January 2015
Amanda writes: It’s technically New Years Eve 2014 and I’ve got a bit of a headache. I’ll be honest; the last month has been harder than I would like. That of course is being said knowing that when you dream of wonderful things you never anticipate challenges and adversity. You know they’re going to come but you don’t know what they’re going to look like.
One of the hardest things for me has been adjusting to making decisions in life that impact more than just Andrew and I. With the addition of Andrew’s Grandfather in our life full-time, every thought and choice we make takes him into account. I’m not suggesting for a moment that is a bad thing as it is our choice, but it is different. I’m also struggling with the fact that Andrew and I don’t necessarily have the same passion for kite surfing. While I hate to admit it, that is becoming a bit of an obstacle for us because his entire being is all consumed by kiting. Don’t get me wrong I hope to learn the sport eventually, albeit at a slower pace than him but we retired to cycle around the world, not kite. So when he makes decisions to better his kiting experience that may slow or negatively impact our cycling adventure, it is frustrating. Combine that with the added stress of another person in the mix and you get some tense days. Lately it seems there are too many tense days between us; something we’re both aware of and will work on.
To add to the situation, I’ve been itching to ride recently. I’ve been reading cycling blogs and www.crazyguyonabike.com almost daily. Then we met some cyclists doing a very similar trip to us in late December and spent a few days with them. Seeing their spirit and love for cycling and seeing the world reminded me what we’re missing. This only fuelled my itch to ride even more. These cyclists came from the same area we rode from near Northern Canada and made it here by Christmas which was precisely our plan! It was so inspiring and incredible to know we would have made it here in time. Add to that Andrew’s obsession with kite surfing and you get the picture; I’m in a rut.
I just want to ride my bike.
It was only just over a year ago that we were taking lavish vacations to Maui and playing rounds of golf that cost more than our current one month budget. I don’t miss the glamorous lifestyle (okay maybe my soaker tub) any more than I miss working which is never. I do however miss the freedom of Andrew and I living our lives for just ourselves. I’m eager to get back to a cycling life where we have the same passions.
Now all of this being said I must say that the friendships we have gained over the last couple of months are awesome. We’ve met some amazing people whom I’m certain we will remain friends with for a long time. These friends are able to share time with us and understand the flexibility that we require as we include Andrew’s Grandfather in our lives. It just reaffirms what we said in our radio interview before leaving Vancouver that we believe all people are genuinely good. Our friends embrace our lifestyle and we’re so lucky to have them in our lives. Combine that with my Spanish lessons with my Maestra Dolores and you’ll find me smiling. While Spanish isn’t moving as quickly as I had hoped, I am enjoying learning so much and look forward to my time with her. I’m motivated to speak fluently and know that I will.
So as we move into a new year of 2015 and towards our first full year of retirement, I look forward to cycling far more and seeing more of this beautiful planet with my incredible partner and teammate; Andrew. I’m grateful for every day that I have and can’t possibly complain when I am filled with love, family, friends and super cool things like a lighted Christmas boat parade, dolphins frolicking in the water right in front of us, kayak rides, Christmas dinner with family, kiting with friends, meeting cyclists, learning a language, playing baseball, playing pickle ball, sharing stories and most of all; being happy and healthy.