First 30 Days - Q&A
We wanted to answer some of the burning questions about the first 30 days of travel. The highs and lows of living on the road. Here’s how everyone is feeling in their own words.
What is your overall thoughts on the first 30 days?
Scott (S) - I’m grateful for Jamie. The preparation work that she has put into this trip so far has been extraordinary. She’s made itineraries, and helps to plan the dinners and I know I don’t show it enough but her hard work is appreciated. Overall the first 30 days have been awesome. I was concerned about how the three of us would manage living in such tight quarters, but it’s been good so far. I’ve seen things I never thought I would see and done things I never thought I would get the chance to do. It’s been a unique experience.
William (W) - It’s cool and we’re seeing cool things but I still miss home. I’ll probably get over it as we continue the trip but I mostly miss being home at this point.
Jamie (J) - Overall better than expected. I expected more of a transition period and more difficulties. I anticipated issues with our rig and have not seen that as of yet. Easier than expected so far.
One thing you wish you had brought and one thing you wish you hadn’t?
S - I think it’s safe to say that the telescope has been a waste of space at this point. Most of the places we’ve been, the sun doesn’t set until after 10PM and it never really gets dark. As far as brought, I would have bought some fancier lenses for our Nikon camera to capture even more spectacular photos.
W - Nothing. I have everything I could possibly need … I think. The telescope could have stayed at home though. It’s never dark.
J - Telescope goes without saying for me. It’s been a huge inconvenience and just gets in the way. Since Scott also mentioned the telescope, I’ll also say that hair conditioner has not been necessary. I wish I had brought the kitchen chamois (microfiber cleaning cloth)
What has been your favorite memory from the past 30 days?
S - When we departed on the ferry from Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert, we managed to see a pod of killer whales. Unfortunately, no pictures, but it was an awesome experience to see Shamu in the wild.
W - Recovering the boxes when they fell off the rig. It was super sad when it happened, but recovery of the boxes and almost all of the contents was a miracle.
J - William and me seeing wild jellyfish while walking on the jetty in Victoria. I had never seen wild jellyfish. Seeing the giant pacific octopus in Campbell River’s aquarium is a close second.
What was something that you thought was going to be one way but turned out harder or easier than expected?
S - I anticipated that the tight living quarters was going to prove to be very difficult. I assumed that in the mornings, we’ve be stepping on each other’s toes and constantly blocking each other. We’ve actually got a good routine. I get up first and head to the bathroom and get myself all handsome and ready for the day. Once done there, Jamie and I will switch and I then get dressed and move to the kitchen to start getting William out of bed. Once Jamie is done in the bathroom, she’ll get dressed and then we work as a team to get breakfast done and prepare for the day.
W - I thought the whole trip was going turn out hard. Needing to leave home and being stuck in a small area with my parents. It has turned out easier and more fun than I had thought.
J - Everything that I dreaded has turned out to be a bit easier than expected. Laundry for example has been easier than I thought it would be. Getting packed up and leaving for the next destination has been easier and we work well as a team. Hardest part has been planning for the next steps. Grocery shopping is harder than I thought it would be too. There is only so much room in the fridge, freezer and pantry.
What has been the hardest part of the trip?
S - Packing up and getting organized. It feels like every time it’s time to pack up and go, it’s raining or swarming with mosquitoes. We’ve already had the incident with the soap box and most recently the cargo boxes on the roof. My goal is to keep us from losing anything else on the trip.
W - Going into souvenir shops and not being able to buy everything I want. With space limited, I’m pretty much stuck buying stickers for my travel journal. I want ALL the stuffed animals I see! Rescue all the stuffed otters!
J- Being rushed. The one thing we are battling on this trip is time. There are only so many months up here before winter starts to move in and push us south. The problem is trying to fit in all the destinations and seeing all the sights before moving on to the next destination. It would be more exciting if we had more time and could stay at locations longer but it truly is a rush trying to beat the clock. It’s been the primary reason of why we are dividing the Canada trip into two summers.
What are you most afraid of or looking forward to for the next 30 days or further?
S - We’re coming up on the part where we drive to the furthest northern part of the state and my biggest fear is that our rig can’t handle it. I’m hoping everything goes off without a hitch, but I think it’s just the pessimist creeping out a little even though I’m primarily an optimist. I’m most looking forward to seeing if I have the guts to go jump into the Arctic Ocean. I get that opportunity in a couple weeks. And it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity so I better jump on it (literally)!
W - Not being as active is something of concern. I’m concerned that there won’t be anything to do at our upcoming locations. I’m looking forward to the Badland Guardians and Mount Rushmore as we get closer to the end of the trip.
J - Two things I’m afraid of. Main one being starting to homeschool with William. Trying to get the routine and organization and time management. Second concern is whether or not the rig can manage being off grid for extended periods of time. I know we’ve made upgrades to the solar and the batteries etc. but if it’s cloudy, or raining, will we be having problems. I’m most excited to continue to see everything that is coming. Each location has sights that are beyond expectations and it just feels bigger than life up here.
Please provide any other questions you’d want us to answer, and we’ll include them in a future Q&A session. It’s been a month of making small and large adjustments, but we are happy to say WeirbackOnTrack! Stay tuned.
