my wife went back to canada

https://peertube.wtf/w/2txeBYFAW27Y3msqQqkHzN

I hate this part of it, because it's just a thousand little good byes.

We bought milk yesterday that had an expiry date after I leave, and it was hard not to cry in the dairy aisle of tesco.

Today I balled my eyes out because he mentioned having to go into the office on Tuesday, and I leave on Monday.

I'm counting down the sleeps I have left with him (4), and the meals we'll have (13), and how many times we'll get to hang out washing together (1, maybe 2?).

I hate this part. So. Much.

#relationship #dating #LongDistance #UK #Australia

Overland from Moshi to Lusaka: 2500 Kilometers South

This journey was not about comfort.
It was about continuing forward, even when the road was rough, the weather unfriendly, and energy low.

From Moshi in northern Tanzania to Lusaka in Zambia, the trip covered about 2500 kilometers by land — buses, waiting halls, border crossings, and long hours of movement.

Departure from Moshi

I left Moshi in the late afternoon heat of February 8. The bus was large but already crowded. The air inside was warm and heavy, and the road vibrations started almost immediately after departure.

At first I had space. Soon more passengers entered, and my backpack ended up on my lap. From that moment, movement meant adjustment — shifting shoulders, protecting space, balancing the bag.

The road stretched into darkness. Stops came and went.
Immigration checks in the night brought the journey to a halt. A stamp in my passport led officials to believe I had overstayed, and I had to work through the dates with them. When the error was cleared up, the bus rolled south again.

The ride was loud, uneven, and constant.

Arrival in Iringa — Rain and Recovery

We reached Iringa early in the morning. The bus station toilets were flooded and difficult to use. Someone poured liquid over my hands — I thought it was water, but it was soap. Eventually rainwater from a barrel helped rinse it off.

The hostel looked abandoned from outside but inside it was clean and calm. After the long ride, simply lying down felt like a reward.

Rain followed me through Iringa. Streets turned muddy, shoes became soaked, and nothing dried properly. I stayed two nights to recover and regain energy.

South to Mbeya

The next stage began early in Iringa. I woke up at 03:15, packed, showered, and prepared to leave. While it was still dark, I walked quickly to the Kimotco bus office and arrived around 04:20. The bus reached the station shortly after 05:00 and finally departed at 05:30, continuing through hills and long stretches of road toward Mbeya.

The ride to Mbeya was rough and slow. Seats were tight, the bus shook constantly, and hours passed without comfort.

By arrival my body was worn down. Mbeya was cloudy and quiet, with light rain hanging in the air. I first walked through unfamiliar streets toward a backpackers place I had found on the map, but when I arrived there was no hostel — only a yard with an aggressive dog behind a metal gate and no one answering. After waiting and asking nearby workers, it became clear the place did not exist anymore. With rain starting again and no energy to search further, I returned toward the bus station area and found a simple low-standard hotel nearby. I stayed there to rest and prepare for the border crossing ahead.

Toward the Border

From Mbeya I took a local bus toward Tunduma around midday. About halfway through the ride the conductor collected 5,000 TZS (≈ 1.79 €). The journey took roughly three hours, and instead of stopping outside town like before, the bus went straight to the terminal in Mpemba. From there I took a tuk-tuk for 1,500 TZS (≈ 0.54 €) to the roundabout near the border.

I arrived at the roundabout in the early afternoon and continued on foot, walking through shops and construction areas toward the border control. After waiting in line and completing exit procedures on the Tanzanian side and Zambia stamped me in with a 30-day entry. I crossed on foot into Nakonde to begin the next stage of the journey.

Walking meant noise, pressure, and constant offers from sellers and transport agents. Some followed closely. Some grabbed my arm. The only strategy was calm refusal and steady movement forward.

Crossing on foot made the transition feel very real — one step at a time between two countries.

Nakonde — Waiting Through the Night

In Zambia, buses are not allowed to travel at night. That meant hours of waiting at the station.

The building was cold. People rested wherever they could — benches, floors, bags as pillows. I found a sofa near a charging socket and stayed there.

