Somewhere between Loas and Cambodia the realization that this epic trip, which began as a vague idea and evolved in my mind over a decade, had an actual end, that was ever approaching, crept into my mind. With each passing day and week, which seem to be flying by at this point, we grow closer to The End.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not dreading returning to our home on Kauai, full of friends, natural beauty, and a lovely laid back lifestyle; who could? It is the ceasing of this current lifestyle that is causing me to be uneasy.
I have become accustomed to being surrounded by the exotic and it is intoxicating and keeps me motivated. This journey is full of the unexpected. Adventure surrounds us. Even on the most mundane of days there is always something new, literally surprising us, opening our eyes, and causing figurative lightbulbs in our brains to ignite.
New people, foods, and scenery, are the norm and that which is completely unheard of or even unacceptable at home are common occurrences.
It feels wild. Free.
Topping it all off is the fact that the journey in itself is a natural school for all of us. Watching the kids learn is amazing and invigorating to realize that we too, as adults, have so much still to learn.
But the true treasure of this trip, although quite uncomfortable at times, is the learning about each other on an intense level. It is not always pretty as our individual weaknesses and strengths are completely unmasked but even this process has become a way of life for us.
So it is with these thoughts swirling in mind that I first unconsciously, then with intent, have not updated this blog.
Although I am sure many people are able to pump out a great blog post in a short time, find good WiFi, type, insert photos, push “publish”; that doesn't work for me.
I think, write, think, think some more, reread, think, write, edit photos, .think...edit..hours pass, days... and it is something that takes me out of the present moment for far too long.
Since I realize that writing blog posts is a vital way for me to process what is going on around me I have choosen not to abandon this blog entirely but simply postpone it until I am home. Not only does this allow me to appreciate these last weeks more fully but there is always the off chance that reliving the stories and memorable moments at home may help with the inevitable reverse culture shock, which I am known to experience when returning home after lengthy travels.
So please stay tuned for our stories from our last four months, when we lived amongst Asian elephants and their mahouts in Laos,
slowed down in rural Cambodian village,
battled the heat while exploring ancient Angkor Wat
enjoyed the modern city amusements of Singapore,
slept under the stars, and passing showers, on remote islands in Indonesia with close friends,
travelled with like minded nomadic families
and discovered underwater paradise in the Philippines.
And I will be sure to update all the actual budgets, which will hopefully be a guide to help families currently planning for their world adventure. For once the financials are set it is an open road; And what a trip it can be...
