In our latest video, we overland through central Ecuador. We get to soak in the thermal pools of Baños, which are revered by locals as holy water. We also gaze in wonder on the farthest point from earth’s center, Chimborazo volcano.
But we also run into a big problem: the electrical system in our Alu-Cab Canopy Camper goes down. We don’t know it at the time, but this marks the beginning of several weeks without power in our home, as we end up jumping between locations with fridges so our food doesn’t spoil.
Watch now:
This isn’t vacation for us. This is a long-term, all-in lifestyle. We take the good with the bad, just like anyone anywhere. We stay grateful for what we have and hold tight until things look up.
What’s new?
In my previous real-time update, I shared that we’d made it back to the states and held the memorial for Eric’s mom. The day after that memorial, my Grandpa passed away. Caspian and I ended up flying from St. Louis to Toronto, Canada, for our second memorial in three weeks.
Over the five days we were in Canada, Eric drove our Jeep 1,000 miles from St. Louis to Orlando. Caspian and I flew into Orlando where our little family reunited.
In less than three weeks of travel, we changed timezones four times. Factoring in late nights visiting with family and friends, our beloved schedule got completely out of wack and I felt physically altered.
But now that we’re in Florida, the vacation portion of our U.S. visit has commenced. This is our time to slow down and decompress (we have a bathtub!). We’re so used to constantly moving and pivoting that I’m not sure we’ve processed our losses. We are not good at slowing down.
Overall, I have a very real sense of gratitude. The comfort available to us in the United States is nothing short of extravagant, and I appreciate every little thing. Heck, right next to my computer I have tomatoes, avocado, and bananas. I didn’t have to search stores and roadside stands looking for them, only to be disappointed. I found them in the first store I visited, and they are truly lovely pieces of produce. I could go on about a thousand little blessings like this.
Feel free to comment with any questions you have, or to share your own travel experiences. We love hearing from you.
-B
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