We are gobsmacked with sheer disbelief!!! In the last 2 ½ years we’ve had some jaw dropping events, but the latest took that to a stratosphere unto its own, even “epic”! People say we have some amazing karma… well, just wait for this one!!
Pulled over to contemplate the magnitude of the road that lay ahead, (I was ready to walk rather than drive down the sheer elevation drop. I remember too well those brakes boiling and failing in Guatemala!). At the same pull-over were a couple of gals who politely inform us they are “Nude Models“…. and would we mind if they posed for their photographer next to Pumper”! “Is this a Joke”??? Being a couple of polite Brit’s we oblige “well of course, not a problem”!! Steve was on board in the blink of an eye! Not every day do 2 professional nude models want to strip naked on the side of the road… literally… and this is UTAH!!
A couple of biker lads who had stopped to admire the vista were in on the act and … drooling. The bikers on their fancy BMW’s were ready to ditch the bikes over the cliff and run to buy the nearest VW bus they saw. “I gotta get me one of these buses man”, one declared. They were as close to nirvana as they thought they could ever get!!
The “Ladies’ were very obliging while we scanned the road waiting for the first driver to drive off the cliff into the canyon in shock and disbelief.
I guess you would call this Pumper’s luckiest day. 
(Images courtesy of Lorayne York and Sky Donohue)
Foster, a young designer with an adventurous soul, has been driving since August looking for either skiing or surfing mecca’s and making the most of his time as ‘A Restless Transplant’ www.arestlesstransplant.com … It was great to connect as our buses Chilled out together in the Valley of The Gods. Not another vehicle to be seen just our 2 VW Buses. Also the amazing grace and kindness of Chef Ryan Hill and Jess for the brilliant N.G. map… and the wicked offer of dinner, Cheers!!
Now in Colorado, time to experience the amazing cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, according to National Geographic one of the top 50 wonders of the WORLD. But when you experience Mesa Verde’s ancient Cliff dwellings through the eyes of Gary and Dan from Chicago your world will never be the same… We are still cracked up and can’t wait to Zip Line with these two seriously Acrophobic people (Acrophobia – extreme fear of heights)… made for the most fun packed day ever! Chicago here we come!
Big re-acclimatization as we drive through the Colorado Rockies. Brings home the reality of living in a VW bus and the necessity to cuddle really close at night to stay warm… warm? It has turned freezing today: We drove through a snow storm at some heavenly elevation of 10 or 11,000 feet, and that was the weirdest thing and not at all comfortable!! It’s May after all. But Colorado does boast 54 peaks all above 14,000 ft. and the highest Starbucks in the entire World: 10,850ft @ Monarch Mountain!! ….. and 465 inches of snowfall a year at Wolf Creek…. UGLY!! Too bad we were not in Vail in the ‘40’s when you could buy a ski lodge for just $10 !!!
Peace and Love… and extra blankets please!
The Dream Goes On by .
6 shots and counting break the nighttime stillness… tucked up in Pumper in our secluded Bureau of Land Management site in the Utah desert, we both held our breath as a pickup truck roared up high beams shining on us… never in our wildest dreams could we have predicted the gunfire! Some Utah yahoo getting his kicks but it did not seem like fun to us… in these parts guns are very real confirmed by many roadside signs that have been blasted by gunfire! They say Mexico is not safe… LOL, but we were thankful for the warning shots and after some deliberation (like who really wants to crawl out of a toasty bed) we headed into town to try to find a spot to camp. Later still we know our ‘friend’ came to town and stalked us just to let us know… Nice show of strength! I am sure he would have been shocked to have known it was just a couple of old-fart hippies in the bus and not some punk 20 something’s smoking up, as is often assumed!
Really who would want to kill us or worse spray Pumper with Bullets! Nasty thought!!
Chalk that up to: … well you can’t always be running into the best of humanity although most times it seems that way.
So recovering from the shock of it all and to top off all the excitement that we did not need, Steve managed to back Pumper up into another vehicle, yikes!! Fortunately just a wrinkled bumper and thankfully no damage to the other guy but Pumper now has a rather dramatic war wound to go with the road scars from 2 years of extreme driving. Oh well if that’s the worst of our troubles! Kind of pales to the idea of being used for target practice!
How excited can one be… the guy almost totally launched himself from his car in full motion as he cheered like his team had just won the World Cup, at the sight of Pumper rounding the bend. Normal response for the Pumper Loving set!! All makes for a great start to our day as we pause and smile and think how blessed we are and how can we not be “Living The Dream” and soaking up every ounce of shared LOVE there is.. Plenty to go around!! As one guy asked us today “Did you win the lottery?”… Nope just a couple of “Vagabonds” living the simple life… No air conditioning or heating or much else in the way of luxuries. No fancy electronic gadgets – roll-down windows and lots of dust t’ boot!! Yes we actually have car doors that require a key to open them!
So Since leaving Cabo San Lucas almost a month ago our total “accommodation” cost: 1 night at a National Park for $15! Unavoidable, but did offer to share the spot with a world touring cyclist!! Only 1 paid shower for the devilish indulgence of $2 but no chance to share the “His” and “Hers” facilities, so it actually cost us $4!!
All snuggled up on our “Free’ desert camp spot with acres of desert to ourselves… a full moon, a mountain backdrop, a majestic sky and Universal Blessings!! Today a lizard actually sat on the Cairn on the trail and pointed the way through the canyon. No we are not losing the plot, we just delight in such treasures!! … Wahe Guru!!
It is simply amazing how one can survive quite adequately really on a peanut butter and banana sandwich even a cucumber and Tomato delight and oh do they taste great after 12 miles on a tough dusty trail with plenty of rock scrambling… a cup of coffee on the camp stove and we are set!! No big lotto win here… But then again maybe we did hit the jackpot!!
(P.S. We have had more than one shower just to make sure nobody goes into panic mode but we do have some lined up as far away as Munich, from a couple we met in Beverly Hills. Can’t wait for that cold beer promised with it. Europe here we come!!!)
How did we get to Utah already? On yet another Bureau of Land management sight, a campsite for those from far and wide. Campfire tonight with folks from Germany and the Czech Republic. (both having driven Africa!). It has been a whirlwind through California, Nevada, and Utah meeting so many most wonderful people on our jaunt around the amazing National and State Parks in this neck of the world, a month or 2 is not long enough. We have hiked our buns off atop mountains, in canyons, and everything between the 2. We have shivered near the snowline, and sweat in the daytime desert heat, across the most breath taking landscapes and awe inspiring and intimidating terrains imaginable. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Yosemite, Arches, Canyonland, Mesa Verde… the list goes on!
