Onward to Change: The Walking People Out of Poverty Journey Begins

The Walking People Out of Poverty journey is becoming more real with each passing moment, and we are nearly ready to embark on this adventure. Today, we travelled from Victoria, BC, to Trout Lake, WA, in what felt like our version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Early morning, at 5:10 am, we left Peter’s place for the Ferry Terminal. The ferry left at 6:10 am, and we arrived in Port Angeles, WA, at about 7:40 am. We met several friendly folks along the way, including a retired couple on bikes that were so light they practically floated.

We enjoyed a hearty breakfast in Port Angeles (after walking with backpacks up a large set of stairs) and then hiked to the AVIS office, where I had a car booked. I opted for the scenic route along the Puget Sound to avoid tolls, and we eventually arrived at Portland Airport around 1:30 pm to return the car.

We decided to UBER to our next stop, Hood River. A moment of panic struck when about 30 minutes into the ride, I realized I left my glasses case with my progressives in the rental car.

Jose, our fantastic Uber driver, turned around while I, in vain, tried to call AVIS and have them find my glasses. We got to the airport, and after much difficulty with line-ups, a kind employee showed up with my glasses. Oh, happy day!

We carried on the Hood River and tipped Jose generously. Jerry, a Trail Angel (more on this later), picked us up in his truck 45 minutes later and drove us to our Inn in Trout Lake. We bought him dinner in one of the two restaurants in town – partly so we could get a return ride but also to thank him).

After a hot shower and rest in a comfortable bed, the anticipation of tomorrow’s hike is undeniable. Amidst the whirlwind of today’s events, the driving force behind this endeavour remains clear – the clients in Nicaragua seeking sustainable livelihoods to escape poverty. My visit to Nicaragua in May, where I met inspiring clients of our amazing partner ASODENIC, reinforced the importance of our mission.

And this is the why – the reason we are doing this. For the clients!

The hike starts tomorrow.

Dan

This post is part of a CEO Blog series on Dan’s reflections as he embarks on a 700+ KM hike, Walking People Out of Poverty. Through the hike, he aims to raise support and awareness of our work of poverty alleviation in Nicaragua.