Happy 4th of July! (photo source)
Happy Independence day to all of those who celebrating around the globe (either America’s Independence Day or your own.)
Things have been quiet on Go Curry Cracker these past few months as we’ve been in full on travel mode, so today I just wanted to share a quick update and start planning for a couple potential meetups.
What’s up?
Were we in the US, we would be throwing some slabs of beef on a grill and enjoying a few picobrews. Instead, we are exploring lavender fields, eating figs the size of a fist, and having a glass of wine (or two… or three… when in Provence…)
Smells nice
We are currently enjoying the final days on our Schengen Visa. It is hard to believe we have already been in Europe nearly 90 days. It’s been an epic tour of Paris, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria, Northern Italy, Switzerland, and now the South of France. We’ve holed up in a nice compound we found on Airbnb within easy driving distance of Aix-en-Provence, Saint Remy, Arles, Avignon, etc…
Home Away From Home
After a big day of exploring (or a big breakfast) the pool is definitely inviting. Jr loves it here.
What’s Next?
We head to Croatia in a few short days, where we plan to explore some islands and waterfalls. We’ll fly from Dubrovnik to New York City in August (free hotels!), tour Philadelphia (which gets us more free hotels), visit family in Minnesota for a couple weeks, and then hop on a 10-day Alaska cruise with my Mom and Grandma. (My Grandma’s dream vacation.)
Getting free cruises proved to be a bit of a challenge, but I am getting 10% cash back thanks to use of shopping portals, plus a ton of Expedia points. Justin’s cruise guide was super helpful.
Alaska Cruise (photo from Princess)
After the cruise we’ll spend time with friends and family in SF, and then fly to Japan for a month (free flights.)
All together we’ll have 3+ weeks of dedicated family time.
Meetups
We’ve had the good fortune to meet a great number of GCC readers on our travels, not to mention the numerous bloggers at an event like FinCon. Unfortunately we won’t be able to attend FinCon this year, but we can meet up with new friends for drinks and good times.
Dates for GCC Meetups:
– New York City – Saturday, August 12th (Details here.)
– Philadelphia – Wednesday, August 16th (Details here.)
– Minneapolis – Saturday, August 19th (Details here.)
– San Francisco – Saturday, September 9th (Details here.)
If you are interested in getting together, please follow the links above to your city and confirm your attendance. See you there!
Back to a regular schedule
You may have noticed that this is the first Go Curry Cracker post in a couple months. Blogging takes a bit of a back seat while we are traveling, but we are posting regular updates on Twitter and Instagram. Check us out there!
Thank you
Jeremy, Winnie, & Julian
Go Curry Cracker!
Enjoy the holiday!
If you are interested in how we get free flights and free hotels in some of the most expensive cities in the world, take a look at how we got over $10k in free travel in Europe.
hey…happy 4th…hope the house is comming along….whens the meetup for Seattle?
This! I live in Seattle and love the blog and would like to do a meet up.
Sorry to report we won’t be visiting Seattle this year :(
You’re coming to Philly?!? Nice! Let us know if you’re doing a meet-up. Would love to meet up.
I wasn’t planning a meetup but we can grab a coffee? Drop me an email or DM and we can plan something.
Will do! Thanks.
Looking forward to meet you in sf
Of course I’ll be in Portugal when you’re in SF. Catch ya in 2018!
Have some pastel de nata for me
Definitely interested in meeting up when you’re in NYC. Happy 4th!
Sounds like a great set of adventures and good family times!
I’m in the SF area if your SEP meet up works out, cheers
Looks amazing as always. Jr is getting so big! It’d be fun to meet up in Minnesota but family first. Bon voyage!
Let’s plan something. I’m sure we’ll need a good excuse to get away from the fam for a bit :)
+1 for MN meet up. We’re a frugal globetrotting family, too, and would love to swap tales and inspiration.
I’m in Minnesota and would love to meet both of you as well :) So if a MN meetup happens, please let me know!!
Another Minnesotan here! Twin Cities or Duluth…let’s do a MN meet up!
+1 for the idea of a Minnesota meet up!
I’m in SF and would definitely be up for Sep 9th. Enjoy the travels.
Busy times for team GCC!
Enjoy that cruise! It’s not exactly my dream vacation but I really love cruises and would love to take an Alaskan cruise one day (perhaps as an add-on to a west coast USA trip).
