Today is not only spring equinox but also a year after we left Chile following almost 3 years long cycling journey through Americas. If you want to read more about our super complicated journey back home in the midst of world pandemic, you can do it HERE.
This year has flown by incredibly fast, without noticing almost, and that again is a proof for us that living the life full of routine is nothing for us. When we were on the road I didn’t need a log for my period (pretty sure you wanted to know this information) or putting down the date of new contact lenses. Why? Because I had those events associated with a place or new people we met or something worthy that happened. Now I have a diary…
About change
I haven’t talked with a stranger on the street for a year. I’ve forgotten how it is to wake up without an alarm clock. We don’t sleep in other people houses or gardens anymore. I can’t spontaneously decide I want to go there or there, I have to plan my days off months ahead. Even though we stayed in the central European area mainly because of friends and family, we can’t really meet them, at the moment it’s not allowed to leave your district in the Czech Republic apart from going to work. I have seen my mum once in 5 months while living 3 hours by car from each other. With my two best friends living in Slovakia and Germany we hold regular video call parties as it’s the only allowed way how to be together. It’s not only about the NOTs though. We can bake sourdough bread every week and have a proper kitchen. We have made furniture and lamps and other stuff for the place we live in. This creative work keeps us sane within the routine. We can drink water straight from the tap. But still we would give it all up for the wind on the face when going downhill on the bike or for spending the nights in the nature.
About the “what if”
What if we did stay in Chile… I’m not immune towards this thought that keeps coming from time to time. When we call Chris from Switzerland who was in the exact same situation at the time, we always get back to that thought together… You see, the beauty of cycle touring lies in the freedom of movement. And the freedom of movement has been taken away. People who stayed behind had to stay in one place, some of them came back after many months when the situation hadn’t changed. The land borders between the countries are mostly closed still. So we probably have decided very pragmatically but this doesn’t prevent the melancholy. Latin America has got something magical in it that Europe can’t rise to in any way. Bearing in mind its perks which we had pleasure to deal with while living in Mis Casas next to Bacalar lagoon in Mexico for 6 months, it’s still our favourite place to be.
About failure
Coming back to live the life we’ve lived before is my greatest failure in life so far. For many months we’ve tried to inspire you to dream big and fulfill your dreams. NOW not later! And what am I doing now? Waiting for the situation to get better. Waiting to earn enough money to be able to get out of the “system” again. Living the same days every day. Waiting… loosing precious time. On the other hand, I fully acknowledge the privilege to have a stable job in the current world situation. When people are loosing jobs, businesses, some of them even lives because it’s just too much! There will always be a need for our service, as doctors. Babies are born, people get injured. Unfortunately, being a nomad and a doctor is kind of contradictory. You need people to know you to give you trust to help them and they won’t know you if you keep moving all the time.
About the future
Well, planning the future is banned until further notice signalling we’re on top of the pandemic. We can only hope we will be able to meet in real life again this summer. There is still a great part of this beautiful planet untouched by our feet or wheels. As I said in the past, I very much envy those of you who are happy living at one spot. Maybe there is such a spot in the world for us, maybe it’s our nomadic soul that will always win. Right now, it’s impossible to say. Because planning the future is banned until further notice. Dreaming is not though.
Martin
Hi Luba, I don’t now what to say, other than I now how you are felling right now! Cycling and being outdoors is great for the mind. You are right we can focus on each day, dream, be grateful what we have right now and staying positive in a world gone mad.