Hiking in these parts leaves you feeling connected with a might and higher power as you wonder at the awesomeness of creation!! Our poor aching legs force a respite between a few of the more strenuous hikes, an occasional chilling day to ponder the likes of Angel’s Landing in Zion, or the Syncline Trail in Canyonlands to name just 2.
As beautiful and inspiring as the land can be, our journey is all about the people. Pumper is a magnet for people and feeds our thirst to meet and socialize. Just a few mentions:
Chance encounter with a friend we met in Cabo, and an opportunity to catch up with our great friends we met in Papantla, Mexico 2 years ago, Antonio and Jessica with their adorable 4 year old twins, just back from Thailand.
Lynda and Barb, who made it very tempting to return to Laguna Beach to visit. (My Angel will be with me always).
Rob and Diana fellow VeeDubbers, who scooped us off the Vons parking lot for a home cooked meal and a shower… Awesome, comparing notes on their native country that we love: Colombia!! Diana the VW Club is waiting for you!! Drive Colombia guys!
Zion Brion had us over for a BBQ and songfest with some of the talented and eclectic locals.. along with the “Un’ schooled, ”Fire Throwing”, Kenna.. Gosh the vibrancy of life and out of the box thinkers that you encounter!! I’m working on my basic Fire throwing routine… HaHahaaa!!!!
Finally we have to mention Zoe and her father who are cycling from California to New York on a recumbent tandem bike (Zoe being all of 9 years). You inspire all of us, live and reach for your dreams and don’t let anything or anybody stop you!
So how do you know you are in Utah? A) The bikers zip by in their leather gear and they are not “Hells Angels”. B) The families are for sure predominantly much larger and I am sure we have spotted a few multiples not to mention some very Traditional “Clothing”. C) You can purchase no questions asked your own hand gun at the age of 18 (Rifle at 16yrs), but D) Not drink till you are 21.. Try finding booze in this state!!
But between the blessings we also count our blessings as we are chased off a property by some gun totin’ threatening “rebel” with just 2 or 3 teeth in his mouth. Note: observe “No Trespassing” signs… They mean it here, and as we are preached to by the property owner, “… they do shoot in these parts!!!” We just wanted to take a look at the VW graveyard!
Then there was the detail of the Traffic Ticket that Steve scored for pulling an illegal U-Turn, not a misdemeanor, an infraction we understand. No thanks to the un-forgiving cop totally un-moved by the foreign plates or the vehicle. I guess we are going to have to suck that one up… no bribes allowed!!
‘Venice beach’ 30 years on is more eclectic and out there than one recalls. Santa Monica was a highlight to stop by and indulge in some Naam Yoga and Meditation and just the sheer Spiritual HIGH!!
Then there is Pahrump, Nevada, where prostitution is legal and you can auction your virginity. Apparently $250,000 is the going rate. The whore houses there have an airstrip for their customers to arrive in style
We are getting our heads around the logistics of heading to Europe next month via Ontario to get licences, tags, and credit cards renewed, and of course to visit our loved ones and friends. With plenty more miles on the horizon time to do some preventative maintenance on Pumper, and a new set of tyres and shocks all round. Another couple of weeks between Utah and Colorado and then a quick dash across the ‘Middle States’ before we load Pumper aboard a ship in Baltimore bound for Southampton. We will have been through 45 states in the last 2 ½ years by the time she sets sail.
We have 350 ‘Dreamers’ registered on our site and since capturing statistics in January 2011 we have had almost 21,000 hits on the website. Thank you all for your love and support, and we sincerely hope you will continue to stay in touch and continue our dream with us.
Peace and love… from the land of rocks … and more rocks.
The Dream Goes On by .
Getting sick on our last day in Cabo, the timing was far from perfect surveying the pile of “stuff’ that was piled high ready to be packed. It was only too apparent that after 5 months in one place the wardrobe had expanded along with the shoe collection, scarf collection and yes, jewelry collection!! Under threat of death Steve had been instructed that there was to be no mention of this and the very desperate measures that were going to be required to find a spot to “stuff’ it all in Pumper!!
To top off an already stressful day I managed to run into the worst of humanity… yep the Gringo rip off artist. Enough said, as I have no wish to recall or waste further negative energy on souls whose ‘karma’ sucks BIG TIME.
So armed with my Baja Super food “green concoction” (www.bajasuperfoods.com) to keep me healthy for the road.. donation to the Ray Thomas Foundation (www.raythomasfoundation.com ) to build kitchens in the barrios and feed hungry kids.. it was time to call Cabo a wrap!! With a heavy heart! Cabo San Lucas is a place with fond memories and new friends we could easily call home… OK, please stop laughing everyone!
Last minute shout to all the incredible Angels who have transformed our lives in Cabo. .. Well my life especially! I will hold close and dear to my heart my Yoga Shala family.. my “Naam” teacher Gaby . Wahe Guru Mi Amigas Muy Especial!!
It’s also a wrap on the project in BC that Steve has been absorbed in…. Glancing over I smile at the flip flops, Bob Marley T-Shirt and 3 day growth… it did not take long to morph from “Business Exec” to “Roving Hippie”, Living the Dream … can’t wait to cuddle up tonight at some boon docking place in the middle of nowhere and Dream together! With I-pod bashing out the Oldies we cruise and wonder at what tomorrow holds.
The slog down the Baja was arduous all 1000 miles plus and we were not expecting the drive north to be any better especially given the fact our seats need a little padding.. wriggling around between the springs to find a comfy spot for your ‘arse’.. wears on you 8 plus hours a day!! But we are heading for ‘So Cal’ where the largest VW parts supplier in the US happens to be in LA. We have a long list of spares for Pumper and new seat cushions are high on the list
Day one was a mix of feelings I was ready to quit this whole ‘Hippie’ thing and trade back into relative normalcy, you get used to home comforts too easily. Rolling into Loreto changed that! Camped on the beach no more than 3 metres from the Sea of Cortez with the mountains as a backdrop and the brilliant sunrise waking us… sweet!
It’s a new day: in the parking lot of the local tienda eating our yoghurt and granola we meet local resident for 20 years ‘Ron’ formerly from Vancouver, who wowed us with his own journey just last year having driven from Cape Town South Africa to Cairo in his 1971 VW Bus. Now that got us pumped! So there we go a couple of gypsies already with map in hand contemplating driving Europe through Turkey, Syria, (yes, we know they have a few domestic problems at the moment!)Lebanon, Jordan, Israel to Egypt… and well the world is just open to Dreamers! Plenty of time for that when you are driving the Baja Peninsula with countless hours of desert and cactus. Interesting thing is it hasn’t rained in these parts probably since last summer, the cactus have all turned green with the arrival of spring and the desert is sprinkled with colour from various plants and cacti. Who would have thought they had seasons in this harsh climate.
