There is a unique phenomenon that occurs whenever I travel the small highways and farm roads that make up a good portion of any road trip between South Texas and the Panhandle.  Two cars will pass each other, often on a two lane road, and one driver will raise his fingers off the steering wheel in a simple gesture as they pass.  This is often reciprocated by the other.  Since the cities of San Antonio and Lubbock have been home for me for the last 15 years (dear Lord has it been that long), I’ve traveled that same stretch of blacktop many times, and fortunately, it’s always the same.

Often, people from other states that journey along Texas highways are surprised at the habit many slower drivers have of pulling to the shoulder and letting faster vehicles pass.  And, it’s true – this is a common occurrence all over the state.  There is a fair amount of courtesy on our rural highways.  This wave, however, seems to be something that I’ve experienced most when I head West.  I’ve long argued that for everything Lubbock lacked in aesthetic appeal and preferable climatic activity, it made up for in genuine friendliness and a much more relaxed way of life.  This seems to be common in the broader Western region of the State.  The steering wheel “howdy” is the best indicator that you’ve arrived there.

Plenty of transplant Texans – especially those from the North – have commented to me about having to get used to so many people smiling and saying “hello” as they walked down the street.  Evidently, this is not as common other places.  While it does point out that underlying welcoming attitude is pervasive across all of the Lone Star State, this road-born variant of the sentiment will always hold a special place in my heart.  The dusty flat lands of Lubbock and the surrounding regions of West Texas are so much of who I am today.  I went there for an education.  I left there with a life.

There are dear dear friends that I met up in the Panhandle, and they are as important to me to this day.  I learned a lot about love, heartbreak, happiness, myself, my faith and so much more during the years I lived in the land of cotton.  The Llano Estacado is also where I met the wonderful woman I married and where the blessed life we’ve built together got started.  All of this, and more, makes me thankful every day for the time I spent in West Texas.  So, to me, that simple wave is a welcome back.  A reminder that I’m close to one of the most important “homes” I’ve had in my life – regardless of how many miles are left in the drive.

This particular weekend, we went to a reunion of sorts at the church we were members of while going to Texas Tech.  I’m glad we went.  Reliving the powerful intersection of faith and friends that St. Elizabeth’s was for me was so precious.  Getting to spend time with some of those close to us was even better.  The coolest, perhaps, was the instant bond my children and those of friends made.  I know I’m sappy, but it made me smile to know that even if my kids never follow my footsteps to my alma mater, they can still have fond memories of a city that will always mean so much to me.

As we drove back to San Antonio, I was acutely aware that frequency of those friendly gestures between lanes were waining as the sun did the same.  Somewhere along a stretch of Texas highway we crossed back over that line.  We’ll be returning in the near future.  We found several reasons to make another trip – this time it won’t be years between them.  Rest assured, when we turn right off of I-10 and start to head more North than West, I’ll be watching for oncomming traffic.  I suspect, as ususal, at the first wave, I’ll know that it’s good to be back.

Tiff and I just got back from a short trip to Playa del Carmen. We went there for our honeymoon, and loved the area – and discovered we could get used to the all-inclusive lifestyle! After all the work we did this summer with the houses, I thought it would be fun to sneak back down there again and hideout for a little bit. We also used it to honor our 6th anniversary. (A week after the fact)

Her parents were kind enough to keep the kids, so we got some quality time as just the two of us. Interestingly enough, it’s the third year in a row we’ve been out of the country. I’m not sure if that’s a pattern that will repeat next year, but I’m hopping we get to take another trip abroad before 09 is up – maybe we’ll even take Keith on the next one.

Anyway, this time around, we stayed at the Occidental Grand Xcaret. It was a great little resort! It wasn’t as nice as the place we stayed on the honeymoon, but we enjoyed it. There are a couple of things to look out for at this one – most notably the time share guys – but I found the reviews at TripAdvisor helped with that. I need to get on there and give one of my own. (In general, I’d say check that site out for any place you are thinking about staying)

The best part of the trip for us was this resort was right next to the Xcaret Eco Park. It’s a really neat combination of Mayan history, beach fun and natural oddities like snorkeling through underground rivers (evidentially a great deal of the peninsula has water underneath it). For staying at the resort, you get a one-day pass and it’s only a five-minute walk to the park. There’s even a chapel (in the park, not the resort) that has mass at 4:30 on Sunday! (we tried to catch it, but something must have happened because the priest never showed).

Anyway, overall, it was a great way to do a short trip because we had an excursion out of the resort built right in with the park. The rest of the time, we just got to relax and enjoy time together. I’ve got several of the pictgures on my Picasa album if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks to, what I’ve now determined to be less than perfect, advice on which tube station to use, I had about a half-mile walk to get my day going. In retrospect, I’m grateful for it. By the time I was already passing Christ Church (in the middle of the Green), my mind was wandering. The area of London I was walking through has history going back to the year 1000. While it hasn’t always been urban, the reality is that people have walked that very street for a long long time.

We have such a limited view as Americans. Our country is young – very young. In the grand scheme of the world, we’ve done a lot, but we haven’t seen much history. I’m thankful for the times I’ve been over to Europe. It helps put a lot of things in perspective. I love home, but seeing more of the world gives me such a better understanding.

So, I walked this morning with the Ghosts of Turnham Green. While the music from my mp3 player helped me greet the morning, the spirits of 1000 years of history matched me step for step. 5000 miles from home, I walked with them down a street towards a subway station I wasn’t quite sure the location of. I thought about life. I thought about history. I thought about home. And, most importantly, I thought about my family. Perspective on life these apparitions may have brought, but with clarity, you miss the important things all that much more.

We had a ball on that trip. We got to see Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. I think, though, if you asked either of us, we had the most fun just wandering around the city and spending time with each other (we love the kids, but MAN is time with just the two of us nice!). The second half of that trip was ok for me – with one exception. Tiff left on a Tuesday. In the wee hours of Thursday morning, they busted all those terrorists that started this whole no liquids on planes era that we are in. I was set to leave the following Monday. WEEEEE! I made it out ok – no carry-on, but ok. Coming in this time was no biggie. We’ll see how leaving is in a couple of weeks.

So, now that I’m actually back to this trip, it’s a lot different. That one was August. This one is the second half of Feb. That one, I had Tiff for a week. This one, I’m on my own for two. Being away from my whole family for this long will be rough. The longest I’ve every done that was when dad was in hospital and I was gone for about a week and a half. We’ll se how things go.

As for the title of what has now become quite rambling, this is my fourth flight across the Atlantic. I haven’t quite mastered getting to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. Thankfully, on this trip, I came straight to the office so I can power through the day and crash tonight – hopefully avoiding the jet lag somewhat. Tomorrow, I have to cook Cajun food for about 150 folks in this office. (That’s a whole different story for another time).

I will say that anyone coming from Texas to London, check out the flight from Houston Intercontinental to Gatwick on Continental. Coming out of San Antonio, it’s perfect for me because it’s one hop and then on to the big flight. They use 777s for the international leg, so it’s a great plane to be on. Also, for this time of year, it’s nice to not have to worry about weather around airports up north that a lot of the other carriers use.

OK – I think I’ve meandered enough down this path. I’m tired. I’m here. I miss my wife and kids. And, I’m giving up coffee in two days, so I’m going to hit the free Starbucks machine while I still can. I’ll try an check in tomorrow or so.

Peace!