Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Traveling

The Notiers Notes

Our Sunday Scoop

Africa is a wild and unpredictable world. You never know what you're going to find out there.

Coming back to a sedentary lifestyle has been wonderful, don't get me wrong.

It feels good to be back in a world of familiarity and predictability. Besides just seeing the people I know and love, there's a comfortable rhythm to life here that I missed. It's that sense that everything is under control.

I can eat the same thing for breakfast every day if I want. I can fill up a hamper with dirty laundry without having to worry that I'll run out of clean clothes in just two days. And there are some comforts of American life that I used to take for granted. I can turn on a faucet, and water will come out. And better yet, I can even drink that water. I know that the electricity will stay on because the infrastructure of the power grid is maintained. I know that if a fire starts in the house, I wont be trapped in a room with bars on the windows with only one fire escape through a padlocked door. Society more or less functions on autopilot. But while on the road, nothing is nearly as predictable.

We certainly sometimes find ourselves in some interesting situations while traveling.

When on the road, finding dinner is always a problem that needs to be solved. Same with doing laundry. Or getting gas, or having a shower. And it's not just travelers that go through this. After spending years in other countries, I now understand that there are places in this world where something as simple as getting hot water for tea or coffee is a luxury for the people living there. Sometimes just having water that's pure enough to drink is a luxury.

It really puts things into perspective of how lucky I am (as I type this in the basement of Tim's childhood home). Central heating and air-conditioning... ah, I've missed it.

​But it doesn't take long for me to forget how appreciative I am.

I wake up in the morning, put the kettle on a stove with gas that is connected to an unlimited supply from a utility company, and a stove that lights on its own without having to use matches. But I don't think about any of that. My mind is already elsewhere... maybe pondering over what needs to get done that day, or worrying about something I saw in the news.

While I drink my morning tea, I'm already caught up in the hustle and bustle of American life. And before I know it, the cup has been drained and stuffed into the dishwater.

America feels so orderly in comparison to the chaos of Africa. But is that always good?

I get comfortable, and I forget how grateful I am for the little things.

But I know that all it takes is getting on the motorcycle again, and seeing that open road in front of us. As we coast along the pavement, I watch the sunlight sparkle through the tree leaves, dappling the road ahead like it's sprinkling flower petals onto our own personal red carpet. Or I look out to the horizon to contemplate the vastness of the world, and to feel minuscule in the openness of the scenery. Like a tiny ant just walking along a patio, every crack between the wooden planks is a canyon, every puddle a vast ocean. I feel like a speck of sand on a massive beach.

And then I look to Tim who sits in front of me, steering us along our course into the unknown. And I can't help but smile as I realize that I don't actually need all those creature comforts that I've come to rely on. All I really need is right here - the motorcycle, our equipment, and most of all, Tim. He's my guide, my companion, and as he likes to say, "I'm just her chauffeur."

It's a great feeling to know that everything pictured here is all we need in life.

Since we've been quarantining and not traveling for the past couple of weeks, I'm just counting down the days when we can get back on the road and once again ride off into the sunset. Soon enough I keep telling myself. Soon enough...

Actually, despite being two jobless vagabonds, we've been keeping ourselves super busy. Our YouTube videos have been sort of "taking off" which is exciting, I'm always writing scripts and trying to get them out there, and Tim is finishing up his next book, "Blood, Sweat, and Notiers"! It's about our crazy travels through South America, and should be ready to hit the shelves this summer!!!

Lately our videos have been about us reminiscing on our times going through Mexico, and it's so exciting for us to live through all the incredible experiences we had, along with all the bumps in the road we came across. So check them out, and let us know what you think!

Next week, we're planning on taking a little springtime adventure with the bike (yay!). So I hope you have a great week, and I'll see you next Sunday!
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