course, you’re causing trouble. I stayed too long in Italy once, and they kept taking my money.

In other countries, you might leave to take a mini-sabbatical within your sabbatical. Case in point: Many people retire in Mexico, but visit the States for a week or two every six months or so, just to get fresh passport stamps.

• What are some tips about credit cards, currency translation fees, cash, and such?

That’s another maze, thanks to the banks and constantly changing realities and regulations. But here are a few tips that might work: Use a debit card to get cash (lower fees); in many countries, vendors appreciate being paid with cash (tech issues + tax avoidance?); use a credit card with no translation fees for purchases (check out Capital One and Chase Preferred); seek a credit card that gives cash back, since you’ll likely be spending; think twice about airline loyalty cards, since they’re rather like the nickel—ain’t worth what they use to be.

• I’m quitting my job for this trip; what about health insurance?

You will probably be able to keep your existing policy for 18 months, thanks to COBRA legislation. Do that, and you’ll also have coverage when you get home. For those without insurance, getting a high-deductible “catastrophic” policy might be a good idea—in case of a worse-case. But know this too: Many countries provide decent healthcare for free or cheap to visitors. For peace of mind, though, do some thorough research and avoid taking chances that may stress your big break.

• What do you pack that I might not think of?

What else? A good pocket knife. Nothing too huge, mind you, but one with knives, a tweezers, a toothpick, and (above all) a bottle opener and corkscrew.

Cheers!

Oh geez. This year’s career-break summit, Meet, Plan, Go! is just a few short hours away. As the MSP resident expert on prepping, I better start…prepping!

I think I’ll start by making an acrostic with some reasons why YOU TOO should attend. Hope to see you there!

And even if you can’t make it, check out all the awesome panelists and storytellers who will be there.  (Which do not include the guy on the right.)

M> Meet other wanderlusters a lot like you.

E > Earn respect from folks who may doubt your commitment.

E> Exchange dreams and schemes with new friends.

T> Take in some great tips and tales.

P> Plan to stop talkin’ and start packin’!

L> Learn how easy it can be to live out your dream.

A> Ask your hardest questions to some savvy experts.

N> Need a kick in the pants? You might get one!

G> Go—home or far away—with fresh ideas and inspiration.

O> Occupy Paris, Peru, or Phnom Penh on the date you choose.

One night next week, the travel gurus at Meet, Plan, Go Minneapolis will have me serve as an Expert in “Prepping to Leave.”

Ish! I mean, that’s often the hardest part of a career break. Still, it pays to plan ahead, big time. So here’s a witty A to Z guide that may make your BreakAway exit a bit less stressful.

