We’re back to where we started – in the Algarve for the final 10 days of our original plan. We would have been back to Santa Fe on the 15th.
However, with the new travel extension, we’ll have to pull it all together again and leave, for Malaysia, next weekend (April 13th – our 22nd Anniversary).
It’s hard to believe that we will have been on the road for nearly 4 months. Bill is ready to come home, but, except for missing friends and family, I could easily keep going; especially with the political and economic mess we’ll be returning to at the end of April.
Actually, with growing anti-American sentiment building around the world, we may be forced to come home sooner than we think. The “mess” to be encountered is absolutely everywhere.
Bill and I continue to be grateful for what we have, and savor the wonderful experiences most recently behind us. But since “liberation day”, we keep our heads down and speak in hushed voices to avoid being peppered with questions or odd looks.
A recent attempt at a quiet dinner turned into a three hour discussion with a couple of strangers seated next to us from the UK.
Thus-far, we have had an amazing time. It’s been an unforgettable feast for the mind, body and spirit.
That said, it’s time to digest and synthesize what suddenly feels (and looks) more like the prisoner’s “Last Meal.”
Malaysia was just hit with a 24% reciprocal tariff. I hope it will still be a good place to end our current journey.
Slowing down in Langkawi and re-connecting with old friends should prove restful and restorative, a perfect time to reflect on this moment and to prepare for whatever lies ahead.
A TV journalist recently asked, “How will Americans know if this experiment of their president was the right decision, or if things have gone terribly wrong?”
“Will their new beginning be one to celebrate or regret?”
“How will the average American consumer absorb the increased costs?”
“And what about American retirees, after losses in the stock market?”
“Those are all very good questions.” The guest economist replied. “We will just have to wait and see.”
