A long stay of six months comes to an end
The first stage of our vagabond journey is coming to a close. What we thought might be two or three months ended up being six months due to the confluence of extenuating circumstances. Principally, the rolling Covid waves roiled our plan to spend two or three months in a locale. Then there was the extended paper chase we undertook to renew our residence visa.
Things might not have gone as planned, but everything turned out well in the end. We’ve met some lovely people, been reasonably isolated from exposure to the virus, and enjoyed the opportunity to be out in nature every day. After six months of hill walking, we are stronger and in better cardio condition than we were when we left Valencia.
Spending so much time in a village, and a tiny village at that, was a completely new experience that engendered a renewed appreciation of what it might take to be more self-sufficient. It generated a whole series of new ideas about how we might spend the coming decades (if we’re so lucky). And it gave us a deep appreciation of our neighbors, who welcomed us, or ignored us, and who work so hard to make their living under difficult circumstances.
We experienced so much more than a visit of a week or two could possibly provide. We are thankful for all of that. It’s exactly what we hoped our vagabond journey would give us.
What's next?
We’re heading to Granada before making our way to Madrid to catch a flight to the United States. It was a difficult decision to make a U.S. trip. Despite recently announced plans to relax travel restrictions, it’s just doesn’t feel like a good time to be a vagabond in Spain or anywhere in the EU. Besides, this will be our first trip back to visit family since we arrived in Spain almost four years ago.
We’ll be visiting relatives and plan to spend a lot of time watching loons on a lake in Northern Wisconsin. Then, ojala (that’s Spanish for hopefully) it’s back to the EU this fall to continue our wandering.
Jamie wants “life on gentle cycle” to be a story of enough rather than a search for more. His focus is on simplicity, quiet presence, low impact travel, and mostly on living gently. He also manages the technical aspects of GentleCycle.net
Comments
Your descriptions and photographs are so wonderful, I hope you’re considering a book at some point.
Thanks for your compliments and confidence Mary Lou. But I’m afraid neither of us has a book in us. Then again, who knows what the future holds.
Sounds like it was a beautiful six months! Best wishes for your temporary return to the US! Think of you often and envy the courage to live your lifestyle!
Thanks Annie.