Home Sweet Everywhere!

 

“The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to.” - Alain De Botton

Now that we can officially claim to have traveled from sea to shining sea (i.e. Olympic Coast of Washington to the beaches of Amelia Island Florida) over the past 2.5 years - we have come to fully understand that our mindset is far more important than the destination in determining our own happiness.  

It truly does make sense when one considers that as digital nomads we have traveled over 50,000 miles staying at 30+ destinations scattered across the United States. The only constant on this journey has been us!

"Time Travel" in our "wheel-estate" as we traverse this great land, has been where we have had some of our more focused and deep conversations - the destination is secondary then - sometimes only a stick pin on the map so we know where our next pit stop is!

And... it has been because of these "stick pin" stops that we have discovered some fascinating destinations that we would never have encountered except for the boundless opportunities to housesit across the country (and world if you wished - and that's on the near horizon!)

Amelia Island is a great example of that - we would never have visited this idyllic island, (which was the global shrimping capital in the early 1900s) with its historic district and the pier just blocks away had it not been for a posting on TrustedHousesitters.com . 

This international housesitting association has presented a variety of interesting settings and homes to call "home" for between 2-weeks and 3 months. We feel so blessed to be a part of this community.

Housesitting has also offered us the accompaniment of a variety of furry four-footed hosts that has enhanced and expanded our experiences.  The dogs have prompted Jerry to get more steps out in the neighborhood while many of the cats have purred their way into Phyl's heart while relaxing on couches and sofas throughout the homes we have had the pleasure of sitting in. 

During our most recent sit we made time to do a mini-retreat to review our current experiences and future goals. Originally we had it in mind before we began this Next Grand Adventure that we would eventually settle down in a location which both our hearts could call our "forever-home" - and that in some ways, it might be unconventional, more or less 'off the grid.' We still have that goal.

And, during one of the conversations on our retreat, we had an "aha" moment and realized that we were already off the grid by the very nature of our nomadic life - no mortgages, no property taxes, repairs (other than our vehicle), utilities, or HOA fees. When we do buy or build, regardless of where, we'll actually be less off the grid than we are now! But that's later - most important for now is our ability to continue expanding personally and learning about this great country as we explore - physically, emotionally and spiritually.