If the drive alone isn’t long enough… 2 hours in the middle of the desert working our way through a Military check point, our first of 3 today, taking their job very seriously, we think the guy was on the take spending far too much time with our personal stuff in the bus… the next group were far too taken with Pumper, and the fact that our son was a Paratrooper brought out the troops in force comparing notes and badges of honour!!
Back to Cacti and desert and California dreaming and all the fun and possibilities, slogging it for another couple of hours of nothingness we eventually spy a tienda/hut selling basics and are both desperate at this point… pulling over we are greeted by the cheeriest of fellow’s, dressed in for sure not his Sunday best and I would hazard a guess that he had not changed or bathed in maybe months. Asking for 1 peso we are not sure if it is a joke or what??? He proceeds to tell us his life story… to begin with the dozen or so countries he owns properties and his long list of inventions… Roller Skates, Training wheels, the Hoola Hoop. He had worked with both Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin, written songs for the Beatles and Rolling Stones and had all his money in Switzerland… he is just hanging out in the middle of the desert for some guy from his trust company to come and give him some money. Listening to his tale for a few minutes, time to make a hasty escape before he tries to bum a ride… not before using the ‘facilities’ a drum with a small shack perched above it, you don’t feel great hanging you rear end over that for too long. The worst!!! Back to our new friend ‘Dusty’ that’s what happens when we don’t take our medication or spend too many hours alone!!!
Time to turn in for the night after our $66 PESOS ($5) dinner at the best Ma and Pa Taco joint in town, who knows what town and who cares… off to bed at the Pemex. Good night y’all… planning on sleeping like a bug in a rug snuggled up as it’s bloody cold outside. We recall the bubble that is Cabo, not at all reflective of the real Mexico that we love!! 2 more days from Tijuana and the notorious border crossing and we might just be cursing and saying never again!!
Last minute car wash 60 pesos ($4.50). Oil change and grease job under strict supervision of course $8 solo (only!!) we supply the oil and filter of course, and a delightful traditional Mexican breakfast of eggs and beans. Tijuana is a stop off point to buy discounted medications before we cross the border into the US. We will probably camp out for a few days in LA, maybe do some Yoga and meditation at “Naam Yoga”. Ahead, well maybe Death Valley, Yosemite, and Utah, then…
…‘Plan’, we say… is a 4 letter word, all subject to change!!
Peace and Love… looking for warmer weather in Southern California???
The Dream Goes On by .
Waking to the sound of a beating drum… no, that’s blood pumpin’ up a storm through each and every corpuscle…, racing to grab another glorious day and more moments of wonder and joy. That thing called a Gratitude Journal, thankful for the many life’s events and inspirations, and all the magic and… can’t help it, must use “that” word… Vibrations!!
“ Good Good Good Vibrations (Go Beachboys!) But really, even Steve has started to ‘vibrate’ and ‘contort’ in many mysterious ways… Yoga sure kicks: more than just BUTT! Both getting in the groove as we chase down 52 and 62 respectively but hey they are just numbers… vibrational frequencies.. are much more intriguing …, OMG’sh there I go again! Ohmmm!
So another typical day: 1 ½ hours of stellar Yoga at studio Yoga Shala, where Spanglish is spoken, then a 4 mile mid-day hike pounding the famous Medano beach! Followed up with an evening of cross training: Meditation and Yoga…………. Yer man in the groove while Steve freezes his buns off in not so sunny or warm Vancouver. It was not such a hard choice to stay put here in Cabo San Lucas let me tell you. Now why couldn’t the client do this work in the summer?
But we found time over the last month for adventure with mini road trips exploring the Pacific coast North to the beautiful tranquilo town of Todo Santos. And the East Cape and undeveloped beaches of the Sea of Cortez, all with whopping, mega size helping’s of fun and intrigue and blessings one has come to call life, “Pumper Style”.
Cruising and the freedom and expression of the road and all the multi-coloured personalities we meet along the way. Like dipping a paintbrush in a palette for a good long stodge, creating colours and textures, and capturing the images of all the brilliantly faceted characters the road dishes up, …that is our odyssey, that is our canvas.
An Arroyo, in simple terms a dried up river bed, makes for some of the best camping on the Baja…, unless you are there in the rainy season when you would be, well… washed out to Sea by the torrent of water flooding from the mountains! Those in the know are quick to stake their claim and prime camping spot and create little huddles and communities that thrive in these seemingly uninhabitable places. Every type of character you could imagine in the plot of a great novel. Some of these people make us look can you believe… “Main Stream”.
From hard core hippies that have checked out of society to subsist on pennies they earn any way they can and most often from artistic creations using anything they find in the desert or on the beaches. All the way to sophisticate’s, intellect’s, and over achievers that just figure things are so screwed up in the world they don’t want any part of it. Throughout the spectrum they have survival skills that make our journey, as tough and hard core we might think we are as world travellers, look like a cake walk!!! But we soak up the ambience and the hospitality, shoot the breeze, share stories of interest, fun, trepidation, everyone in awe of the others experiences, and the impromptu game of horse shoes between watching the whales breach just offshore.
George turned 95 last week, living in a trailer in another Arroyo a few miles up the coast from our choice slice of paradise. Son Mose, happened to see Pumper basking in the sun and knew his Dad just had to visit. George in his heyday owned 4 VW Buses and this was a real flashback moment for him. Like to think sitting in Pumper was his fav birthday gift!! Kicking it “George!!” Peace man!
Along the east cape is Cabo Pulmo, the only living coral reef in the Sea of Cortez and not many visitors with a 2 hour drive along washboard roads a real deterrent… so you pretty much get it to yourself as long as you were smart enough to pack food and drinks or you can get pretty darn thirsty and hungry. No roads, no electricity, no fresh water, you’re not likely to find a Costco or Wal-Mart in these parts any time soon. Washrooms you ask: pick a cactus people. We travel with the fundamentals: Granola bars, fruit, oats, instant coffee, and water, all travel well and keep starvation away from our door. So if you snorkel or dive this is it, and if you just like to chill or walk the beach in meditation mode, or spy that very special shell or pebble, this is also it.
