Day 194 - Between Here and What Comes Next

I was awake early again this morning.

Lately, that seems to be becoming a habit. Whether it’s the unfamiliar bed, the constant wind, or simply having too much on my mind, I’ve found myself waking up before everyone else and deciding there’s little point trying to force more sleep.

I headed out quietly and made myself a coffee. A German traveller was already in the shared kitchen doing the same, and we spent a few minutes chatting before I slipped away to enjoy a little time to myself.

One thing we’ve realised during this trip is how valuable those small moments of solitude can be.

I found a quiet corner upstairs, settled in with my coffee, and enjoyed about half an hour of peace before Kia joined me. We sat together overlooking the morning and began discussing the same topic that’s occupied much of our thinking lately: what comes next.

The funny thing about long-term travel is that people often assume the hard part is leaving home.

In reality, sometimes the hardest part is deciding where to go next.

We’ve booked our flights to London, but beyond that, there are still plenty of decisions to make. Every option seems to create another set of possibilities.

Do we head towards Canada and spend part of the northern winter skiing?

Do we return to Europe and potentially base ourselves somewhere like Slovenia for a full ski season?

Do we stay outside the Schengen Zone for longer and preserve our remaining days?

Or do we use some of that time now and adjust our plans later?

Every option has advantages, costs, logistics and trade-offs.

The more we researched, the more we realised there wasn’t an obvious “right” answer.

Both Canada and Slovenia appear capable of fitting within our overall budget. Both offer the lifestyle and outdoor activities we’re looking for. Both would provide incredible experiences for the kids.

The challenge is that whichever path we choose affects everything that follows.

By lunchtime, we’d spent hours researching and discussing possibilities without arriving at any firm conclusions.

Sometimes progress doesn’t look like making decisions.

Sometimes progress is simply understanding the choices more clearly.

With our brains needing a break, we headed to our favourite restaurant for lunch.

We’ve eaten there quite a few times recently and decided to keep things simple. Maddie ordered one of her now-favourite salads, Kia chose the fish of the day, and I stuck with my reliable pasta.

It was a pleasant lunch, but we left feeling that perhaps we’d reached the point where it was time to start exploring a few other options around town. One of the joys of slow travel is finding those favourite places, but occasionally it’s also nice to discover somewhere new.

After lunch, both Kia and I hit a wall.

I was struggling to keep my eyes open.

Kia felt much the same.

Whether it was lack of sleep, the mental load of planning, or simply the accumulation of months of travel decisions, we were both feeling completely drained.

Back at the accommodation, we put on some washing and hung it outside. The ever-present coastal wind made sure that became more entertaining than expected, with clothes attempting to escape every few minutes.

Eventually I gave in and had a short lay down.

It was exactly what I needed.

When I got up, Kia took a turn to rest while I returned to researching possibilities for the months ahead.

But every traveller eventually discovers that decision fatigue is real.

When every choice impacts accommodation, flights, visas, budgets, schooling, activities and future plans, even simple decisions can start to feel surprisingly difficult.

It did spark an idea though.

Maybe my next app project should be a decision-making tool.

I’m sure we’re not the only people who find themselves staring at multiple good options and wishing someone could magically tell them which one to choose.

While Kia and I recharged, the kids enjoyed a relaxed afternoon watching movies. We probably let screen time stretch a little longer than usual, but sometimes that’s exactly what everyone needs.

Travel isn’t always about squeezing every ounce out of every day.

Sometimes it’s about recognising when the whole family needs a slower pace.

As evening rolled around, neither of us had much energy left. We kept dinner simple and spent the evening winding down rather than heading back out into town.

The kids weren’t entirely convinced by our low-effort dinner plans, and bedtime took a little more negotiation than normal, but eventually everyone settled in for the night.

As we edge closer to leaving Morocco, I can feel myself becoming increasingly ready for a change of scenery.

We’ve had some wonderful experiences here, met some lovely people, and created memories we’ll carry for a long time. But travel has seasons too, and sometimes you simply know when it’s time to move on.

For now, we’re hoping to make a few final decisions, enjoy our remaining days here, and spend a little more time doing less planning and more living.

The next chapter is getting closer.

We just need to decide which direction it begins.