Monday, October 22, 2012

Nearing the Finish Line




I had wanted to post a whole bunch of landscape pictures but, for some reason, this hotel's internet lacks sufficient bandwidth or something. I am unable to upload at all or have to wait three hours for one photo to pop up. I also wanted to write good descriptions of the scenes but, at this moment, I find it difficult to express myself in a way that will do the pictures justice.

I guess I am internally struggling with the fact that in three hours I will be heading to the airport for my flights home. The time in the air will be shorter since heading East means riding the jet stream. Nonetheless, I will be flying for about 18 hours. Then I will stay in Portland overnight before heading back to Bend.

What then? It will be natural to feel some let down. I have had a fantastic trip that has been so so full of excitement. I have seen breathtaking countryside, huge rivers, incredible historical sites, and chatted with fascinating people. The journey has exceeded my imagination. I have taken well over a thousand pictures, sketched everyday, and recorded lots of thoughts. A vacation ends. The mundane and routine begins. I guess I'll have to make new goals and plan another excursion for next year. There is still much to see and so little time.

Special thanks to those of you who have given me so much encouragement and have cared about my well-being, especially Tapirgal, Raksha, Sylviafromoverthehill, and Lowell. My daughter Laurel, my son Adam, my sister Jane, and my nephews also have exhibited great patience again by putting up with my risk-taking and general tomfoolery. I love all of you, including those who I have not mentioned. I am so fortunate to have such fine people near me on my daily adventure.

7 comments:

  1. Such a fantastic trip! I look forward to seeing more photos and hearing more about your adventure! Thanks for sharing it all with us! Do have a safe trip home and continue to enjoy life each and every day wherever you are!

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  2. Ah, the countryside. Lovely. I'll look forward to more. Hope you get some rest on the way back, and I'm so glad the trip exceeded hopes and expectations. All of your posts have been good ones.

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  3. It won't be long until you're "On the Road Again," singing along with ol' Willie.

    You are an adventurous spirit, my friend. I admire you for that and for your ability to sort of meld into other countries and cultures sincerely seeking to find, not the worst in those countries and cultures, but the most worthwhile, the things you have in common, a way to connect human to human and I think that sincerity comes through as you deal with the locals.

    Doing what you do takes a special kind of courage; an inner strength; a coping mechanism that some of us lack. It sure as hell ain't the same as playing golf!

    So kudos to you and welcome home and I can't see any reason at all why you can't post other pictures from your trip and comment on them with your usual erudite skill.

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  4. I think having my laptop stolen may have cured me of my lifelong procrastination habit, although as usual I'm not promising anything. I was going to comment on this post right after I first read it, but then I decided to wait until after I got back from mailing my voter registration--as usual I waited until the last minute with that too!

    I was only gone for about 40 minutes between 6:00 and 6:30 or 6:40 on Monday, October 22nd. The first thing I noticed when I got home was that my laptop was gone, and later I realized that $100 in cash had also been taken from the jewelry chest in my bedroom.

    Obviously this isn't the comment I would have written if that disaster hadn't happened. Please take Lowell up on his suggestion and post more pictures and stories from your trip. After all, where is it written that you're only allowed to post while you're traveling and not after you get home? Besides, it will give me a chance to get back in the spirit of this wonderful adventure...after I get a new laptop, of course!

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