Sleep came only in short moments. The focus was simple: keep belongings safe, keep the phone charging, wait for departure.

Eventually, while it was still dark, boarding began in the early morning.

The Long Road to Lusaka

The bus departed in darkness. Sunrise arrived hours later, slowly lighting villages, roadside activity, and the long route south.

The ride included checkpoints, short stops, and one moment when workers inspected a tire beneath my seat after a burning smell appeared.

In Mpika there was a short stop and a paid toilet. Then the road continued, kilometer after kilometer.

By the time Lusaka appeared, the journey felt both long and strangely distant.

Arrival in Lusaka

Arrival in Lusaka was quiet rather than dramatic. After getting off the bus, a driver offered to take me across the city for 100 ZMW (≈ 3.45 €). The ride was long and passed through areas that did not feel safe at night. In the late evening I reached Natwange Backpackers, where I checked in, paid 7 € per night plus the earlier 2.61 € booking fee on the online Plattform, and finally found a place to rest.
Late in the evening I found a simple meal before resting. After days of buses, waiting, and movement, a bed felt like stability again.

The journey that began on February 8 at 16:00 in Moshi reached its destination on February 14 in the late evening in Lusaka — not as an ending, but as a pause before the road continues onward.

Costs of the Journey

Food and daily meals are not included here. Only major transport and accommodation.

Tanzania

• Moshi → Iringa bus: 50,000 TZS (≈ 17.86 €)
• Iringa → Mbeya bus: 20,000 TZS (≈ 7.14 €)
• Mbeya → Tunduma bus: 5,000 TZS (≈ 1.79 €)
• Tuk-tuk to border: 1,500 TZS (≈ 0.54 €)
• Iringa accommodation (2 nights): 14.71 €
• Mbeya accommodation (2 nights): 40,000 TZS (≈ 14.29 €)

Tanzania total: ≈ 56.32 €

Zambia

• Nakonde → Lusaka bus: 500 ZMW (≈ 17.24 €)
• Taxi in Lusaka: 100 ZMW (≈ 3.45 €)
• Lusaka accommodation (2 nights): 14.00 €
• Booking fee: 2.61 €
• Dinner on arrival: 120 ZMW (≈ 4.14 €)
• Toilet stop: 2 ZMW (≈ 0.07 €)

Zambia total: ≈ 41.51 €

Total journey cost: ≈ 97.83 €

Reflection

This trip was not defined by scenery or comfort.
It was defined by persistence.

Wet shoes.
Crowded buses.
Waiting halls.
Border lines.
Long distances.

But each stage moved the journey forward.
And sometimes that is enough.

The road continues.

Support & Follow the Journey

If you enjoy following my overland travels and want to support the road ahead:

⚡ Lightning: rubenstorm@coinos.io
☕ Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/rubenstorm

You can also follow along here:

🐘 Mastodon
@rubenstorm

📸 Pixelfed
@rubenstorm

Thank you for being part of the journey.

#overlandtravel #africatravel #tanzania #zambia #busjourney #bordercrossing #backpacking #slowtravel #travelblog #travelstory #overland #longdistance #adventure #lusaka #journey #blog #travel

Moment by Moment: Adventure Timeline

https://friendica.hubup.pro/display/174591b4-1669-9798-712b-bc7985814153

Making long distance work with these virtual date ideas 💕📲

Read more: https://flip.it/5UYYY5

#lifestyle #dating #relationship #love #longdistance #longdistancerelationship #onlinedating #onlinedate

Me:
Honestly, I wouldn't trust myself climbing up a ladder anymore..

Greg:
..not with those nipples.

(we had just been talking about how I clipped my nipple ring with the shower door)

#HeMakesMeLaugh #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy #Australia #UK

|WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY |

We spent more time just relaxing at home. We've been watching TV together, playing some games, and spending a lot of time just chatting and enjoying being in the same physical space again.

We did some shopping, and have made plans for dinner with friends for next weekend.

