Almost Home                June 2016

Our sun kissed tans are fading back to white. We started wearing pants and socks as we are now in the Pacific North West. We have had moments of wanting to turn around and head back to warmer weather but we all know that this move will be good so we continue to push north. We had a great visit with family in the Bay area. We spent 6 weeks with them 2 years ago on the way south and now we were able to reconnect. We also stopped by and spent some time with friends who returned a few months ago to “normal.” It was a great debriefing visit for the adults and since our kids are the same age, it gave them a chance to connect with a peer who they can relate to on a different level (adventuretrio.com).

We have less silent time and we all talk more about what we left behind and what our future might look like. We have enjoyed 8 more National Parks (my hat is heavy with all the pins)! 

We have 2 weeks left of our road trip to home. Namaste is safely tucked in Port Angeles. She made the trip via cargo ship in 7 days and without difficulty. We appreciate beyond words the help and support from our cruising community who helped her load onto the ship in La Paz in our absence and again disembark in Victoria, clear customs, and sail her the 20 miles across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to PA, Wa.

We look forward to reconnecting with our former community-to our friends that supported us prior to our trip and to catch up. 

It actually was snowing at Crater Lake!

Flying kites in Long Beach, WA.

Transitions         May 2016

After tearful goodbyes to our friends in La Paz, we flew to San Carlos. It is an hour flight over the Sea of Cortez and I would almost just recommend taking that flight as it is a beautiful fly over of the Sea and the islands. What took us a month via boat was done in an hour! Matt, the motorhome, and our car were just where we had left them and both were in good order since we left them 7 months ago.  We spent just a few days regrouping before we headed to the states. Tucson was our first destination. We flew through the border and started our adjustment to the USA and our new path. 

It comes in waves. The reality that our trip is “over” sinks in and then it doesn’t. The first week was the hardest so far. We would be traveling for hours with no one saying a word. We were all deep in our own thoughts, starting the mental process of transitioning back to a more “normal” existence.

We were all moody, snappy, and short with each other while trying to enjoy our road trip adventure. Our first stop, Glen Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend, and Antelope Canyon were spectacular. Page, AZ is filled with natural beauty and man made engineering feats that created Lake Powell. While we were in awe of our surroundings and experiences we had, we all still were troubled and each of us having moments of snappiness. 

Since communication is key, we would talk about our feelings and we all were in different places. Journey was looking forward to meeting new friends, checking out new schools, and looking at new houses. She talks about taking a gap year to travel either after High School or College and wants to travel while in school. Of course we had to remind her that she will have to work to earn money for all this wonderful travel. John, well, change is always more difficult for him initially. He was not dealing with the immediate future of jobs and house hunting, but spends his time looking at RV’s for retirement to take down to Central America. He wasn’t ready to talk about jobs or houses so I would just drop little snippets to help him adjust. Lastly, is me.  I trudge forward. I have had 2 interviews via phone calls from Mexico, I have been looking at houses for the past year on the internet, have been in touch with a realtor, and embracing what comes next. I will miss our cruising life, it is just time to move on, for Journey. I know we will travel again in some capacity so I find comfort in knowing that our trip is not the last hoorah.

Norma & Christian and the crew of sv Namaste in La Paz. We will miss these two so much!

                                         

Our gift to the cruiser's shrine.