Moving to a new place is exciting. It’s like getting a shot of adrenaline after you’ve been asleep for a long time. What’s less fun is the physical act of putting everything you own into boxes and relocating from point A to point B. It’s exhausting. But once we were able to fully focus on moving tasks, we got them done pretty quickly. Both the car and Cuddlebus are expertly packed to the brim without an inch to spare. The apartment has been cleaned to a sparkle-shine, keys have been handed back over to property management. Now the highway and cheap roadside hotels will be home for the next few days.
If you’ve never tasted soup dumplings before, you simply DO NOT KNOW what you are missing. There’s this indescribable combination of rich flavor along with the sensation of the dumpling bursting and hot broth flooding your mouth (and the inevitable burnt roof of the mouth that results from being too impatient to wait for them to cool). Dough Zone does them the best. I’m getting my fix in before leaving the west coast behind.
In 42 days’ time, we will Tetris-pack a modest accumulation of possessions back into the bus and hit the highway. Destination, Wyoming. Life is calling and it’s time to move on.
The charm of this city wore off pretty quickly. I really do love Portland for its whatever-goes weird vibes, historic charm, great food, and extreme walkability. Portland also has a lot of parks and trees, enough greenery to still feel semi-sane while living in an urban environment. But the homelessness problem is just so bad here. There is trash everywhere in the streets. Homeless camps have invaded our neighborhood (which was once one of the most enviable places to live in the city), and it’s rare to go out without being accosted for something. There’s no respect for personal property. If you park your car on the street it will be broken into. If you don’t give cash they will smash things into the ground at your feet and yell in your face. It feels dangerous. Sometimes, they wander through the streets without clothes on… Zombie apocalypse? Rather than enjoying all that the city has to offer, my existence has become one of isolation, staying inside my loft and only venturing out to buy groceries. It’s not a great way to live, even for a happy introvert like myself.