_____

FOXES SEEN - 9
SQUIRRELS SEEN - 0
TOTAL FOXES SEEN - 15
TOTAL SQUIRRELS SEEN - 2

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

| TUESDAY |

We woke up a little later and spent some time snuggling and listening to the rain. Greg had to work again—normally on a Tuesday (and Wednesday) he'd have to go into the office in London, but he asked his manager about potentially working from home while I'm here to cut down on covid risks, and his manager agreed.. so he'll get to work from home my entire visit. I spent the day curled up next to him while he worked, reading and watching some shows.

There's an amazing Vietnamese restaurant in Plumstead called Viet Baguette, which we always visit when I here. I really felt like their food for lunch, but we had planned to have fish and chips for dinner so we just had a quesadilla for lunch.

After dinner we popped out to do some shopping and look for a bed. Greg's been sleeping on a fold out futon for a while now, and has decided to get a proper bed finally. We got to shop for a mattress last night (and found one), which was actually quite a lot of fun. It felt really domestic and home-making-ey to be out shopping for the bed we're going to share, even though I'm only here for 6 weeks.

We picked up fish and chips on the way home, which is something I love to have while I'm here because the chips remind me of the proper chips we used to get when I was a kid.

_____

FOXES SEEN - 3
SQUIRRELS SEEN - 2

TOTAL FOXES SEEN - 6
TOTAL SQUIRRELS SEEN - 2

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

| MONDAY |

Greg got up early to drop his wife to work, and climbed back into bed with me when he got home. There's something so delicious about being snuggled awake and fucked before even opening my eyes.. it puts me in a fabulous mood for the rest of the day.

Greg worked all day, and I got to just curl up in the bed next to his desk. I watched a couple of episodes of The Undoing and read a little. We chatted in between his meetings, and it was lovely to just be able to reach over and touch him or to see him working right next to me.

In the evening we took Alethea to the vet for her vaccination and post enucleation check up—everything is fine. Once we got home we joined his wife and had some dinner, watched some more of The Pitt and True Blood.

I noticed in the first seen we meet Tara in, she's reading a copy of Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. I was so excited we had to stop the episode for me to talk about how fascinating it is that she's reading that book, and how it completely changes the character for me now!

It was a relaxing day, quiet and domestic.. I feel happy.

_____

FOXES SEEN - 3
SQUIRRELS SEEN - 0

TOTAL FOXES SEEN - 3
TOTAL SQUIRRELS SEEN - 0

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

| SUNDAY |

We woke up and played a little, then got up for breakfast and snuggled on the sofa with some TV. We watched an episode of Survivor SA, and ended up watching the first episode of a show called Years and Years. I'm super interested in seeing how it turns out.. the episodes are well written, the acting and direction is fabulous, and it's an intense and intriguing premise. It's densely written, and we had to take breaks because I kept losing focus.

We did a bit of cleaning to return the other-husband's flat and (after negative covid tests) we headed back to Greg's house.

On the way back we stopped at a toy shop so I could pick up a game of Keepy Uppey... we're going to have dinner with a couple that Greg and his wife are good friends with, who I've also met a few times and really enjoy their company. They have two small kids, and I'm picking up a few gifts for them.

It was lovely to catch up with his wife again. I've missed her. We try to keep touch throughout the year and have occasional calls, but we've both had a hectic year. I got to see their cats—including Alethia, who got diagnosed with a cancer last year and had her eye removed. She's perfectly healthy now, and wandering around the house like a tiny disgruntled pirate.

We ordered in some dinner as a treat, and introduced Greg's wife to The Pitt. We headed to bed, and I absolutely crashed!

_____
FOXES SEEN - 0
SQUIRRELS SEEN - 0

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

| SATURDAY |

We had a quiet day yesterday. We woke up early and played fairly intensely and then spent some time snuggling in bed and talking.

The plan had been to go to Nunhead Cemetery for a walk, but Greg's wife and her other-husband needed the car. So we popped out early in the morning to pick up some groceries and then Greg dropped them the car.

