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Oh, Not There

Go ahead, admit it. You’ve flipped through someone’s vacation photos and listened to their never-ending stories, smiling, ohhing, and ahhing over it all while actually thinking “Why in the hell would anyone want to go there?”

Maybe you thought that when I told you about the lovely ammo can toilets you get to use if you raft the Grand Canyon. Maybe it was when your high school buddy came back from Vegas and forgot that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and instead recounted every wild and crazy adventure he had to you. Or maybe it was when your cousin got engaged at the Eiffel Tower and it was all you could do not to gag.

Though I’d wager a guess that most everyone reading this blog has a pretty long list of places they’d like to visit, I think it’s fair to say that most of us also have a place or two (or three, or six, or five hundred) that we have no interest in ever making it to. Sometimes it’s just a general disinterest, an “I’d never spend my hard earned money on a trip there, but if you’re paying, well okay…” kind of feeling. But occasionally it’s a “you couldn’t pay me enough to go there” kind of feeling. Sometimes we end up there anyhow, and realize we were wrong. And sometimes we end up there and all we get is some validation that we should have trusted our gut.

I’m curious about what that place is for you. So do me a favor and fill in the blank:

I have no interest in traveling to __________________________.

It can be a city, state, country, continent, specific site. And there will be no judging. You don’t want to go there, well then, you don’t want to go there. Fine by me.

I’ll start. I have no interest in traveling to China.

Your turn.

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On Burma and How We Can Help

I’m sure you all have heard, especially if you’re making it to this blog, of the tragedy in Burma from Cyclone Nargis. As bad as Hurricane Katrina was, Nargis has already killed ten times as many people, and there are many many more unaccounted for. There are stories of entire towns, houses, people and all, being literally washed off the map. Those left in its wake face even more hardship, now having to fend off disease, find food and clean water, and start putting their lives back together.

I think what strikes me most about this tragedy is how “unavoidable” it was. There are some reports that the people were not notified well enough, but first of all, there is no clear way to contact everyone as its not like there is a TV or radio in every house. Even so, I’m sure people are quite skeptical of the state run media by now, not to mention people often don’t abide by storm warnings, as we so often see in this country. The truth is that the only thing that would have really saved lives is better infrastructure, and that does not come without a stronger and more developed economy. That path was carved 30-40 years ago. So say what you will about the regime there (and we have), but there was not much they could have done to prevent this tragedy.

What they can do, however, is address the aftermath with conviction and honesty. Their people need all the aid they can get and there are people around the world willing to give it to them. This is where their actions most offend me. So far, they are making things rather difficult because of bureaucracy. The only place to get a visa into the country is through the office in Yangon, which, as you may imagine, is not very functional at the moment. I imagine this will find an expedient resolution very soon, and there are already a number of amazing organizations already in the country doing their best to provide necessities to the people of Burma. The Network for Good has a great post about the best ways to start helping the people put their lives back together. Please do what you can to help the Burmese people get back on their feet so they can go get their democratic leaders (in 2011 … if it’s not ignored this time).

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Tuning Out

Last Friday, an article I wrote about travel-related songs appeared on Brave New Traveler. (You should go check it out if you haven’t already.) Anyhow, writing it got me thinking about music and just how portable it is now. MP3 players (specifically the iPod) are ubiquitous these days. Almost everyone in the 35 and under crowd owns one, and a whole heck of a lot of people in the older age groups do too. With these gadgets, you can literally carry with you thousands of songs in your pocket. Pretty amazing. I’m certain Jeff and I will enjoy this technology multiple times while we’re on the road…on those marathon bus rides, in noisy hostel rooms, etc.

But sometimes, I’m tempted to just leave my iPod at home. Though I wrote that article on music and though I love me some good tunes, I’m not a music junkie. I’m not up on the latest bands, and half the time, I’d just rather ride in silence in the car than listen to the radio, so it’s not like I’d be missing some integral part of me. And, I have to admit, that I often find the iPod or other MP3 gadget to be more than a little annoying. For instance, while out hiking yesterday, we passed a fellow hiker walking with his earbuds in through a gorgeous stretch of woods where the birds were chirping and a creek was burbling. What? Why go out in nature if you can’t disconnect yourself? You’re missing half the experience of being outdoors.

