We have 15 days remaining to our time in Puerto Vallarta. To me, this seems as though our first winter away is almost over. So soon? In reality, two weeks is probably longer than the total vacation time for a majority of the tourists in town!
Coming down here has been a perfect kick-off to early retirement. I'm lucky to have been able to have chosen the last day of October as my final, official day of work at BCIT. Being able to get away during November meant we had to change habits quickly. Learning new things is always important but, in this case, making immediate, new routines was probably critical. We came; we conquered. Now, I am getting excited about approaching British Columbia in a different way for the summer. It really is a remarkable place and it'll be as though we're again tourists there too.
Planning an annual five months of winter away and then seven back in Western Canada seems about the best scenario I can imagine! Variety is paramount. I worry about folks who have very little to differentiate entire stretches of their lives. For us, travel has always been a way to prevent falling in a rut. It's a little like we have had chances to live many different lives. Rather than having our lives meld into a continuous lump, we will be able to remember many, entirely unique, short chapters.
So, next we will be "home" from April 24th to mid-November, and then, we are off again to make another new life in a completely different place!