Author:  Pete

Location:  Fort Lauderdale, FL/ Charlevoix, MI

Spent all night thinking about our decision.

Drove Miranda to the Miami airport at O’Dark Thirty in the morning to catch a plane home.  She changed her flights to get home for a family funeral.  It’s hard to be away when something big happens like that.

I was on a flight later that afternoon, so went back to the hotel.  Called Alexis and discussed the boat.  Walked around the hotel room.  Filled out a contract with rough dates and our firm offering price.  Walked around the hotel room some more.  With a trembling finger I clicked SEND and fired it off to Alexis.  Did one more room lap.

Checked out of the hotel and got out of Dodge.  Driving around Fort Lauderdale and Miami was not too different than driving around Santiago, aside from people cursing in Spanish.  Perhaps more lanes for people to careen through.  Everyone is more spatially aware and conscientious of other drivers for sure though.

Walked around the airport after checking in.  Beats pacing a hotel room.  Went through security and did some more pacing.  Man, you can really pace fast on one of those horizontal catwalks.  Makes for good thinking.  One of the scariest things of the trip was being out of contact for several hours while big decisions were being made and big questions proposed.  Not being able to hash out more details with Miranda was a killer, but maybe for the better.  Sometimes we go into spiral dives when we cross-examine things too much, something we’ve been known to do.

Would Dariousz take our offer?  Would he go with his current proposal?  If he didn’t take our offer, we wouldn’t have to deal with contracts and sea trials right away, could have a summer to decompress after our life wrap-up in Chile.  On the other hand, Bubu was the most immaculate boat we’d seen, set at a good price, and absolutely ready to roll.  An esteemed Lagoon 380 owner’s version, no less.  When would we fly back for sea trials if the deal went through?  How would we transfer funds?  I wish people didn’t look at me so funny while I pace up and down the aisles on the plane.  What would we do with it between July and September when we moved aboard?  Seriously, people, quit staring. 

Sweet jesus.

Bounced from Miami to Chicago to Traverse City.  My momma picked me up at the airport and we drove an hour north to Charlevoix.  I was so wrapped up in this decision, I barely noticed I was home.  It’s usually a pretty striking feeling.  It did feel like the longest trip home ever.  Left Santiago and didn’t get home for a week!

Had a late night sandwich and beer with my mom and Denny and told them about the whole process.  Didn’t hear anything from Alexis, so I poured myself into bed to sleep horizontally.