The week after I didn’t go to Mexico I decided to spend the winter on Vancouver Island. I packed up my little Honda fit with my sleeping bag, warmest clothes and enough food to last a month or so and set off. My plan was to take my time and hike my way across Canada and the West Coast. Three days out, more lockdowns kicked in, and B C was also talking about closing its border to tourists. I had to take a good hard look at what I was doing. I’m not in a financial position to winter in Canada without working unless I’m rough camping. And while that’s my thing, the way things were going, I could get stuck between hither and yon in the winter. In the end, I turned around and headed back home. Even so, I’m glad I went. I never really wanted to winter camp again but it certainly scratched my adventure inch, and I had some beautiful hikes in northern Ontario. But I have finally accepted, and made my peace with, what other people have long since accepted; this is not the year to travel.

So it will be a season of winter-land walking, cozy writing in front of the fire, and working. And feeling especially grateful for my wise and wonderful children who impress me every day.

At the eleventh hour I have changed my plans. For the last little while I have struggled with conflicting emotions about my scheduled trip to Mexico, which was due to start tomorrow. I wasn’t particularly unsettled by a fear of going to Mexico itself, or of getting seriously sick. But the apprehension of family and friends, a feeling that I was taking off to do my thing against all guidance, and concerns about getting back into Canada were three factors that all played a part of my inner conflict. What finally tipped the scales was a letter from one of my children last night, which stating the worries and fears that they all felt.

And so, I will go on a different, as yet undetermined, adventure somewhere in Canada. It won’t be as warm as Mexico, and it may not be wildly exciting to the naked eye but I will keep you posted. Thank you for sticking by me!