Introduction
This blog post feels like a reunion. So hello, it’s nice to be back. I haven’t checked in for nearly three months and there a lot to catch you up on. So let’s dive in.
Checking Off A Major Bucket List Item
Oslo was a huge helper during the move.
Starting on a positive note, Dave and I are officially homeowners! We found this property less than a month into our search and immediately fell in love. So we jumped on it.
We’ve been living here since April and already feel fully settled in. I had no idea it all would move this quickly, but am so proud to have finally achieved this goal.
For the past few years I’ve felt a growing pull to lay down some roots. I was craving a soft place to land at the end of every trip. I wanted to have agency over the colors of my bedroom walls and to feel fully secure in my living situation. I’m writing to you now from my home office, looking out rain-splattered windows with a warm cat curled up against my arm. Our home feels like this moment. And moments like these energize me to go back out and explore the great big world.
A Pair of Travel Misses
What hasn’t been energizing lately is the travel itself. I’ve got an exciting summer of trips ahead of me, but up until now I’ve experienced one fail after another. So settle in and enjoy some good ole fashioned schadenfreude as I share all that has gone wrong.
1. Stopped by Snow
I explained the whole situation in my last post. In short, around Valentine’s Day, I surprised Dave with a mini adventure to West Virginia. This was gonna be a relaxed roadtrip with some well-needed nature time and his favorite food. In reality, there was too much snow for any of it. Check out my last post for all the not-juicy details.
2. Wronged by Rain
In March, I set off on a redemption trip to Amsterdam with my friend Emma. We had booked everything months prior and I was ready to celebrate home ownership with a week in Europe! I even flew out to Boston to meet her and fly together from there. But, once again, weather killed this travel opportunity.
Our flights leaving from Boston were delayed due to crazy storms. The earliest replacement flights we could secure would’ve flown out two days later. Plus, with the time change, we would have landed in Amsterdam on the third day, leaving us just 2 full days there before flying back to the States. This was not the vibe we were going for when we envisioned our week in The Netherlands.
So, as painful as it was, we opted to get refunded for our flights and will reschedule the whole trip some other time. I spent the weekend in Boston with Emma and, for the remainder of the time I would’ve been in Amsterdam, I was painting the bedrooms in our new house.
I still got three amazing days of quality time with one of my oldest friends, but the flight mishap was a huge disappointment. Sometimes plans just don’t work out, and you can choose to let that ruin your mood or, like in the case of Emma and me, choose to make the most of whatever situation you are in.
I did everything within my control to make traveling this winter work, but I am not Madame Morrible: I can’t quell storms with the flick of my wrist.
My Ego Check
Life lately hasn’t been adventurous, but it’s been so fulfilling.
A small part of me put off this update post because I was embarrassed by all the travel plans that fell through. I now realize how silly that initial embarrassment was.
Sure, these past three months haven’t been the exhilarating, travel-fueled months I envisioned at the start of the year, but that’s the reality of traveling as a normal person. I have to work, and I don’t have unlimited PTO. I don’t have travel agents on speed dial or the unlimited funds to book and rebook flights every time I need to. It’s just me and any of my kick-ass friends who can join me.
Life lately hasn’t been adventurous, but it’s been so fulfilling. I found my freaking dream home and wanted to nest! So I’ve slowed down. Since I’ve been back from Boston, I’ve been enjoying the Spring weather. I spend the sunny days hiking, fly-fishing, or gardening. I spend the rainy days curling up with a book or working around the house.
I still have the same adventurous nature I was born with, but life took on an unexpectedly slower pace. And that’s okay! (Saying this for you as much as I’m saying it for me.) I still want to dive deep into the unknown, but I have to balance that with the realities of my life. In fact, I appreciate all those adventurous aspects of life even more now because I know that I have this cozy home to return to.
So, What’s Next?
Well, I’m 99% confident that no winter storms will ravage my May travel plans. So I’m committing to saying this: I’m going caving with friends in a few weeks and then flying out to South Dakota at the end of the month.
I hope my year of travel fails ended with Amsterdam. But I also hope that you can find the same valuable lessons in these “travel fails” that I have. Sometimes it’s best to fight tooth and nail to get the outcome you want. Other times, it’s best to unclench your jaw and just roll with whatever life gives you.
I just want to be honest with you, and share the travel mishaps alongside the exciting adventures. Stay tuned for my next post!