The Traveling Widower

Tag: adventure

  • Being the Traveling Widower

    December 7th, 2025

    A coat of arms design featuring a blue and red shield divided into quadrants. The top left quadrant contains a camera icon, the top right quadrant features a cocktail glass, the bottom half shows an airplane flying over a globe. Two heraldic lions with wings stand on either side of the shield, which has a banner at the bottom inscribed with 'TRAVELING WIDOWER'.

    Antarctica was my sixth multi-day trip this past year, so along with a veritable slew of day trips and shorter adventures, I have a pretty good idea now of the direction my life is going. It’s that ‘As Good As It Gets’ thing I write about, that I’m beginning to adjust to. So, now that my brain and body have recovered from the endless journey home from Antarctica, I thought I’d document some of my thoughts on what it’s like to morph from a stable life, shared with your life partner, to something that was unimaginable just a few years ago. A life based without an anchor companion, learning to be comfortable spending a considerable amount of time alone, and surprisingly, finding some fulfillment, direction and even enjoyment in the amazing places I traveled to. Going on two years since Jan passed, I still grieve her loss, and still dwell upon those awful 11 months, but not to the degree that I had at first. So what’s this new life like? The blog pretty much describes it – I grieve the loss of my wife and of my past life, so I’m a widower, and travel is pretty much what keeps me going. The blog title is what I’ve become – the Traveling Widower. I’m planning to copyright the term. Maybe I’ll sell t-shirts and coffee mugs. (No, not really). 

    Display of clothing and mugs featuring a military insignia on a black rack, including a green t-shirt, matching shorts, and several white mugs.

    Solo travel was something I feared at first – my often mentioned fear of being on a ship filled with strangers still persists, but I have learned to cope with that, and actually found myself enjoying meals on this last trip. I recall my first counseling session the day after Jan passed – she said I should expect to have some significant personality changes over time. She was right. It’s been a struggle, but I’m relatively comfortable now joining a group at dinner or lunch, and actively participating in conversations. I guess I cannot really call myself an introvert anymore. 

    What I found interesting on this last trip was the number of discussions I had without bringing up why I was alone, unless someone asked. I still feel weird being by myself, but I’m no longer embarrassed about traveling alone. That’s something new for me. But some people kind of guess when they see the double wedding band on my pinky. I’ll always wear that. 

    The travel part is really what keeps me going – I’m a different person when traveling. My mind is completely focused on the trip, even if I’m just driving somewhere. Photography and the blog keep me occupied in the evenings, either on a ship or a hotel. And the places I’ve been traveling to have been amazing – there were times on all of the trips, where I was just absolutely stunned and speechless by what I was seeing. I simply put the camera down and let it all soak in – I have memories which I will never forget. Antarctica was like that on every day of the trip.

    Scenic view of Zion National Park featuring towering red rock formations under a partly cloudy sky with a blue backdrop.
    A whale's tail emerging from the water in front of large icebergs under a clear sky.
    A stunning view of icy cliffs and glaciers reflecting in calm, deep blue waters under a clear sky in Antarctica.
    A tranquil polar landscape featuring icebergs floating in calm waters under a clear blue sky.
    A group of Gentoo penguins standing on a rocky surface, with a snowy mountainous background.
    An Adelie penguin standing on rocky terrain with several other penguins in the background.
    A scenic view of snow-covered mountains reflecting in calm blue water under a clear blue sky.
    A serene view of a snow-covered mountain landscape under a sky filled with wispy clouds, with the sun setting on the horizon over a tranquil ocean.
    A group of Gentoo penguins standing on rocks with a snowy mountainous background.
    A panoramic view of rugged mountains under a clear blue sky, featuring snow-capped peaks and lush greenery in the foreground.
    Scenic view of a lake surrounded by mountains under a cloudy sky, with mist rising over the water.
    A stunning sunset over a mountain range, with vivid red and orange hues reflecting on a calm body of water.
    Starry night sky over a calm lake reflecting mountains and trees.
    A pelican flying against a clear blue sky with buildings in the background.
    A dimly lit tunnel showing rocky walls, with graffiti on the sides and a light source at the far end illuminating the path. The ground is covered with gravel and small stones.
    A hiker walking on colorful, layered rock formations under a clear blue sky.
    A close-up view of layered orange and reddish rock formations in Bryce Canyon, highlighting a distinctive rock spire surrounded by eroded cliffs.
    A towering rock formation with a flat, square top, standing prominently against a backdrop of layered cliffs and trees in a canyon landscape.
    A humpback whale breaches the surface of the water, creating a splash as it leaps into the air against a backdrop of blue sky and distant land.
    A hummingbird perched on a branch surrounded by green leaves and red flowers.
    Reflection of a waterfall and rocky mountain landscape in calm water, surrounded by trees.

    But there were also moments on each trip where I wished Jan was sharing the moment with me. And at least one time, I felt she was there with me. 

    Returning home from these adventures is still difficult for me – walking into an empty house, with nobody to share my experience with is so incredibly hard to handle. But that’s where my writing and photography helps to fill in some of the emptiness. Busy work is not much of a replacement for companionship, but it keeps my mind occupied. And after a day or two home, I’m already looking towards the next trip, and looking at my bucket list for other trips to schedule. I’ve got permanent happy feet. I’ve scheduled two trips since returning from Antarctica, and already have a packing list for my next trip (Baja). I’m not sure I’ll make it another two months without traveling – I’m guessing I’ll find someplace to go for a while in January. 

