Welcome to White Postcards, we are Canadians currently living in the picturesque town of Brockville, Ontario, located within the world-renowned Thousand Islands region. Like many, we have taken the traditional route, got married, bought a house, raised great independent children; we have worked hard and are saving for retirement.
We have always enjoyed travelling, weekend trips to Cape Cod, our Honeymoon trip to Spain and Portugal, annual March break trips to Florida and California with the kids, but we never strayed too far from home. In fact, our children have been to Europe as many times as we have.
A couple of years ago we became empty nesters and celebrated with a three-week adventure to Italy, France, Holland and Belgium. That’s when the travel bug hit us. “Wait a minute!” we don’t want to wait till retirement to have great travel adventures.
So here we go, September 2016, we will embark on a one-year journey around the globe. That’s 890 730 580 431 315 60 days from now, with so much research (where to go? what to see?), planning (budget, itinerary) and decisions (sell or not sell the house?) to ponder, we decided to document our process. Making this happen here on the worldwide web will become part of our RTW story. In the meantime sharing our mini travel adventures, photographs and whatever else we find relevant we will yak about.
Eventually, we hope this will be the place where our family, friends and new friends can stop by to see what trouble we are up to.
That’s the plan so stick around and look for our postcards!
Random Things About Us in No Particular Order
We love to explore charming old cafés and pubs, make spur of the moment decisions at four-way stops, colourful art and photography, hiking and trekking (we are aspiring Adirondack 46ers, countryside fresh air over big city smog, sunrises and sunsets, up-cycling and recycling, and proud of being frugal.
Get to Know Ginette
- Hates being a passenger in a car, in fact, she freak out quite a bit and can be a real pain for the driver
- Is a big sister, unlike her little sister she doesn’t have witty writing skills
- Loves to sweep, tidy and organize just about anything
- Takes for granted hubbies cooking
- Enjoys white wine
- Likes to sleep in and needs her morning coffee
- Learning Spanish after having learned some basic Italian, and now confusing the two regularly
- Her style; Converse, flip-flops and Cowboy boots (doesn’t have any yet, but it’s on her wishlist)
- Her favourite season — Autumn; the rich golden, orange and red colors, cozy knitted sweaters, plaid blankets, smell of pine needles and snuggling fireside
- Music; easy listening 80’s, elevator music and deep masculine voices
Get to Know Gordon
- Enjoys driving country roads, the curvier the better for Ginette’s pleasure
- Thinks he’s witty and funny
- Gordon can never find his stuff, his stuff is too well-organized by Ginette
- Loves to cook, a skill he’s developed because of Ginette’s lack of cooking skills
- Fine red wine enthusiast
- Likes getting up early to make Ginette’s coffee
- Understands more French than he will ever admit
- His style; Hiking shoes and smelly gym sneakers
- His favourite season — Summer; cool greens and blues, hot sun and cool dips, billowy clouds, smell of fresh garden herbs and holding hands on breezy summer nights by the river
- Music; Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Rock and Roll, Blues, Jazz to Zydeco
Thanks for stopping by.
Ginette and Gordon White
White Postcards 
Hi Ginette and Gordon, nice to meet you. Great plans! Good luck with all the changes and travelling to come.
Thank you for following our blog. I am honoured. I hope you enjoy the stories of our journey, both inner and outer.
Cheers, Alison
I can’t tell you how excited I was to have you as our first ever comment on this blog! You two are truly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your adventures.
Oh thank you! That’s so nice to hear. You’ll have an amazing time.
You and Gord are amazing!!!! I am so excited for this journey that you are preparing for and I can’t wait to read your updates about your adventures and see all your photos!! XO
Hi LeeAnne, our journey doesn’t start for a while but I hope to have a few other travel adventures and some of Gordon’s photography to share in the meantime! Love Ginette
Hi Ginette and Gordon, thank you for your visit to my blog. Your blog is also very interesting. And good luck with your RTW trip, however, I can’t believe that you have to wait for another 2 and half year????
My husband and I are also planning to hit the road next year, but we have been discussing about it for more than a year now, and each month we change our route. In the end, we stop planning, and decided when the time’s come, we will just buy one way ticket and hope fully we will end up to where we want to end up… 😎
Oh how I wish we could take off sooner! We are planning our RTW travels to correspond with our youngest daughter graduating university. In the mean time parental and work commitments will keep us close to home, with some short term travel in between.
You will have a busy year getting ready for your travels and I hope you will share some posts about that process with us. I’m looking forward to your blogging and photography about your new nomad life.
Wooohooo You guys rock! If you want any tips on Asia, more specifically Malaysia….. I’d love to help 🙂
Hi Sheena, Adding Malaysia on our itinerary:) We’ll definitely take you up on that offer when the time comes…and arrange to meet up with you wherever you might be!
Thanks for following our blog! We are certainly hit with the travel-bug too. Wow – 2016 will seem a way away when you are looking forward to something so amazing and probably can’t come soon enough 🙂 Look forward to following your preparations and see how it all unfolds!
Happy travels!!
