Mid-Point Reflections from Gabriel
I simply cannot believe that we have already been traveling for two months! Greece seems like it was a whisper in the wind a long time ago, and I am already starting to lose my penchant for muttering “mama mia” each time it is deserved.
Our week-long layover in the US was much needed but very fast-paced and I believe it will help contribute to a successful second half. We celebrated one of my good friends getting married in New Orleans, reloaded our gear with adequate cold-weather clothes, and spent some time with family and friends. Though it took a few hours to get used to being at home again, we still found ourselves getting restless every few days!
As we kick-off the second half in Copenhagen, Denmark, we are starting to realize how different each half will actually be. With Greece, Italy, the U.K. and Ireland, all in the rear view, I think we have passed the most familiar parts of our trip. The second half will be much more adventure-forward with Spain, Morocco, Iceland, and Scandinavia on the horizon. It is both interesting and exciting not knowing what to expect, except for the fact that there will be lots of snow ahead. If you know us well, you’ve probably learned how much we love the winter!
Now a few of my takeaways so far include the following:
Greece was a tough place to start
I really underestimated the mental barriers to getting engaged with an unfamiliar four months. Now don’t get me wrong, Greece was FANTASTIC, but mix in some jet lag and the realization that we are now farther than we’ve ever been from home, and I think Greece deserves some more time in the future. You never really know how you’re going to react to culture shock! But now that we’ve been moving consistently, it’s clear we’ve found our rhythm and our sense of teamwork.
Doing laundry on the road sucks
Obviously, it’s a necessary evil of travel, but I have learned to hate the opportunity cost of doing laundry once a week. While it’s easy to just throw the laundry in the wash at home and set and forget, it’s been a bit more of an investment when traveling. First we need to find a place (if a laundromat even exists in our area) and then carve out some prime daytime hours (when we’re trying to do fun stuff!). For you numbers people, this will add up to about a full 36 hours doing laundry during our time here (~2hrs a week for 16 weeks). But I guess the payoff is worth it in the end – for us and everyone we come in contact with. 🙂
The importance of deliberately taking it easy every few days
With so many attractions and potential things to do on our travels, I know I just want to do everything! However when we try to fit in too much activity, we inevitably wind up pretty cranky. A big success has been starting to carving out small chunks of time to do nothing – whether that be blogging, sleeping in, or just watching something on Netflix, it has helped keep things fresh and balances out the adventure!
From a personal growth perspective this continues to be an incredibly fulfilling season of my life. As we visit more of this beautiful world each day, the world just continues to feel larger than ever. We continue to be blessed and humbled with this incredible experience, and I can’t wait to share more from our second half!
-GP