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Made it to the new place!

You can see more map details at TravellersPoint.

Met the most interesting optician on the planet, the father of the young woman I met on the ferry. We drove around the island, it's a gorgeous place! Quite small, you could walk from one side to another in a few hours.

They also told me tons about the area. I'm now modifying my travel plans on the basis of that information. Now planning to go to Iles Saintes, another part of this island archipelago.

They took me to a hotel out in the countryside, where I'm now renting by the month.

I can hear the cattle from my room! :) I love it!

Such a quiet place. Beautiful. It feels free. Like a platform for experimentation and living.

Plus it costs much less than I was paying in Capesterre Belle-Eau.

This travel plan seems to have gone way better than expected! :)

Feels like just the right thing.

I confirmed that I can see Dominica from the coast!

Not everything went exactly according to plan, of course. There are always issues. But even the issues seem to be sorting themselves out.

I think that the obsessive planning helped. Also the years of experience. Plus having solid weather and other conditions.

After assembling tons of to-dos, with some frustration at not being able to do them until leaving, now that I've left I've knocked off tons of them. Feels great!

Looking back over my plans for leaving from the last year, tons of deferrals. Kept on wanting to go, not feeling like it would make sense to go. Now the stupid COVID situation at least maybe seems to be clearing up? (New term: COVIDiot!) Anyways I'm now quite fine with having gone to Marie-Galante!!!!!

Feeling more like myself. I think the travel, the countryside.

My life feels back on track!

I feel more fully alive!

Can hardly believe how well it's going! Things worked out far better than I had planned!!!!! :)

Really loving the travel, the countryside, meeting interesting friendly people!!!!! :)

Keep on traveling!!!!! :)

 

From now on I want to generally (with a few exceptions) spend more time touring, relating, relaxing, etc., in inexpensive places; less time working.

I'm looking forward to chewing up some more serious kilometers in South America!!!!! :)

Finally feel like I'm somewhat catching up on drinking water, sharing photos, recovering physiologically, etc. I'd somewhat forgotten that travel feeling of having tons of things to do! Forgotten the visceral feeling, not the fact that it happens.

What a difference travel makes! Instead of counting down the hours, I have too many things to fit into the hours! :)

 

I'm just some guy... remember to deliver value for other people! :)

 

I think that even after years and years, I still haven't figured out 100% of tu/vous or tu/usted. I'm now comfortable enough choosing which to use in many conversational situations, but remain uncertain often enough. I think there's a common "glide" from vous to tu as you get deeper into a conversation. Also it can go back in the other direction in some instances.

Heheh, in France you're in the European Union but it's also its own country, in Guadeloupe you're officially in France but it's also its own country, in Marie-Galante you're officially in Guadeloupe but the locals use "Guadeloupe" to refer to the main island only.

After that ride to Marie-Galante, I feel like I ate a rich multi-course meal, metaphorically. Many different elements to the ride, including the biking itself through different scenery, the ferry ride, the intellectual and emotional and physiological and social challenges, meeting fascinating people, etc.! :)

I really like it at this countryside hotel! It's sort of like a combination of camping and staying in a hotel. Not quite all of the best of both worlds, but many of their advantages. It's quiet enough to work, yet has electricity and shelter. Comfort, beauty, and convenience!

After a few days of attending to various catching-up chores, I feel like things are somewhat normalizing?!

I think health is a mindset. Positivity, yet also commitment or willingness to make serious efforts.

Got a call back from the vaccine center. Going today for the first shot, then in three weeks for the second. That means I could technically go to Dominica around five weeks from now (they also have two weeks of waiting after the vaccines). Not planning to go right then necessarily if the entry requirements remain overly rigid. I oppose the vaccine rules, but for practicality I want to be ready to travel to Dominica and other countries.

My hotel's just down the street from the hospital! :)

Grand Bourg is a very small town! I think I've seen practically all of it already! :)

Tons of things seem extremely complex at first. After you've done them for a while, you find efficiencies, become better. Then they seem easier. That includes travel, socializing, studying at school, working, and huge numbers of other activities.

Looking back over photos and blog notes to share them, it's like watching time go from the past to the present. At least gives you an opportunity to rethink the future.

Rock On!!!!!