Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door…
Written by John Morris
…You’re sick of hangin’ around and you’d like to travel
Get tired of travelin’, you want to settle down
I guess they can’t revoke your soul for tryin’
Get out of the door and light out and look all around
Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me
Other times, I can barely see
Lately, it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it’s been
Truckin’, I’m a goin’ home
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin’ on…
Grateful Dead. American Beauty. Warner Bros. Records Inc., 1970
While 2020 has certainly been an unusual year, we’re all hoping it’s a unique one, and not to be repeated.
Between elections, covid-19, riots and protests… our minds have become confused and many of us even feel lost at times.
Here on the island, like in many parts of the world, we have been locked down, allowed only limited circulation, forced to wear masks and presented with mandatory curfews.
But we’ve survived.
Now the island is open and direct flights from the US have resumed. For tourists, there’s no quarantine and you’re free to explore our towns and beaches. Restaurants, for the most part, have reopened and people are smiling and laughing again.
Roatan’s economy relies on tourism so all of these things are good… and much needed.
It’s been a long seven months but now I see the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.”
To be honest, I didn’t feel like writing until I saw a glimmer of hope… and now that glimmer is beginning to shine.
One of the unexpected, wonderful things we discovered during this worldwide lockdown was a Facebook page called, A View from my window.
We got to see the world through other locked-down eyes and the sometimes fantastic, sometimes humbling images they shared. And the stories they told… some heartbreaking and so many that lifted us up.
It helped us all to feel connected when we were so disconnected… and not so alone and isolated in this crisis.
But truthfully, lockdown on Roatan was not so terrible.
We were blessed with plenty of sunshine, deserted white sandy beaches, crystal-clear warm water… and of course, our incredible, caring expat community made things way more than simply bearable.
The Urban Dictionary defines “truckin” as… don’t give up, keep on going.
While many island businesses struggled, oddly enough real estate kept on “truckin.”
Yes, it was challenging when government offices were shut down, but now we are closing deals at a fast pace and we even have buyers purchasing properties sight unseen!
Surprising… maybe not.
Who knows if this crisis is over or if it will continue or return again?
One thing though is for sure… being locked down in the Caribbean – specifically Roatan – beats any other place I can think of.
So why Roatan?
Short, direct flights… affordable properties by other Caribbean-island standards… world class diving… beautiful beaches… and, our close-knit community.
The saying “Life is Short” has never been more true… and I choose to spend it right here. I bet you will too!
So folks, pack your bags, book that ticket and join us in paradise.
After all…it’s about time, right?