X-treme Yoga
Even better… the miles of beaches are deserted so you do at your heart’s content going as deep into your personal thoughts as you like. Solitude, x-treme yoga, 30 minutes of meditation on the beach in the lotus position, or as close as one can get, as the sun set’s and the waves break on to the beach, makes you as one with the world! And then, lazily retiring in Pumper under the star filled, un-light-polluted sky, with not a whisper in the air to disturb the sounds and the rhythms of the ocean…. Pause…
… inhale, imagine the moment, exhale… Didn’t that feel good?
Now Steve is grumbling in Vancouver about not being able to get the hotel room warm… probably has to do with what he has come from. People commenting on the tan doesn’t make him feel any better… shudder at having such complex issues.
Yoga Shala sure has rattled some brain cells that had all but given up the ghost!! Simple pleasures seem to come at warp speed. Organic Market in San Jose Del Cabo, treats and indulgencies and a great way to schmooze and cruise with other ‘alternative’ people… some goodies like “healthy Zucchini Loaf” and a “healthy Pizza”… OMG’sh, really, when did we last eat pizza? Energy healers, healing crystals, talk of chakra’s and the like, and our friendly, spiritual Guru and Meditation teacher taking in the peace and love environment.
So the ‘other’ world is invading Cabo, with the G20 Summit in June, and a kinda dry run last weekend with Hilary Clinton schmoozing and bringing the local roads to a standstill with a police overkill of security mindedness. Gun boats in every bay between San Jose and Cabo, 3 police checks along the corridor.
“Dos Hippies”. “Do you have any drugs in here?” said in Spanish by the police officer that pulled us to the side of the road. “ No? Then do you have a drink for me?”… ? Amor y Paz mi amigo. Buenos Dias… and we’ll be long gone before the June invasion, mucho gracias!
Peace and love… sandy beach, and canvas …far as the eye can see.
x
The Dream Goes On by .
With a Buddhist Karmic take on things, there is a deep inner joy and peace at looking at the entirety of life … all contained in a VW bus!! No wanting or needs just bare bone basics. Mind you this afternoon on the hunt for a nice good old English Decaffeinated Tea bag, we had to pay through the nose for the luxury… One has to have an indulgence or two in life!! First thing to avoid in the Mexican grocery stores… ‘The Gringo Shelf’!!! Where one can find all kinds of staple items craved for in Canada and the US that are clearly not used by Mexicans. Hence the premium pricing strategy. Springing the premium for a decaf tea we can do… it’s our heritage
So maybe it is something to do with the latest reading list:
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism
Essential Reiki
Zen the Power of Creative Living
Gandhi The Man
How can you not be inspired, on top of signing up for un-limited yoga classes along with a healthy dose of meditation classes… now that is getting inspired from the inside out!! Having said that Steve moves slowly around the condo grumbling about not being able to lift his arms or legs after our first yoga class… who knew one could stretch that far or balance so precariously! All such a sweet challenge if not a distraction from the notion of returning to the real world for the work we talked about in our last blog!!
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo …. Small interlude there to do some chanting!!! I think I’m into this!!
More reflecting, pondering and soul searching.. Nice to have that luxury… what is our next adventure? The possibilities and options.. yes, after 2 months in beautiful Cabo San Lucas, we have itchy feet once again. Paradise can get boring! The urge to get on the road and on the move to who knows where is for us the drug that fuels our ride!! Europe is calling as is Asia… and beyond. So outside of the next few months while Steve sinks his skills and brain into this project in Vancouver… We wonder what is next!
Yes the Baja is a part of Mexico that has been great to explore and hold up while I have tried to get a handle on all of my very contentious health issues: Enter one outstanding Mexican Internist who has been a miracle worker! Five years of looking for help in Canada leaves us in total question of the health care system and ready to sign this guy up to be our worldwide consultant, and at $40 for an hour consult my life seems to have opened up. (Sure wish he would fit in the bus!!) In short it has been off to hospital and a search for answer’s and darn it I think this is the man!! The time he took to describe the illness and the function of the medications … it all made so much sense. And the proof of the pudding… he straightened things out after several weeks of deterioration. Let’s hope things continue on the up and up.
The Baja Peninsula is of course Mexico but it really is like a different country from the mainland, separated by the Sea of Cortez, it seems to be isolated from the problems that cause the ongoing media frenzy around violence and crime. The problems in Mexico cannot be condoned, but the sensationalism of the media is also inexcusable, and in a warped way is adding to the problem… no tourist dollars … more desperate people.
The sad thing is that many of the issues visitors to Mexico encounter are brought on by themselves. People seem to leave their street smarts home when they are on vacation. But it gets worse… why do visitors to a foreign country feel they are above the law? They wouldn’t get drunk and disorderly in downtown Toronto. They wouldn’t go walking off the beaten track in the early hours in Vancouver. They wouldn’t drive under the influence… anywhere. So why do some people feel it’s o.k. to do all these things in Mexico.
There are “yahoo’s” living everywhere that have no respect for people or property. You just have to figure out where they are and then stay clear. Mexicans are generally hard working, family oriented, and trustworthy people. Pumper was in a garage for a week recently and along with a whole bunch of personal stuff, tools, spare parts, we had forgotten we had left $100 in her. That is until we found it when we picked her up.
There was an article in the Canadian press this week that placed Mexico well down the list of the least safe countries to visit. So why all the bad press? Is there a drug war problem near the US border? Sure there is. But nobody is asking visitors to vacation in Juarez, Tijuana, Nogales, or Reynosa, or a few other high risk spots. But there are places we have seen in Canada and the US that we feel the same way about. So this is our attempt to get some balance in the debate, call it a rant if you like, but we love Mexico and Mexicans and would much rather be here than some other countries we have visited over the years.
So while we are on crime: It wasn’t a Mexican that just compromised our credit card and made a bunch of iTunes purchases. Darn it!! But really if that is the worst of it we cannot complain. Life to us is about taking reasonable risk, living that dream and soaking up every ounce of juice to be had!
This week we visited Todo Santos, a beautiful little village, we would one day see ourselves wintering there in future years. Next week we will return for an Art Festival and maybe check out some rental accommodation. After a dusty off-road drive down tracks to nowhere, we find ourselves sitting on the 5 mile golden sand beach, not another soul in sight, alone watching the whales swimming not 100 yards off shore. It was a competition to see who was first to see the water spouts all around us. This is about as close to dreamin’ as one can get… One of those moments when you know you have been touched by something much greater than we can even comprehend (if only we had thought to pack cold beer!!) Lunch at a taco stand for Pennies and the warmth and hospitality of the gracious loving Mexican people we adore… and not forgetting the Aztec bread, fresh out of the oven that we were given when we purchased a couple of blankets for car seat covers. Too yummieee for words we had to go back for more (little piggies that we are).
