The Long Goodbye

Yeah, I know. I haven’t added anything to this blog yet. But in fairness, it IS supposed to be a TRAVEL blog. And I haven’t really started the real travels yet. Don’t know if pre-travel travels count. But to summarize what has gone on with me over the past month:

It’s been over a month since my last day of work (April 9th). From that date until the end of April, my life was dominated – mostly (!) – with packing up my condo and moving my belongings into storage. The main moving date was the last Saturday in April – the 24th – where several friends helped me move my furniture and (most) boxes into a small 10’ x 10’ storage space I’ve rented for the year. Special thanks to my friends Leor, Steve, Wayne and Mark for their help that day. We moved about 90% of my belongings that Saturday. I had thought that the remaining 10% would be a piece of cake (I was staying in my place, sleeping on an air mattress, until the 30th). However, it turned out that packing and moving the remaining 10% over that last week – driving back and forth to the storage space - turned into a more hellish, time-consuming task than I imagined. The remaining details always seem to take way longer.

One thing I’m happy about is how I had, over the five years of living in that condo, accumulated relatively few things. Not much excess ‘crap’ to sort and throw out. I’d like to think it was a function of my minimalist and non-materialistic character (a point open to debate, I’ll admit), but it was likely due to the fact that the closet and storage space in a 750 square-foot condo unit imposes limits on one’s ability to accumulate stuff. In any case, my advice to everyone: Cut down on the amount of stuff you have - come moving day you’ll thank yourself. (I know some people out their will cringe when reading this – sorry.)

April 30th came, and I found myself officially homeless. A weird, surreal, and not altogether unsettling feeling. I’ve longed to travel for years, but I’m a person who likes my space (who doesn’t?). But sacrifices have to be made to pursue one’s dreams (cue dramatic music).

April 30th onwards saw me staying with my good friends Steve and Tracy. They’ve been awesome letting me stay with them. Easy going people who are always great to be around. I have to thank all the friends out there who have also offered to let me stay with them (I may take you up on your offers yet – you know, just to spread the Andrew-time around!)

May 4th, I drove off to BC for about six days, spending two days in the Kootenays and the rest visiting my sister, brother-in-law and nephew at their new place in the Vancouver suburb of Langley. To my Vancouver friends reading this who I did not contact on that visit – my apologies. Time just didn’t allow for it. I’ll make it up to you at a later date – I promise.

I drove back to Calgary May 10th, staying for two more days before flying east to begin a (more than) three week trip to visit friends and family. First stop: New Brunswick, just outside Moncton, visiting friends there. That’s where I’m writing this from. Next stop: Ottawa. Then Toronto and environs. Then back to Calgary. Then, June 16th, the big trip begins…