I’m fairly certain we aren’t cruise people, but it will be nice to have 10 days with two eager babysitters
I’m not a cruise person either – but I did an Alaska cruise and it was awesome. Getting up near the glaciers and having chunks of ice hit the boat made it feel a little like Titanic! Amazing views and we had really calm waters (which certainly helps the experience!)
And depending on the cruise line, GCCjr might enjoy the kid’s club. I imagine you won’t have a ton of kids on your cruise so he might get a ton of attention from the (most likely) young ladies in the Kid’s Club on board. He’s still a little young but our kids LOVED the kids club when they were 4-5 years old. Disco parties every night till 11 pm, cake and ice cream, face painting, LEGOs, movies, coloring, crafts, etc.
And as for being cruise people, I think you’ll manage. :) I always enjoy trying every single restaurant on board and finding what’s good and what’s bad. By day 3 or 4 you’ll probably get tired of eating 5-6 times per day so pace yourself. Focus on the high quality food (typically better stuff is served in the “formal” dining room, but YMMV as sometimes it’s just as good or better in the buffet).
Eat, get fat, drink some coffee. Take a nap. Read a book while lounging in a chair. Maybe catch an evening show. Enjoy time with family. Go to sleep and do the same thing the next day (plus explore Alaska or whatever). To me that’s a life that’s hard to beat, and you can walk to everywhere on board so there’s zero travel logistics while on board (other than deciding which restaurant to dine at and when to do so, and which shows or events to attend). I bet the Alaska cruises will be more toned down vs. the Caribbean cruises, so it won’t be over the top party party party atmosphere like most of the cruises I’ve been on departing from Florida destined for Caribbean waters.
I seem to recall kid’s club is for Ages 3 and up, so he won’t make the cut. Maybe he can fast talk his way in… he seems to really enjoy the fast talking
I’m interested in a SF meetup.
Howdy …. and Happy July 4, …. we just had a Happy July 1st Canada Day 150th anniversary …. but in Beijing China …. there are Lavender fields here too in the Miyun surrounding countryside with a Provence style recreation French village, church and castle style Vineyard … part of the mega push to promote wine sales and a kinda holiday resort ….. a touch of France outside of Beijing ….? unusual but true …. look forward to the travel pics and tips …. I am on 6 weeks vacation … did the Euro thing last year and will go to Dalian castle hotel on the rolling mountains and pacific ocean free courtesy of sibling in law …. near Korea … and bop around China … this year …. Yack more later … God Bless, Beijing, China :)
Tacky Dalian Castle link below … via Google images … amazing what you will find in China ….
https://www.google.com/search?q=Dalian+castle+hotel&rlz=1C1KAFA_enCN583CN584&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiE0e-91PDUAhVnxVQKHT2oAd0Q_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=918
Definitely will meet you guys up in SF if you are in town. We had an MMM meetup going on in the city, but that just fizzled out. Please let us know if you have a confirmed time and date.
Sounds like an amazing experience! Looking forward to the specifics. I can’t wait to plan our European slow travel in a few years.
Happy 4th! I am from Philly so please let me know when you are in NYC
Add me to the SF meetup list. I have you to thank for setting me straight about Roth IRAs!
Happy 4th! Let me know about the August meet up in NYC. Keep up the great work.
Would love to meet-up in NYC!
Would love to see you in San Francisco!
I’d love to join the NY meetup in August.
You will like Croatia. We have been here for 2 months already, a country which can compete with Italy and France in beauty but you get a lot more for your money. When visiting Dubrovnic center make sure no cruise ships are visiting that day
When will you be in Japan, and will you be in Tokyo?
mid-Sept, probably in Tokyo for a week. We haven’t booked anything yet except the flight.
We are always up for a coffee, but can plan something bigger if there are more Tokyo people interested?
Coffee would be great. So many good coffee shops here now. I’m not aware of other FIers here in Tokyo, though there may be, so it’ll probably be just me dontcha know.
The meet up in NYC sounds like a lot of fun! I’d be interested.
+1 for NYC meet up. Enjoy your travels!
Nice! You’re really making me miss the figs and wine of Provence. I never though I would like pink wine, but their Rose is spectacular… And that compound looks sick, the pool must be pretty clutch this time of year :)
We just tossed some rose into the shopping basket today. I’ll test it out tomorrow
It looks like you’re enjoying the europe trip! Fun!
