Hello friends and family,
Here we are in Colombia--our last stop before heading home to the good ole U.S. of A. With less than three weeks left of our South American adventure I am beginning to wear down and get a little tired. I know most of you will argue that I have been on a four month vacation and that I should be rested and tranquilo. Let me put it like this: traveling is like playing a game of soccer. It is fun, so much fun, and by the end of the ninety minutes you always want to play more. But, if you played hard and with heart you usually feel the bodily effects and the need to recover.
I heard the end of regulation whistle two days ago when we spent a solid twenty-four hours in a janky little bus traveling from the Ecuadorian orient to Cali, Colombia. Up to this point busing has been no problem. After our first twenty-eight hour bus trip all the rest seemed short in comparison. No big deal. But this last ride was rough. Dave´s frustration was with the bus company itself, who, in the process
of bartering and obtaining our business, was more than a little
dishonest about the time it would take to get to Cali. Dave equates it with running a half marathon. Mentally you can handle the distance because you know you have exactly 13.1 miles to run. But tack on an extra ten miles after you crossed, what you thought, was the finish line and it´s a slap in the face. Maybe it was the extra mileage, or the lack of AC, limited reclining seats, the crying baby, or the 100% humidity, but I caught myself, on more than one occasion, thinking about being back in Missoula, reclining (with Manny by my side) on the couch in our cool, cozy little living room, eating an endless bowl of ice cream.
After a good night´s rest and some food and coffee I am back in the game. That was our last long (depending our your definition of long) bus ride. From Cali we are ¡flying! to Cartegena and the Caribbean coast where we will live a beach-bum lifestyle for the next two and a half weeks. When our time expires we will fly to Bogota and from there onto Los Angeles. It´s funny, the first time I flew to L.A. airport it turned me off by its size and mass crowds of people. Now, after being habitually conditioned as the magical gate for international travel and adventure, as well as the doorway back home, it is my favorite airport--next to Missoula, of course. You can´t beat all the grizzly bear and elk artwork, as well as having to go outside to board your plane. This may sound silly, but LAX has a little extra sentiment due to the fact that it is the first place Dave and I started to get to know each other on our way to Antarctica. He had a reuben sandwich and I had chicken...
Uh hum. Anyways, we arrive in LA close to midnight. We will rent a car and head to San Diego for a few days of shenanigans and surfing before flying to the Northwest (I am so grateful we don´t have to take a bus) to spend the Independence Day holiday with Dave´s wonderful family. Shortly after, a flight east will take us to Ohio/Pennsylvania for my cousin´s wedding and for a few days with my own wonderful family. From Ohio, back to the Northwest, and onto Montana and home. So you see, our adventure doesn´t exactly end in two and a half weeks.
I know this post is not what most of you wanted or expected. ¨Blah, blah, blah. Tell us more about Ecuador or Bolivia.¨ I understand that, with limited blog posts, I have left most of you blind and curious over the last four months. Writing is a funny thing. Some times the words pour out of you, unrestricted and uninhibited, and at other times they hit a wall. It is something that I have never been able to force, and being a self-serving being, I usually don´t try at the risk of frustration and boredom. My time in South America has been full of stories wanting to be told. Funny stories, exciting stories, shocking stories. Looking back at all the places we have seen, people we have met, and adventures we have experienced, the stories could fill pages. And they will. In due time. Some times they have to sit and cultivate and stew in my mind before they are ready to be presented and consumed. This summer, when I arrive back at home, I will start the process of sharing these experiences. For now, don´t be too harsh on this weary traveler.
I am looking forward to seeing you all very soon.
With love from Colombia,
Jenna
