I have been two weeks on the road. Van life, outdoor time, driving long hours, and whatever else can add up … and I know what is best for me … take a day to decompress! And so I did … at a hotel!

The down time to relax and sleep in without a hat on my head or socks on my feet, let someone else cook my breakfast, exercise while watching television, not listen to the news on the radio or an audiobook, view and edit my many photos, write my blog posts in a warm setting, do laundry at a local laundromat, and take a shower in a warm surrounding; all luxurious happenings! Often travelers fail to admit the 24/7 level of activity can catch up with them, plus we still have the extra burden of Covid-19 variants, so taking a break is wonderful for me.

I was looking at my trip report for eBird: in 2 weeks, I had submitted 15 checklists of places I observed birds, listing 54 species of birds, and submitted 34 photos for the 5 states I recorded any bird activity. My upcoming weeks will be a different tone for the majority of time is with friends and family; however, I am looking forward to what birds I will see in a couple of weeks in Rhode Island!

For now, time to stretch and take a walk!