So Pumper has been having a well-earned rest… Enjoying the admiring glances of visitors and residents alike in the condo parking lot, and as a guy from Oregon said today “…the most photographed thing in Cabo”. And a couple of trips to the electrico mechanico shop for a little tweaking: a couple of new rear light assemblies, new wiring for the Auxiliary battery, new relay for the headlights!
Next week she is having her carbs stripped cleaned and rebuilt and time for a little paint work to erase some of the war wounds and scars from the road before she sails to Europe… we may even treat her to new curtains. Other than that she is set and ready to be truckin’!! … And so are we!
Peace and love … and “Ohm mm…”
The Dream Goes On by .
… it’s off to work Steve goes… how weird Is that???..
Far from normal routine, whatever that word means!! Dropped at the airport on his way to Toronto I was left clutching the steering wheel and praying that Pumper would get me to Cabo without puffing smoke or a flame display as she had earlier in the week. Nervous was an understatement!! As we chugged up the hills I prayed even harder to whatever God might listen.. I am not too picky at this point. Steve has filled me in on batteries and electrical stuff, … right over the top of my head, assuring me that all was fixed. Fiddling with Pumpers innards is not part of my plan! A few days earlier a switch had broken and shorted out burning the insulation from a wire. Thankfully I am wearing a tight fitting T-Shirt and mini skirt… There is not a Mexican man on this planet that could resist pulling over to help this damsel in distress!!
And some people think this is all about lazing around on beaches… soaking up sunshine!!! Our killer tans, are enough to deter the local beach and marina vendors from trying to sell us anything and everything. They focus their efforts on the lily white tourists just arriving flushed with vacation money!
Cabo San Lucas is a delight: After 2 years on the road we are enjoying the respite: What simple pleasures are to love about our new condominium lifestyle? Even though it may be temporary:
- A Toilet … That flushes! Our juice jug come pee pot has been retired for a while, and we no longer need to reckon a search for a toilet into our morning adventures!
- A Shower … With HOT water! Can’t get used to showering every day so we purposely skip days so as to not get into the habit. Better chance of not washing off the suntans.
- A Television… Even though it comes from another century, it works!! With subtitles – a great way to improve our Spanish.
- A Swimming Pool… OMG!!! Now beaches are good we agree. But it’s nice not having sand in our clothes and every crevice of our body, and skin that tastes like it has come out of a condiment shaker.
And at what cost these relative luxuries? With negotiating skills a condo that rents for $1,000 a week… $800 a month for a 3 month commitment, go figure! No complaints here!!! No utility bills, property taxes, or things to buy for the home. Just fill it with food, wine, and Tequila and we are sorted.
There is a long list of things to do while we have a base: Why do we always have this nagging voice that makes us feel like we need to achieve something other than a HOT tan!!
1. Write a book: At the urging of so many of our ‘Dreamers’, we must get inspired to turn our blog into a series of books of short stories.
2. Write this blog: this week would be great!! … (Hate deadlines). We would hate to think you forget about us!
3. Improve our Spanish… Always on the To-Do list… But we are making progress by necessity and seem to be well understood by the locals. Our grammar is probably awful, but the politeness of Mexicans continually telling us how good our Spanish is encourages us to do better. To be honest, in Cabo San Lucas there is probably no need to speak even one word of this wonderfully romantic language. Everyone a visitor is likely to come into contact with speaks exceptionally good English. To us the language is part of the experience.
4. Work out some photography publishing stuff: Scoping out the talent in these parts. Which brings me to…
5. Update the www.fotomojoart.com website. It’s 4 years old and needs upgrading and new pieces of art. With the thousands of images from the last 2 years we should be able to find 10 that can be called artistic.
6. Work on a Yoga Guru routine… In my dreams!!
7. Meditation… In Steve’s dreams!!
8. Massage… Also in Steve’s dreams!!
But back to that tiny little shocker of Steve heading back to the world of responsibility, with people that wear slightly more than shorts a T shirt and flip flops (not that there is anything wrong with that). A project in Vancouver for most of the next 3 months should keep him off the beaches and away from the pool for a while. Looks like Cabo could be home a little longer
But it’s all about keeping life simple… I really want to get to the animal shelter to walk dogs. But then… maybe next week… I am all over that delay switch! It is nice however to volunteer in some capacity. Again, the need to justify our existence!!
But it is glorious meeting people from here and there… Cyclist ‘Christian’ www.chrigiontour.blogspot.com from Switzerland just happened to cross our path again, still on the road, we first met him in Cost Rica almost a year ago… This guy rocks! And check out those thighs after 3 years pedaling around the world … I could not keep my eyes off them!! .. Now there is a guy ‘Living His Dream’ and making life happen!
And our friends Bud and Ellen also ‘Living The Dream’, who invited us again to their luxury 42 ft. sailboat, the one we stumbled back from last month. Until… I spend most of the time with my head hanging overboard throwing up big time!! We did not even make it out of the bay or in fact … ‘sail’. Bobbing up and down like a cork in a bathtub was enough to get the idea it can be plain ugly out there!!! Thankfully I did get my ‘Titanic’ moment before upchucking, but a real bummer I missed out on the great steak dinner! There will be no luxury sailboat in our future! Jazz cruise tonight? Uhmm maybe not…
Shout out to our Facebook friends of ‘Cause For Courage’ making a big difference in the lives of the less fortunate. A little giving goes a long way, especially at this time of the year!!
C4C was first born out of an idea to provide encouragement and tons of cookies to our troops in Afghanistan. Which reminds us this week is the one year mark since Corporal Stephen Martin, working alongside our son Joshua in Afghanistan, lost his life to an IED. Our thoughts are with the family. He paid the ultimate sacrifice. Words don’t seem enough…
Meanwhile we are waiting on results of tests and MRI for our daughter Simone experiencing symptoms similar to those that led to brain surgery some 11 years ago. We can be far away in body but we are always close to our families and friends in our consciousness.
December 18th, so to everyone we wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year. And on that note, can you believe it??? Steve returned from Toronto and didn’t bring me a Terry’s Chocolate Orange!!! This has been my Christmas treat for as long as Steve and I have been together. I should have put him on the next flight back…
Paz y Amor… with zero ‘Brownie Points’, and only memories of chocolate for breakfast on Christmas morning.
The Dream Goes On by .