    So this is my new life – Bromberg 2.0. Anyone need a coffee mug or t-shirt?

    Three people enjoying coffee together at a table, wearing matching olive green t-shirts with emblems. They are laughing and having a friendly conversation in a cozy cafe setting.

    Disclaimer: No, that is not a real picture, the same goes for the other image of t-shirts and coffee mugs. It’s all AI (thanks Google Gemini). My wife would have looked at this, and then walked away shaking her head. So please, do not ask for a coffee mug or t-shirt. But I will be submitting this for the highly sought after Nobel Peculiar Literature award.

    A gold medal depicting a clown's face with a red nose, surrounded by an artistic collar and engraved text referencing Alfred Nobel.

  • The World is Really Big….Who Knew?

    December 5th, 2025

    A stressed man sitting at a desk in an office with flight plans and maps, holding a telephone and surrounded by a swirling diagram of airplanes above his head.

    After my marathon flights back from Antarctica, I intend to do more research on available flights for all of my future trips. I thought it was a bit strange to fly down to Santiago Chile via Los Angeles, a nice short hop from Sacramento, and then return via Atlanta – a seemingly endless 5 hours flight across the country. Yeah, I know I live in a non-hub city, but it just did not seem logical to book a cross country flight when return flights can wind up in Houston, Dallas and LA, leaving a much shorter hop by home. Leg cramps on an airplane are just not a lot of fun. I’d like to avoid that again. Or remember to take one of my pickle juice shots along (they really do work).

    A bottle of organic pickle juice shot with a yellow cap, placed on a light-colored countertop.

    As of a few days ago, I had three trips in 2026, and three in 2027 which require travel plans. (Baja and Iceland are fully booked). And most of them are long distance:

    Kodiak Island – multiple stops to get there (Seattle->Anchorage->Kodiak). Plus, I want to get there early and stay in Anchorage for a few days.

    Patagonia – Back to the tip of South America, returning through Ushuaia again.

    Baja (Loreto) – I wound up staying overnight in Phoenix the last time. I’ll probably do the same, and get there the day before. I can also go through Los Angeles. Meh. Not my favorite place, but it’s a very short flight back to Sacramento from there. Less time on a plane is always better.

    Churchill, Manitoba – not that far but hard to get there. Ever been to Winnipeg? Not me. That’s where we start before taking a charter flight to Churchill. Never been on my bucket list. 

    Iceland (2027) – I have airline credits with Icelandic Air, and made the flight reservations on my own for the 2026 trip. I can probably do that one on my own again since I’d be getting a free flight. You still have to go from Sacramento to either Seattle or Portland to get to Rejkavik, but there are no other choices. 

    Madagascar – I have no clue, but that’s going to be a really long haul, worse than South America. And if I extend over to Africa, it will really get complicated. I need either the Transporter or a Time Machine. Or a lot of martini’s on the flight.

    And now that I’ve been home from Antarctica for a few days, boredom has set in, and I’ve started booking more trips. I have a severe case of happy feet:

    Panama Canal/Costa Rica (March 2026) – this one starts in Panama City and ends in San Jose, Costa Rica. Good luck with that. But it’s just three months away, so I need to get my act together on that.

    Falklands/South Georgia Island (2027) – back to good ole Ushuaia, Argentina, which is rapidly becoming my home away from home. Maybe I should buy a condo there. Or a cell in the heated section of the prison.

    An interior view of a small room featuring a bed with a dark blanket, a wooden table with stacks of books, and a lifelike figure of a man reading. The walls are adorned with flower patterns, and a window displays a scenic landscape painting.
    Interior of a prison cell featuring a bed with a dark blanket and a life-sized statue of an elderly man seated on a wooden stool.

    The Panama/Costa Rica trip is first up, so I started looking at flights before calling the Lindblad travel agency. First thing – take a look at the globe to find the shortest path to some of these places. Yikes – it is amazing how far away most of these places are from Sacramento. If it were a hub, it would be simpler, but almost every flight requires at least one inconvenient stop. And depending on the airline you select, you have to count on a transfer in either Atlanta, Dallas, or Houston 

    A 3D map showing the globe with highlighted flight paths from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta to various locations in Central and South America including Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, and Chile.

    When you look at a global map, the distance between all these airports makes you realize why it takes so long to get to all the fun destinations I’ve been visiting. And also why it pays to be selective on how you get there. The yellow line for example, illustrates flights from Sacramento -> Atlanta, and then on to Santiago Chile. A simple switch to Los Angeles eliminates a 5 hour flight between SMF and Atlanta. The red line is for my most recent booking – Sacramento -> Houston -> Panama City. The alternative of Atlanta adds miles on both the domestic and international flights. 

    Well, that was fun. I enjoy playing with Google Earth. The visitor center on the Google main campus used to have a room, where you had a giant screen of Google Earth and Google Moon, and you could search on anything. It was a popular display for employees and visitors. It is still one of my favorite applications from my former employer. 

    It is always better to be prepared before calling travel agents. Sometimes I think they look for the most complicated flights, with minimal time in between segments. I had two hours in Atlanta between my Santiago flight, and the one to Sacramento. I lucked out – it was early in the morning, so customs was not packed. Or maybe they figured out how to be more efficient. Nah. 

    I have a bit of time now before I have to book flights for upcoming flights. Kodiak Island is next, followed by Patagonia. This give me lots of time to figure out the best routes. And to buy more of those little pickle juice shots No more high altitude cramps please.