I must say, the transition from a high stress job to a vagabond life has been extremely easy for me(contrary to what one might think…). Over the past 8 years I have worked for a fast growing Solar design and installation company in San Diego. From 2009 to 2017 I saw the company grow from 20 employees to 120 something, so you can imagine how much work went into that. Although I loved the company and cherish everything that came from my employment there, putting in about 50-60 hours per week for 400+ weeks took its toll on me. From the stress that I carried on my shoulders coupled with sitting at a desk for hours on end, I developed neck and back issues that would ruin my day at times. Enough was enough, and after a couple years of planning and saving, Lindsey and I made the leap out of the normal day to day and into a wanderful life on the road.

Our first leg of the trip was 3+ months traveling around the U.S. visiting friends and family, baseball parks, national parks, and attending 4 weddings. I built a camper out of the back of my Nissan Frontier, and we were on our way. Stretching out our travel legs within our own backyard(U.S.A that is) and having amazing times with all the people we love proved to be the best possible way to jump into a completely different lifestyle, at least from my experience. As much as I missed my routine in San Diego, our quaint little ocean view cottage, and all of my friends, once I got on the 8 east on my journey out of SD, my mind was free and open for what was next. There was no feeling of fear or withdrawal from the routine. No sadness or separation anxiety, just excitement and presence for what was next.

While most of the U.S. travel was planned, it was extremely important to come at it from a place of understanding that plans may change, and expectations need to be left back with my routine in San Diego. That is easier said than done for most people, but my mind works in a way that it comes naturally to. For any of you planning on doing a similar thing, make sure you can live outside of the world of expectations. If you can do this, everyday can be a new incredible experience.

As I am writing this, we have completed our first leg of travels, and are gearing up to leave for the second. We are driving south through Mexico’s Baja Peninsula and then continuing south towards Panama. That’s the plan as it stands now, and we shall see where the road takes us. If the plan changes, the plan changes. I am ready and excited to take on a new frontier. I am ready to learn something new everyday, a new language, maybe some new hobbies, who knows. I look forward to sharing this adventure and meeting lots of new people on the way. Hope to see you out on the road!

Kevin