Eight Suitcases

After more than three years of planning and a year of executing and three months of solid cramming, we have finally managed to fit all of our belongings for the next two years into just eight small suitcases (each weighing exactly 49lbs).  It seemed like a monumental task at the time but after three weeks of living out of those suitcases, I think we probably could have condensed the eight into three or four.  It is amazing how little one really “needs”.  I truly admire the people (Katie Jacobson-Lang) who do round-the-world trips for months or years at a time with only what will fit on their back.  Kudos.

Anyway, this was so exciting.  We were finally done and the moment had finally come to leave the house for the last time.  So, every time I leave the house, I go through the usual checklist which goes something like this – “Got my phone, got my wallet, got my keys”.  It is just habit.  This last time, as we left the house for the airport, my checklist went something like this…”Got my phone…wait a minute, my phone plan is cancelled, the phone no longer works.  Okay…hmmm…got my keys.  Wait, what keys?  Keys for the house?  No, I don’t have a house, or an apartment or condo or any other dwelling that would require a key – huh.  Car keys?  No, don’t have one of those either.   No house, no car, no phone…okay, I guess I’m ready!!”.  I had to chuckle at how liberating and, at the same time, how scary that felt.

The kids were fantastic through it all and took everything in stride.  It all seemed to be fairly normal to them because really, they are far too young to know that not all, or even many, nine and six year olds go live on a boat for two years.  They do recognize that it is pretty special,though, which is evident when people ask us where we are travelling and they proudly announce that they are going to Grenada to live on a boat for two years.  They seem to get a kick out of people’s reactions which is anywhere from, “Of course you are!!” to “You’re what?!!!” at which point the people look at Neil and I as if to say: “Are they for real?!!”  Anyway, these kids were born to travel.  See for yourself…

Luckily, all of the luggage fit into our rental van and we headed to the hotel for a nice long nap.

Wait, that would have been way too easy, here is the alternate and true ending…

Yes, all of the luggage fit into the van but it was only 8 am and check-in wasn’t for another eight hours!!  Well, I don’t know about you but to me, this sounded like the perfect opportunity to grab some dim sum.  Aside from the extreme heat, that was pretty straight forward since Neil and I had basically paved the way to our favourite dim sum place the last time we lived in Miami.  It was the next part that, if I had written the book, would have gone a little differently.

You see, what better thing to do after travelling for 24 hours on two hours sleep than to take a walk in the close to 100 degree heat along a long boardwalk to a beach with zero shade?!!  Well, the kids had fun anyway.   Once again they were superstars.

Kid’s first arriving at Miami Beach

Always smiling at the beach

Suffice it to say, that night, for the first time in my life, I slept for fourteen and a half solid hours – no more thinking, no more planning, no more lists.  I woke up the next morning thinking that this was the first night of what is sure to be something amazing.

I think Millie summed it up best, though, as we were snuggling next to each other somewhere en route.  I asked if she enjoyed the long flight and she looked up at me and said, “Yeah, but we took that airplane ride so we could be free,right?”  When I asked her what we would be free from she simply said, “Everything.”  I was so moved that such a little person could come up with such a big idea that all I could say was, “Yes, Millie, we took that airplane ride so we can be free.”.