Western Red Cedar's Journal

[delay]

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

[Bicycle7]

The last half mile of the trail before reaching the lake consisted of hiking on a slab of granite. Fortunately there were rock cairns that marked the general direction towards the lakes, but they were also scattered somewhat haphazardly so just progressed up. How many cairns can you spot?

On the hike back down I missed the trail as I was traversing down the granite slab. I realized I had gone too far and ultimately got back on the trail without having to do too much climbing back up. I saw a multitude of weekend warriors hiking up as I was heading down. Probably 25 total, with three large groups of overnighters.

Reading your trail report a few months later makes me miss backpacking season in the PNW! I found in the Sierras that it was much easier to follow rock cairns strewn across rock slabs climbing than descending. I got off track a couple times descending the way that I had previously climbed. Maybe descending you have a wider field of vision, so it's easier to see a potential way down that is in fact off of the trail?

I cherish being able to backpack during the middle of the week at this point in my life!

Ditto on the pictures being great!

P.S: I spot 8 cairns

[Western Red Cedar]

End-of-Work Countdown:

27 working days left

[mooretrees]

Yah! So exciting!!

[mountainFrugal]

505 posts in your journal and pulling the plug soon. You are an additional data point for the ~500 post rule on the forum. .

[Western Red Cedar]

December Update:

End-of-Work Countdown

20 working days left!

I've been busy with projects and training new staff. I've always respected former colleagues who were retiring, but didn't phone it in the last few months. I'm doing my best to apply that work ethic. I'm also actively trying to let go of some of the things I do well and could finish quickly, so I can walk new staff and project managers through some of the work.

Financial

November was the best month for DW and I financially in terms of NW increase. As it stands now, we'd be around a 4.8% WR. I'm assuming a similar burn rate while traveling (1k per person, per month) but we'll see how things unfold. That should be pretty easy to hit in SE Asia, but we may need to increase the budget depending on where we go after that. Since DW plans to work again, and I probably will also in some capacity, I'm not particularly concerned about following that budget. It will serve as more of a guideline.

I am curious to observe my emotional and psychological response to a transition from saving to spending. I've been in the buildup phase for a long time, and there is a certain identity and a steady drip of dopamine hits associated with that phase.

Ideally the NW keeps climbing while we spend the cash reserve in the portfolio, but I'm not relying on that. It would be more of a pleasant outcome which makes work truly optional in the future.

Life

I've been going through phases of intense excitement and feelings of overwhelm. Mostly the latter. We'll be moving out of our apartment at the end of the month and staying with my parents for a couple of weeks before we leave. We've been doing some intensive decluttering over the last month, and I'm trying to be pretty ruthless about getting rid of stuff that I've held onto for a long time but that I don't really use. This process is a really strong reinforcement for not wanting to buy or acquire more stuff. George Carlin's bit on "stuff" has been running through my mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

I'm probably a bit crazy stacking a job transition, a move, decluttering, and planning a trip on top of each other. Not to mention staying with family for two weeks to save a grand on rent. And continuing to work up until a few days before we leave the country. But...I keep reminding myself that I'll have plenty of time to relax when it is all over.

Skillfest 2024 sounds intriguing and matches up well with the next phase of my life, but I'm not committing to it at the moment because I want to give myself time to decompress. I'm really looking forward to reading a bunch of fiction, taking naps, walking aimlessly, spending time at the beach, and eating delicious Thai and Vietnamese food.

[Western Red Cedar]

End of Work Countdown:

13 Working days left

Dan Reeder's "Work Song" has found its way onto my playlists quite a few times over the last few weeks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNWhiXxdbWk

I submitted my formal notice and started the final steps to officially ending my employment. I worked with my supervisor to try to limit any major disruptions with my departure, and I'm starting to train a couple employees who will be taking over my responsibilities.

Moving:

I've moved a couple large loads of furniture out which I'm either donating to family or will be in use at the shire. My dad was able to take most of that up last week before the snow blocked off access. I've just wrapped up the last of my vaccinations and medical appointments and secured a storage unit. I noticed that buying some things for my trip which I had planned was a bit challenging, as I've developed a strong habit of delaying purchases. Nonetheless, I've pulled the trigger on some mini bands for a mobile workout routine, a mini bluetooth speaker, some new shoes and travel pants that should work well in hotter climates. I used the FSA to build out a nice first aid kit designed for life on the road.

As I was decluttering I came across a box of old trophies. It reminded me of something Ryan Holiday said in one of his podcasts or videos. Strangely, he won a grammy for his work producing a jazz album at some point. They didn't have actual trophies for all of the producers, but told him backstage he could order one and have it inscribed. This is what it said:

National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
Ryan Holiday
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album - 2017
"When you die, this will go in the trash
alongside all your other accomplishments"

He was making the point that none of the external stuff matters. I think of that story a lot in terms of my own professional awards and accolades. I was thinking of it as I came across my box of trophies and plaques from school. Stuff that seemed so important at the time is basically just cheap plastic or metal that is soon going to end up in the trash.

