Day 0 - Starting the journey

It is mid-pandemic and we are just finishing a small family reunion for my parent's 50th anniversary on Turks and Caicos. On the second to last day, I decided not to fly home. I don't have a return flight planned. This blog is to document my journies.

I'm lucky in that the type of work I do can be done remotely. This is going to be an experiment. I'm in my mid-40's and every day of my life up until this very moment I had a plan for what I was doing a few days out. All of my necessities are in a backpack and I've rented a bike. As my wife of 25+ years pulled away to go to the airport I had a wave of anxiety. I organized my temporary (3 day) apartment and made the following list of things to do:

• Unpack
• Set up and test computer video to make sure I can work Monday
• Clear out inboxes (been on vacation for a week)
• Start worklist of tasks I need to do for work next week (more work)
• Set up My Fitness Pal to track what I'm eating/drinking (too much junk food and booze on vacation so far... )
• Check on training peaks to build a training plan to see if I can get back on schedule for an Ironman type thing later this year
• Set up and write in a journal
• Bike or swim

I'm sure part of this journey will be about learning how to give up on my need for lists and data... but today having some structure is helping me not feel lonely. The silence in my head is surprisingly loud.

I spent a good hour or two doing email and starting to get ready for the work week. The view isn’t bad from the current office. I talked to one guy who said he was just getting in town with a group of six. I walked to the beach. Without something obvious to do I noticed I was observing the flowers are different colors along the path. I biked to town for a beer. Got to the bar Luis the grounds keeper recommended at 6pm (they close at 8pm due to the COVID curfew) it was dead (me and one other) and all the bars I drove by were empty too. I got home around 7PM and made myself some tacos. The bike ride home was about 4 miles. It was well after dark so the stars were amazing. 

Feelings: Uncertainty, excitement, desire to focus on something so it is not quiet/lonely

Mood (scale 1-10): 8

Live Humans spoken to: 3

Video Humans spoken to: 2