So Far Solo’ing🤣

So far so good!😂😂👏👏👏

Flying Away

“Long day for you,” the Delta Agent commented, reading at length the computer screen in front of her. As she continued to scroll and read, I began to grow nervous. Had I left something undone? I checked and RE-checked the need for an ‘e-transit’ visa in Seoul, but the instructions said Americans do not need them. $46 saved by that👏👏. Glancing up she asked if my visa information had been added online. I assured her it was. More reading, a kind word of thanks for being a gold medallion member to bide the time, and then , “E-visa submitted?” (Cambodia)

”Yes,” I replied. I had left no box unchecked. Not even on my packing list.

“Well,” she smiled, “you’re all set for your long day!”

I left my much-too-small carry-on to be checked through to Phnom Penh, grabbed my cheater bag (SORRY Theresa! 😂😂😂😂), and headed up to security. Now one thing that drives my husband batty…I have Global Entry status, which just happens to include TSA pre-check. But I won’t use it😂😂. Somehow I feel as if I am cutting in front of everyone who DOESN’T have it. Soooo…I waited in the lengthy line, but I had time. And standing felt good knowing I’d be sitting a long while. Last I checked, I was in the last row of ‘Premium Select’, and the seat next to me was empty. AND the entire ROW to my right too! I am praying both stay empty, but if only one, the seat next to me 🙏. This will be my longest, non-stop flight ever, and I reckon I’ll fidget. Fourteen hours to the other side of the world. Makes me wonder how I managed to get to Okinawa with two babies in tow. I was younger then😂.

I am excited, expectant, and so grateful to be able to make this trip. My devotional for this very morning, September 10th, read, ‘The Lord…He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you.’ (Deut 3:18)

I have no doubt I am in very loving and capable hands. 💕🙏💕

Heading to Gate 14, Korean Air.🤗

Final Countdown

Today is the start of the time to get serious pack-up.  For the past several weeks I've kept a bin in the bedroom with randomly collected items that are on the 'to-pack' list.  Since my return from Jamaica, really.  The things I know have to go...the FDI manual, mosquito repellent, solid bar shampoo, Sink Suds (laundry soap in small, pre-proportioned packages), sunscreen, anti-malaria tablets, etc.  I will be fitting these items, along with 14 day's worth of clothing, into a carry-on size bag.  I will take a backpack as well, as I intend to check my carry-on bag.  The backpack will allow a couple of days of living without the checked bag, in the event it is delayed, and also provide a foot rest to prop my feet/legs up during the long flight.  Missoula-Minneapolis-Seoul-Cambodia.  My longest flight to date.  This will make every other flight to come in the future seem so easy peasy!  

There is always the ambivalence in the days before departure.  I am so excited to meet my new team members, our sisters and brothers who serve as missionaries in Cambodia, and the Cambodian folks themselves.  Yet the good-byes at home can be difficult.  Primarily with my dog, Jax, who is as close to me as my shadow.  From the day I brought him home at 11 weeks of age, I have been his human.  His charge.  He is rarely not in the same room with me when I am at home.  If only I could tell him where I will go, how long I will be away, and when I will return, it would alleviate the guilt somehow.  I don't know if dogs have any sense of time, but I'd like to think the days pass as quickly for him when I am away as they do for me.  I also struggle with being away from my church family for so long.  My absences this summer have been many, but I don't think this is my new normal.  Just a new season that I packed a lot into! 😊  My dear husband has grown adept at managing the household in my absence, and I am grateful beyond measure for that as well.  So for now, I will tweak my Instagram account for ease of posting pictures, videos, and general fun stuff, and purchase the premium Blog plan so I can post much of the same (photos, videos) from my phone.  I expect to see a lot of beautiful that I will want to share from Cambodia.  My dear friend, JoAn, who has graciously spent the past two days with me while I worked in BeeHive Home #5, identified a scripture that is so applicable to what I am looking very much forward to in the weeks ahead...

Ephesians 5:1-2    Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 

 It's Official

Whew!  Adventuresinlateryears is accessible to friends, accessible on my desktop AND on my iPhone...all is well.  Now to get the word out.  And upgrade to premium so I can post videos and photos from my phone.  That ought to be a lot easier since both will already be ON my phone!

For those who may be new to the blog, I've recently signed on with FDI (Foursquare Disaster International) as part of a disaster response medical team.  Jamaica was an initial, scheduled training session for us 'newbies', but as we were due to arrive just days after Hurricane Beryl, we were transitioned to an actual disaster response.  It was amazing being there to assist, learn, develop confidence, and work with one another in beautiful Jamaica.  Next up is...

Cambodia...our second, scheduled event.  Our arrival falls at the tail end of 'monsoon' season.  It'll be soggy and warm, and we know the mosquitos will be abundant.  The area we will be in (near the Vietnam/Laos border) is considered high risk for malaria, so all will be taking precautions with repellent and anti-malaria tablets.  I will arrive three days early in Phnom Penh for some solo exploring and street food sampling, the latter with the utmost caution.  I'd hate to be sick during the working portion of the trip! 😒  I've been studying up on my Khmer phrases that will at least allow a proper 'hello', 'thank you', and 'good-bye', to those I meet along the way.  From what I've found, Asian languages are quite tricky to speak, as the nuances of speech are so vastly different from our own.  I often wonder what kind of accent I have to others...is it pretty and romantic, like a French or Irish accent would be, or is it unyielding and bold like someone from, say, New York or New Jersey...?  Maybe it's best if I don't know!  But know that you are welcome to come along for more adventures abroad!          

A Bit Undone

Well, I am a bit undone to say the least. For some reason I can’t post on this blog (SoloAdventures) on my laptop, but this is the only Blog I CAN post on on my iPhone! Seeing as how I am limited to a carry-on bag only for my upcoming Cambodia adventure, I will be blogging on my phone. That means everyone will have to revert over from the alternate Blog (SecondChapterActs). Tsk. So sorry for that. One day I hope to merge the two, but for now this will have to suffice.😂

To Be Continued💕

 P. S.  I was approved for Global Entry! 🙏

 Change of Plans

Due to lack of 'suppliers' (not sure what that means) the Albania tour was cancelled.  But our flights to Europe had already been booked.  I will travel with a long-time friend, Kelly, who had intended to do the tour with me.  When I received the text from Kelly that the tour had been cancelled, I was in Galveston on our annual 'Parent Trip'.  Kelly asked, "What shall we do?"  I replied, "We shall make our own adventure!"  And so, our plan is to arrive in Rome, as intended, bus down to Naples to explore for a few days, and then travel across Italy to explore Bari for another few days, before ferrying to Croatia for the remainder of our time.  Turns out we can visit a LOT of countries from the Croatia side of the world, so we will.  I think Bosnia-Herzegovina is out, if only because my dear, ole' dad still worries about my safety.  Thanks, dad. 💕  Today is the final pack day.  Jax, my ever faithful German Shepard, is at 'playcare', which is when I tend to pack for trips.  He knows the 'gray bag of despair' as only something that appears just before I DISappear for several days.  So all efforts to hide this from him are taken to avoid unnecessary strife and discord.  Have you ever seen a German Shepard mope?  Not an easy thing to see.  If only I could tell him when I'll return...