• A is for ARMY KNIFE. Be it Swiss, Victorinox, or Acme, the many timeless tools tucked inside can come in handy. Highly recommended: the corkscrew.
• B is for BARF BAG. Laugh if you must, but they’re complimentary from (most) airlines, and can be useful for food, garbage, or—God forbid—barf.  Travel much? Hey, it happens!
• C is for CURRENCY. Cash is king in many places. And if you visit multiple countries, you’ll get multiple math lessons. But use your credit card when you can—and get one that charges no conversion fees. A debit card saves money on ATMs. And it never hurts to stash a few $100 bills; it’s the international standard, you know.  Ask any drug lord (or better yet, don’t).
• D is for DUPES. Yep, dupe your passport, driver’s license, and other critical docs—and stick them in a separate, safe place.
• E is for ENERGY BARS. One savvy traveler is never without oatmeal. Another prefers nabbing extra airplane peanuts. Whatever your taste, it’s always a good idea to carry something to eat (make that a sackful if you travel with kids).
• F is for FUNDING. Planning a career break helps keep you grounded and teaches you to save. And then it helps you fly high when you spend. Practice good fiscal fitness—but also keep in mind that, for certain important goals in life…It’s not a financial decision.
• G is for GIVING NOTICE. Be thoughtful and considerate about telling your boss and colleagues that you’re about to take this job and shove off. Remember, you may need gainful income again someday. In fact, you’ll need it to take your next career break!
• H is for HATERS. Some friends and even fam will try to rain on your Big Break with doubt, questions, and (above all) green Jello. Find strength in their scorn! And when they say, “Oh I could never do that,” politely suggest that it’s not about them.
• I is for INSURANCE. It’s a hassle, it’s expensive, and it’s full of hoops and BS. Still, it makes sense to at least ponder all the iterations—from health to home, from electronics riders to travel insurance—which can buy great peace of mind, especially if you have a complex, pre-purchased itinerary.
• J is for JOKER. Bring a deck of cards, of course. But also give yourself a wild card that gives you the go-ahead to try new things in strange places. Oh yes, bring your sense of humor, too.
• K is for KIT OF DIVERSIONS. Leave the home theater at home, but plan for necessary diversions for long flights and unpredictable nights: reading, music, journal, sudoku, what have ya. Such toys can save the day if you’re traveling with kids or anxious spouses.
• L is for LUGGAGE. Less is more, but get the right gear—whether backpack or suitcase or other. Take a short test trip or two to see how it feels to schlep your shtuff around; you’ll probably lighten your load!
• M is for MED KIT. Skip the apothecary, yet procure a little of just about everything you might need in a hurry, from Immodium to Ibu. And don’t assume such things will be at your fingertips when you need them. (Frankly, you may also want some anxiety pills for before you go…and some anti-depressants for when you return!)
• N is for NEEDLES. Yeah, you might need a needle (and thread) to repair your rips and tears. But we’re also talking immunizations. It won’t hurt a bit—compared to being locked out of your destination country because you overlooked certain medical prep or precautions they require. Don’t like shots? Celebrate your bravery afterward with a shot from Dr. Cuervo!
• O is for OUTREACH. Set up your communication lines and expectations for family, friends, and emergency contacts. If you’re like most BreakAway artists, you’ll probably want to blog, too. But whatever you do, don’t spend your sabbatical staring at screens! Focus your connections on new faces, not Facebook.
• P is for PET PLANS. People love their pets, perhaps sometimes too much? Fido will be fine without you, as will Miss Kitty. Just find them a nice place to purr—be it neighbor, friend, or sitting service. Get their immunizations caught up and provide ample supplies, while keeping in mind that pets need sabbaticals too!
• Q is for QUIET AIDS. In the Caribbean, the roosters crow after midnight. In NYC, the taxis (and tourists) never shut up. In Rio, the locals rock and roll all night (and party every day). Ergo, pack your earplugs, headphones, and maybe even a rainforest app.
• R is for RECORDING GEAR. No, not a studio—but rather, your camera, journal, laptop, sketchbook or whatever you us to capture the memories so that they last forever.
• S is for STUFF MGMT. Get ready for pondering, purging, selling, sorting, storing, schlepping—and swearing. Pardon the French, but sometimes stuff sucks. And yet, when you’re away from it all, you probably won’t miss a thing.
• T is for TECH TOOLS. Unplug as much as you can, please! But if you’re bringing digitalia, think through things like adaptors, converters, back-up systems and the price of connectivity. Your iPhone may work abroad, but it could cost you a king’s ransom to use it the way you do at home.  And when the wifi won’t work? Stop worrying and start dancing in the streets.
• U is for UNDERGARMENTS. Snicker if you must, but how will you stay warm? Dry? Clean? Longies or lingerie? Wool or cotton? And who’s going to do the laundry? Pack smart. And keep in mind you can usually eliminate extras, or pick up what you need.
• V is for VISUALIZATION. Before you go, envision worst-case scenarios. That way, if (or when) they happen, you’ll be ready. Use these little practices also for possible emergencies, opportunities, and even the return to reality.  Because you can, and you must, go home again.
• W is for WATER. Hydrate. Shun bugs. A bottle of safe water is worth its weight in your backpack.
• X is for X IT OFF. Make thorough and exhaustive lists, whether in a sketch book, computer, or on giant Post-its. (After all, you can’t keep all this in your head, can you!?!) Rejoice every time you X off a to-do. And when the list seems ridiculous, remember: You’re boarding that plane regardless.
• Y is for YES MENTALITY. Speaking of opportunities, prepare yourself for eating raw snails, riding on elephants, sailing into storms, and a world of possibilities. That’s why we travel, right? So when in doubt, just say yes.
• Z is for ZIPLOCKS. They’re handy in your kitchen, and even more useful on the road. Heck, here in the USA, even the TSA likes them—and they don’t like anything!

