We posted a week or so about how we moved to a new ‘undisclosed location’ to get some much needed re-charge time after a very busy social calendar in Cedar Key.
We put out some hints last week on Facebook that it was:
- Somewhere we’ve been before
- Somewhere that T-Mobile and AT&T rule over Verizon
- Somewhere warm enough that we could wear shorts and swimsuits all day long
It’s been fun to see where people thought we went. We’ve had guesses ranging from Melbourne to be near my mom, ‘the’ Keys, Tampa to visit nudist resorts, the nearest Detroit Diesel shop to reconnect with Zephyr and even flying off to Hawaii.
But the truth is.. well… way back in September we snagged a cheap inside cabin to join my mom and aunt on a 7-day eastern Caribbean cruise.
So our announcement was actually a bit of a cover-up. (Sorry!)
Our plan was to leave the bus and Kiki in Cedar Key, while we drove down to Ft. Lauderdale to catch Holland America’s ms Eurodam for a week. It’s the sister ship of Nieuw Amsterdam that my family did back in late 2012, my father’s last big trip.
In fact it was pretty much the same exact itinerary – Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas (instead of St. Marteen like last time) and Half Moon Cay.
See? We have been there before!
Except, after having so many unexpected visitors stop by to check out Cedar Key and meet us, we realized that just leaving unannounced could potentially cause some disappointment. So we definitely wanted to get the word out that we wouldn’t be here.
But announcing we were leaving our bus unoccupied for a week in such an announced location – didn’t feel like a really smart idea either. We had been struggling with how to handle it.
Given that we really were approaching social overload and had we not had the cruise coming up to keep us energized, we probably would have been retreating – announcing we were moving to an undisclosed location to recharge just seemed like a plausible way to handle things.
It turns out it was a good decision, as a few contacted us saying they had been planning to visit last week and appreciated the heads up.
And as we had to move spots within the campground before we left anyway, we technically did move the bus to a new undisclosed location.
It was a most excellent cruise, and we got lots of quality time with my mom and her sister. And boy oh boy, was it a delight to escape the chilly and dreary Cedar Key weather for a week. Cruising is just a great way for us to change up our pace for a bit.
We’re nicely re-charged after a week of being pampered and sailing the oceans blue – although it seems Chris picked up a cold on the last day. Hopefully he recovers quickly, and I don’t get hit with it myself.
Thankfully, with two US territory ports of call, we were able to utilize our AT&T LTE service to check in and keep in touch.
And in Grand Turk and Bahamas, we got to put our new T-Mobile iPad plan’s international data to the test.
It was slow, but it was enough to keep us connected with the team we’re working with – and we managed to avoid needing to buy any expensive cruise ship satellite internet.
And super bonus, we got to stop by in Stuart, FL on our way back to Cedar Key to visit with our friends Sean & Louise of Our Odyssey who last year moved off of their bus conversion onto a sweet and lovely boat they named Vector. It was a way too short of a visit, but great to see them.
In a couple days we’ll pack up and head on down to Brooksville for the Tin Can Tourists Convention this coming weekend. If you’re in the area, Saturday is a free open house – if you’re into vintage trailers, stop on by and say hi!
Up Next? Plans after the convention are shaping up a bit – we’ll be heading over to Spring Hill, FL for some time with Chris’ folks, and then over to Melbourne for some more time with my Mom. We’ll be watching the weather, and once it’s warm enough, we’ll most likely be heading up to St. Louis in the early spring to visit Chris’ grandma as we meander our way back to Cape Blanco Lighthouse in Oregon by September for our volunteer gig. After a couple months still, it feels great to be navigating by serendipity for a few months.
Video Chat Announcement
Join us for our next live video chat this Wednesday evening! After getting so many supportive comments (thank you!) and questions about being introverts and social RVers, we thought this would make a great topic for our next chat!
Our next live video scheduled for:
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
9pm EST / 6pm PST
Topic: RVing for the Introvert
[vc_button title=”Click To Join (our Video Chat Center) ” target=”_self” color=”default” href=”https://www.technomadia.com/video”]
[quote_box_center]RVing is a great lifestyle choice for introverts. Introversion, by the way – is not the same thing as being shy. Introverts just need non-social time to recharge, and tend to prefer smaller more intimate groups than large social settings.
As introverts ourselves, we’ll talk about how RVing has enhanced our lives. We’ll also share our tips for being introverted on the road – from finding solitude and having a vibrant social life when you want it.
Q&A to follow![/quote_box_center]
What a wonderful way to recharge…glad it all worked out for you!
The photos tell the story. Looks like you all had so much fun, good for you. And good for you that you had Kiki well cared-for.
We are officially living full-tme in our RV starting the 15th. I cannot tell you how I appreciate all the tips you provide for Internet. Made the transition so much easier!
Congrats on your impending launch date.. . let the journey begin!
Sounds like you had a great time. You did need the time off and it was fine that you hid the fact that you would be leaving ‘The Bus’. It is never a good thing to put out a target for anyone to read.
Thanks Wendy… leaving behind everything you own in a drivable house is a bit scary at time.. and always a tricky thing. We appreciate the support in having tried to hid that.
It sounds like you had a good time recharging your batteries and I don’t blame you for not telling anyone. Brandon and I went on a Caribbean cruise with my family in 2012 as a final trip with my dad, too. Bittersweet memories. We may join in on Wednesday as rving introverts describes us, too. I’m trying to be more social and reach out!
Yes.. bittersweet memories indeed. Cruises are a great way to share time with family however, and I’m so glad we have those memories. Hope yours help you on the journey of grief of losing a loved one too.