Vicarious Nomads
You may not be in a position to drop everything and travel the world. (We might not either, but we're talking about you right now.) If you'd like to participate vicariously, your financial support of this adventure will help us to document it, and hopefully show that even today (perhaps especially today) a family can choose where and how to live.
We're not expensive folks. Even the smallest amount will make a very real difference.
Must Have Been That Wrong Turn at Albuquerque
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Joel D Canfield posted this in Challenges, Reasons on 2 September 2010
I wrote a few days ago that the real challenges are inside us; the journey simply exposes them.
Here’s my challenge: guilt.
And I don’t even know, for certain, why.
I feel like I’m cheating the system. Living without the cost of a house and its utilities is less expensive. I know a lot of people who’d travel if only their significant other wanted to, or the kids were older or not born yet or whatever; if only they had a job that blah blah blah.
Everyone I talk to says, how nice for you. Some of them seem to mean, that’s great; how can I make it better? But I feel, sometimes, like there’s a subtext of, sure, you get to go driving all over creation, dragging your wife and little girl along, while the rest of us have to have a real job and be mature and keep civilisation from collapsing.
Continue reading The Real Challenge
Joel D Canfield posted this in BC, Destinations on 1 September 2010
We crossed the 49th parallel heading north at 9:15 am Monday the 2nd of August.
We crossed the 49th parallel heading south at 3:30 pm Wednesday the 25th of August after spending 3 weeks, 2 days, 6 hours & 15 minutes in Canada
Still to come: statistics (miles, dollars, etc.), impressions, achievements, [...]
is yes.
Sue just gave 30-day notice on the house. She’d already called the phone company and pulled the plug. The two adult children living with us intend to be living elsewhere before the end of [...]
Joel D Canfield posted this in Administrivia on 28 August 2010
We pulled into the carport at 9:50pm, after 31 days on the road and in Canada. Unloaded and ready for a shower and bed by 10:30.
Much to share about the trip and the future. But not tonight. Tonight, I sleep in my own bed for the first time in over a month.
And that doesn’t feel like [...]
. . . work gets done. For us, at least.
The place we’re staying, we haven’t been able to connect to their wireless network. I have an idea what might be up, but it’d probably be more work to test than it’s worth for the 16 hours we’ll still be there.
So we’re in the WIred Monk coffee shop, using Mary-Lee and Cheri’s wireless and electricity and restroom.
We bought a cuppa tea and an Italian soda this morning. Since we’ve been back this afternoon (we walked home for lunch) we haven’t bought anything yet, but we will. They even came over and asked if we’d like cups and ice for the water we brought for ourselves. It definitely did not sound like “You’re using our free internet. You should buy something.”
Continue reading Where There’s Internet . . .
Joel D Canfield posted this in Guest Posts on 23 August 2010
Dorothy sent this in an email, and when I asked, was gracious enough to allow us to share it here.
Come on over and join us anytime you like.
If you need to take off we can lend you a bike.
You can walk to the train and go for a ride,
It’s in our backyard, and we’re on the wrong side.
It’s always a mess, but it’s a fun place to be.
There are dishes in the sink, but the food is always free.
Collections of books, and stuff, and things,
Litter every surface. That’s where the dust clings.
Just ignore the papers and the laundry piled up.
Expect to deal with dander from one of the pups.
You can find a clear path almost any time of day.
You’ll pass people on laptops somewhere along the way.
We’ll help you escape from all you “should” do.
It’s easy for us, cause we do it too.
We don’t deal in guilt cause we do what we please.
And the door is never locked cause we all lose keys.
Continue reading Another Guest Post: Dorothy Shapland Shares a Poem of Invitation
Joel D Canfield posted this in Challenges, Reasons on 22 August 2010
We are not ascetics. We love good food and wine (well, Sue’s pancreas has decided she can’t have alcohol any more, but she loves the smell) and we prefer nice furniture to garage sale stuff. We like a comfortable life and nice things.
Clearly, though, folks who are doing their best to divest themselves of stuff aren’t focused on said stuff too much.
Our goal is a simple lifestyle. This doesn’t mean living on crummy food or in dingy basements. (Consider that some of our best alcoholic beverages originated in monasteries.) It’s about choosing which stuff needs to be nice, and which stuff doesn’t matter.
Continue reading Desire for a Flood
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