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It's Friday everybody! I hope you've had a great week! Pat had to head back to Utah to start getting all of our stuff loaded up to finally complete our move to Oregon. It's a sad day for me but also very exciting. We're both so happy to be making this move! If you've been feeling a bit restless too and want to get out of town, here are a couple of deals I found today. 1. Peru! You can fly from Miami to Cuzco, Peru for $339 on September 3rd and return on the 11th. What a great price! Peru is a great spot for an adventure filled trip. Explore Machu Picchu, or head off the coast to the Galapagos...both are on my bucket list. If you're planning on hiking Machu Picchu, know that you'll have to hire a guide. They are requiring you to do so, to help preserve the trail (and probably some job creation as well). So some planning ahead would be good to make sure you get a spot. 2. Washington D.C! You can fly from Chicago to D.C. (Dulles) for $114 leaving on October 1st and returning on the 9th for a quick fall getaway. D.C. is a place all U.S. citizens should visit sometime in their life. There's an immense amount of history, art, science, and government to experience. Most of the museums and venues that you'd want to visit are free as well, which makes it a great budget trip to take. If you'd like to tour the White House, you'll have to book that ahead of time. Contacting your local Congressperson is the best way to go about that.
Both of these deals were found using skyscanner.com A lot of you are either heading back to school, or have kids that are, so planning a trip might be the last thing on your mind. But, it's not too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring break. Get those countdown calendars going! I always like to have a break to look forward to. Have a great weekend, and happy travels! Skeeter
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I don't know about you, but being an adult is not always what it's cracked up to be. Oh sure, I can have cookies for dinner if I want (and I have) but I also should be planning more for retirement, my weekends are no longer just for slumber parties and hanging out at the pool. Over time, the weight of all of life's responsibilities can start to be a burden. Earlier this year, I was having a difficult day with all of it. And, I will preface this by saying that my burdens are small compared to others, and are in fact nothing greater than what we all deal with. But, I also know that no matter who we are, we all have days when things seem all wrong. This particular day for me was a Saturday. I was cleaning the house, and something in me just snapped. I thought, no matter how well I clean the house, it will be dirty again tomorrow, and that I'll spend the rest of my life just cleaning this house...over and over again until I die. That was the tipping point, and then I spiraled a bit out of control and started thinking that all my hard work in all aspects of my life were pointless. And as I spiraled, I decided I HAD to do something about it. I simply could not go on like this anymore (dramatic, I know). So, I searched for the first cheapest flight to Europe I could find. Jackpot, Dublin in 12 hours, $700. I figured it all out. I would just pack a bag, leave Pat a note to meet me in Italy in May as we had planned. I'd email my boss and say I wasn't coming back and then I'd just start living life. Awesome plan, right? Honestly, I blame Pinterest with all the inspirational quotes for pushing me over the edge. I mean, this one by C.S. Lewis is 100% correct. But, it's these kinds of thoughts that send me into a frenzy to destroy all the things I've worked so hard for just for a brief moment to feel more alive (and get out of mopping the kitchen).
But lucky for me, and most of us I assume, there's a rational part of my brain that kicks and says " Wow, leaving your job and backpacking Europe on a whim sounds like fun, but how do you think you're loving husband is going to feel about that? Also, how are you guys going to pay the mortgage?" Then I sit down, sob a bit, and realize that life cannot always be like it is in the movies, or on Pinterest. It means that we have responsibilities and relationships that need our presence. That doesn't mean I can't go backpack Europe someday ( I will), or that I'm off the hook for mopping the kitchen (I wish). But these self governing parts of our brains are good. It's not only what keeps us from doing crazy things like flying to Dublin and abandoning your family, but it's also the part that just says no to meth and makes you think twice about that face tattoo...ok, so we all don't have that part of our brain, but I'm glad that I do, as romantic as jetting off and "just living life" sounds. I'm still going to eat cookies for dinner, and no one can stop me! Lots of love, and happy travels! Skeeter So, on Sunday it was my birthday, which means it was also the 5th anniversary of this blog! Back when I turned 25, I had my first post on Live Journal, where I blogged for a bit before I started my own site. The very first post was about what I was hoping and wishing for for the next year. Here is what I wished for:
1) I want to move to New Zealand with Pat within the next year! 2) I want to learn a new language 3) I want to continue on our fitness track 4) I want to find a career that I am passionate about 5) I want to find a personal hobby that I enjoy Some of those I managed to accomplish that first year, and others I did not. Pat and I did make it to New Zealand, and we did get in great shape, which were both accomplishments that we were happy about. I can say though, that since then I have studied (although not mastered) Italian. I can get directions, do simple transactions and order food. It's a work in progress, but it is progress. I'm in a much more stable and fulfilling career. And, while I was blogging at the time I made that list, I didn't realize at the time that it was a hobby that I was enjoying. I've really enjoy learning about the world, getting out there and seeing it and helping, if only a little, others to do the same. I'm so glad that I wrote down my wishes, and I encourage you to do the same. You may surprise yourself in how much you accomplish, even if it's not in the way you thought you would, or in the amount of time you hoped. You may also find that what you're dreaming for today is not what you dream for years down the road. So, in the interest of tradition, here are my wishes for the next year: 1) I want to continue exploring new places with Pat 2) I want to find a new home in Oregon and make it our own 3) I want to bravely try new things 4) I want to be more physically active 5) I want to learn more about the world around me I have to say that I had a wonderful birthday. Pat, despite us being in a temporary apartment with only a handful of dishes, managed to make me a wonderful dinner complete with drinks in pineapples. We spent the day at the beach, drinking wine, and it was perfect. What are you hoping for over the next year, the next five years? Don't be discouraged if it's taking longer than you want. Progress is not a straight line. Here's to another great year, and thank you to everyone who stops by and helps me do what I love!! ~Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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