After Sailing the World for Work and Pleasure, John and Nicole Saban are Loving the Ground they Walk on at Del Webb Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – For vagabonds John and Nicole Saban, sailing from country to country aboard their 37-foot yacht Gannet has been a normal way of life for many of their 47 years of marriage. After living in cities like Geneva, Switzerland; Borneo and Jakarta, Indonesia; Singapore; Melbourne, Australia; and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for work, the two spent the past three years living in Opua, New Zealand, after John retired as an engine and mining project manager for Caterpillar Inc. Now, the adventurous Captain and First Mate sweethearts – who met and discovered their shared thirst for travel while studying at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois – are undertaking yet another big adventure…adjusting to life at Del Webb Orlando, while living in the United States for the first time since 1988. “Although it is an adjustment to relocate permanently in the U.S., we’ve found friends and activities that we enjoy and our new home is very comfortable,” said John, who grew up in Crystal Lake, IL. “Each month there is something entertaining to enjoy here, be it music, dancing, eating, or a combination.” After retiring, the Sabans had their choice of anywhere in the world to live but, because family came first, they decided to settle in Orlando [some 8,900 miles from New Zealand] to be near their two children and two grandchildren. Nicole, a Pittsburgh native, said they liked all of the Florida Del Webb communities, but chose Orlando because of its size, selection of homes and proximity to transportation and attractions. “We liked the idea of moving into a growing community where everyone is looking for new friends and activities, and Del Webb Orlando also appealed to us because it has a diverse community,” she said. Diverse indeed. The Sabans’ neighbors hail from Europe, Asia, India and Canada, as well as from throughout the U.S. Nicole recalled a comment their Swedish neighbor made about Del Webb Orlando’s multiplicity: “I have a lobster fisherman on one side, a wine merchant on the other and the weather is wonderful. Who would not love it here?" She and John, both 68, couldn’t agree more. With adventure in their blood, the couple already has been on the Central Florida roads exploring new places in their motor home, trading exotic locales like Gibraltar, Grenada and the Galapagos Islands for Gainesville, Green Cove Springs and St. Augustine. The move also has allowed the two to revisit some bygone hobbies and passions. John has been busy designing and building wooden kitchen stools and shelving systems, while Nicole recently unearthed her sewing machine and piano. With the myriad activities available at Del Webb Orlando, the Sabans wondered if they might have a difficult time choosing before getting involved in a recipe club and, you guessed it…the Wandering Webbs Travel Club. Nicole said they also plan to play golf and pickleball, and the former Sweet Adeline joined the DWO Chorus and loves singing again in a group. “The Broadway songs sung alone on night watch are a thing of the past,” she said, recalling time spent on the open seas. With so many travels to faraway places under their belts, one might think the Sabans’ lifestyle is unconventional. Not so, according to John. “We are not unique. A great many people enjoy a vagabond lifestyle either through work or hobbies. But, this just feels like the right situation for us at this stage of our lives.”