Yes, two years seems far away! –In the mean time mini-travel adventures will keep us happy. When the time comes for our big trip, I should be a pro at posting about our travels by then:)
Hi Ginette and Gordon, Thanks for stopping by our blog and for the follow. Loved reading your “About Us” page as I can still remember when the epiphany hit that we didn’t have to wait until we were 65 to change directions. It took us a year (originally we’d planned on two years but everything seemed to fall into place) and our plan morphed into something resembling what we are doing now. We still try to stay flexible enough to pursue opportunities as they arise and follow other paths as they present themselves. Life on the road is interesting and immensely satisfying and we love finding other people who decide to take the plunge, too! I look forward to following your preparations, Anita
When I think of all the details that need to be addressed to transition to the next phase — our RTW trip and downsizing, I get overwhelmed. However it’s reading about couples like yourselves that keeps me excited and motivated. All the while knowing that one step at a time will get us to where you are! -Ginette
Hi Anita, How did I miss replying before? I hope that when our turn comes, things fall in place as easily as they have for you. We haven’t done too much planning at this stage, mostly dreaming and research as our RTW trip seems still so far away. I enjoy following blogs as yours, they offer a wonderful glimpse into possible destinations. -Ginette
It sounds like you guys are embarking on an exciting journey, and we’re thrilled for you. Terri and I have done a couple of RTWs (one in each direction), and can say that you have every right to be excited. Lots of folks talk about being travelers, but an RTW is the ultimate travel experience. We hear lots about the shrinking globe, and that’s true enough. But actually traveling around the world will give you a hands-on feel for how big and varied the world actually is. And when combined with simplifying and downsizing, I promise that it will be a life changing experience. We wish you all the best in your journey. ~James
Thank you James for the words of encouragement. Two years seems like a long time to wait and so many mixed emotions at this stage. Excited about our future plans, anxious for it to start, overwhelmed with the details in order to make this happen, nervous about upcoming major life changes. Yet reading about bloggers like yourselves keeps us on track–we’re taking baby steps in order to get closer to our dream.- Ginette
Great introduction! I wish you luck with your great adventure and look forward to following along with anticipation. Thank you for stopping by my blog earlier and leading me here.
I love your introduction and your blog! Looking forward to reading more about your travels around the world!
Thank you Lu for stoping by! Visiting your blog was a pleasure and I’ve made a Note to Self “Do not read Lu’s posts when hungry!”–everything looks so yummy:) But we will certainly try out some of your suggestions on our worlds travel. -Ginette
Haha thank you Ginette! My stomach starts grumbling when I look at my own photos too! And thanks for stopping by in return! =)
I’m so glad that you are doing the round the world trip. 2016 will be here before you know it.
So true Shelley! When I was approved for my one year leave from work we were at over 1000 days…and now only 788 days to go, but who’s counting? In the meantime we are enjoying the researching and planning this RTW trip entails – and learning to Blog:) -Ginette
Hi fellow Ontarians! After reading the comments above, I feel my 2018 RTW trip is REALLY far off! I look forward to following you around in 2016!
Hello Collette, 2018 will come fast! I’m doing the same as you, my pay will be three over four years. When I started out I was at over 1000 days and as of today 765 days to go, but who’s counting:)
Ginette and Gord, I am so impressed. Sounds like an awesome trip. Make sure you add Turkey to the agenda and in particular Cappadocia. The caves there are amazing.
I spotted your Gravatar image on another site. A pleasure to meet you. Your site looks interesting.
Thank you! We hope you will visit again for more of our virtual postcards.
You can be certain of it.
You guys got it figured out.. Best of luck..
Hi
Look forward to reading about your trip. We have just come back from France and had an amazing time. Just loved the smaller villages and towns, especially in Provence and the Dordogne. Happy travels. Cheers, Mark
PS We were in Brockville just over 28 years ago and loved the Thousand islands region.
PPS Our eldest son is named Brock!
Hello Karen and Mark, so nice of you to leave us a note.
Our recent (too-short) trip centred in Provence and interestingly we visited many cities you visited. We truly enjoyed the region, and the fishing port of Cassis was a highlight for us. We’ll be posting more about the trip for sure!
PS. We have three girls, so no Brock in our family -but a lovely name, one I’ll suggest to them if we ever get a grand-son:)
Hi Ginette and Gordon!
I’m Leo. Me and my wife Daniela were the couple celebrating their third anyversary! Earthquake included!
It was very nice to meet you, and we wish you the best in your wonderful journey across the world.
I’m writing you also if you please remember to sent us the pictures you so kindly took us that day. Our emails are dani.silvaa@gmail.com, and lahernan@uc.cl.
Thanks again and best regards!!
Leo
Leo and Daniela, So glad to meet you in Valparisio, even if we got shook up a bit by the tremour. The photos are on the way…hope you have many more earth shaking anniversaries:) -Gord
Hi Gord, I finally got a chance to check in on your adventure. The pictures are just beautiful.
I think when I saw those gorgeously coloured houses on Isla Grande de Chiloe, I may have settled right in and not gone any further.
In fact, as I type, I am busy renovating that blue “fixer-upper” in my mind:)
You’ll be happy to know we are freezing in Brockville today and you are missing it:)
Hi Mary, Thanks for checking in on us. Isla Grande Chiloe is a treat to visit. Ten days ago we were in Buenos Aires and it was in the 30’s (too warm). So we flew 11500 km to visit some friends in the UK and got back into the chilly but Christmas weather. Currently, we are in Barcelona where the weather is sublime, sunny and 16 C….keep checking in on us.
Gord
Very nice to find you here. Hope you are still on your track and in good shape.
Maybe see you some days in Beijing.
Take care.
Alvin, so nice of you to stop by. After leaving Chefchaouen, we needed warmer weather, and spent two weeks relaxing beachside on NGor Island, Senegal. Today, we’ve arrived in Cape Town, South Africa — and our journey continues, who knows, maybe Beijing will work into our itinerary:) – Ginette