Sometimes I think we’ve become so “connected” to technology that we’ve become entirely disconnected from the world. On my Metro ride everyday, I’d say at least 75% of the people in my car are listening to iPods. No one talks to each other. Everyone just pops in their earphones and escapes to their own world…while oftentimes taking others with them whether they want to go or not because apparently most of the world is deaf and must listen to their iPods at a volume that makes the earphones unnecessary. (Lord, I sound like an old person.) Now to be honest, I doubt too many people would talk on the Metro even without the iPods, but still, I find it bothersome when people use their iPods as a means of ignoring other people. Can you not take your stupid earphones out for one second while you’re checking out at the grocery (I’m sure the cashier would appreciate some acknowledgment), when your coworker comes to talk to you (Um, you are at work, and she shouldn’t have to yell over your music), or when you’re in the freaking great outdoors (Soundtrack already included).

On our trip, that totally oblivious iPod person is not the person I want to be. I’m traveling to learn more about the world, to become more in tune with it…not my favorite songs. What’s the point of traveling around the world, if I’m always going to escape into my own private world? Will having an iPod be an easy escape from a difficult situation? Will I miss out on a fabulous conversation with a local on a bus because I’m too busy listening to my music? Will I seem out of reach, uninterested, unaware if I pop a set of earphones in? In the end, will being “connected” cause me to be completely “disconnected”?

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City Mouse, Country Mouse

Remember that stack of guidebooks I brought home a few weeks ago?

South America Guidebooks

Yeah, that one.

Well, just in case anyone is keeping score, I’ve now made my way through 3.5 of them—Nicaragua, Venezuela, Peru, and half of Ecuador. Jeff, on the other hand, is sporting a big fat zero in his total read column. He claims that he has been very busy, which, I’ll admit, he has. But it’s not as though I’ve been slacking. Between the day job and the hiking guidebook writing gig, free time is hard to come by around here. I do have the advantage of Metro rides, however, which are excellent for reading. And there’s the fact that I like to read, and I like to plan, and he’s not so hot on either.

Anyhow, as I’ve been reading, I’ve been jotting down notes—things like where I want to go, how easy/hard it is to get there, how many days to spend in said location and in transport, how pricey it is, the best time of year to go, etc. The end goal is to shape it all into a loose itinerary, so we can do things like buy plane tickets, arrange for friends and family to meet us at specific points, and be certain that we’re not missing anywhere that we feel very strongly about.

Looking back at my notes on the places I want to visit, a very strong trend has emerged. Almost every place I’ve listed is a hot spot for outdoor activity. They are places where you can go on long treks, scale volcanoes, kayak through islets, mountain bike through jungles, raft raging rivers, camp with wild animals, etc. Sounds cool, right? Obviously, I think so. I mean, I think hiking 30 miles every weekend for 6 months is a good time. The problem is that it isn’t tenable. First, it gets pricey. You have to rent equipment, hire guides, get to out-of-the-way locales, pay admission fees, etc. But second, and perhaps most importantly, it’s exhausting. Though we’re pretty fit (and will be even more so once this hiking book is complete), we’re not crazy ultrasport people. We don’t have mad endurance. Our bodies just aren’t going to tolerate being pushed to extremes day after day. (Not to mention the kind of mood I’d probably end up in because I can just imagine how freaking hungry I’d be!)

So what we need to find is balance. Awesome outdoor adventures mixed with relaxing days in small towns or even busy days in big cities (but where we’d get a chance to shower and sleep in a bed). Yet, every time I flip a guidebook to a section about a city, I find myself uninterested. Church, museum, plaza, yada yada yada. Maybe it’s just the way they’re described. Maybe these guidebooks simply fail to capture the spirit I’m looking for. I mean, I’m not anti-city. I love New York. I love Berlin. I’ve had a great time in Stockholm, Rome, Paris, London, Dublin… But so far, I haven’t stumbled across a city description that gets my soul soaring the way the descriptions of the wild places do.

Maybe when I get to the Argentina book and Buenos Aires? I’ll let you know.

But for now, you let me know. Do you move to the beat of the city or the rhythm of nature? What is the best city you’ve ever visited, and what is it that makes a city fabulous for you? Come on, give me some reasons to start adding some cities to my list.

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An Ode to my TV

Theresa got an engagement ring, and I got you. It wasn’t that explicit a deal, but like every newly engaged woman, Theresa couldn’t stop staring at her ring, so I took the opportunity while she was distracted and in no condition to argue. I spent hours deciding what kind, I mean, obviously HD, but what other combination of letters would I get? DLP? LCD? But it was a labor of love, and I finally decided on your 46″ of high definition DLP goodness.

I took you home, set you up, and stared at the beauty. Even before I turned it on, it fit perfectly in the room, matched our colors and completed the apartment. And when I turned it on, my jaw dropped. The color, the intensity, the sound, the fluidity. I sat back on our couch in awe. The immersion I felt was unprecedented. Watching sports felt like having tickets to every game (except when I had to listen to Joe Morgan). The Discovery Channel was suddenly the best channel on TV.

