Sunrise, Sunset

Sunrise, Sunset - The End of 2017 and the Beginning of 2018

As the sun begins to set on 2017, we wanted to take a moment to look back at this year, and to glance forward to 2018.

​Today, December 31, 2017, marks the end of our first full year as full time RVers. This year was different for us than any year in the past, so we wanted to post a special end-of-the-year review to tell you, not just about our travels, but about our personal highs and lows this year.

See what went wrong and what went right in 2017.

Alpha Male Howler Monkey Watching Us as We Watch His Family Play

This year, we stayed in 23 different campgrounds, spent twenty nights in hotels and AirBNBs, and visited four countries and fifteen states. We spent time with family and old friends, made new friends, learned new skills, and had lots of laughs.

Here are some of our favorite memories from 2017:
1. Seeing two troupes of howler monkeys in their natural habitat in Belize
2. Riding down Havana's Malecon in a pink convertible
3. Sitting around campfires with various groups of family members and friends
4. Spending a day on the lake with friends in Canada
5. Meeting the children of several of my cousins.
6. The birth of my niece in November.

Classic Convertible in Havana

We had some sad times as well, the most difficult coming in July, when my grandmother passed away suddenly. I was unable to say goodbye or to attend the funeral in person. Knowing of her declining health and the pain she was in, I know she is in a better place now, and thanks to technology, I was able to "attend" the funeral from Canada via FaceTime.

Needles Highway

We had a few frustrating and scary situations too, which we lovingly look back at as "adventures":
​1. Getting locked out of the state park where we were staying, necessitating  a very dark walk to the officer's house to have him unlock the gate
2. Nearly going over the edge of a cliff in Mississippi - truck, camper, and all
3. Very nearly getting stuck going through a narrow, diminutive opening along Needles Highway in the Black Hills
4. Wondering if we were going to make it out of the Big Horns alive and intact
5. Various run-ins with Diamondback rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas, and disgruntled bulls

Click here to watch our YouTube video of our 2017 recap.

Overall, 2017 was a great ride! We are thankful for those we have met along the way, for the helpful advice from strangers, and for the love of family and friends.

Now, as the sun rises on 2018, we are looking forward to new adventures in the year to come.

Safe travels to you all, and may 2018 bring you much joy and love.

In 2018, we will explore our way through parts of Europe and Central America.

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