July 2016 – When we told folks we were going on a vacation, we often got the response ” but your life is a vacation – you live on a boat!”.
True, but life on the boat is full of chores, worries and stress at times. We decided to take a true vacation/holiday off the boat.
So ….. where do live aboard cruisers decide to spend a week away from the boat? On a houseboat with 11 other people of course!
We joined friends on their houseboat on Lake Powell, Utah for a week and had an excellent time swimming, jet skiing, and exploring the many canyons.
The red rocks and cliffs with the blue sky reminded us both of Central Australia in so many ways with the added benefit of fresh water to swim in. The week of having to do nothing except swim and read a few books, not being responsible for anything was pure heaven.
Photos from the trip:
From there we went to Denver, Colorado for another week to spend time with family and friends.
It truly was a great way to vacate our lives for a while, and enjoy life on land.
Many cruisers report that the first year living aboard is often the hardest and most stressful as you get accustomed to life with another in a confined space, being concerned about every noise and smell, monitoring the weather even when you are safely tied to a marina and of course just keeping the boat ship shape and safe. Others will tell you that if your relationship can survive the first year aboard, it can most likely survive anything.
We can attest to the unexpected stress this first year. We dealt with unmet expectations, frustrations and more than a few disappointments.
With this in mind it wasn’t until we were away from Dreamtime for 2.5 weeks that we each began to feel some of the stresses we had grown too accustomed to carrying, start to melt away.
When we returned to the boat we were well rested, rejuvenated and ready for new adventures – grateful for the opportunities and experiences we have had, and counting ourselves one lucky couple.