As the years have past, you have been the focal point of Super Bowl parties, Kentucky Derby parties, and Rock Band parties. Now, I’m not your biggest TV addict out there, I barely have to time watch my Lost and NBC Thursday comedies, let alone sporting events or video games. But when I have time and want to watch, I like knowing that you’ll give me the best picture out there. And that you look good and balance the room even when you’re not turned on.

I will miss my TV and all of the entertainment it gives me while we’re gone, but I have a feeling that I will find more entertainment in the adventures we’ll be having. I’ll have to be more proactive about it, but hey, that’s a good thing. And I know that when I return, you’ll still be there for me to put in my basement and once again be my center of mindless and stationary entertainment.

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You Can Put a Price on Your Health

Taking a trip outside of the United States is a little bit like going to kindergarten—you have to be sure you have your shots or you might not be admitted. Whether it’s from having a member of the opposite sex touch you on the playground (the formally established way of getting cooties) or having someone poop on their hand and then touch your food (the less established but much more terrifying way of getting cooties), no one wants to get the bug.

So I’ve been doing a bit of research on the Center for Disease Control’s Travel page to determine just how many times Jeff and I need to get stuck in the arm before we set out and what the various concoctions will protect us against. By using their destination list to investigate every possible country we might visit on our round the world trip, I came up with a comprehensive list:

  1. Tetanus: Also known as lockjaw, tetanus is a disease that causes tightening of the muscles. It enters the body through a break in the skin and leads to death in 10-20% of cases. Though we were immunized against tetanus as a child (as part of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine), a booster is recommended for adults every ten years.
  2. Polio: Though eradicated in the United States for decades, polio is still out there, and outbreaks have recently occurred in countries we plan to travel to such as Cambodia, Madagascar, and Indonesia. In extreme cases it can lead to paralysis and death. Though again, we were immunized against this as kids, a booster is recommended for adults traveling to countries with known outbreaks.
  3. Hepatitis A: A viral infection of the liver, this disease can be spread through fecal matter as so kindly mentioned above, through contaminated water, ice, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, or other uncooked foods. It’s common throughout the world, but easily prevented with the vaccine, which is given to pretty much every traveler. Fortunately, both Jeff and I have already received this vaccine.
  4. Hepatitis B: This version of hepatitis is spread from blood to blood or sexual contact, so it’s harder to pick up, but it’s still pretty prevalent around the world. Jeff and I have also been vaccinated against this disease.
  5. Typhoid: Typhoid is a nasty gastrointestinal disease caused by exposure to the bacteria Salmonella enterica, usually through contaminated food and drink, particularly in the developing world. It can be life-threatening if not treated with antibiotics, and though the vaccination is highly effective, it is not 100% effective as there are multiple strains with various resistances.
  6. Yellow Fever: This virus is transmitted to humans via mosquitoes in South American and sub-Saharan Africa. At its worst it can cause hemorrhagic fever. Areas infested by yellow fever carrying mosquitoes require proof of immunization before you are allowed to enter this country, so this is the one immunization that we absolutely must have. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. The vaccine is good for ten years.
  7. Japanese Encephalitis: This is another mosquito-spread disease, and it’s similar to West Nile Virus, although the survival rates are much worse. In fact between 1/5 and 1/3 of people who get the disease die, and 50% of survivors have major neurological disorders. The upside, however, is that the disease is rare, with only 50,000 cases a year at most. In general, it’s restricted to rural areas in China, Japan, Korea, and eastern Russia (none of which we plan to travel to), but cases have also been recorded in rural areas of other Southeast Asian nations.
  8. Rabies: We all know how this one works. Rabid animal bites you and gives you the infection, you start going crazy and foaming at the mouth, you have hydrophobia, delirium, convulsions, and then go into a coma and die. Once symptoms show up, it’s too late. You’re dead. A series of shots given post-bit and pre-symptoms is effective, however, in preventing the onset of rabies. The vaccine for this does not prevent rabies, but is basically the first couple in the series of shots you would need, thus buying you a bit of time to get the rest.

Additionally, we need all the standard immunizations, the ones we had to get as kids—diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella… Fortunately, we didn’t have crazy parents who thought vaccines were evil, so we’re all good here.

So what this breaks down to is eight vaccines. One—yellow fever—is required. Two—hepatitis a and b—we already have. Three—tetanus, typhoid, polio—are recommended and we plan to get. And two—Japanese encephalitis and rabies—we aren’t certain about.

