It's hard to believe it's been two years already since I moved to Bermuda. Time flew by so fast. It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was corresponding with Donna to find out more information on living and working in Bermuda. Today, I'm sitting on the pale pink beach, creating this journal entry while Donna is laid up at home in a cast. She got into a moped accident on Thanksgiving Day but she's recovering nicely.

I'm halfway done packing and am looking forward to going to the States for a few weeks to see my cat, friends and family. My friends asked me if I will miss Bermuda. My answer to them is that I will miss the friends I have here more than the island itself. It's really too bad because I met some pretty interesting people in the past few months and have gotten closer with others, but I must go out there and see the world. It's been tugging at my mind and heart for the past 2 years and I know I will be miserable if I don't go out there and see how I like traveling like a nomad.

I wondered if I'm making the right move - throwing away a career that I spent years building - a career that is in top demand in the work force right now, but then again, money and career isn't everything. A friend told me "You can't second-guess yourself. Just go out there and have a good time. You won't regret it." I have a good feeling that he's right, along with many other people who liken their extended or brief backpacking trip as the best time of their lives. I got most of my gear in place and will start traveling around the States in the next few weeks to get a feel of the pack and get into the routine.

So what did I learn in the two years I spent in Bermuda? - Many things that I would never have learned in the States. I remember one of my goals in life was to live on a tropical island. Well, that goal has been realized and it turns out that there's more to just living on a tropical island - or sub-tropical in this case. You need the right combination of environment, friends/significant other, job and social outlets. I have yet to find them all in one place and will continue to search for it as part of my travels.

I spent my last few days in Bermuda doing a little sight seeing and taking care of things that I hope I won't have to deal with for a while. I'll be flying from a cool rainy Bermuda winter of 70 degrees into an approaching snowstorm in Hartford. At least the snow and freezing temperature should raise my Christmas spirit before I head out to Hawaii for New Years.

I will return to this beautiful island in the future - right now, I have other islands to explore.