[candide]

Here's to quitting!

Congrats.

[2Birds1Stone]

Congrats! What vaccinations did you get in preparation for the trip?

[Western Red Cedar]

Thanks Candide and 2B1S. It has been a long time coming.

@2B1S - The main one was Typhoid Fever. I opted for the pills which were a little cheaper and provide a couple more years of protection. DW opted for the shot. Last week I got the most recent Covid Booster and decided to get an early booster for tetanus while I still have health insurance. The other major one is Yellow Fever, and quite a few countries require proof of this vaccination prior to entry if you are coming from a country where it was present (or at least they used to). We got yellow fever shots more than a decade ago and I thought they expired after 10 years, but the consulting travel nurse we worked with said they recently changed the standards/recommendations and that the vaccination is now good for life. We also received Hep A and Hep B shots prior to the last trip, so didn't have to worry about that.

We decided against Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies, which were suggested as optional based on our itinerary and anticipated activities. The rabies shots were pretty expensive in the US ($1500 with insurance) and required three shots.

We took care of a lot of this while I was living in South Korea before the last big vagabonding adventures, and from what I recall a lot of the vaccinations were cheaper there. That is possibly just a reflection of the respective cost of medical care in general.

We also got some prescription anti-diarrheal medication for the first aid kit which lasts a year. We decided against any of the Miliaria medications, but can always pick some up in a pharmacy in one of the major cities (where I know they'll be cheaper) if we change our mind.

[Western Red Cedar]

End of Work Countdown:

4 Working Days Left

My last two working weeks have been pleasantly low-key. That was partially by my own design. Coworkers have been scheduling quite a few meetings every day to get feedback on their projects and pick my brain, but all of the heavy lifting on my end is complete. I've had quite a few amazing conversations with people from different backgrounds and different ages, who are excited by what I'm doing and sincerely grateful for the support and guidance I've provided. I'm glad to end things on a high note and will have a landing spot if I want to return.

Financial

NW is at a high and it seems like we may just stagger into our target number over the next couple of months. That number has been a bit fuzzy considering the manner in which I value my pension, and how I account for SS; but we are equipped to live as well-financed bohemians and/or vagabonds for the foreseeable future.

I'll be implementing the rising equity glide path over the next year or two and will adjust plans accordingly based on market activity and changing circumstances.

Life

The week between Christmas and New Years Day was one of the craziest in the last decade. A full week of 16-18 hour days of working, packing, cleaning, organizing, moving things to storage, and finally getting out of our apartment. Halfway through the move our rig completely died in the middle of a busy intersection after dropping off a large load at the storage unit. I just started laughing as the first check-engine light came on, and then multiple lights came on before it died. Fortunately, the car started back up after we turned it off and let it sit, and we made it back home. We called in some favors (DW's smart thinking) and her friends came by to clear out our donation pile for the thrift store. My dad brought his truck down and we were able to make more efficient trips to clear out our apartment. It might have been a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to tap some social capital and maintain momentum.

My dad is a trooper and a beast. In his early 70's he has barely lost a step and was handling the move with ease. He loves to stay busy and find solutions. I loaned him my vinyl collection and a few other sentimental items as a small token of gratitude.

On New Years Day my dad came by to pick up the last load. After loading everything into his truck his engine wouldn't start. He had a lot of work done recently, and he was pretty sure it was the starter. He finally got it going a half hour later while on the phone with the tow truck driver. It was quite the week, and it felt like Murphy's law was stalking us. Nonetheless, we made it out of our apartment around dinner time on New Years and our rig made it safely to my parents house. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I opted to laugh at the absurdity of our situation rather than get angry or frustrated.

I've been working all week and trying to wrap up loose ends in my spare time. Everything from dozens of address changes, to final trips to the storage unit, to trip planning for Thailand, to insurance negotiations, to finding the right liquids for my TSA ziplock bag, to cashing in rolls of coins at the local credit union. Our to-do-list is nearly complete, though we still have a lot to do over the next week.

We've made it through the hardest parts of this transition, and have had time to connect with friends and family over the holidays despite all the chaos. Life is good and we are excited for a change of scenery.

[Biscuits and Gravy]

Awesome, man! Safe travels!

[2Birds1Stone]

How goes it? Looking forward to hearing how the transition to slow travel is going so far.

[Western Red Cedar]

@B&G - Thanks! It was a long time coming.