Why not just go ahead and get them all, you ask? Well, for one, I don’t really like getting stabbed in the arm and I don’t want to risk side effects if the vaccines aren’t necessary. Am I actually going to be somewhere where Japanese encephalitis is prevalent and will I be there in the season when the mosquitoes that carry it are active? Since I still have to get all the rest of the rabies shots, will having one really do me any good?

The second issue is simple, money.

Even though Jeff and I are lucky to have fabulous insurance, we’re left high and dry when it comes to adult immunizations. Apparently they’d rather treat the typhoid after we get it. So how much is it going to cost us to get all these immunizations? Well, oddly enough, figuring that out is tough. You’d think one dose of yellow fever vaccine would have a set cost, but you’d be wrong. I called various clinics—public and private—in DC and Maryland and even one in Kentucky, and I got a range of prices—from $90 to $150 for yellow fever. Obviously, go with the cheap one, right? Well, um, not necessarily, because while they might have a low price for yellow fever, their typhoid price could be sky high. And don’t forget that office visit charge. I’ve outlined the price range for each vaccine that we definitely plan to get below:

  1. Tetanus: $45-$85
  2. Polio: $30-$65
  3. Typhoid: $65-$85
  4. Yellow Fever: $90-$150
  5. Office Visit: $0-$48

And though it looks like we could get away with it costing $225 each, that’s not the case, since no one place offers all of the shots at the lowest price. If we get vaccinated here in our area, we’ll each be paying a minimum of $310. (I got these price quotes a few months ago, so they may have gone up.) In Louisville, we could get them for $281 (but of course, we’d have to pay to get there, so that’s no savings, unless we’re already in town for some other reason). Ouch! And that’s the cost, not the stab in the arm.

Add in the vaccines we’re not sure about and the cost soars. Japanese encephalitis requires three jabs, at approximately $90 a piece, and the rabies shot also requires three shots, priced at over $150 a poke. So you’re looking at $270 for the Japanese encephalitis and $450 for the rabies! I’m not one to take health concerns lightly, and I do value my life very highly, but you have to wonder where to draw the line. What’s being smart and what’s being paranoid?

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Sound Off!

We’re in the entertainment and education business. That’s what this blog is. It’s information in a (hopefully) entertaining form. Maybe that’s a bit high minded. Maybe we’re just entertainment. And on that note, calling it a business is pure folly. It’s just something we enjoy. But that’s why I’m putting up this post. We’re taking a look at the site and trying to make it a better experience for you readers out there (like, for starters, the addition of a favorite posts on the sidebar). So with that in mind, we have a few questions we’d love some feedback on.

What else should be highlighted for new readers in the favorite posts?

What do you want us to write more about? Options include nostalgia over our past trips, logistic planning for this trip, romantic musings about inanimate objects, more pictures (or “picture of the day” type posts), the insanity in our daily lives, commentary on travel news, or anything else you think would make this site more enjoyable.

What do you hate? What could we make disappear from this site? What types of subjects should we never post about again?

What features could we add to the site as a whole to make it a better browsing experience? All ideas, whether a specific plugin or a general thought, are highly encouraged.

This website being a dictatorship and all, this may be your only chance ever to provide us with feedback, so let loose, fire away, seize the opportunity. Much obliged.

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An Ode to My Couch

I saw you in my head before I ever set eyes on you. I knew exactly how you should look–red, but not fire engine red; long, but not abnormally so; deep, but not so much that you wouldn’t fit through our door–but for weeks I couldn’t find you. I found ones that wanted to be you, but they were made of the microfiber that neither Jeff nor I liked, or they were the wrong color red, or they were so overstuffed that you couldn’t sit on them without sliding off. I almost gave up hope. I almost settled.

But then…then I walked through the door of Bassett Furniture and there you were. Cushions that were just the right compromise of soft and firm. Pillows that could be taken off but stayed put when you wanted them to. Deep brown legs. And the perfect red color. It was love at first sight. But you refused to go home with me that first night. Instead I had to wait eight long weeks for you, but when you arrived, I realized the wait was worth it. You completed my room.

And now, 3.5 years later, you are still perfect. When I’m tired and want to do nothing but veg out, you welcome me into your embrace, and encourage me to relax, read a book, watch some TV. You don’t tell me that I should be productive or make me feel guilty for my pleasures. You’ve been a surrogate all those weeks when Jeff has been gone in Sweden, providing a cozy alternative to the emptiness of the bed. You’ve opened yourself to friends and family, even allowing my brother to call you his bed for an entire summer. You’ve weathered spills and crumbs without complaint. I couldn’t ask anything more of you. You’ve never once let me down.

