Half way home

We are about half way through our vacation. It has been a lot of fun and challenges.

The challenges revolve around the weather. It has been very warm and humid. The heat we are used to. It is hotter on a regular basis in Cairo, but this humidity it a killer. The worst yet was 98degF with 80% humidity.

We decided against 2 side trips we were going to do: Halong bay and the Mekong delta tours because of heavy rains. It isn’t raining all day, but it is raining hard for a good 2-4 hours/day every day.

And kaddee and I have each had “a day”. A day where one or the other of us was just out of it from the heat/humidity and just sat around drinking water and staring slack jawed into space.

But this post is really a reminder of the “half way home” thoughts.

Most vacations, even longer ones, are different than this one. At the end of most vacations, you go home to your normal lives and pick up where you left off.

At the end of this vacation we are returning to seattle after being away for 3 years. There is much to look forward to at the end of this vacation.

• Good friends
• good beer
• Bacon
• “stuff” just works

But there is also much to dread. (you know me, mister happy sunshine)

• We both have to re-integrate into our jobs.
• We have to reintegrate into life in a “civilized” country.
• We have to buy furniture to re-fill our house.
• We have to buy a car.
• We have to get the motorcycles road worthy.
• We have to get auto/motorcycle insurance.
• We have to make the rounds of the doctors (dentists, dermatalogists etc).
• We have to unpack our shipment within 7 days of its arrival (in order to make any claims for damages/loss).
• We have to relearn how to drive.
• We have to relearn how to shop. (what do you mean I can get everything in one store? What do you mean the prices are negotiable?)

So as I contemplate the half way mark, I look forward to the end. And I dread it.