What a surprise The Baja has turned out to be… the arduous drive from San Diego to dependable warm weather was well worth it and we are having a blast. To the point we have delayed the trip to the mainland via ferry from La Paz and taken a condo in Cabo San Lucas for a couple of months… what a change of pace from living in Pumper… we feel spoilt as we relax around the pool in the complex just a 5 minute walk from the golden sand and crystal clear waters of Medano beach, the marina with its luxury motor yachts and sail boats including the ‘Ethereal’ just a mere 190 feet long, and the old town where once you venture back a couple of blocks from the main tourist area, you can still enjoy authentic Mexican life and food at non-tourist prices. Pinch us!!! No don’t… we don’t want to wake up
Cruising around the Baja from one darn stunning beach to the next we were ecstatic to be invited to join some veedub lovers on their luxury sailboat at anchor in the beautiful Bahia de Los Suenos ( Bay of Dreams). You bet ya we’ll be right aboard!! Now we are talking 42 feet of luxury with Bud and Ellen. A few margarita’s later and we are joined by other sailor’s in the bay, Leonard and Marie: We are all ‘lapping’ up the hospitality not thinking of the ride back to shore in the dark in a dingy! Eventually we stumble our way back to Pumper parked on the beach impeded by a combination of a very dark night and perhaps just one more drink than we needed.
As much as we LOVE Pumper this sure makes us think… the left-brained Engineer in Steve has always fancied the challenge of sailing!! Bloody tempting!! And if Leonard can do it… What the heck so could we!!
For now though we are facing facts and my health is just not up to this gypsy nomadic existence as much as we have wander lust… hence the condo, to hold up and soak up Baja Life. Yes we are truly blessed to have so many options!!! … and be able to share the ride together.
Discovering La Paz and the beautiful beaches within spitting distance, we camp out on Playa Telecote for a few days with a few other boon-docking Hippie lovin’ travellers… drop outs on the road. After a full on fun day soaking up Mexican sun and hospitality there is nothing quite like heading back to camp to compare notes, break out the maps and share tales of favourite boon-docking sites on the Baja and beyond. It’s a smorgasbord of nations that change up daily… French, Swiss, German, Spanish, American and fellow Canadians.
But not every day is a beach day and a break is taken in the routine to hit La Paz for ‘Revolution Day’ celebrations.
On November 20, Mexico celebrated the Centennial Anniversary of its Revolution. On this date, in the year 1910 the revolutionary war to overthrow the dictator Porfirio Díaz, began. In what can only be described as a mega parade with the town out in force celebrating as only Mexican’s do… as families with pride, fun, lots of colour, and music music music!! Kids are always front stage so you wonder why there were few kids watching the parade… that’s easy… most of ‘em were in the parade. Probably one of the few days you can photograph the Military on parade from every angle with no threat of jail!!
With the occasional pit stop in the desert… There are several highlights on the road from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas, not least of which was in Los Barriles where we found a treasure. Charlie retired from window cleaning all his life to find a new love… Making the most amazing chocolates ever! I told him I want to marry him but for a while we’ll just hang out on his doorstep!! Amazing it can take 60 years to find your calling!!
Between the chocolates, visiting the local Bomberos, and the awaited sailing date when our new friends from Los Suenos arrive in Cabo … we find out a couple of Brits David and Susie we bumped into on a Panama beach last year are also in a La Paz Marina on “The Last Mango’… We’re hoping to meet up with them before our trails go in different directions. What a small world!! Amazing what a brief conversation on a beach can turn into…
Maybe all the safety and security headlines are a conspiracy to persuade Americans and Canadians not to take their tourism dollars to Mexico. We just don’t get it, we feel so safe in our travels, Mexicans are so friendly. But we have to share an amusing news report we saw in the paper: Recently the authorities made a surprise inspection of the Acapulco jail. They found a little contraband… 3 pistols, 60 rounds of ammo 160 TV’s, 34 sound systems, 19 cell phones, 63 DVD players, a Playstation, a video game machine, a slot machine, 53 fighting cocks, 23 hens, and 19 prostitutes….. The warden was fired on the spot!!! Don’t understand that: he could have been very progressive. After all, the jails here have a really bad reputation!!!
Paz Y Amor… and penal pleasures
The Dream Goes On by .
Sitting outside a coffee shop looking out over the Sea of Cortez in the pretty little colonial town of Loreto, Baja California Del Sur, Mexico while Steve fiddles with Pumper’s distributor thing and we are suddenly surrounded by 8 or 9 very large SUV’s… all sorts of commotion as men start rolling out of the vehicles and into the coffee shop we were planning to enter in a few minutes!!! What the heck is going on… we establish that the State Governor Marcos Covarrubias decided to stop by for a coffee with his entourage on an official visit to the former capital city of the Baja. Can’t miss an opportunity like this, so after coffee and introductions we ask the Governor and the Mayor to pose with Pumper. Can’t wait to show this pic to the first Policia that pulls us over for a bribe!!!
Well it is about time we had something to write about this time around in Mexico. Backing up …
A scorpion and a tarantula, and $2,500 worth of dental work for the pair of us, we had an awesome time in Arizona. We were ready to split for the border to head down the Baja. Our friends Gary and Nancy had treated us to a week of good laughs, lots of food and even more wine!! .. Very tempting to hang around longer!!
Yuma is a spit and a jump from Algadones in México and each day a stream of gringo’s head for the border for dental work, eye glasses, cheap medication and many other delights. A straight forward walk across the border, no passport required.. Just try crossing back ahead of the long afternoon line up’s: but all well worth the $9,000 savings.
Before anybody gets rattled, Algadones is the safest place… Really!!! Even after tales from Customs and Border Patrol guys that fly the Helicopters picking up illegal immigrants from the desert and the occasional shipment of drugs!! Now that makes for interesting conversation!! We Canadians are so naïve to this!!
It is quite interesting to hear both sides of the story on this topic and I can tell you most American’s are rather darn hot on the subject either way!!!
As we were so close to Southern California and Pumper’s original home, it did not seem right not to cruise through. Good plan until the weather turned ugly and we were ready to split and head for Tijuana, after spending a day loading the new software for our new GPS as the other one was fried.
The dreaded Tijuana crossing.. Fastest yet under and hour!! Easy Peasy.. Hard to believe but don’t try going the other way my friend!!.. So we are driving down the famed Baja California , México.. and who knew it was such a drive with so much nothingness!!!! Two solid days driving before we hit the highlight of Loreto. Thankfully we are not driving back as we are heading to the main land via car ferry. 2 days in and Steve has a minor bout of gastro disturbances.. Ohh Joy!!! Two nights at Pemex gas stations in dusty little towns… Longing for some highlights.
