Leaving North America

No! WE are not leaving! We will NEVER leave again. We found our home and lots of friends on this continent. But we met a German couple, “Reinhold and Jenny” from the beautiful town of Dinkelsbuehl.       Main Street Dinkelsbuehl  We met them in Holtville California, and they came visiting with us a few weeks ago. I can now reveal their real names: They are Reinhard and Jutta Schmidt. They are currently in Halifax and from there they will be shipping their German Motor Home back to Germany. After 12 months on the road meeting great people all the way enjoying this great continent with its shores, mountains and deserts, they are now ready to leaving North America. Their baggage is full of memories which will last to the end of their days. After living the free life of an RVer they must now adjust to life back in their home town. Friends and relatives will come visiting them and they will have so much to tell….  Will they be back on North American roads?  They were talking about Alaska. The beautiful north is tempting. It has been tempting me my entire life. That’s how I ended up in Norway…and later in Canada. I have seen Alaska too – in winter. I have seen the start of the famous Iditarod sled dog race on 4th Avenue in Achorage. It’s a long time ago. But I think back to it all the time, like I also think back to the days of when we went to Finland. I have got some news about Finland too. I received an email from Finnish journalist. Janne Niiranen. She had seen my posting on the Savon Sanomat facebook page and wants to write a story about it. Maybe she will find my friend Laila. Yesterday I send her pictures from those days. I also found Laila’s letters upstairs. Reading those letters again made me laugh and cry. They are so full of a young girl’s dreams of future hopes and current achievements. It’s 44 years ago. We are at the same age. Where is she? It’s Saturday again and early yet. It’s still raining. Quite unusual that it rains 4-5 days in a row out here. We’ve had it now. Before I go and have a second cup of coffee I will give you Jutta’s (alias Jenny’s) poem about their North-American journey. Have fun! AMERICA by Jutta Schmidt We were travelling with our German car, through fast ganz America. We met people - friendly all, we found friends - wie wundervoll. Deep blue lakes und große Berge, trees so high, wir waren Zwerge. Yellowstone and so viel mehr, we saw Büffel, Hirsch und Bär. We loved the desert zur Winterzeit, Saguaros weit und breit. We had good luck at any time, wollten lange Zeit nicht heim. At last, the visit bei Bea and Peter, thank you for all! May be wir kommen wieder   We will sure be waiting for you Reinhard and Jutta!