Alaska should be pretty nice that time of year when you go cruising (but cooler than you’re probably used to). It’s a pretty touristy setup there, but if you get away from the boat and the mobs you can still find a fairly authentic experience.
Looks like you’ll be leaving Japan just about when we arrive in October. Bummer!
would be in for a sf meetup
Hi! Big fan in Philly!
Can I meet up with you and Winnie in Philadelphia for some good Chinese lunch in Chinatown? or Bubble tea? Haha XD
I have been follow both you and Winnie’s blog since 2014. It would be super awesome if I can meet up with you both！
我也是從台灣來的。現在人在費城郊區。希望能夠和你們碰面，如果費城也有一個週末的 meet up 那就太棒了。不然我就盡力8/12去紐約。
I’m game to hang in SF.
Hi GCC! I’m also very interested in the NYC meetup. Enjoy your upcoming time with family. :)
Please add me to the list for NYC!
My Gf and I are in Stamford, CT and would prefer NYC meetup, but we can make it to Philly as well. Thanks!
I would love to meetup in NYC!
Hi- my wife and I would definitely want to meet you in NYC. It was last Aug that I heard an old interview of yours on Side Hustle Nation podcast and that opened my eyes to the idea of FIRE.
Interested in nyc meetup
It figures you’ll be coming to Philly just as we’re headed to Greece for 2 weeks! The new Museum of the American Revolution is quite good if you like history. And there are pop up beer gardens everywhere this time of year – one example, http://philly.thedrinknation.com/articles/read/16159-Parks-on-Tap-Beer-Garden-Brings-Free-Cultural-Performances-to-City-Hall-Every-Thursday-June-29-August-31
I’m in the Bay Area and would love to be in the SF meetup!
Sounds like an exciting few months. I think Croatia and Slovenia are two of the most underrated travel destinations in Europe. I’m interested in your impressions of Croatia. Can’t wait to read your travel report. Good luck.
I’d be interested in the SF meetup. At the last bay area one, our host decided to back his jeep into my car during his late night run up into those East San Jose hills. Hopefully this one will be less eventful. :)
I’d be interested in SF.
Be nice to thank you for showing me the FEIE.
Make sure to enjoy some amazing baguettes and cheese! I lived in France for two years. It was amazing! Paris is dazzling. France is even better in the Loire Valley where all of the Chateaus illuminate the landscape. We are visiting London, Paris, and Amsterdam in October (all with free Delta flights). Great times!
Oh gosh, Provence looks amazing! It’s definitely on my bucket list and seeing that you’re able to travel with a little one puts my little travel-heart at ease with a baby on the way due in a few weeks!
Please put me down for the meetup in NYC. I should be around on Aug 12 weekend. Thanks, Amit
Interested in your SF meet up
Please count me in for your SF meetup!
I’m interested in the NY meet up.
I’m interested in meeting up! Either in NY or NJ. :) If you’re heading from NY to Philly and need a pit stop, I’m in Edison, NJ, which is right off both the Turnpike and Parkway. I’m about 40 minutes from NY and 1.5 hours from Philly, so it’s a good place to stop. ;) If not, I’m interested in the NY meetup!
Didn’t read through all the responses, but happy to help organize an event in SF! Out meetup hasn’t fizzled, just evolving, so this is perfect timing. PM me to set something up!
I’m interested in joining the NY meetup in August.
It would be great to meet in SF. I am a long time reader and always look forward to reading your posts and seeing your pictures. I semi-FIREd in 2014, traveled for 2 years, now working again for a little bit before my next adventure.
I will be in San Fran on September 9th. Would like to meet up.
On that note, I bet just meeting other GCC followers would be fun, even if it wasn’t on the 12th (or even in NYC for that matter). Thoughts anyone? Maybe the southeast ;)
I’m interested in the NYC meetup!
For everyone following the comments, I’ve added a Facebook event for the NYC meetup. I’ve also emailed everyone who commented their interest in a NYC meet up with a link.
Also added: TBD info for possible meetups in Philadelphia and Minneapolis.
Hey – your Croatia trip deserves it’s own blogpost. Those pics were mind-blowing! I’ve been to Croatia before – and have friends from there who post pics. But I have never see a travel guide or pics as amazing as your trip photos. Just – wow. Happy travels.
Any news on an SF meetup?
There is a link to the SF meet up details in the post (added after initial publication.)