Today, I invite you into my mind. If you accept, you might regret it. So much is going on in there, you might get overwhelmed, or mad, or jealous. This chaotic brain activity even has a name: Monkey Mind. Although, its description appears a bit harsh to define my condition. Thank you for supplying me with the correct term, Peta, when I mentioned this busy-bee thought syndrome in my last writing update. Luckily, those mulled-over and constantly-sprouting concepts aren’t all writing-related. That being said, the idea for this post formed while I was in the shower, head-writing it. 😊

Pensive position

Some background information to help understand our conundrums in regards to… our future:

• Mark and I met the end of 2004 and have been nomads ever since (me 1.5 years prior to that).
• With two big dogs, we attempted a sailing adventure, which failed after nine months of prep.
• The four of us traveled throughout Mexico and Central America in an RV for one year instead.
• This was followed by three months in-limbo at a friend’s place in Texas, contemplating a move to Belize, a country that pleased and attracted us.
• But, Mark’s dream to go sailing persisted: we lived in a tent and Toyota Tacoma with our two dogs for two months, in search of the perfect catamaran. We found Irie in Annapolis, Maryland.
• An eight-year sailing journey brought us from the US to the Caribbean to the South Pacific.
• After selling Irie in Tahiti, we didn’t want to settle but needed a break from our travels. The solution: house and pet sitting; frequent changes of scenery and the conveniences of a house.
• Until we got itchy feet again and bought our current campervan, Zesty. Overland adventures continued, in combination with welcome breaks, house sitting.
• We adopted Maya in June 2019 and house sitting was not an option anymore. We preferred our life on the road by then, so it all made sense to travel full-time again.
• Then, Covid happened and we got stuck in a room above the garage in a city for many months.

Our first sailboat, a monohull, before departure from the San Francisco Bay area, California

Our truck camper (2005 – 2006) parked on a beach in Costa Rica

Ready to leave Texas in our Toyota Tacoma, spring 2007

Before leaving on our sailing adventure, Annapolis, Maryland

Irie under sail in the Society Islands, French Polynesia

Darwin on the bow of Irie in Martinique

Zesty boondocked at a lake in Southern California