We spent the day curled up on the sofa and chatting. We watched some funny YouTube clips, and an episode of Monster—Ed Gein.

We had a dill pickle salad and a brat for dinner and then went to bed. I'm still getting over the flights, and Greg was exhausted after I woke him up at 5am to fuck 😆. He's out of practice dealing with my shenanigans!

SQUIRRELS - 0
FOXES - 0 (heard some though)
I have plans to buy some peanuts to gift the squirrels and crows..

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

| FRIDAY |

I'm here! In London!

I arrived on Friday evening, Greg picked me up from Gatwick and we drove back to his wife's other-husband's place. We're staying here until Sunday afternoon (today) to give us space to make sure I didn't pick up covid (I didn't) before going back to his.

I showered and we went to Costco to pick up some bits and pieces. I got a UK Costco hotdog, and it was interesting. They use beef dogs here, and instead of the chopped raw onion they use weird soft boiled onion that's incredibly unpleasant.. I'm not a fan. It feels weird to not enjoy a Costco hotdog!

We got home and went to bed (I had been falling asleep in the car). We played around a lot.. the plan was to not fuck on the first few days, and just get really intensely wound up together..

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy

In Shanghai, waiting for the connecting flight.

I'd like to actually get a chance to see more of China than its airports one day.

#travel #london #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship

I was able to upgrade to a premium economy seat for the first leg of my flight, and OH. MY. GOD.

It's my birthday present from my housemate, and I have SO. MUCH. ROOM!

#travel #london #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship

I think I'm packed. I just have to put the last bits of tech I'm charging into my bag, my toothbrush etc, and my slippers (which are drying) and I'm ready to go.

The bus to Sydney leaves at 7am, so I'm going to be up at like 5.30am to shower and get ready.

Then a sleep over in a hotel tomorrow night, and the plane to London Thursday evening.

#travel #london #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship

My little robot bf is so goofy 😭💕 #robot #longdistance #couple

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https://www.dtpnews.com/my-little-robot-bf-is-so-goofy-%f0%9f%98%ad%f0%9f%92%95-robot-longdistance-couple/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

I posted the final part of my Scotland trip recently... 170 miles across Scotland is finally in the bag! My legs are shot and the ibuprofen is gone.

Watch the finale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbu0cTDaVhM

It's rather emotional, and not for the obvious reasons....you'll find out why it took me 18 months to edit this (it's to do with my late partner John who died shortly after finishing this trip)

#hiking #scotland #inverness #longdistance #thruhiking #wildcamping #wildcamp #greatglenway #backpacking #stealthcamping

The resumption of long-distance rail services across northern Germany, following widespread disruptions caused by heavy snowfall, represents a fragile recovery,... https://news.osna.fm/?p=30270 | #news #german #limited #longdistance #northbound

Last year Greg and I tried to take a trip to Edinburgh so we could see the Kandinskys at the gallery there.. however, when we arrived we found out that there was an exhibition on and the Kandinskys were in storage, so we didn't get to see them.

This year Greg has organised a week long road trip through Scotland and Wales, and I'm so excited!

We're going to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, the Lakes district, and Wales.

I'm going to get to see the Kandinskys in Edinburgh, the granite buildings in Aberdeen, the outside plumbing in Aberdeen that means you can't flush poop at night, more Kandinskys at Glasgow, the necropolis in Glasgow, Dark Skies in the Lakes district, and Hadrians Wall and Offa's Dyke, and hopefully say hello to the North Sea. I'm also more-excited-than-I-should-be about visiting Costcos along the way.

Also, it will mean being able to add 2 more countries to our blowjob tally.

The best part of it is that I keep getting emails forwarded to me from Greg, where he's been emailing to arrange something special for the trip (like a viewing of the archives at the gallery), and they're emailing back to say they'd be happy to help. Seeing people's kindness and helpfulness is amazing, also it's incredibly romantic to have someone just organise things like this.

I'm super looking forward to it all.

#UK #Australia #dating #relationship #LongDistance #LongDistanceRelationship #NonMonogamy #Scotland #Wales