The Insignia docked in Lisbon Friday afternoon. The end of our sail across the Atlantic. Lisbon is old. Really old. In fact, it’s one of the oldest cities in Western Europe—believed to be several centuries older than Rome. During the Age of Exploration, Portuguese sailors like Vasco de Gama and Ferdinand Magellan launched from Lisbon... Continue reading →
After leaving Bermuda, we spent four days and five nights crossing the Atlantic. That’s a long stretch at sea, but Kris and I don’t mind as long as the ocean behaves itself. Besides, cruise ships make suffering manageable with unlimited food, booze, and entertainment. Our destination was the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the middle... Continue reading →
We boarded the Insignia in Miami on May 4 and set sail for Lisbon. South Beach Our first stop was Bermuda, sitting in the North Atlantic about 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, NC. It took us three days at sea to get there. Bermuda is made up of around 181 islands. Most are tiny... Continue reading →
“You’re home. Welcome back to the United States.” Our pilot’s voice echoed through the cabin as our charter flight from Egypt touched down at JFK on Friday afternoon. And then… Nothing. Dead silence. Not a clap. Not a cheer. Not even a cough. I’ve been on flights where touching down after a little turbulence brings... Continue reading →
The remainder of our Egyptian tour has been cancelled, and Kris and I will be leaving on a charter flight to JFK in a few hours. The decision affects the 20 people in our tour group, and we’re all disappointed. The strange part is that none of us feel unsafe here. Quite the opposite—our experience... Continue reading →
We’re currently in Egypt. Before leaving, I told a few people I was heading over to bring peace to the Middle East. We landed Friday… so clearly I haven’t had enough time to pull that off yet. For those who’ve asked — yes, we feel safe. If you didn’t follow the news, you honestly wouldn’t... Continue reading →
For quite a while now, Kris’s hips have been giving her trouble. Yesterday, she took the first big step toward putting that pain behind her—she had her right hip replaced. The whole thing was astonishingly efficient. The surgery itself took about an hour, and five hours later she was back home, relaxing in her own... Continue reading →
First off, a huge thank you to everyone who’s left a review for It’s Just sMiles on Amazon. We’re up to 10 reviews! Shout out to Baxter, Victor Fransen, Jane Howard, Jim Harper, Bob Murphy, and Susan — you rock! Your words truly matter. They help more people discover the book and, more importantly, keep... Continue reading →
IIt’s Just sMiles has now been out for six weeks—and like any good Camino walk, it’s been full of excitement, reflection, and a few unexpected blisters. Sales have been steady, but slower than I’d hoped. If you’ve already read it—thank you from the bottom of my heart (and my slightly sore feet). If you haven’t…... Continue reading →
Today’s the day—I’m thrilled to announce the release of my new book, It’s Just sMiles: Just Pete on the Camino de Santiago. What began as a journey measured in miles quickly turned into one measured in smiles. In 2019, I walked more than 800 miles across Spain and Portugal on the Camino de Santiago. Along... Continue reading →