Week 3...a new outlook 9-28

This morning Josh and Dusty left on a short hiking trip until tomorrow evening. Thus I am on my own in Merida for the first time since we´ve begun this adventure. It feels great to be pushed into being courageous. I´ve walked about town, purchased 4 different cups of coffee at different times. The coffee comes in 1-3 oz cups(plastic shot glasses) almost always with sugar and often with milk. Fed up with fried food for a while, I bought a few healthy groceries. I also enrolled in a week of Spanish lessons, it will be 18 hours starting at 4pm today and ending Friday. Hopefully I´ll learn some basics to be a bit less dependant upon Josh, and feel more comfortable.

When I was walking around town this morning I realized that I am having a very nice time. Being more courageous and trying out my meager Spanish skills has helped tremendously. Being my own leader is something I need to do more often. For the past 3 weeks I´ve been following Josh around like a lost puppy. Today stepping out and chosing what to do on my own felt amazing. I guess Josh and I will have to try to share the lead of this adventure a bit more.

Well, off to la classe de espanol.
hasta luego

Tayrona, Colombia's most popular national park

Just got back from Tayrona National Park. The first day into the park was quite a hike, they took our rum at the entry also and gave us a phony reciept and said we would be able to redeem the liquor upon our departure...3 days later they had no idea what we were talking about. Back to the hike in, SO HARD...It kicked my butt and I wasn't quite about it, sorry Josh and Dusty.

Tyrona is very much jungle and then beautiful beach. Exotic plants, flowers, lizards and crabs, very different than we see in Michigan. We ended up staying in what looks like a sweet tree house high up on a rocky ledge overlooking the sea. (pictures coming soon) We slept in hammocks very close to each other and near other travelers. After a goodnights sleep I was able to enjoy the awesome beach, we had a lovely day and ended up staying 2 more nights.

The 2nd night we went through the most horrible and awesome thunder storm I've experienced. Being the highest point on the beach I was terrified of the wooden house being struck by lightening and starting on fire. Josh and Dusty and the British travelers up there were just loving the storm though, and I was a bit...but fear and homesickness were overpowering the excitement of the storm for me. Long story short, the storm settled at 1 am or so and we were able to fall sleep in our wet hammocks and semi wet clothes shortly thereafter.

Thank goodness we got our yellow fever shots, I am covered in mosquito bite welts the size of nickles, almost quarters. Besides that my mood is better, I will keep on with this crazy traveling.

Attack of the Flying Ants

Two nights ago when I mentioned that I was eaten by bugs at night I was not mistaken. Last night at about 2 am I woke up just fed up with the bug bites. I rifled through my pack to pull out the silk sleeping bag liner that I thought would serve as a layer between me and the bed bugs. After a little while of that and still more creepy crawlies I pulled out the head lamp to see what was getting me. Flying Ants were jumping all over the sheets and pillow, floor, ceiling and walls. Sleeping beauty, Josh finally woke up from his slumber to help squash some of the ants. We probably killed over 200, it´s 3 am. All I can think about is how I will tolerate being back in the states working without josh. I tell him I am not cut out for this jungle life like him, showing him all the bites I have up and down my arms and legs...he has not a single bite to show.
The ants were attracted to the light, like all other bugs. (we´re not really sure if they are ants, but they do fly and they look sort of like ants). Our hostel has open windows with bars over them and openings in the cement at the ceiling. None of the places here use actual windows unless they have air condition, which apparently is rare. Anyway, a light has been left on all night right outside of one of these opening in the cement near the ceiling of our room. That is where we believe the bugs entered. So tonight we´ll put up the mosquito net again, like Josh ended up doing in the middle of last night and we´ll ask if they could shut off that light outside our windows as well. Hopefully less bug bites tonight.
I´m still thinking about getting a flight back to the US though, these sweaty days, dirty bathrooms, bug filled nights, frequent diarrhea and stomach pain leaves something fierce to be desired...

taganga

We've moved to taganga, a beach town that is about a 5 hour bus ride from cartagena. The temperature is more pleasant here, it seems a bit cooler with the ocean breeze. It's still much too hot to sleep with a sheet on and i haven't stopped sweating yet.

We're staying in the Bayview Hostel. the owner is, to my knowlege colombian, but speakes english and writes much of the hostel information in english, catering to tourists....i don't mind at this point...the more english the merrier. The hostel is brightly painted, cleaner and more open than the others we've stayed in. I do like it better, although i still feel like bed bugs were eating me last night.

There must be a donkey just past the wall. it smells like manure and made lots of he-hawing noises throughout the night and morning. Again, i don't mind this, the more animals the merrier. Speaking of animals, we've been fortunate to run across some beautiful, low flee dogs. At the beach over the weekend there was a momma beagle with three adorable beagle puppies. What a delight! Yesterday when Josh and Dusty were checking out dive shops we got to meet a beautiful Weimaraner, a sweet young German Shepard and another dog similar looking to a Ridgeback I think. It's nice to see dogs that are taken care of down here, i feel free to play with them unlike some o the flee covered stray dogs.

I miss home, but am having a decent time. I will be much happier when we get to the mountains. I am sick of being so sweaty and even more being covered with bug bites.

Arrival in Catagena

Just got into Cartagena a couple hours ago. We got to a hostel, 15$ a night including fan, with some nice Spanish Colonial style tiled floors. We´re happy with it, we´ll see if we´re able to sleep in the heat with the fan tonight. It´s 95 F, but doesn´t feel quite that bad.

It´s great to be here. I was so nervous, but this is similar to nicaragua and mexico, places I´ve experienced and enjoyed before. I love the feel- the street food, the fresh fruit, the old buildings, the heat...it´s so different from home which makes it so fun.

Well, Josh and I just checked in to call home since that is taken care, time to continue seeing the city.

Detroit to Cartagena

Oh boy, here we go. I'm nervous and can not really explain why.

We're staying at our friend's Derek and Jen's house in Westland, 20 minutes from the airport. Despite their futon being more comfy than the airmattress that we've endured for 3 weeks I just can not sleep.

Yesterday was a sad day, saying goodbyes. My friends and family will be greatly missed as well as our sweet dog. I hope I am able to adjust to the change well.

I guess I'm nervous that I'm not quite sure what to expect. Will I feel lonely? Will I be able to relax and enjoy myself? Will I feel lost? Will I feel safe?

Hopefully it will be so fun, liberating and relaxing that I will have no choice but to love traveling.

Crossing finger, and saying prayers!