Early Retirement
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| The less you have to worry about your possessions while you're on the road, the more you can relax and enjoy the world around you! |
| Never Underestimate the Value of a Good Travel Ring |
By travel ring I mean a substitute ring as a
placeholder for your engagement ring or
wedding band that you wear only when you are
traveling. We all know how much sentimental
as well as monetary value can be attached to
the originals. My engagement ring and wedding
band happen to be fused together. It gives me
an enormous sense of comfort to know my
wedding ring is safe at home while I’m off
exploring the world.
What I personally look for in a travel ring is a
sturdy ring that holds meaning for me but that
no one else would consider worth the effort of
taking. Practically every travel guidebook tells
you that if you are being robbed to just let them
have your stuff. I know myself, and for almost
anything else I’d have no problem handing it
over. Except for my wedding ring. Knowing that
I’ll never be faced with this dilemma eases my
worries.
placeholder for your engagement ring or
wedding band that you wear only when you are
traveling. We all know how much sentimental
as well as monetary value can be attached to
the originals. My engagement ring and wedding
band happen to be fused together. It gives me
an enormous sense of comfort to know my
wedding ring is safe at home while I’m off
exploring the world.
What I personally look for in a travel ring is a
sturdy ring that holds meaning for me but that
no one else would consider worth the effort of
taking. Practically every travel guidebook tells
you that if you are being robbed to just let them
have your stuff. I know myself, and for almost
anything else I’d have no problem handing it
over. Except for my wedding ring. Knowing that
I’ll never be faced with this dilemma eases my
worries.
My first travel ring was one I picked up in
Arizona at a roadside Native American jewelry
display. I was vacationing with my mom and
sisters at the time so it always reminded me of
them. The ring itself cost roughly $20. This ring,
or more accurately its loss, taught me a second
reason why it’s wise to wear a travel ring.
One of my favorite travel memories is
swimming with seals off the coast of Kaikoura,
New Zealand. A boat took us to an area near a
small rocky outcropping covered in seaweed.
During our fantastic underwater adventure
with several seals swimming all around us, the
ring slid off my finger and sunk to the murky
sea bed. We tried but realized there was no
hope of finding it. All I can say is thank
goodness that wasn’t my wedding ring!
Later in the trip at a jade specialty store, we
picked out my second travel ring. Nephrite
jade, also known as greenstone, is durable and
highly valued by the Maori. Their name for it is
pounamu, and this type of jade is only found on
the South Island of New Zealand. Wearing my
ring brings back fond memories of the
wonderful months we spent there. This ring
has accompanied me on many more
adventures over the past 8 years. I hope to
never lose it, but if I do, I know I’ll find just the
right ring to replace it.
Arizona at a roadside Native American jewelry
display. I was vacationing with my mom and
sisters at the time so it always reminded me of
them. The ring itself cost roughly $20. This ring,
or more accurately its loss, taught me a second
reason why it’s wise to wear a travel ring.
One of my favorite travel memories is
swimming with seals off the coast of Kaikoura,
New Zealand. A boat took us to an area near a
small rocky outcropping covered in seaweed.
During our fantastic underwater adventure
with several seals swimming all around us, the
ring slid off my finger and sunk to the murky
sea bed. We tried but realized there was no
hope of finding it. All I can say is thank
goodness that wasn’t my wedding ring!
Later in the trip at a jade specialty store, we
picked out my second travel ring. Nephrite
jade, also known as greenstone, is durable and
highly valued by the Maori. Their name for it is
pounamu, and this type of jade is only found on
the South Island of New Zealand. Wearing my
ring brings back fond memories of the
wonderful months we spent there. This ring
has accompanied me on many more
adventures over the past 8 years. I hope to
never lose it, but if I do, I know I’ll find just the
right ring to replace it.
| Robert and I just before our swimming with seals adventure. This is the last photo of me wearing my original travel ring. |
