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Ziggy's Travels
Moving on from Utah, we rewarded ourselves with a one-night stopover at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas before heading through the Mojave Desert back to California. It was 105 degrees when we passed the world's largest thermometer in Baker... and it was still getting hotter. When we hit Santa Monica, we unpacked the car and immediately walked down to the beach to stick our toes in the Pacific Ocean, take a deep breath, and let it sink in that we were finally home. I came across a good quote in the book I was reading on the trip: "Home is not always a door at the end of a sidewalk... sometimes it is a broader place. Sometimes it is the sum of our experiences and memories, and sometimes it is wherever we happen to be - if we are with the right companion." So I guess we were home all along! Well, all good things come to an end and this amazing once-in-a-lifetime trip is over now, too. This trip wouldn't have been possible without all the friends and family who acted as our support team along the way. Thanks to Brian and Suzy for putting us up before we even left L.A. (as we had home-exchangers staying in our place and had to be out before we were ready to leave!). Thanks to Dan and Linda for putting us up in Oakland and making us feel right at home. Thanks, Mike and Anne for letting us crash in San Jose and for staying up through triple overtime to watch the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup. Thanks to Ted and Kat (and your beautiful girls) for a yummy dinner at your home in Berkeley. Thanks to Anand for the place to stay, the BBQ and the ping pong games in Seattle. A very special thanks to Mom Malm for our second home in Vancouver, for helping us prepare for our big backpack trip and the super dinner on top of Vancouver. Thanks to Amy, Kai and Cole for the great weekend in Osoyoos. Thanks to Grandpa for a place to stay in Victoria and showing me around when Aili went back to L.A. for work. Thanks to the Brands (Debbie, Dale, Katie and Stacie) for making us feel at home in their home. Thanks to Aili's Dad and her brother Tim for extending their harbor stay to meet us in Prince Rupert - good luck with the rest of the halibut season! Thanks to Lisa in Montana for letting us stay in your wonderful Montana ranch and showing us around Missoula. Thanks to Doug and Sheri for house-sitting and taking care of the Fizz. Thanks to Nafti for helping with Fizz in between house-sitters. Thanks to Lance, Maurine and Brian for searching for Fizz when we thought he was missing. Thanks to Dave and Emily for keeping an eye on our place and dealing with package deliveries, broken gas lines, and empty cat dishes while we were away. And last but not least, thanks to Lizzy for a place to park Aili's car for three months (can't wait to see you in Hawaii!). Thanks to anyone we may have missed (but I think we got you all) - this trip wouldn't have been possible without a loving family and awesome group of friends like all of you!!! Thanks for reading along with us! -Peace and love, Dan & Aili.
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