WELL another year down.
I'm surprised as you are to find me here. I've had many a drunken rant with Galen about my deep hatred for the 'blog' and yet... and yet...
But I get it now. I love all my friends and family and I want to keep in touch and this can be an outlet for me to express my love while informing on my adventures and thus cutting past the chit-chat to the real dirt of life and living. Hopefully.
This year I stood on my head in an Historic Heritage site; slid down a piece of glacier; rode a snowmobile in storm with 30 feet visibility; met three people who have changed my life; danced; danced; danced; was confined to my room with the flu for five days; thawed thousands of pounds of beef knuckle, pork shoulder butt, and beef trout; carried millions (I know you don't believe me but it's true) of pounds of goods into and out of the galley; visited a penguin colony (twice!); made out indiscriminately (in a good way!); cried a few times; participated in an amature strip show; did karaoke as often as possible; missed a lot of people; ran a marathon; drank a lot; watched two seasons of the TV show weeds; never once entered the kiwi base even though it's only a mile away; played in a band; ran amok in a santa suite; hiked a lot; ran a ton; danced; threw parties at the bar while bartending; took photos for the new york times; danced in the bowling alley, three bars, hut 10 in a couple rooms, at the BFC; in a few lobbies...
and here I am, February 21st 2008 (remember, I'm writing from the future! You are all still in February 20th. But don't worry, I will be returning to the past in order to be with you...) and I leave tomorrow.
Possibly early enough that I will get into Christchurch with enough time to get rid of all my Antarctic gear and get into town with enough time to see the sunset while drinking a nice earthy red wine in the courtyard of a 1800's college.
TOMORROW. It really couldn't come quick enough. All I have heard from my departing friends for the last month is how fast this month will go by. Unfortunately my friends either have no idea what they are talking about or they are all a bunch of liars.
I pray for the former. This has been one of the longest months I've lived through since last February. So why do I keep coming to Antarctica?
Why would I torture myself for 1 whole month every year?
I revisit this question often. Ask me in five months when I've been jobless and traveling and I will have a completely different answer I'm sure.
Sometimes I think it's because I'm ADD. Sometimes it's for the travel. Whatever I discover it to be it's something that runs so deep and is so powerful that I give up my morals and work for an evil corporation; I leave behind my friends and spend my year either saying goodbye to someone or missing them; it keeps me away from my family; it makes one whole month of my life stressful and miserable. But it also allows me to see the world; to learn a ton about myself and what's important and beautiful to me; it gives me the opportunity to meet some amazing people and experience the majestic landscape and wildlife of this barren place. Honestly I don't know if any of it evens out, or if there is really even a possible scale for this kind of thing. I think we sacrifice and we learn and we live.
And now it's time to live again!
I'm like some snowbird version of a phoenix! I'm rising from the frozen tundra and I'm happy again! I was scheduled to leave on the 23rd and the last two flights have been delayed. I was miserable for two days, sulking and bored. So what did I do? Called 'passenger services' and asked them to put me on an earlier flight. Somehow it worked. I leave tomorrow and like everyone else I'm looking forward to green grass and little kids and animals and good food and all of that, what I am really looking forward to is quality time with my friends that I am meeting up with, cultural experiences around the world, seeing new places, NOT WORKING FOR 6 MONTHS!
Perhaps it's not the wisest thing in the world to whittle away at my bank account until I'm broke and then come back to the bottom of the world to slave away and miss everyone I love and be constantly in flux and challenged- but I know that it makes me incredibly happy! I know that I compromise part of who I am coming here, but as Americans I think we are constantly compromising who we are and perhaps that's the point in this strange and fantastical world.
I know that I am doing what I want right now and will continue to.
SO now that I've gotten that all out here is a quick update of where I am, where I will be and what not:
Tomorrow I leave. I will be in New Zealand trying my best to get an Indian Visa in as little time as humanly possible and hopefully saving myself from having to change my tickets in order to get the visa. I was given some incorrect information by a travel agent and have found myself pressed for time on a visa that apparently takes quite some time. We'll see how that goes...
Unfortunately that will be the whole of my trip this year- taking care of the visa, because I only have one week in New Zealand and I've planned a little poorly.
Cest la vie.
Next I am traveling with a fantastically amazing friend that I met on the ice this year. I'm really looking forward to traveling with him as he's one of the funniest and most inspiring people I have met in a long time (and ladies... he's single! I think... at least he was...) I'll be spending two weeks in Costa Rica, itinerary unknown but promised to be adventure filled and entertaining.
Two weeks will not be enough!
Next I am on to meet up with another wonderful friend from the ice and join her in her adventures in India. Currently she is in Kolkata working with impoverished, underprivileged and homeless children. She's amazing and beautiful and inspiring and ridiculously wonderful. I can't wait! We will be traveling in the North East together and then make our way to the North West to meet up with a good friend of mine from the states. I realized that her and I are truly 'old friends' as it's been 9 years this year since we met!
Again, the itinerary is up in the air but will prove to be another brilliant adventure.
Next I will move on to East Africa- Currently I am flying into Nairobi and as things seem to be settling down I believe that will stay the same. There I am meeting up with Paul and (yes) another wonderful friend from the ice. This adventure I think will be the most ridiculous of all as the three of us tend to keep things over the top!
Looking back on that summary I've proven that I am surrounded by astounding people who I love deeply who are adventurous and best of all FUNNY!
OKAY,
I will try to update this as often as I can and if you want to keep up with me please do and if not that's fine to. We'll catch up next time I'm in town.
Take care and keep love, adventure and kindness close to your heart.
heartrl