@2B1S - DW and I are fully embracing the decompression stage. DW and I started the day this morning with a delicious coffee on the beach, then set up in a bamboo palapa for about four hours eating delicious thai food at $2-3 per plate, reading, and wandering down to the Andaman Sea to cool off. We walked back to our hotel and enjoyed another hour by the pool while I ordered a delicious lunch for $1.75.

It was a bit of a bumpy ride getting here. In addition to what I said above, our flight got canceled two days before our scheduled departure due to the issues with the Boeing planes. We rescheduled for a couple days later, but a huge blizzard descended on us the day we were leaving. Our flight was delayed by 1.5 hours, but we made it out and just barely made our connection. I also picked up a pretty wicked case of food poisoning less than a week into the trip, which ultimately required a trip to the doctor and a prescription for antibiotics. Nonetheless, I'm on the mend and enjoying the beach bum, bohemian lifestyle.

It has been about 15 years since I was last in Asia, and the sights and smells after leaving the Bangkok airport immediately brought me back to memories and experiences from my mid twenties. Bangkok is such a fascinating city, and I was happy to introduce it to DW. I'm doing a lot of analog journaling, photography, walking, and experimenting with capturing video content (I picked up Akaso mini camera before I left, which is a cheaper version of a GoPro).

I'm having some issues with two-factor authentication since adding a new E-sim, so this is the first time since 2017 that I haven't updated my monthly NW. Not really worried about it though, but I'll need to figure it out so I can do our taxes.

I do seem to be spending a lot of mental bandwidth on logistics, and navigating daily decisions (where to eat, what to do, how to get there, how to find more sunscreen, where we should book the next room/ferry/bus, etc...). Some of this is likely due to the fact that we aren't really slow-traveling yet, but moving around on a weekly basis. We have a 3 month visa for Vietnam, and are looking forward to moving more slowly once we arrive there.

[theanimal]

Congrats on finishing up the job and the start of your new travels! Nothing like a few bumps starting off to shake off the rust and get you back on your toes. I’m looking forward to reading more about your travels.

[2Birds1Stone]

I do seem to be spending a lot of mental bandwidth on logistics, and navigating daily decisions (where to eat, what to do, how to get there, how to find more sunscreen, where we should book the next room/ferry/bus, etc...).

That's actually one of my favorite aspects of traveling to new and unknown places! It takes the ordinary and makes it something novel and challenging. Like yesterday, when I was trying to figure out what snacks are going to provide nutritional value and satisfy the palate at a 7Eleven in Bangkok......spent ~30 minutes in there hovering over labels with Google Lens Translate.

Also, speaking of cheap eats. Did you make it to Terminal21 mall while you were in Bangkok? That foodcourt blew my mind completely away. DW and I had a 5 course meal, dessert, iced coffee's and the total was around $8.50!

[Western Red Cedar]

@theanimal - thank you! As I'm sure you are aware at this point, shoestring/budget travel is often quite a bit of work. Fortunately we've had the last ten days to relax, read, swim, walk, journal, get massages, and eat delicious food on a beautiful Thai island. That helped a lot to smooth out some of those initial bumps.

@2b1s - DW has loved the Thai 7-11s. They rival some of the Japanese convenience stores which are pretty notorious for high quality, unique snack options. We've actually been getting breakfast there quite regularly as they have some cheap and healthy options (I've been on a boiled egg with soy sauce kick the last week). We never made it to Terminal 21, but we've certainly eaten well over the last few weeks and rarely spend more than 5-10 dollars for both of us. Staying on, or under, budget hasn't been a problem here at all.

Since I've had a little more time over the last week, I've started to readjust to the logistics challenge. My main issue is dealing with proof of onward travel (which they didn't even check at Thai immigration). Booking the next leg of the trip solidifies a lot of decisions, but eliminates many potential options. In the next few days I'll need to decide on where we want to head in late April/early May, which will lock us in to a certain itinerary. In the past I left things much more open and just adhered to the visa limitations. Of course, these are all minor issues and something that comes along with contemporary vagabonding.

[2Birds1Stone]

It's $30-50 for each country, but a refundable onward ticket through a service is the easiest way to get around your logistics/red tape issues. You could also choose to book a refundable ticket yourself for free but then you're potentially tying up the cost and taking the risk of getting the refund.

[Western Red Cedar]

End of Year Recap & a Look Ahead:

My "word" for 2023 was transitions. I selected that because I was dealing with some burnout near the end of 2022 and I knew that I was likely to make some kind of personal or professional transition. At the time, I wasn't sure if that was a sabbatical or completely walking away from work. I was at a turning point in my career, nearing the end of a three-year project. DW and I also had some pretty significant family health issues that changed how we perceived and evaluated future options.

Early in 2023 I applied and interviewed for another job, only the second time in nine years and the first time with another organization in that timespan. The process was valuable in helping me thoroughly consider what I wanted in the future.

