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Currently living in Boulder, Colorado, enjoying life and selling real estate 10-months, then travelling the other 2-months: www.RatayRealty.com
BACKGROUND, as of Spring 1999 . . .
Hi,
we are Chris & Erin: former
New York City dwellers for whom life was going pretty well. We
always enjoyed motorcycling and traveling, and slowly realized that
our annual 2-week summer vacation just wasn't enough. So, we
quit our jobs, sold our real estate, our furniture,
donated most of our clothing, and became instant minimalists. With Passports, Carnets, and other paperwork theoretically in order,
we loaded our tent, remaining clothing, and other worldly
possessions onto two BMW motorcycles.
At first, our
families were worried about us, but as time went on they got used to
the idea and now they are even secretly proud of us.
The purpose of our trip is to see new sights,
meet new/different people, learn about other cultures, gain and
share new experiences, and face new challenges. Aside
from helping to engage people in conversation, the motorcycles
provide us with a freedom of movement, ability to explore, and
greater exposure to our senses and surroundings.
The bikes were shipped from New York to
Morocco, and on May 20th, 1999 we arrived in Casablanca to launch
our 15-month 'Round the World
(RTW) adventure. We started the
trip, like it was an extended 2-week holiday, and spent the first 6
months racing through Europe trying to
check-off as many sites as
possible. While on the road, however, the trip
took
on a
life of its own --
We learned to slow down and spend more
(quality)
time in
fewer places, to get a better feel of the places we
visit(ed). The trip
went
far beyond our wildest expectations, in
both experiences and time, and after more than 4 years
traveling,
we arrived back in New York in August 2003.
Of course we've had breakdowns and other
problems along the way, forcing us to turn to locals for help, and
providing us with some of the greatest experiences and best
friendships along the way. Many of the places we've seen have
been incredible -- and the people, well....extraordinary!
We hope our journey inspires others to follow
their own dreams. As Erin now likes to say, "life is too
short to drink cheap red wine". If you have any questions,
comments, or other suggestions, please do not hesitate to
email us.
We
met in the spring of 1994, got engaged a couple of years later at
Mardi Gras in New Orleans during a rugby tournament, and we've been
happily married since July of 1996. Our honeymoon was a 3 week
camping/cross-country trip on our BMW K100LT. Near the end of
the trip, two days from home, Erin decided she wanted equal time in
the saddle and purchased her 1st BMW ('92 K75) and rode the rest of
the way home next to me. After 20 days and 7,000 miles
of adventures, we were still happily married and ready to
take on the world!
Erin was born in 1965 and
is in the career development
field.
Just 2 days
before we departed, Erin completed her MASTER'S DEGREE in
Organizational Psychology @
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S
Teacher's College.
She enjoys
teaching job search and career workshops at
both
Columbia University and New York University.
She
writes career related articles for a website dealing in
international expatriate issues, and provides one-on-one career
counseling for people in all stages of their professional
lives.
Motorcycles:
Erin
began
riding
in
1996
on
a
Suzuki
GS435E,
then
moved
on
to
a
BMW
K75,
R100RT,
and
now
has
the
F650.
Chris was born in 1966 and
is
a
career
salesman.
The
past 7 years
he
worked in the cosmetic display
manufacturing
industry,
for a small company that
produces
those
small plastic lipstick bullets and other color chips you see on
cosmetic displays.
His
clients
are
ALL
of
the
US color
cosmetic company
(i.e. Revlon,
Maybelline, Estee
Lauder, and
Lancome,
to
name
a
few).
Chris has reluctantly turned in his "player" cleats, ending
a 12 year
career(?)
playing
rugby
union. Always willing to tell people what and how to
do things, he has picked up a whistle and is pursuing a career as
a referee. However, if the Lion Kings (Old Boys) make a come-back,
Chris will excavate the old cleats!
Motorcycles:
Chris'
first
bike
back
in
1990
was
a
used
Honda
Night-Hawk,
later
changing
to
a
Yamaha
Seca
750,
then
BMW
K100LT,
R90/6,
R100PD,
and
F650.
Together, we enjoy
motorcycling, skiing, camping,
roller-blading, and
traveling. We couldn't imagine not living in New York
City, but we also get away
at every
opportunity.
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