Day 3 We were warned that today would be the toughest day of the hike, so we got up early to hide from some of the jungle heat and to make our way to the City before lunch. The walking was precarious and more than once my feet slipped on rocks that weren’t meant to […]

Posted in colombia, travel 5 Comments »

Below are entries from my journal.  The rest to follow.  I promise. Day 1, end Dear Jesus, Please help me not to do bodily harm to my friend, Jill.  This torture is all her fault.  Amen. Got up early, met the crew and guide.  Jill and I volunteered to ride los motos to the pueblo […]

Posted in colombia, travel 5 Comments »

I’m sort of a loner. I’ve lived by myself for the past umpteen years and I like it that way.  I like my own space and working on my own schedule (in my pjs if I want to) which I guess is hard to believe because I’m a people person, too.  Just not a people-in-my-space […]

Posted in travel 5 Comments »

Early on Saturday morning I found myself in the Manizales airport waiting on a friend I hadn’t seen in fifteen years to arrive.  I’m still not sure why she chose to come to Colombia of all places, but she did and she is my very first visitor from home. Her hair is as red and […]

Posted in travel 6 Comments »

Travel is the funniest thing. It’s all invigorating at the onset.  There’s the planning or the lack there of and there’s the telling people that no, you aren’t crazy and that yes, you’ll be back.  Then, there’s the going and seeing and swearing that there can’t possibly be another place like this one on all […]

Posted in travel 8 Comments »

My plane leaves in just over two hours from now.  I’m sitting in my classroom staring at my bags and smiling at the way Colombian children say goodbye.  There are hugs and kisses and wide grins that let me know they might miss me just a little. “Give saludes to your family from us, Mees!” […]

Posted in teaching, travel 4 Comments »

When Lyle and I lived in Australia we spent every dime we earned (and there weren’t many dimes) to meet in Sydney on Saturdays.  He’d come down from the Blue Mountains and I’d come up from the Royal National Park just so we could hear a familiar accent, so we could see a familiar face. We’d wander around the Harbour and […]

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Snoozing on the first leg of the trip. Catching some shut eye on the final leg, too. And here are a few from along the way. About ten minutes into our three hour hike through the Amazon jungle. This was the easy part.  The 40 meter climb up the tree — not so much. Sunset […]

Posted in colombia, travel 7 Comments »

I know.  I know.  I promised Saturday, but by the end of this post you’ll feel sorry for me.  And if you don’t, just don’t tell me.  I like to believe that the world is sympathetic.  Thanks. Yes, I had a fantastic trip to the Amazon.  It was all that I expected and more.  It […]

Posted in rambling, travel 13 Comments »

That could be because she isn’t with me…. Nonetheless, I’m off to the Amazon! It’s October break here and three friends and I are headed out in the morning at a not-so-bright 3:00.  IN THE A.M.! I have no clue where we’re staying or what we’re doing or what to pack or how my Spanish […]

Posted in friendcitos, travel 8 Comments »