Wow. Well. Here we are, about to embark on a little adventure. Here I am, writing more words in this first post than I have shared on any social media for the last three years combined. I think I am far less worried about the first.

So what are we doing? There still is no real clear answer to that. But not from a lack of clarity in purpose or spontaneous itch to leave so soon after moving to Portland. The straightforward description would go like, we sold some of the big stuff (house and furniture), we put the things we liked in storage to pick up later (our jobs and books), packed some bare essentials in a convertible luggage backpack bag-thing (matching, as we are cute newlyweds looking for a sponsorship by Patagonia or Osprey), and are now riding planes, trains and automobiles around some places in the world that caught our attention. In short called our Year of Travel, or YoT to be even shorter. (Good news, joining this YoT club does not require wearing white polos and boat shoes).

While that *is* what we are doing, and maybe we are delusional starry-eyed newlyweds as we head off, we want this time as an intentional period where we are working on how to live, both as Oliver and Ashley and together as a married couple. There are several themes I think we will probably touch back on: travel is fun and mind-opening (super original, I feel I came up with this one) and intentionally stepping back. A big part of why travel and why now is opportunity. Hard work and planning and mostly good fortune have allowed us this time before we set roots and start a family, so there is no time like the present to set off on a fun adventure to explore without many other responsibilities. The periodically stepping back and breaking away from comfort to try to grow in new ways is how we want to live in each of our lives and put it to practice even though it is difficult. We are going on a trip of discovery but not to directly look for resolutions or answers. We are grounded mystics. (By that I mean, grounded in not being the airy, post-modern, all truth is personally subjective mysticism. Instead firmly planted in reality but still holding that life has many mysteries that will not be fully resolved, just understood and experienced in richer ways the further along you walk in life’s path). I guess in those terms then, it looks like an interesting path to venture down and a fruitful way to find a good rhythm with each other in our first year of married life.

So what will this blog be then. I’m unsure of this too. It won’t be a quixotic search for meaning or self-discovery, or a captionless photo reel of us at various world heritage sites, or dry travel hacking tips on how we found cheap international flights. Those will likely be elements, surely, what travel blog isn’t? I hope it functions to open up our experience as we go out exploring.  Normally we would have a chance to process along in person with many of you as it is happening. Because of the distance and time divide, much of the excitement would become muted in the retelling. Even though this is mostly a one-way conversation, I hope it can act like a colorful ship’s log that is at least somewhat engaging.

This first post is more serious and thoughtful than most mine will be. In part because I write at about one word per minute and because actually writing and putting to word a personal narrative feels unnatural. In addition to the whole, usual insecurity of ‘I hope I don’t demonstrate just how ignorant and incoherent I really am’ that writing it down just serves to give indisputable proof for. However now that the Barrier of the First Post (yes, a proper noun there) is past, I will revert to how I typically am in person and will mostly remark on things I happen to notice that I see as interesting, finding ways to lovingly making fun of Ashley, and distract myself with tangential ideas and fun.