The message has spread and an Asturian has taken to the streets! The gentleman got quite the kick out of my wanting a picture of his cap. It is good to spread happiness.
Yesterday was supposed to be a trip to the beach town of Gijon. That would have been a reward for many hours this week attempting to schedule the end of our journey to Europe. Self scheduling can be grueling because you dare not get too far ahead of yourself. If you do it is possible to find money being wasted when a booking is scheduled that does not fit with others. This leads to a lot of back and forth, finding a place to stay but being unable to get there on time; or waiting on the perfect place to stay then losing it when travel is compromised. It is like a puzzle where a piece almost fits, but if you force it it causes brings thing to a standstill later. At times it has worn me out.
Yesterday morning I was on the verge of worn out but feeling good because I had things perfectly lined up, I believed. I planned on getting up in the morning, doing a review, and fitting all of the pieces together. The first piece was to pay for airline tickets from Porto Portugal to Reykjavik Iceland. Then I would feel confident booking rooms down the line and even tickets home.
Off to a great start using “Guide to Iceland” website, highly recommended for everything Iceland. For the second time this trip, however, my Chase Sapphire credit card (“the travel card for travel”) declined a travel purchase. This is a protective device they have. I replied that it was me intending to make a purchase to their email and text queries. They responded I should try again, it would work. This went on for repeated attempts, unsuccessfully. Like the previous time the card was rendered useless. Last time it took about 12 calls and half that many hours on the phone to fix the issue. I ended up buying a $50 T Mobile card because my plan does not allow overseas talk in Europe. Trying to use chat with a robot is definitely not the way to get things done at times. The calling card is how I solved the issue last time. But that means Chase has cost me $100 on this trip (and close to double digit hours of fix-it time). Hmmm?
Things resolved much easier this time but in the mean time I lost what appeared to be the best Porto option for an appointment. And the price of the tickets went up about $50. Don’t feel sorry for me, but do realize self planning a trip with a lot of moving parts is a challenge at times. Because the last bus or train return from Gijon yesterday was sometime between 4:30 and 5, and we couldn’t get there until between 1 and 2 we bagged the seaside adventure.
As I said, please do not feel sorry for anyone who reaps the harvest of the decisions they make. Still, the realization is being pounded home that our travels are wearing me out. We long for some permanence. That is a factor in wrapping up our Europe travels with the trip to Iceland. Europe has been a lot more work than Mexico where we stayed about 7 weeks in one city and about 12 weeks in another earlier this year. Less planning, less moving about equals more relaxation. Those are some good things to know about ourselves. I also understand why people have their trips fully planned for them.
The difficult part now is deciding where we want to cultivate permanence. Traveling was supposed to help with that decision, but I feel more indecisive than ever. Some good things about home, some good things about so many of the places we have been. One of the good things about just about every town and city we have visited in Europe is the cleanliness, especially in the areas where people go to eat and drink and hang out, and they do that much more where we have been. Every city we have had a stay, and has a hub of business, cleans the area every day! Pick up trash, wash the streets.
We compare this to Spokane where people complain about homelessness, trash, harassment… The difference as we see it is that a city has a choice. Either make your city attractive, or make up excuses for not doing so. These Euro cities create spaces in the midst of the city for people to be together, to live, drink, eat, converse, and keep them attractive. So what if a street is closed to traffic? If people have to walk?
Finding the balance between what we love at home and what we have seen in our travels is daunting task, but, have I got anything better to do? I hope so!
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Seems like a lot of decisions to make but in the long run the travels have brought you much insight about Spokane, as it has no pride in making it a clean city a welcoming city, so where can you go to find a home ?
By returning to Spokane you may find the answer I pray you do.
thanks for the encouragement Charles
Maybe having some time to be still and reflect. That’s what I hear you yearning for. All the answers will present themselves. Safe travels you two.
Hi Susan thanks for the insights. It makes me think of you and walking, There can be stillness in physical activity. At times the best meditations are delivered in the presence of activity. So, not sure what I need, but pretty sure it involves an endeavor that lets me give and receive with others. Patience can be the best virtue. Patience appears to be usually rewarded with unexpected insights in the past.
Hi Dr, Pat,
You will know inside, you already do,a matter of time before you and your future self join together.
You are brave and strong on a pathway of light.
Hope
Petty great observation Hope. It fits well with my life philosophies. When I get out of the way my future self emerges. Shoulda learned to let that happen a long long time ago. Be well on your own path of light.