Being in sync with good karma and all that, we pull over to the assistance of a Mexican guy waving a gas tank only to find out he has his entire family (4 kids and wife)have been waiting in the frigging desert for 2 days, no money no food, no water, and nobody offering help!!! We give them our last water and granola bars and empty our spare gas tank only to watch him splutter to a stop up a huge mountain with the gas not getting to the engine!! In our best Spanish we promise to return with more gas!!!… This time he makes the hill and eventually reaches a fortunately close pueblo about 10 km’s away. Pueblos are few and far between in this unforgiving environment. Nothing like a whole bank load of good karma!!
Time for a bit of John Lennon we think: “Imagine no possessions … brotherhood of man…sharing all the world.” And all that: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one …” Living for today.
We have been amazed by the number of cyclists we have come across in the Baja!! And we are complaining about the drive!! We are not talking very picturesque here and after a while one cactus pretty much looks like another until you are trying to find one that is wide enough to pee behind and not get pricked in the process!! Riding single or tandem, riding from Alaska to who knows where on most accounts: many on the road for the long haul: 2-3 years!! I wonder at their bravery as some would say of us!! .. Or maybe just a case of madness all round!!
So the other peculiar thing of note slogging through this barren land: First who knew there were mountains and volcanoes and big buggers at that.. yes we are driving across lava fields!! The ever present military check points where we pull our “get Out Of Jail Card’ Joshua in his Military Uniform!! It never fails to impress and get us through the fast lane with not so much as a question.. Although they are always curious enough to take a peek at our ‘casa”!!
Water, water.. Bring your own there is not so much as a trickle or dram of the stuff to be found in a single river bed.. won’t get on to that global warming subject but it is shocking to see going into 6 months of the dry season.. Many a farm stead looking very abandoned and not too many cattle in sight!! How does one survive?
Back to Loreto, and an opportunity to get the shutter moving on some beautiful first historical buildings dating back to the mid 1700’s give or take the occasional earthquake damage and rebuilding. Not too many sandy beaches, just a few little coves littered with Americans and Canadians in Honkin’ R.V’s setting up for the winter beside a little Palapa for 80 pesos a night, but we have high hopes as we approach La Paz and the whole area at the southern tip of this massive peninsula.
We arrive in La Paz at night is falling and immediately get the sense of tourism that was not evident on the drive south. But it doesn’t look overdone and the locals by far outnumber visitors. Not wanting to explore in the dark for a new beach to sleep on, we elect to sleep in town and as is often the case in Mexican cities the music is set at its’ highest volume. Oh well perhaps tonight we will be alone with the ocean and the stars.
Peace and Love… Playa bound near La Paz.
The Dream Goes On by .
“Is that a pick up or drop off”….. Dragged to our senses in the wee early hours and wondering what the heck: but of course we parked right alongside the 24 Hour Wal-Mart Pharmacy drive through! Perhaps sub-consciously feeling for the throwback ‘bathroom’ issues form the Central American trip and the nights leaning over a plastic bag!! Back to sleeping out at Wal-Mart and thinking that is normal!!
We are on the road again and cruising at warp speed through the USA … chasing weather!! Maybe the conspiracy theorists are onto something around Global Warming. We would have willingly gone for a bit of warmth in our trek south. None of the 3 of us like the cold and with Pumper having no heating except what we generate it sure does whistle through the nooks and crannies where door and window seals used to be … Brrr! Cruising up to the Canada – US border wrapped in layers of blankets and a winter ski mask, you bet I was asked to ‘expose’ (well just my face) to ensure I matched the passport… Some officials can be soo up tight!!)
2 Eskimo’s rather than 2 Hippies cross the border and head south dreaming of adventures in store… what we don’t find we have a habit of creating: never a dull moment!
Michigan- Indiana – Illinois – Missouri – Oklahoma …you think it would be warming up by now!! New Mexico .. OMG now they are talking cold front!! They have no idea here, what a cold front is!! But it has rattled us so we are staying on the move and making it to Tucson Thursday, … 2400 miles in 7 days! We detoured the GPS suggested Northern Arizona route where they were promising frigid temperatures, and headed south across the New Mexico high desert between 4 and 6000 feet altitude. People actually live in those places such as Carrizozo where they have had rain just 1 day this year and only saw snow once last winter. But don’t let that fool you it gets bloody cold. Interesting, a 4 lane highway being built for about 100 miles south from there… Why?
Roughly following the famed Route 66 from Chicago to L.A, it criss-crosses the ‘straight as a die’ modern interstates, with signs at almost every off-ramp espousing some piece of history or museum that will take you back decades. Taking the time to explore some of the so called ‘Ghost Towns’ there are a few highlights, but ‘few’ has to be stressed. In most cases there is little to inspire memories of ‘back in the day’.
So luv all that is U.S.A. .. The ‘free’ 72oz Steak in an Amarillo Texas restaurant is something to digest… literally! Free, if you can eat the entire meal.. Gag!! The price of everything is so much less than in Canada, and the last we saw a $ was a $ in either currency. It is soo cheap!!
Let’s talk about gas, or petrol to our British dreamers. The internet is a great tool to spread a theory about a conspiracy, so: why is gas less than a buck a litre in most states in the US when in Canada it runs at $1.30 +. (Apologies to our European Dreamers who are now vomiting considering the price of fuel there) Canadians are so accepting of price inequities under the guise of the ‘great Canadian social system’. BS we say, Canadians, we are being hosed.
But gas is just the beginning; it seems to be true across the spectrum of goods and services. Things are 30% cheaper in the US.
There is lots of stunning scenery across the US but crossing the Midwest plains, and into the high deserts it was pretty boring until we reached the south western mountains of New Mexico .. breath taking!! But to get there …high winds and sand storms…! You wonder at the people that first adventured to the wild west just a century and a half ago, and try to imagine their journey on the wagon trains over this unforgiving and desolate desert landscape.
Enough complaining, life is really a treat.. Decadent … as our good friend Janine would say!! Each day we seem to be dealt up a super human dose of supa’fantastico delight and surprises, most caught with my trusted camera and others a memory stored away in our hearts and minds!!
Then there are the people who wander through our lives and serve up a smile and a treat and a memory that money just can’t buy… these people are the real world.
Like the lady that had to be 100 that was running the reception and providing the historical commentary at Fort Reno Oklahoma where Second World War POW’s from Germany and Italy were held. There is a gravesite for around 60 prisoners that died in captivity, some more recently dis-interned and returned to their homelands. Apparently these were prisoners taken in North Africa, shipped to Virginia and transported to Oklahoma to work on the military horse farm.
