It's done and we are on the road.
Jenn and I eventually managed to get all of our lives packed into a 30 x 10 storage cube, turned her car back into the Mercedes dealer (ended her SLK 350 lease), put the motorcycle up on a 2-ton jack, and packed our lives into four bulging suitcases and headed out of Tampa last Friday. Like any good adventure, it just happened to be snowing in NYC so we spent 7 hours at the airport waiting to take off. Finally got to NYC Friday evening and have spent the last three days running around the city having a blast while being blasted in the face with temperatures between 17 last night and 4 this morning - and that is w/o the windchill.
The last several weeks have been nerve wracking and exhilirating at the same time. The nerves have been bludgeoned from the staggering amount of organization and details that have to be taken care of - then multiply these by 2x if you decide to travel with your best friend. But it really all comes down to decisions and priorities. You step back and unearth every "thing" you own and simply choose what to take in your luggage for a year in another country, what to give/sell/throw away, and/or what to put into storage until you get back to the USA. I won't go into all the logistics like communications, leases, insurance, immunizations, contracts, visas, passports, bills, etc...but once all that is done and you finally zip up your carry-on and load everything into the back of a pickup for your ride to the airport, an exiliration may flood over you as it did me when I realized this was indeed a big moment. In a matter of months I had assessed everything and everyone I love in one way or another, and reorganized my entire life. I felt accomplished, sentimental, and deliriously lighter, untangled, and yes - untethered.
It was rougher for Jennifer, but I will let her describe her own feelings about the process when she posts here.
Today we are headed to JFK to fly out over the pond to London this evening, leave at 6 and get to London at 6 tomorrow morning.
Merry Christmas!
12.22.2008
12.02.2008
A Week on the Road
Just got back home after traveling for over a week saying goodbye to family and friends. We got to say goodbye to my side of the family tree, try out our new luggage and electronics, along with the joy of seeing everybody one last time before heading over to Shanghai on December 18th.
The fun started Friday night with a Triple Threat Party - a going away party for me and Jennifer, a birthday party for Curtis, and another friend Carrie was also having a birthday. Curtis reserved the Fly bar and restaurant here in Tampa which not only has a great bar scene downstairs along with amazing food, they also have one of the only rooftop bars in the city. After some really delicious food, we headed up to the rooftop to party under the Tampa moon in what turned out to be a very chilly evening for this time of year. Overall it was a great night and I was able to 'casually' smuggle in half a case of Moet & Chandon so we could all say goodbye, and happy birthday, in style. I've lived in Tampa for 14 years and the last 5 have been some of the best of my life - thank you all my friends!
The next day we packed up our luggage, and splitting headaches, and hopped in the rental SUV and drove all day to Atlanta to spend some time with my Dad and brothers and family. Eating being one of our favorite activities, Saturday night Tim introduced us to the nation's only South African restaurant, Ten Degrees South, specializing in fusion of French, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and Malaysian, all with Mediterranean influences.
Sunday, Tommy and Nicki opened up their home for a bbq and after an afternoon of thick
steaks, grilled corn, mashed 'taters, grilled squash, and brownies(!), we spent the evening talking about hopes and dreams and finished the day off with a competitive game of Cranium. I haven't seen my Dad since he had quad bypass so it was great spending time with him and catching up.
On Monday we packed up again and spent another day in the car driving to my Mom's house in the tiny town of Courtland, Virginia (population 1,900). We ended up having a family reunion of sorts as I flew my two daughters, Aubrey and Carley, into Virginia from up north in NY and Vermont, along with both my sisters and their families, and my brother Tim all coming into town for several days to enjoy Thanksgiving.
Saturday we shuffled Aubrey and Carley back up north and Jenny and I drove a different route home which led us through Savannah for the evening of rainy bar hopping before driving all day yesterday in the driving rain and traffic until we made it home last night back to Tampa.
