Bill & John's Excellent Adventures

Hi There, and welcome to our travel blog!

We’re Bill and John, and we’ve been exploring life and the world together for over 35 years. Travel has always been a part of our story. From road trips across the U.S. to weekend getaways, discovering new places has been one of our greatest joys. But on a trip to New York City a few years back, we found ourselves wondering… what if we went even further? What if we left our comfort zone and crossed an ocean?

The moment we got home, we applied for passports. As soon as they arrived, we rolled up our sleeves and started planning our first big overseas adventure.

We were nervous, of course. Traveling halfway across the world felt exciting but also a little intimidating. We wanted to start somewhere that felt somewhat familiar, especially language-wise. So, we followed our roots: Bill’s great-grandparents were from England, and we thought, "Why not start there?" London felt like a natural first stop big, bustling, and English-speaking. A perfect steppingstone.

Then we looked toward my family’s roots southern Germany. So, our second stop would be Munich, nestled in the heart of Bavaria. A little more outside our comfort zone, sure but that made it all the more exciting.

Since we had some vacation days saved up, we decided to go at Christmas. And honestly? It was magical. That first trip in 2013 changed us. You can read all about it under the “Destinations” tab at the top.

I still remember sitting on the plane ride home, both of us a little quiet, already missing the wonder of it all. That trip gave us something we hadn’t felt in a long time a sense of awe, connection, and adventure. We made a promise right then: every year, we’d celebrate Christmas somewhere new in the world, just the two of us, making memories, soaking in new cultures, and embracing the beautiful differences that make each place unique.

There’s one tradition we’ve held onto above all: every winter holiday trip begins in Germany. No one does Christmas quite like the Germans. Every time I walk through a market or see twinkling lights wrapped around centuries-old buildings, I’m reminded of my childhood and the traditions my parents passed down. Bill feels it too—it’s become our way of kicking off the season, and it fills us with so much joy.

This blog is our way of sharing those moments with you—our family, our friends, and anyone who loves travel as much as we do. We wanted a space that feels more personal than social media—no algorithms, no noise—just stories, photos, and memories.

Here’s how the blog is set up:

• Home – You’re already here! This is our landing spot.

• Planning – Everything we’ve learned about traveling smarter, from budget tips to flight hacks.

• Destinations – A year-by-year breakdown of our trips outside the U.S., with photos, stories, and plenty of inspiration. You can explore by season and discover where we’ve been and maybe get ideas for your own adventures.

• About Us - This is our story and how we came about traveling around the world and where we want to go next. 

Thanks for joining us. We hope our journey inspires yours.

With love,
Bill & John