All Great Journeys Must Come to an End

It is with great reluctance and nostalgia that I, Austin, share with you the finish of a magnificent, life transforming journey. We have traveled uninterrupted for two years, traversing three continents and seventeen countries; all the while drinking deeply of adventure, culture, and self discovery. I can’t even describe the sensation that pours from my heart across my body as I attempt to reflect on the enormity and depth of impact this trip has left in my spirit and psyche. We have seen it all; mountains, lakes, caves, gushing waterfalls, crowded cities, quiet campsites. We have tasted abundantly; Swiss chocolate in the Alps, haggis in the Scottish countryside, crepes piping hot off a Parisian pan, Turkish kebab by the kilo, Georgian dumplings tastily burning our lips. And, most importantly, through the many paths we walked, drove, paddled, or flew; we have found two priceless treasures. 

The first is the precious gems we were looking for all along: ourselves. Ecstatic, unparalleled joys and absolute downer difficulties molded and shaped us, and we discovered hidden alleys of our hearts rich with identity and purpose. I found the faith in myself that I had always been looking for, and from that inward fountain burst forth enthusiasm, confidence, and a deep resilience. I am more myself than ever before, and I’m not going back to a life of fear or self doubt. Speaking for Kindra, I have seen immense courage unearth a voice that is her own, from which she is able to confidently represent her beliefs and desires, and I feel even more blossoming in her spirit is ahead. Together, all these developments and discoveries now make us stronger and more able to weather the many seasons of life.

The second treasure is one as unexpected at it is valuable: the gift of a child growing in Kindra! We unwittingly got pregnant while trekking the Lycian Way in Turkey, and this wonderful surprise became a major game changer in our journey. It all started with Kindra throwing up her breakfast after a night of celebrating the finish of our 30 day trek. Flash forward five days, and Kindra was still losing her morning cereal. Our dear Turkish friend Burcu offered to spot the low cost of a pregnancy test, so we agreed, and lo and behold: we’re pregnant! Reactions ranged from disbelief to excitement, but we remained skeptical whether the pregnancy would last (1 in 4 early pregnancies miscarriage). So Kindra and I kept at the road, and our tough baby (now seventeen weeks and healthy!), survived Indiana Jones ride-esque bus rides, high elevation hikes, and probably a million other things you’re not supposed to do while pregnant! So this whole time since Turkey we have been deceiving family, friends and blog readers alike, as we prayed to God and tried to find our direction for the future. In Nepal, we finally and tearfully made the call to pull the plug early on our journey of a lifetime, by flying back to California at the end of August.  (So yeah, we didn't go to India, that was all a farse.)

It was a difficult but wise decision; Kindra was struggling to handle the physicalities of our low budget style of travel, and so the baby and Kindra received due priority. We told almost no one of our return back home, save but a friend to pick us up from LAX.

As our thirteen hour flight landed without incidence on the LAX tarmac and we trudged our way towards customs, the shimmering, clearly printed words “Welcome to the United States” alongside a picture of President Barack Obama appeared overhead. We looked at each other and grasped hands for comfort. America, the land of our birth and certainly in many ways an amazing country, had nonetheless lost its place as home in our hearts. Our home was nowhere and everywhere at the same time, and as we made our way back into the "land of the free, and the home of the brave," we wondered whether it was a mistake to have come back. 

Thanks for following along! Keep an eye on our blog for more this next week, as we post more stories, including the aftermath of being back for three weeks, the great adventure of getting an ultrasound in Nepal, and a highlight reel of our favorite photos from the trip.

Also, if you feel moved in any way to help us out during this huge transition in our lives, there’s a few things you could do. We are looking for a reliable used car for sale cheap/free, and any leads on work opportunities for me. I have a background in medicine and chemistry, but a passion to work closely with people and be outdoors. Also prayer, thoughts and inspiration or ideas for where we should settle down are appreciated! 

You can contact us at: amcrobbie@gmail.com.  Thanks again!

Our baby at twelve weeks in Nepal!