Morale Check: Adam

Those of you who know me, know I love to ask questions. I'm always racking my brain for good questions to ask to get to know someone better. So, to indulge my love for questions and to record our thoughts on life right now, I interviewed Adam and myself with a list of questions to recap our trip around the US as we were on our flight to New Zealand.

"So, Adam, wow, it's great to see you! Geez, long time no see! Thank you for taking the time to sit down and chat with me. This middle seat is a great cozy spot, too. Nice choice. Well, I'm so excited to talk with you and hear about your travels."

1. "Let's jump right in. You have been traveling five months now. How is the traveling life?"

A: Amazing! As expected, emotions have run the gamut. All in all, I know that I’ve grown personally and Lindsey and I have grown as a couple.

Waiting to check out a camper van in Auckland, and found the joy in the small moment of jumping on a seesaw!

2. "Oh, emotions have run the gamut, eh? Huh. Well it's great to hear you have grown a lot. What has been the most surprising aspect of traveling that you weren’t expecting?"

A: Our funds. By camping, not always paying to be entertained, and having a host of selfless family and friends, our travel pot of funds has stayed stationary over the past five months. We spend pretty much what we are making with our side jobs and new businesses.

Found a secret spot in South Dakota. Adam's in his comfort zone.

3. "Oh, wow! That's amazing to hear! Well then, what has been the most difficult aspect of traveling?"

A: Sucking it up when I realize that I didn’t make a good decision on how to get to a place. Most notably, if we would have had better communication with some German friends, we could have hiked along the point of Ka’ena State Park and met them at a camp spot. Instead, we took a two hour bus ride to a crowded shopping center, chilled at a Toys R Us until our friends came to scoop us, and then drove to the camp spot. It would’ve been a whole lot sweeter to hike.

4. "Ah ha. Well, I guess that sounds like a good learning lesson to improve your communication skills. Getting deep, what has God been revealing to you?"

A: So many beautiful vistas have made me stop and cherish being awestruck of how small and fragile I am. Those moments are reminders of His presence and grandeur. Personally, I’m learning to be way more trusting in His hand in the minute details of a day. It’s powerful to allow plans to develop in a way I could have never created.

Last view of Kalalau Valley. Until next time!

5. "Letting things happen. That's great. So, yeah, how is marriage? You are with each other almost 24/7."

A: I’m not sugar coating this answer at all. It has been magical the amount of growth we’ve experienced. I feel that in five months we have learned about one another what would have taken ten years if we hadn’t started traveling. You can’t but do that when you are with one another constantly. An example we use is arguments. An argument that previously would have lasted a day only lasts ten minutes now. Yes, because we need to get over it quickly because we are with each other, but also because we are more able to see how the issues evolved from the ground level. Typically, the arguments are because one of us is hungry, tired or just having a sad day. We then take it out on the other. I feel the aggressor is quicker to apologize now and the receiver is quick to forgive.

6. "Oh, wow! Well that sounds great! So, speaking of growing, what is the newest thing you admire about Lindsey now?"

A: Her courage. She has overcome a lot to do this trip. The things that she has done on this trip have been courageous. She crossed “Crawlers’ Ledge” on the Kalalau Trail in rain and wind with thirty foot waves crashing below. I feel she is in a growth period of life that has her facing fears she no longer wants to allow to cripple her anymore. She is attacking this life challenge head on and it is amazing to be a part of.

7. "Well, that's so supportive and kind of you to say. Now, on the other had, what is your newest pet peeve?"

A: Sometimes I don’t feel that she pays attention as she goes through a day. Directions to places is the obvious example.

8. "Hmm, I hear some frustration in your voice. Let's go back to good thoughts. Well then, what is your favorite memory of Lindsey on the trip?"

A: A huge bellowing yell of, “WEEEE DIDDDDDDDD IT!” as a celebration of crossing Crawlers’ Ledge on the Kalalau Trail.

9. "Ha! So it sounds like the Kalalau Trail was a big deal for Lindsey. What is the biggest way you have grown?"

A: I feel that I’ve done a much better job of making sure family and friends know that I still think of them. I’m trying to be more intentional in my communication with everyone back home.

Calling Dan Fran in China with Ashley in Athens, GA!

10. "Well that's great! I'm sure everyone misses you at home. While you have been away, what has been your biggest learning lesson from traveling?"

