I can’t believe how fast the time is going by! I’ve been here more than 5 weeks already and as of Monday, will have the full force of the Pfizer vaccine protecting me! But I am still cautious being around a lot of people and in enclosed spaces and wear a mask, as do about half the people I see here in California, where things are sort of going back to “normal.”

Although that feels really good and I am really grateful to be able to have come over and been able to get vaccinated so quickly, I am VERY concerned about the spread of the Delta virus and don’t know if it is going to affect my return to South Africa. The variant is ripping through South Africa now, with a threat of full lockdown again. I certainly don’t want to go back into that sort of mess on the one hand, and on the other it’s OK, where do I go now? My plan is to go back after a short trip to the Valle de Guadalupe wine region mid-August. It’s still about 7 weeks away so can only hope that the “wave” has dissipated by then or at least the country won’t be in full lockdown.

All this brings up some ambivalence towards going back and finding a way to stay here. Or at least somewhere closer, making me think again of Belize, a place I seriously considered a few years ago and which is so close to here. Currently, the only option of staying that I can see is picking up the house sitting gig again. Which would probably work for a while, but I really miss having my own place/space/spot that I can retreat to. Even the short time I’ve been here, I miss having my own little hidey-hole.

The thing that I have really learned this time around is that no matter where I go, here I am. Same issues, same dilemmas, same answers; just a different place. Geographics can solve some issues but not all!

My wish list has always been to live in a warm climate (avoiding winters) and to be financially comfortable. In South Africa, I have that. What I neglected to include in my dream, was staying close to friends and family. So I either have to accept what I have manifested or work on an adjustment! I hate to admit this, but “in the past” flying for 2 days to get somewhere never phased me. Now I dread it, and I know now the idea of those long flights, if I am to do them twice a year, is daunting.

Anyway…

Last weekend, Ryan came down to Newport where I was kitty-sitting Mickey the Burmese for a friend. We visited Fashion Island, a huge shopping area nearby as I haven’t been there for eons and I was blown away by how huge it is now. I remember when it had a couple of anchor stores (which are no longer) but now it all extremely high-end and it’s astonishing how much money is around here. Rolls Royces, Lamborghinis and Teslas lined up; the new normal around here. My little 10-year old Honda is a bit out of place!

We also went to Downtown Disneyland! After all, when in California… it was fun to see and do but didn’t make me long to go on any rides!

Next week I head north to Washington and I’ll be driving during one of the worst heat waves ever to hit the Pacific Northwest. My air conditioning is working and I will try to time my driving for either early mornings or late evenings, though I don’t really like driving at night. The plan is for 2 nights on the road and drive 5-6 hours a day which will be a lot less than I have done in the past, when I would drive 8-9 hours a day to only spend a night on the road.

I’m looking forward to being out on the road again. It’s something I really miss in South Africa; the ability to just go - by myself or with someone, whenever and wherever I want. There are huge safety and security issues in that country which preclude this kind of travel and I feel very constrained by them. My itchy feet haven’t seen too much Africa action. So this West Coast road trip will be good.

My base will be in Port Townsend with friends Jim and Mardelle, with jaunts to Poulsbo and Lake Chelan and a longer trip over the Cascades and Rockies into Montana to see Cody, Mel and the boys who I haven’t seen for 2 years. Ryan is flying up for the weekend.

As I have some stored boxes in Port Townsend left from my life there, I will need to spend some time going through them - again - and do more discarding. If I have lived without them for the last 2+ years, do I really need them? Minimalism suits me.