I forgot to tell you … I bought tickets to Guatemala City a couple weeks ago!
I was driven by the following urges:
- To stop working every second.
- To catch my breath after the unveiling of the two-year project I’ve been directing (The DNA Files web site).
- To do something noteworthy to mark the departure of my baby for college.
- To stick my soon-to-be-uncasted foot into life outside my daily rut.
- To explore new natural and cultural surroundings.
- To learn a little Spanish.
For all this to happen, things had to fall into place. Logistics for my autumn trip to Nepal were prickly little beasts. They did not fall into place. They submitted neither to shoehorn nor hammer. Because of deadline drift I couldn’t control, three major projects were at their apex of needing me just when I was supposed to leave. My foot went wacko. Dog care fell through. Stuff like that.
But with Guatemala, details so far have settled neatly into their seats, hands folded neatly in laps. I have dog care, the plane ticket was affordable, two projects are complete and the third will be parkable by January. Maria found me a boarding house in Antigua for $10 a night, the language school I want to try has space and in the campus I want. I even found a stash of crisp 100-quetzal bills in my drawer. And Maria will ask Don Toí±o to pick me up at the airport.
So I’m scheduled to go for a month early next year. I’ve signed up for two weeks of Spanish in Antigua and then will go exploring. I want to go to Tikal, Coban, Copan, Atitlí¡n, Rio Dulce… It might be interesting to do a trek through the rainforest to a remote ruin. I’m looking into river rafting. I welcome ideas from Friends in the Know, like Jill.