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> Update 10 | March 01, 2022 <

Sold Our Car & Getting Ready to Go Back To Thailand

So, what's new? Since Christmas we have been visiting family, we sold our car and now we're getting ready to go back to Thailand.

We sold our car to CarMax back in February (for more than we originally paid for the car!). Now we are waiting it out to see if Thailand relaxes some of its entry restrictions. If all goes well, we are hoping to return to Thailand sometime between May and early June.

I've still been working on a new website (when I have time). It's taken me a lot longer than expected but I hope to switch it over soon.



> Update 9 | December 22, 2021 <

🎄🎅🎁🎄🎅🎁🎄🎅🎁🎄🎅

MERRY CHRISTMAS

UPDATE

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Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 5 months since our last update – where did the time go?!?! 😊

So, what have we been up to?...

Not a lot. We did make it to the mountains of North Carolina where we have visited family, which has been great. Along the way we have got caught up on our health checkups and dental cleanings (long over due).

Time has gone by so fast. With the snap of a finger, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving has already come and gone. And now it’s a few days before Christmas!

What are our future plans?...

When we first arrived back to the US (June 2021) we thought we might venture out across the US with some cross-country road trips (end of 2021 through summer 2022). But now that we have been here for 5 months, we find ourselves still thinking a lot about Thailand and wishing we were back there. We had made such a huge effort to get there and to get established – we were totally committed to this dream!

So, when COVID-19 came along and threw a monkey wrench into everything (as it did to the whole world), we were not sure what to do - do we stay and wait things out or do we put our Thailand life on hold (temporarily) and return back to the US. With the lack of vaccines in Thailand (June 2021) we thought it was probably wise for us to go back to the US to get vaccinated, regroup and visit family (which was long overdue). All of which has been wonderful.

Over the last month or so we have been discussing our future plans – do we stay and travel in the US or do we try to return back to Thailand (in the near future)? The decision was quick and easy...

We Return Back to Thailand!

But when? Right now, we are planning for May 2022. Of course, a lot depends on what happens with Omicron. However, based on data out of South Africa and UK is seems that Omicron may be a lot more contagious but with milder sickness (more like cold or flu) when compared with previous variants. So, we are very hopeful that Omicron will not be too bad.

Our plan is to return to back to Thailand to pick up where we left off. Of course, this will be working around COVID-19 or any future variants that may come along. When we make it back, we are looking to change it up a bit by living near the city center of Bangkok. A lot of perks and conveniences come with this type of location - such as being closer to city parks, better shopping and restaurants to choose from.

New Website...

I’ve been working on a new website for several months now and hope to switch it over before we leave for Thailand.

 

For you all that have still been following along with us, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Take care, be safe and stay healthy!

  


 
> Update 8 | July 19, 2021 <

We Got Our Second Pfizer Vaccine Jab...

We got our second Pfizer vaccination jab yesterday. So far so good, we have not had any adverse reactions to the second jab. So only two weeks to go to be fully vaccinated!



> Update 7 | July 12, 2021 <

We Bought New Car!...

Today we bought a 2022 Subaru Outback Touring XT. So now we are ready to begin our EPIC roadtrip around the United States! We picked this vehicle based on its amazing features and safety options:

  • Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
  • EyeSight Driver Assist Technology - monitors traffic movement, optimizes cruise control, and warns you when you’re swaying outside your lane
  • Automatic Pre-Collision Braking feature can apply full braking force and bring you to a complete stop in emergency situations
  • Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering
  • DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System


> Update 6 | July 08, 2021 <

Elsa Waved as She Passed By...

Sorry for the delay posting - As many of you probably already know by now, Hurricane/Tropical Storm Elsa was a non-event in the Tampa area. Due to wind shear and dry air, the storm weakened as it passed by the Tampa area. I think we ended up having mostly rain with some moderate wind but nothing serious. I think the storm ended causing more issues as it traveled north - landfall in Taylor County, FL, travelling through Georgia, then into the Carolinas. I think today (Thursday, 8th) it is passing over Raleigh, NC.

Not much else new on our end - just counting down to our next vaccination shot on July 19th.



> Update 5 | July 06, 2021 <

What's Next on Our Radar?!?!...

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🌀 Hurricane Elsa! 🌀

Later today we are expecting the center of "soon to be" Hurricane Elsa to pass 25-30 miles from our current location (Ruskin, Florida). Based on the 2pm update today (Tuesday, 6th), the National Hurricane Center is expecting Tropical Storm Elsa to reach hurricane status by the next update (5pm). They are expecting the storm to track along the Florida coastline with landfall somewhere in the Big Bend area.

