HOME AGAIN

Four months have come and gone since our last update.  When last we saw the Vibrant Migrants, we’d just arrived in Washington DC after wrapping up our tour in Jakarta.  And this current update is coming to you from our new post in La Paz, Bolivia.  But in between, we had some time for “home leave” – that glorious pause between posts when we get to reconnect with friends and family and have a bit of a breather before jumping back into the fray.  This home leave included time in Washington DC, Portland, California’s Central Coast, and road-tripping to Colorado.  After three years in Jakarta’s smog, the goal for this home leave was to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  Mission accomplished.

First up, Washington DC for about six weeks of training, which allowed time on evenings and weekends to take in the lovely spring and summer weather.  We got to do lots of walks and runs, revisit some of our favorite restaurants, and most of all, catch up with friends we hadn’t seen in years. 

We walked to vantage point to take in the Fourth of July fireworks over the national mall.  For as much time as we've spent in Washington over the past 10 years or so, this was a first for us.  

Next up, Portland.  Part of the challenge on our home leaves is where to stay.  We always have generous offers from friends and family to stay with them… but we arrive en masse with six suitcases.  So this year, we tried a new strategy – trustedhousesitters.com.  In between short stays with my parents at their house, we dog- and/or cat-sat at three different houses.  This was a win-win for everyone!  We had a place to stay without disrupting our hosts’ lives, and they got a responsible couple to take care of their houses and furry family members.  And I got a dog fix!  And we got to check out three different, cool neighborhoods in Portland.

Hanging out on the front porch with Kash - THE BEST dog!

Kash's house, and our temporary house for about two weeks, was in SE Portland, so we got to check out lots of coffee shops and restaurants in that neighborhood - and walk to Mt. Tabor, which is a huge park with great views of Portland.  Look at that blue sky!

Trees, and sun, and blue sky at Mt. Tabor!  Breathing in all the fresh air I can.

We spent about six weeks in Portland, so we had lots of time to enjoy the spectacular northwest summer, see lots of friends… and eat lots of great food at our favorite restaurants.  We also got out of town for a weekend on the coast in Manzanita Oregon.  The Oregon coast can be unbearably grey and drizzly even on the hottest day in Portland.  But the weather fairies pulled out all the stops to put on a great show for our weekend there.

"One glass of wine is never enough."  -My mom

Sunset on the Oregon Coast.

Hiking to take in the view from the top of Neahkahnie Mountain in Manzanita.

Back in Portland for a girls' day hike in Forest Park.

Paddling on the Willamette (wih-LAMB-eht) River.  Despite appearances in this photo, no one capsized.

I also took a short trip to California and made a loop through Prunedale, Monterey, and Santa Cruz to see friends in my old stomping grounds.  Once again, the weather was incredible, and my friends kindly obliged my request for outdoor activities to take advantage of it all.

Sea lions - EVERYWHERE - on a stroll along the Monterey Bay waterfront.

Hiking though the Santa Cruz redwoods with friends - since college! 

Paddling the Elkhorn Slough with my friends and Prunedale neighbors.

Our home leave wrapped up with a family roadtrip to Colorado.  We loaded up my parents’ car with my parents, us, a couple suitcases, lots of snacks – and a case of wine.  We spent a couple nights on the way there and back in Boise and Salt Lake City, and then we had about 10 days in Vail.  The home leave goals were again achieved as we caught up with more friends and spent more time outside doing some incredible hikes and scenic drives through the Rockies as the fall colors were just starting to appear.  The trip also allowed us a bit of time to start to acclimate to life at high altitude – our new home in the Andes is at just under 11,000 feet, so we thought giving our lungs a chance to adapt might help set us up for success.

Holiday Rooooooooaaaaaad.

Stopping to take in the views of Snake River and Shoshone Falls in Idaho.

Strolling through Vail.

View towards Vail Mountain from one of the many hikes we did during our stay.

Answering the age-old question about what bears do in the woods.

Another day, another hike.  We were serious about that high-altitude training!

We even had friends from Zimbabwe (who now live in North Carolina) join us for a few days in the Rockies.

Taking the gondola up Vail Mountain.  Also good training for my daily commute by gondola in La Paz.  (Stay tuned for more on that...)

All aboard the Leadville Railroad for a scenic ride at 10,000 feet.

We were a bit early for peak fall color, but the aspens still put on quite a show from aboard the train.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and so too did our Home Leave 2025.  We had one last weekend back in Portland for some last farewell-for-nows before we headed to Bolivia.  In keeping with the theme of trying to ease into the high-altitude life, we spent a couple nights in Bogota Colombia (8,000 feet) before arriving in La Paz. 

Greetings from the La Paz airport where we landed... at 3am.  

And now, here we are.  The altitude really is no joke.  It affects everything – breathing, sleeping, digestion.  The first week or so, we really noticed it – I would get winded just talking.  But three weeks in, we see improvements.  I’m not going to set any land-speed records walking at this elevation, but we are getting out and about to see what our new city has to offer.  And there is a lot!  Our first impressions are that this is going to be a great place to call “home” for the next couple years.  More to come…