A: Splurging on a hotel instead of sleeping in the airport is so worth it!

11. "Ah ha! So you do stay in hotels sometimes, eh? You guys sure do a lot of camping. So what has been your favorite place thus far?

A: Canmore, Alberta. It was pretty unique for Lindsey and I to look at one another after three hours being there and say, “ I want to live here!”

Slept in our tent in the snow at Spray Lake, Canmore, Alberta

12. "Wow! That's crazy! You aren't saying you want to move to Canada now, are you? They like beavers, snow and hockey up there, you know. And they say 'a-boot' and 'zed' up there, dontchaknow? Can you hack those cold winters? Well anyway, what place you would like to go again?

A: Sandpoint, Idaho. We only passed through for a morning. The town had a great vibe. The outdoor community seemed to be thriving. It is located in Northern Idaho and we didn’t get to explore as much as anticipated.

13. "Oh, I hope you do get to go back there then. So, do you miss home?"

A: For sure at times. More so, I miss family and friends. There will be certain things that trigger memories. As a nostalgic person, I let those memories overtake my mind and I get to missing home.

14. "Well, if you get to missing home, then what keeps you traveling?"

A: The excitement of knowing that there is so much difference that is out there. It is so empowering to discover a local food market and eat some cheap but wholesome food that the locals eat. In Kauai, we stumbled upon a market in Waimea that was selling some fresh poke for breakfast. So good and so cheap, but you have work hard to find these places. The feeling of accomplishment in moments of discovering keep me going.

15. "Oh, yeah. I can see that. So far, how have your experiences changed your life you think?"

A: I want to give me kids a worldly education. There is only so much you can learn by books. I learn by being in an environment that allows me to apply what I’ve learned. An example is getting to speak pidgin in the kalo fields.

Weeding around the kale in the loi fields.

16. "Pidgin, eh? You can speak it? Wow! So, what is your next exciting experience you can't wait for?"

A: Getting better at surfing. I got my tail handed to me in Kauai.

17. "Keep at it! I'm sure you will get better in New Zealand. What are you excited for Lindsey to experience on your travels ahead?"

A: New Zealand. She’s been itching to be here. It’s so special to be a part of her going to the places she dreams of going.

18. "New Zealand! I can't wait to get there myself! Now, who has been the most interesting character you have met along the way?

A: First that comes to mind is Warren in Montana. Warren is a friend by now. We have chilled with him and his girlfriend, Heather, the past two years up in Glacier National Park. He got his Master’s in Wildlife Biology. His thesis is on the harlequin duck. If I remember correctly, this duck is very rare because it lays eggs in Glacier NP and then flies over to the Pacific Coast to molt. Because of its egg laying peculiarities, it's numbers are decreasing. I didn’t do the story justice, the point of my answer is about Warren. He makes a living hiking through remote streams of Glacier NP looking for these ducks. He had us along for one expedition. We got to hike the streams and fly fish as we worked. Ahhhhhhh! What an amazing lifestyle. He’s just an all around great dude. Super man crush on this guy. His family has a hobby farm that they grow pretty much everything that they cook. My goal for later on in life.

Warren and Adam heading out to hunt harlequins.

19. "Warren sounds pretty awesome! So now, do you have any new goals or new interests that have come along?"

A: I have a new interest in the whole credit card churning hobby. Typically, it has been about getting airline miles, now I’m focusing on hotel points. It has been really sweet having a nice, cushy bed after some rough nights of sleeping in the tent.

Northwestern lake in Glacier National Park

20. "Credit card churning, eh? You will have to elaborate more later. So, now, what’s a funny story from the trip thus far?"

A: Our first morning on Oahu, we were walking on the side of the road to a bus stop to head to Pearl Harbor. We had just left Kelly's house, a friend we know from Colorado. As we were walking, two German friends we met on an entirely different island, Kauai, biked right past us. As we were chatting with them, Kelly and her family drove by honking. We just got to a new island and had friends. Crazy! It was one of those, “No way! The world is so small,” moments. Those moments keep me traveling as well!

"Well, Adam, I can tell you are done with my questions and that's all the time we have today! You shared so much and it sounds like you are still pumped to keep traveling. We'll share Lindsey's responses next to see what she has to say and I look forward to seeing you again soon. Yeah, that's right. Right here in the middle seat!"