We’re hoping everything will be fine but it does make us feel better that we are on the 2nd floor of our hotel! 😉 Check back because I hope to be posting a few updates as the storm passes by - as long as we have power. 🤞😉



> Update 4 | June 29, 2021 <

We Got Our First Pfizer Vaccine Jab

We got our first Pfizer vaccine jab yesterday (Monday, 28th) at a nearby Costco. After waking up this morning we are glad to report not having any adverse reactions so far. Our appointment for our second jab will be in three weeks.



> Update 3 | June 26, 2021 <

We Made it Back to the US & Getting Vaccine Appointments

Sorry for the delayed update – We did make it back to the US (Tampa, Florida) on this past Thursday (24th). All of our flights and experiences at each airport went very well (better than expected). We actually think that this trip back was the best experience (Korean Airlines, Flights and Airports) we’ve had traveling between the US and Thailand.

Normally we have bad jet lag when we return back to the US but even that this time has not been too bad (so far). After a good night’s rest (Thursday) we got up were able to get appointments for our first COVID-19 vaccine shot (in a couple days).

So, our journey back, so far, has gone very well. Over the next several weeks we will be getting our vaccine shots and doing a self-imposed quarantine.

…and getting much needed rest, which we need after a very hectic period of us getting back to the US.



> Update 2 | June 23, 2021 <

COVID-19 Tests & Ready to Fly Back to US

Everything is going well and falling into place for our return to the US. We took our required COVID-19 RT-PCR tests early yesterday morning at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. By 6pm results were ready to be picked up and we’re happy to say that they were both “Negative”. So now we are ready for our flight back to the US tonight (Wednesday, 23rd). We also met with our landlord and officially closed out of our condo but we will be able to stay here until we leave for the airport tonight. So, by my next update, we should be back in Tampa, Florida (arrive Thursday, 24th afternoon).



> Update 1 | June 18, 2021 <

We're Going Back to the US! - Flying to Tampa - June 24th

Over the last month or so, Kanchana and I have been trying to determine what our next move will be. Before COVID-19, living in Thailand was a wonderful experience but since then (16-18 months), the country has really struggled. They did so well manage COVID-19 for the entire year of 2020, but all of that came to an end in the beginning of 2021. All thanks to people becoming complacent and the UK variant (and now the Indian variant).

With on and off lockdowns (over the last 16 months) and no international tourists - all businesses, hotels, restaurants in all cities and towns across Thailand are closed, boarded up, and falling into disrepair. The government is making attempts to reopen but it's not been going very well. Also, the lack of vaccines has really hindered the progress (shipments of Pfizer & Moderna not likely until the end of the year). Yes, with time it will get better, but recent reports suggest it's likely to be 3 to 5 or maybe even 10+ years away before things really improve here (businesswise).

At first, we thought we could just wait things out (which we could easily do) but "life" would be severely limited here. We could come back to the US, but where would we be able to live – trying to achieve the same lower cost of living and minimalist lifestyle.

Well, a few weeks ago after talking with my brother, it just so happens he has a small rental house coming available in the mountains of North Carolina! We couldn't believe the perfect timing! This was exactly what we were hoping for!

It was not life or death, but it was one of the hardest decisions we ever encountered - we went back and forth for a couple of weeks. We had done so much work to get to Thailand, we just didn't want to give it all up. But in the end, we decided it was probably the best decision under the circumstances.

Are we disappointed with this change of direction? Sure, to an extent, but who would have ever dreamed that something like a COVID-19 could come along and change the world as it did? In the “life is full of surprises” category, this was about as big as they come! But, by already living a minimalist lifestyle and always keeping our mind and options open, we have the freedom to change direction when something like this happens. If one can overcome their fear of change and embrace it, it can open up a world of wonderful surprises.

Now that we've excepted coming back, we are quite excited about it, especially living in western North Carolina. We'll keep our options open for the future, but it could be a while before international travel (and living in Thailand) could become a reality again. We are carrying forward the same travel plans as we had for Thailand but now, we will be focusing on the United States. Now will be the time to visit those places we’ve always wanted to see in the US. This will include taking some extended road trips across the country.

So, we fly back to Tampa on June 24th. We'll be in Florida for a good while, quarantining, getting our 2 doses of vaccine, buying a car, etc. Right now, we are looking to get to the mountains of NC around the end of September to early October.

We are a bit nervous about flying back unvaccinated but plan to carry out all the necessary safety protocols (masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing, etc.). We're very hopeful that everything will work out.

— Dean & Kanchana

The new website is still coming at some point – hopefully I’ll be able to release it over the next month or so.

In the meantime, please continue to our mirror website:

Time2Mosey.com