PANDEMIC RAMBLINGS-All We Have Is Now by Zoe Fortenberry

Sometimes in order to keep your sanity you do something crazy.

Such as end your lease, put in your notice at work, book campsites across the U.S and buy plane tickets to Iceland!

Are you asking yourselves who actually does that?

Well — We have done just that!

During the Pandemic we had a failed house hunt, and we started to day dream. What else can you do with your downpayment? Well, travel of course! I had Slater bring me maps and books from work and would plan “someday trips” while watching even more travel shows than normal (I do watch something other than baking shows).

Something to just escape the house and the fact that we had been sitting in the living room an excessive amount. Zoe’s and stir crazy are not a good mix.

Sometime in December, that “someday trip” started to morph into a reality. I think we realized that we would actually do it once we told our families. We were lucky and we managed to see both sets of our parents in December and we told them our plans. Everyone was so excited for us, and once you say it — its set in stone and time to go.

That gave us the motivation to put together an actual plan. We started by building out the Tacoma, researching what National Parks we wanted to go too, what countries would actually take us, and the best way to get around Europe during a Pandemic.

Let’s just say the month of August will be quite busy and filled with loads of camping (solar showers anyone?). The main thing though, we get a chance to see family and friends that we have not seen in years while spending some quality time attached at the hip. There are pros to living 3,000 miles away from where you grew up, and there are also cons to living 3,000 miles from where you grew up.

With those things above in mind there were some challenges to face (besides the obvious..Covid).

Like do we let go of our apartment? What do we do with the animals? Do we sell the Corolla? What about our furniture? How much camping is too much camping?

Answers to those above questions:

1. Yes – this was rough as July 1st was the last time we paid rent on our home for the last 7 years.

2. Good friends and family – Best pet sitters ever.

3. No – but find a friend with a house to keep it at.

4. Storage – my couch is my baby.

5. Jurys out – I’ll let you know in September after a month in the Tacoma and 10 days in a camper van.

We are incredibly lucky to have amazing friends and family who understand that this is something that we need to do, and are willing to help us out (we owe you guys forever).

In planning a trip like this I’m not sure if its crazy or smart. One thing that runs through my head is, “Did the Pandemic do my head in? Did my therapy work?”

At this point I think that yes my therapy did work, but I still think that we are crazy.

What I can say for certain is that I am beyond excited for this trip and that the next month will totally fly by. I can’t believe that our last day in the apartment will be July 31st, our things will be in storage, the Tacoma packed, hiking boots laced, and the backpacks ready to go.

Let the countdown begin.