It was great seeing the people we care about for the last time before leaving, but I am going to miss my family and friends more than I can describe here. A good English major would have a pithy quote for these moments, but I don't. Instead I have the double-edged sword of irony driving into my heart as I look ahead towards an exciting adventure in a far away land, while holding myself painfully still so I can pull my daughters closer to me and promise them I will see them again soon. Ten years in the military and two divorces does not make saying goodbye to your kids any easier. For me, or them.
The fun started Friday night with a Triple Threat Party - a going away party for me and Jennifer, a birthday party for Curtis, and another friend Carrie was also having a birthday. Curtis reserved the Fly bar and restaurant here in Tampa which not only has a great bar scene downstairs along with amazing food, they also have one of the only rooftop bars in the city. After some really delicious food, we headed up to the rooftop to party under the Tampa moon in what turned out to be a very chilly evening for this time of year. Overall it was a great night and I was able to 'casually' smuggle in half a case of Moet & Chandon so we could all say goodbye, and happy birthday, in style. I've lived in Tampa for 14 years and the last 5 have been some of the best of my life - thank you all my friends!
The next day we packed up our luggage, and splitting headaches, and hopped in the rental SUV and drove all day to Atlanta to spend some time with my Dad and brothers and family. Eating being one of our favorite activities, Saturday night Tim introduced us to the nation's only South African restaurant, Ten Degrees South, specializing in fusion of French, Portuguese, Dutch, German, and Malaysian, all with Mediterranean influences.Sunday, Tommy and Nicki opened up their home for a bbq and after an afternoon of thick
steaks, grilled corn, mashed 'taters, grilled squash, and brownies(!), we spent the evening talking about hopes and dreams and finished the day off with a competitive game of Cranium. I haven't seen my Dad since he had quad bypass so it was great spending time with him and catching up.On Monday we packed up again and spent another day in the car driving to my Mom's house in the tiny town of Courtland, Virginia (population 1,900). We ended up having a family reunion of sorts as I flew my two daughters, Aubrey and Carley, into Virginia from up north in NY and Vermont, along with both my sisters and their families, and my brother Tim all coming into town for several days to enjoy Thanksgiving.
Saturday we shuffled Aubrey and Carley back up north and Jenny and I drove a different route home which led us through Savannah for the evening of rainy bar hopping before driving all day yesterday in the driving rain and traffic until we made it home last night back to Tampa.
It was great seeing the people we care about for the last time before leaving, but I am going to miss my family and friends more than I can describe here. A good English major would have a pithy quote for these moments, but I don't. Instead I have the double-edged sword of irony driving into my heart as I look ahead towards an exciting adventure in a far away land, while holding myself painfully still so I can pull my daughters closer to me and promise them I will see them again soon. Ten years in the military and two divorces does not make saying goodbye to your kids any easier. For me, or them.
11.22.2008
More or Less Risk?
After two days of wrangling and tossing and turning at night, our contact, Jimmie Schramm (thanks, Jimmie!) over at the Infectious Disease Center of Tampa Bay lessened our stress levels this morning.
It seems that the manufacturer of the Japanese Encephelitus immunization is no longer making the shot available to the public. Jimmie verified this with the Department of Health that it is no longer available and they confirmed that if for some acute reason we needed it then we would need to contact the manufacturer directly and fill out a pound of paperwork. Jimmie even called the Center for Disease Control to verify this.
So even if we wanted to get the shot as a precaution it is no longer available.
Now I feel better about not taking the chance on getting any of those nasty reactions, but what are the chances we will contact JE over in China? Can anyone say Deet 30%?
Stay tuned for more hijinx and adventure!
It seems that the manufacturer of the Japanese Encephelitus immunization is no longer making the shot available to the public. Jimmie verified this with the Department of Health that it is no longer available and they confirmed that if for some acute reason we needed it then we would need to contact the manufacturer directly and fill out a pound of paperwork. Jimmie even called the Center for Disease Control to verify this.
So even if we wanted to get the shot as a precaution it is no longer available.
Now I feel better about not taking the chance on getting any of those nasty reactions, but what are the chances we will contact JE over in China? Can anyone say Deet 30%?
Stay tuned for more hijinx and adventure!
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