We bought them (1 one-way tickets to North Africa)
After years of traveling in our Avion, we began looking for an Airstream that we could completely remodel to fit our specific family needs. We especially wanted a double axel for safety reasons and scoured online for years to find that model in a certain price range. In 2019 we were at the lake with friends when randomly Chris spotted a man placing a “For Sale” sign on the exact Airstream we had been waiting to find! It was a steal and we were going to remodel it to be just perfect for us. We bought it on the spot. Right before Chris pulled down the lake street with his new find, my friend Jenn mentioned she thought in some way the Airstream was a symbol of our trip around the world dream – we waited for it and it would happen. As soon as she said those words, we heard a crash and the underside of the trailer was now on the ground. The timing was impeccable. I looked at her and laughed because what else can do when the bathroom of your new Airstream falls out?! I told her – yep maybe it was like our travel dreams – it would all come crashing down and not happen.
Well, we ended up selling the Airstream last fall because the reality was when it came to all the time it would take to remodel it – there were other time priorities we had.
After 9 months of watching flight trends with a goal of staying under a certain price – we finally bought our tickets. It just so happened the profits from the sale of our Airstream covered those 7 one-way tickets to Africa with a little left over! Guess Jenn was right and the two were related after all. We let go of a one good dream, but in doing so it made a bigger one possible.
For over a decade I envisioned the day we would finally purchase our tickets to start a year long trip around the world. I did not picture it would be during a pandemic, an emerging war, the planning of my mother-in-law’s funeral, the day of the first concussion in our crew, or on my oldest’s 18th birthday. Right after we hit “purchase”, Chris had to leave to meet with the funeral home director. A moment that I always thought would feel like a confetti popper going off felt subdued – not without joy and gratitude (they were 100% there), but the backdrop of grief and heaviness couldn’t be ignored. Joy & grief dancing together.
There are a million little phrases with the same theme of “if you have a chance, take it” – all those ‘just go for it’, dream chasing phrases play in my head a lot right now. It is weird to be planning a trip right now. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to be honest. However, we know this is our one chance. Based on other factors, it is either now or never for us. So, we here we are – still chasing our dream even when our hearts and minds are so very heavy. 7 one-way tickets to North Africa are in our inbox, we are ready to pivot plans at any point, but for now have an answer to the question, “When are you leaving?” Joy & grief still dancing.