In the spring I finally worked up the courage to request a sabbatical, which was granted but rescinded a few months later. Even though I didn't technically quit until 2024, I made clear my intent to transition to a new lifestyle in both my personal and professional life.

I've mentioned that walking away without formal ties to work might be a blessing, and I'm more confident of that a month into our trip. I'm writing this from our balcony, looking out at coconuts growing on palm trees, mango trees, and hummingbirds feeding on tropical flowers a few feet away from me. The Andaman Sea in the background and a cool breeze on my neck. I just started looking at some really interesting workaway options on permaculture farms in NZ and Australia. Not sure if we'll head down there, but I probably won't be closer than I am right now, so it makes some sense.

Working through the end of the year and into 2024 worked out quite well financially. It gave us the necessary time to pack up our lives back home, make good use of our medical insurance with some extensive therapy for DW. Having paychecks still coming in has made me less anxious about money.

My "word" for 2024 is exploration. "The act of traveling in or through an unknown area in order to learn about it."

This is probably obvious in a literal sense - we'll be exploring new environments, neighborhoods and cities regularly throughout the year. 2024 will also be a year of internal exploration. I'll have the space and time to sit with myself. I'll have the opportunity to explore feelings and emotional responses to a new phase of life; a phase where paid work is optional. I'll have the opportunity to explore more of my creative outlets. At least those that can fit neatly in a backpack.

I suspect the year will require letting go of a focus on productivity, letting go of conventional thoughts on progress, and will almost certainly require letting go of control.

DW's word for the year is receptivity.

[Western Red Cedar]

A little more than a month on the road. Time for an update...

I felt like I had a proper opportunity to decompress in Thailand. DW and I spent a week in Bangkok. One of the beautiful things about the city is that it evolved over centuries. Cities that evolve organically tend to be more pedestrian friendly, and naturally more appealing to individuals. The New Urbanists and some developers have tried to emulate this in the US, but it doesn't really compare. I appreciate the effort, but the designs have always felt a little superficial. It is difficult to build something that takes decades or centuries to emerge. While the lack of a proper grid can make for some confusing navigation and problematic traffic, the narrow alleys that provide connections are one of my favorite aspects of the city. There is so much life tucked away in the backstreets, and home life spills out onto the street unlike anything I've seen or experienced in the US (NYC is maybe the closest, but doesn't really compare). I loved taking public transit on the rivers, and didn't even begin to explore the unique homes and lifestyles along all of the canals and waterways branching off the main river.

The live music and nightlife was engaging. DW and I are usually pretty low-key, but the jet lag allowed us to keep some odd hours and hang out on the streets watching the debauchery with amusement into the early morning hours. All to the backing of some talented Thai bands playing everything from Bob Marley, to the Beatles, to Metallica and Rage Against the Machine.

One of the goals for the trip is to stay in and explore some of the world's great cities. Bangkok was a nice option to start things off. Another goal is to spend time next to the water, which we also accomplished on our next stop.





I had already been to the Gulf of Thailand, so I wanted to switch things up and head to the Andaman Sea. We opted to head for Ao Nang in the Krabi province, in part to skip the chaos of Phuket. It was ultimately a good choice. My first few days I barely made it out of the hotel, as I had picked up some nasty food poisoning in Bangkok that kicked in as I arrived. Things seemed to be getting worse, so I opted to see a doctor and he put me on antibiotics. After a few days I was able to get out and do some exploring. Railay Beach and Phra Nang Cave Beach were the highlights of our time in Krabi, and probably of the whole trip. Beautiful beaches, rock formations, caves, delicious food, and even some cool wildlife when I went wandering into the jungle with my flip flops.







From Ao Nang we took a ferry to Koh Lanta. We ended up staying there for the next 11 days and decided to cut Koh Phi Phi from the itinerary due to the cost and reputation for over-tourism/partying. The photos of Phi Phi look lovely, but we were happy with the chill vibes, exceptional food and low-key lifestyle on Koh Lanta. We thought about taking a few days to stay on a smaller island nearby such as Koh Muk or Koh Jum, but it didn't really feel worth it so we just moved further south to a different beach after our first five nights.

Lots of reading by the pool, walks on the beach, short dips into the ocean, and low-key evenings. Sometimes I would overhear conversations with other travelers about all of the islands and places they had been in the same amount of time, and I'd worry we were taking things a bit too slow. DW and I talked and confirmed that we are doing exactly what we wanted to do. With that movement comes stress and higher costs.





I really enjoy Thai culture and the lack of confrontation or aggression that I experience when I visit. I've read that is influenced by Buddhism.

We arrived in Vietnam about a week ago and really enjoy the change of pace and culture. More on that later. I can't seem to upload images to Imgur right now, but will edit the post with photos if I can later.

*ETA - Was able to upload some photos.