And Mr. Russell in the Texas Panhandle, who has an amazing private collection of classic cars including a pristine 1972 Karman Ghia, and just about everything else he has ever owned. It is said he still has the first gum wrapper he ever bought as a kid!
Then there was the young lady in NM who on seeing our Canadian plates enquired if we had any Canadian ‘Good Stuff’! Good Stuff? I was confused until Steve responded that we didn’t have any. Just a minute, aren’t we less than a 100 miles from the Mexico border here. Then the penny dropped… I thought she must have been referring to Chocolate! Sooo naïve!
So talking workouts… maybe we should not go there (save that for the extended and slightly X-rated book to follow!!!) but just to say… that was a darn close call with the state police, and it would have taken some super creative thinking and reasoning to come up with any kind of sane excuse.. but hey you only live once … So living life on the edge is the way to go or at least that is our motto and it seems to work for us!
McDonalds with the free internet is a frequent port of call to stay in touch with the world. Just about to leave New Mexico and we find on www.thesamba.com there is a car show in Tucson on Saturday www.copsandrodderstucson.org . Although the website says the show is full, a quick call to the organizer, brief discussion of who we are and where we are from, and instantly he makes room for us.
Off to a restroom somewhere to wash out the socks and underwear.. I Know!!! Really, do people do that????? !!! Wash day.. and the washing line is hung , well at least the ‘undies’ are on the dash board drying out!! Then a spit and polish for Pumper and the addition of a few more stickers in time for the car show.
Talking again about the cost of things.. Looks like Steve’s computer has just chosen to die a sudden death so it is off to Best Buy for a deal!! Just gotta luv crashing hard drives!!!
Peace and love… backing up data in McDonald’s… in the U.S. of A.
The Dream Goes On by .
It’s official: Pumper is sporting her new swanky personal plates; 2HIPPIES!! And how HOT she looks, and all set to go on new adventures.
We are knee deep in packing boxes and junk, and things we are trying to find homes for. Looking for those happy to adopt misplaced home items? Please step forward!! The weekend yard sale was a huge success. $1,500 later and barely an item left in the yard!
Yard Sales always bring out the most interesting types! Then there was Steve with his negotiating and stellar selling and ‘mark-up’ skills. He sure has made himself a tidy profit on most of those auction deals that have been scooped up in the last few years!! He missed his calling!! But it is simply mind boggling what junk you can sell!!
So what to keep? … No clue!! We found willing friends to adopt some of the hard to part with treasures. Who knows one day we might just settle down!!! But one thing’s for sure, we are keeping each other, having just wrapped our 28th wedding anniversary. Roll on another 28 of the same, please and thank you!!!
To back track just a little: After much agonizing we sold the house! It’s unbelievable how many times we had the conversation; Sell or Not Sell. But the decision was made, and after 3 months of getting and keeping the place very ‘Spa Like’… Phew: we have a buyer… they plan to have tenants for 2 years before retiring here. Sound familiar? Good Luck!!! But hey the good news … this is no longer our problem!! We are asked often where we will be living and we point to Pumper… The look of surprise and sometimes horror is a treat every time!! Those crazy Robbins’ at it again!!!
The lawn mower has been sold along with the loppers and trimmers. No more responsibility for us!! We will head off into the sunset leaving the mountain of fall leaves to grow deeper, and smile deeply at the thought of rolling waves and blue skies a near! Well3,000 milesbut that is just a hop skip and a jump in our thinking!!
Wow, we have been back in town and Province since… was it June? (Quick passport check.). So where did the summer go? All we seem to do is keep talking about what we did not get around to doing and who we did not visit. Crazy really!!
To do list: Give Pumper a wash and wax so she is looking her best (as always). She is starting to complain bitterly about the chilly mornings. Never seemed to have that problem down south!! Steve has been tinkering and giving her lots of tender loving care. We even have a heater on the way to keep tootsies warm as we head south… and pray not to run into snow en route!!
Not too many more evenings chilling on a comfy sofa watching the ‘Boob Tube’ with the ‘X-Factor’ or ‘Dancing With The Stars’. Darn it… The things you have to give up!! Talking about giving things up: The family and friends that we wish we could scoop up and take on the road!! Never get enough of you all!!!
Just checking, the last blog was posted July 27th!! … So here we are October 12th : Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend. No Turkey for us as our kids both abandoned us.. HaHahaaa (inside joke) It is soo great to say that, as we are / have always been accused of doing the abandoning!! So the sad souls that we are, we managed a stroll along the shores of Lake Ontario at Presquile Provincial Park. One of our favourite things to do in these parts, busy scoping out VW Camper busses in the campsites!!
Did I mention I have shingles! Steve assures me I will feel much better on a beach in México and I agree with him. Enough of this already!!! Well the specialist has some new fancy chancy ‘code name’ for my auto-immune illness. More ugly news but hey it inspires us to live life to the fullest, and we drain the blood right out of it!! Or was that “The Living Day Lights”?
Well, we are sort of… homeless. Short of throwing out a tenant from one of our condo’s In Ottawa… Pumper really is it… off we rock and roll to the call of the open road and right now who knows what or when … Really! ‘Plan’ is a 4 letter word!!
Mexico sounds great but there is the minor detail of the possibility of going to both Calgary and /or Vancouver to work. The complication of what to pack or wear… Snow suit or beachwear?? Steve did dust off the suits this summer and dashed out to Vancouver to work for a few weeks… Shocking as that was! One of his clients just happens to have another couple of projects in the works out west. With any luck we will be in Mexico before anything is confirmed. No problem commuting to the wet and white clines of Western Canada when you know you are returning to a Cerveza, hammock, and a cabana on a Mexican beach.
It has been really wonderful to spend time with Joshua and Simone this summer and to see them both so happy with life and accomplished in their careers. We couldn’t be more proud of them both. They don’t even seem to mind that we are off gallivanting around the world spending their inheritance as members of the ‘SKI’ Club (Spending the Kids Inheritance Club). It was great to meet their ‘significant others’ Danielle and Tyler … they both get our thumbs up with flying colors!! (Perhaps more than can be said for their potential Hippie Parents-in-Law!!!) You know you have reached a tipping point in your lives when your kids are not home for Thanksgiving as they are spending it with their partners’ family. That’s ok… you know where to find us kids. Oh, no … maybe they don’t!!! 
Peace and Love… coming to a highway near you!!
The Dream Goes On by .
FOTOMOJOART