Guest Entry: Dan Lotz (Allison’s Father)
The following is a guest blog entry by Dan Lotz (Allison’s Father):
PICTURE THIS
(Allison and Matthias have heard this first part over and over)
Picture this: your kids are finally off your overhead. They are grown up, through college, married, have good jobs, a nice income, a nice home in a highly desirable part of Seattle, have excellent transportation, live nearby, have two beautiful boys happy with their friends and the refuge of their home and familiar beds, attending an enviable daycare situation along with good friends and neighbors.
One day they walk in and announce that they are quitting their jobs, renting their house out, selling their new VW Eurovan and buying a 25 year old VW Vanagan, packing up the kids and going on a year long “Walk about” to Panama and back.
I am a worrier and an engineer and as such tend to analyze things more than I should, but my first thoughts were that this is something you do either before or after you have kids. If it weren’t for the boys I would have said go ahead and have a ball. It sounds like an exciting and educational adventure. If you run into problems you are both smart and resourceful enough to figure a way through them. It’s all voluntary on your part, your adults and prepared for the good and bad experiences of such an adventure.
With the boys it’s a different story. They have no choice other to endure whatever exciting adventures or hardships that may occur and to be away from the security of their home and friends. The above is to try to explain my misgivings about the wisdom of such an adventure.
Unfortunately unexpected, dangerous situations occur with bewildering speed and sometimes with severe consequences. Being stranded in a hot broken down 25 year old van is a distinct possibility, among other unpleasant situations.Now for the good part.
The trip to Costa Rica was a blast. (Maybe a bit too long but what the heck-we had fun)
We stayed in excellent accommodations, especially in Playa Hermosa where we swam at the beach nearly every day and in general had a relaxing week just chilling out, eating well, swimming in the pool and just having fun visiting Playa Cocoa, buying fresh fish etc. The only exception was Joyce coming down with a rather unpleasant stomach disorder. Probably not as brief as she wanted. We then went to Alajuela where we spent most of the rest of our time except for a several day trip to Monte Verde where we went on jungle tours, serpent displays, ate a lot, and had a lot of fun. The bus ride to and from Monte Verde had spectacular scenery.
Back in Alajuela we celebrated Christmas and New Years, went swimming, went to several markets, did some repairs on the Yoda Van and in general had a laid back time catching up on reading and consumed generous amounts of the local beer. There were two things I had a hard time adjusting to. One being the fact that every building in the city has bars on the windows so you felt as if you were in jail. It’s hard to believe that such good natured people as the Costa Rican’s find this necessary. I am missing something. The other problem I had is with the odd way their toilet routine is carried out. Something to do with poor plumbing but never the less somewhat unpleasant.
There adventure is ½ over and there is nothing I would rather have happen than for them to return, find rewarding jobs get the kids settled in and say over and over we told you so.
Thanks again Allison and Matthias for all of your efforts to accommodate and entertain us.
Thanks again.
Love, Padre
Tags: Costa Rica, Dad, Travel
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