07-10-2025, 01:45 AM
A floating boardwalk? Really? Built in the manner of, like, a boat dock? Does the marsh rise and fall with the tides, hence the need for a floating boardwalk? That looks really cool. Was it kind of bouncy out there?
"Natural hazards are present in the area." Ya think maybe "government speak" is getting a bit out of hand there? That big stick you carry should be helpful if you encounter wolverines or wolves or bears.
"The trip got kinda spendy." Yeah, it seems like traveling is becoming increasingly pricey. But then, everything is becoming increasingly pricey. At least fuel prices are holding steady so far this summer around here. They haven't come down much, and actually increased a bit from their lowest point a couple of months ago, but still aren't as insane as they have been over the past few years.
A beach all to yourself? Nice... unless it's an economic indicator. Another Canadian contact has been visiting the Banff area. There are no people in the backgrounds of his photos, either, and he mentioned "having the entire place to ourselves" a few times, including the once-popular mineral springs cave. I've mentioned that July and August are looking slow here for the vacation rental units. Here, it seems like a combination of a slow-down in the number of travelers and a huge increase in the lodging options. Same thing with travel trailer parks: I think the number of travel trailer parks has tripled over the past few years, but now the parks seem to be less than half full, often only about a quarter full.
I understand not wanting to go home. I mean, years ago, when I lived in a much nicer place than I do now, for most of my time there I was actually almost thrilled to return home after traveling. The traveling was fun and interesting, but when you live in what is a "holiday destination" for a lot of people, it's kind of fun coming home.
There's something to think about as you search for a new place to live: maybe look at "tourist destinations." No, not crowded noisy tourist destinations like Las Vegas or Orlando; but "natural beauty" tourist destinations.
Oh, wait. You actually live in a place like that already.
Yeah, a problem with "tourist destinations" is that once new development starts, it only accelerates. There are plans afoot to develop pretty much every square inch outside of Zion National Park, which has been open rangeland until now. The other side of the park, that was once a "sleepy little town," is now a crazy mass of hotels, restaurants, and "adventure outfitter" shops. I drove through there for the first time in five or six years last month and it was shocking and depressing.
They were destroying Hale'iwa Town when I left in 2015 -- coming up on ten years in September (I honestly thought somehow I'd figure out a way to be back in less than five years) -- by putting in a huge new shopping development... while failing to address the "city plan" that had been in effect for over a decade to simply add sidewalks to the highway. I know I ranted several times about them having turned the open dunes fronting Velzyland Beach over to developers who built a gated community with a wall to block ocean views from the highway.
'Kay, now I'm getting depressed, but I'm just gonna look at that red and white "bathing pavilion" there at the end of the floating boardwalk again and get cheered up. That looks like fun!
So I take it PEI is not entirely "off the list" at this point, but you're going to keep looking for now?
"Natural hazards are present in the area." Ya think maybe "government speak" is getting a bit out of hand there? That big stick you carry should be helpful if you encounter wolverines or wolves or bears.
"The trip got kinda spendy." Yeah, it seems like traveling is becoming increasingly pricey. But then, everything is becoming increasingly pricey. At least fuel prices are holding steady so far this summer around here. They haven't come down much, and actually increased a bit from their lowest point a couple of months ago, but still aren't as insane as they have been over the past few years.
A beach all to yourself? Nice... unless it's an economic indicator. Another Canadian contact has been visiting the Banff area. There are no people in the backgrounds of his photos, either, and he mentioned "having the entire place to ourselves" a few times, including the once-popular mineral springs cave. I've mentioned that July and August are looking slow here for the vacation rental units. Here, it seems like a combination of a slow-down in the number of travelers and a huge increase in the lodging options. Same thing with travel trailer parks: I think the number of travel trailer parks has tripled over the past few years, but now the parks seem to be less than half full, often only about a quarter full.
I understand not wanting to go home. I mean, years ago, when I lived in a much nicer place than I do now, for most of my time there I was actually almost thrilled to return home after traveling. The traveling was fun and interesting, but when you live in what is a "holiday destination" for a lot of people, it's kind of fun coming home.
There's something to think about as you search for a new place to live: maybe look at "tourist destinations." No, not crowded noisy tourist destinations like Las Vegas or Orlando; but "natural beauty" tourist destinations.
Oh, wait. You actually live in a place like that already.
Yeah, a problem with "tourist destinations" is that once new development starts, it only accelerates. There are plans afoot to develop pretty much every square inch outside of Zion National Park, which has been open rangeland until now. The other side of the park, that was once a "sleepy little town," is now a crazy mass of hotels, restaurants, and "adventure outfitter" shops. I drove through there for the first time in five or six years last month and it was shocking and depressing.
They were destroying Hale'iwa Town when I left in 2015 -- coming up on ten years in September (I honestly thought somehow I'd figure out a way to be back in less than five years) -- by putting in a huge new shopping development... while failing to address the "city plan" that had been in effect for over a decade to simply add sidewalks to the highway. I know I ranted several times about them having turned the open dunes fronting Velzyland Beach over to developers who built a gated community with a wall to block ocean views from the highway.
'Kay, now I'm getting depressed, but I'm just gonna look at that red and white "bathing pavilion" there at the end of the floating boardwalk again and get cheered up. That looks like fun!
So I take it PEI is not entirely "off the list" at this point, but you're going to keep looking for now?
They're not dolls, they're action figures!