Speaking of zips, one of the happiest sounds on earth is the zip-zip-zip of luggage zippers closing when the prepping is over, the packing is done, and your ride to the airport is on its way.

A few nights back, the BreakAway meetup group hosted a co-bill event with career-break maven Sherry Ott.

17 wanderlusty souls laughed and chatted about past travels, evolving plans, omnipresent obstacles and more. I left with a fat backpack full of inspiration and impressions; here are 5 worth noting…

• Sherry Ott is a rising rock star. You saw it here first (though it’s obvious all over the internets): Ms. Ott is the hardest-working person in the career-break ecosystem—and clearly the smartest. Oh sure, she somehow travels ALL THE TIME, so she’s got more experience than God. But she’s bubbling over with ideas and answers. Yet she’s 100% humble and available. Follow her, and go far.

• Long distance is close to folks’ hearts. Based on these 17 random vagabonds, it appears that long-term travelers don’t need no Paris or Rome. Exotic, less paved places deep in Asia, South America, and beyond are high on hit lists. The fact that your money goes farther provides one incentive. But authenticity and exploration beckon too.

• Travelers want to “settle down.” No, not as in picket fences and puppies. But rather, a surprising amount of these BreakAway artists want to hunker down in one alien locale for a year—or maybe two. They want to learn a language, absorb a culture, excape America, and be more than a “tourist.”

• It’s the healthcare, stupid. The obstacle course gets no easier as the years go by. Yet most career-break enthusiasts already have an impressive passport-stamp collection and “what it takes.” But health insurance now sits atop the wall of worries—beside usual suspects like money, career, and (literally) stuff.

• Dreamers mean business. When preaching the gospel of Sabbatical, I’ve seen both stink-eye and rolling eyes in the audience. But more and more, the eyes are filled with feverish fervor. For most, it’s a matter of when—not where or how or why. One of our guests, for example, will exit his Fortune 500 road and go RTW this fall. He’s been working there since a college internship. But nothing can stop him now. We wished him well, admitted our jealousy, and again had that forehead-slapping revelation that, Yes, Anyone Can Do This!

Thanks again to good-hearted guru Sherry Ott for making time on her everlasting tour to chat with us; now she’s off to New York to host Meet, Plan, Go—and then Hawaii and then Antarctica with her dad.

Godspeed!

p.s.  I’ll be a panelist at the Minneapolis Meet Plan Go event on October 18 at REI in Bloomington.  Details to come!

Dan Buettner, a local boy done real good, is changing the way the world feels about being blue.  His original Blue Zones book and the latest Thrive are selling by the boatload—with evergreen promises like “Live Longer” and “Be Happier.”

His “Blue Zones Project” collaborates with communities and cities, including nearby Albert Lea, where residents increased their average life expectancy by three years.  Now, that claim may make some of us math-heads ask for proof.  But that proof must NOT be in the pudding, since the same townsfolk shed a combined six tons of body flab.

• Next Up:  Blue Zones Retreats

Mr. Buettner (or if I may, Mr. B.) obviously has tremendous insight into many the habits and factors that meaningfully contribute to health and wellbeing.  Which is why I was downright giddy to read that he’s now advocating BreakAways (which he calls, brand-appropriately, Blue Zones Retreats).  While I’ve traditionally enumerated 14 Ways to shape a BreakAway, Mr. Blue narrows it down to 9:  Move Naturally; Downshift; Purpose; Plant Slant; 80% Rule; Wine at 5; Family First; Faith Community; and Right Tribe.

His trumpeting of taking time is great news, and inspires us to examine our own chapter for completeness—while also engaging in a gentle virtual confab with a mass-media, lifestyle master.

So with all due respect and tongue (but no snuff) in check, here some responses to his assertions…

• Move Naturally. Mr. B. believes a Blue “vacation…requires movement throughout the day…to qualify.  Sitting by the pool does not.”  MYBA:  We agree, and state, “you will feel better, and find more balance, and just plain have more endurance if you include some activity.”  That said, though, we also embrace the rare, sheer R&R day—on the dock, beach, or boat.

• Downshift. Mr. B. recommends leaving your “electronics at home—or at least in the hotel room.”  MYBA:  We, too, preach unplugging, and in “Put Your Job on Hold” assert, “Taking a tech break is energizing and expansive.”  We make one exception, though, in advocating that escapees “cart along whatever it takes” to “capture your day daily.”

• Purpose. Mr. B. says, “Live out your values.”  MYBA:  Yessir!  Our chapterette called, “Accept Your Mission” suggests you “counterbalance your down time with something that perks you up—makes you feel productive and passionate.”

• Plant Slant. Mr. B. wants us to “at least try to make breakfast and lunch plant based.”  At MYBA, we are also pro-plant, though we’ve yet to delve into diets.  Still, in “Make the change—and keep it,” we muse that “if your doctor says lose 40 pounds or risk a heart attack, BreakAway from bad foods and take a health sabbatical.”

• 80% Rule. Mr. B. offers more diet advice, including, “Try to avoid snacking.”  Hmmm.  Notably, we do diss any Sabbatical devoted to “dining in every trendy trattoria in Tuscany.” But moreso, we believe:  “Make it Yours,” including “feel free to disregard any or all of the ideas.”

• Wine at 5. “This is a must.”  MYBA:  Cheers to that, which we top off with, “And remember to enjoy everything in moderation, including moderation.”

• Family first: “A family that plays together stays together.”  MYBA:  “Bring the Whole Family: Sharing the experience of planning and actualizing a dream of this magnitude can be stressful at times, but the payoff is glorious.”  Again, great minds—at least decent family men—think alike.

• Faith Community. Mr. B. makes a pitch for religious retreats, “vacationing with a church group or at least staying with your religious routine.”  Amen!  MYBA has shied away from promoting religion (which can be so political and divisive), but we are adamant that a Sabbatical is about your “Life’s Work” and making “make sure there’s one meaningful activity you mean to commit to: That’s your Mission.”

• Right Tribe. Mr. Blue encourages travel with friends, making new ones, and introducing yourself to strangers.  Indeed!  And when you make new friends, you want to stay and enjoy them.  So MYBA suggests balancing structure with spontaneity to “combust into serendipity.”  No itinerary should stop a new friendship.

So Mr. B. and I must be long-lost cousins.  Or something.  Yet we may have a few minor differences.  For one, my blueprint states that a true BreakAway is at least 90 days—whereas the one that inspired his post lasted some 72 hours.

Mr. B. spent those three days sailing lazily from Tortola to Anegada in the British Virgin Islands.  Yes!  I concur that the BVI may be the most stunning paradise on earth.  But at the risk of nitpicking, I might prefer nightly stopovers in private but festive harbors like Peter Island, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke.

And finally, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that Mr. B. has made millions and changed countless lives, whereas this dreamer has made ends meet and, perhaps, inspired a few curious folks along the way.

It’s still not too late, though.  So I look forward to Mr. Blue’s response (if he’s not too busy sailing and avoiding snacks) and to planning my next bona fide BreakAway which, as if to prove my own assertions are only suggestions, will be a mere 35 days.

Stay tuned.  Stay healthy.  Stay blue.