Oh couch, what will I do without you? To what will I turn after a long, tiring day? The communal hostel couch—icky with god knows what—can never take your place. The worn hotel bed can never be an adequate replacement. Oh couch, how I will miss you. But I’ll survive, knowing you’ll be there when I return, as comfy and embracing as ever. On the hardest of days, I’ll think of you waiting for me at home, and that alone will get me through.


This is the first in an occasional series titled “An Ode to…” in which we will reflect on things we will miss while we are traveling.

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Travel Take Two: Grand Canyon

We’re going to continue the domestic trend of our Travel Take Two series with a look back at our 2006 trip to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon, much like Hawaii, is a worn travel destination for most Americans. Most people head to the South Rim, spend a night or two up there, look out over the magnificent terrain and maybe hike a little ways down the trail. But we’re not most people. Our idea of seeing the Grand Canyon was from the bottom, rafting on the river that carved the canyon, the Colorado.

Destination: Grand Canyon: A 6 day expedition–5 days rafting down the upper half of the Grand Canyon, from Lee’s Ferry to Phantom Ranch and 1 day hiking out the Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim

Date: August 25-30, 2006

Travel Partners: Guides/Oarsmen from Moki Mac and fellow passengers.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Rafting the rapids. It’s incredibly exhilarating to plow headlong through ten foot high walls of freezing water in a small rubber boat, drenching you and everything in your boat, but perhaps even more exhilarating is the building anticipation of hearing the rapids well before reaching them, feeling the sound build and build until there is nothing else but a roar and your imagination of what rests around the next bend.

2. Kayaking in the ducky. I had read before we left about getting to paddle an inflatable kayak yourself, and knew immediately it was for me. They finally pulled it out on day 3, when we were going through ‘calmer’ waters, and though it took some doing, I convinced Theresa to get in with me (she may describe this experience as more of a lowlight). She was cursing me as soon she sat down in the self-bilging boat and soaked her bottom in the freezing brown water. As we pushed off into the river, they called out “They call that the divorce boat, you know.” After our first (small) rapid, yelling back and forth about who was paddling on what side and that we weren’t hitting the waves properly, we quickly understood why. Nevertheless, we quickly got the hang of things and at least I had a great time controlling my own fate through the rapids.

3. Hiking the side canyons leading to beautiful vistas, Indian ruins, and waterfalls. We went on a number of afternoon hikes up side canyons, which, in addition to getting us out of the hot afternoon sun (most times), led us to relics like an ancient Indian city along the banks, some granaries built into the side of the canyon at Nankoweap. We also we treated to a number of waterfalls (including a sideways waterfall!), getting to dip into the clear and refreshing water. All in all, they were a very rewarding change of pace from life on the river.

4. Staring at the night sky every night. With nary a light in any direction for a hundred miles, the night sky included the Milky Way in addition to millions of stars you never see. There is such a stark delineation of pitch black canyon walls and the star-peppered sky. We tracked satellites and shooting stars from one side of the canyon to the other nightly. We’ve been in some places with some amazing views of the night sky, and at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is definitely one of the best.

LOWLIGHTS

1. The bathroom situation. It wasn’t quite au natural, but it was close. There was a bucket and a whole orchestrated set of rules pertaining to the bucket. At least we did have toilet paper. I’m just glad I wasn’t the one who had to take care of the bucket.

2. Crossing a murky Little Colorado. This isn’t so much of a lowlight as a missed highlight. The Little Colorado if often crystal clear, warmer, and really fun to float down in an upside down life jacket. At least this is what we were told and were really excited about. When we got there, a recent rain had left it murky and at too high a level to safely navigate. So we were left to enjoy watching two muddy rivers merge together from the river bank. Not nearly as much fun.

LESSONS LEARNED

1. Some things are worth the cost. I’ve deliberately avoided mentioning how much this adventure cost, because as you may suspect, it wasn’t cheap. Though for what we got, it was certainly reasonable. All meals were included (and were quality meals … we’re talking steak and chocolate cake on day 4 quality). The guides rowed and navigated us safely through rapids the entire time, leading side hikes in their spare time. The full experience they provided us was worth our money.

2. A different point of view is a good thing. As I alluded to earlier, most people see the Grand Canyon from the South Rim, never even seeing the river the carved the canyon. After we hiked out and experienced the typical Grand Canyon experience as well, it became really clear how different and unique a perspective on it we really got. It’s such a different world descending into and then ascending out of 1.2 billion years of schist, shale and limestone.

3. We get along with diverse groups. We were one of 15 passengers on this trip, people from all different backgrounds from all over the US. We enjoyed everyone’s company and got to know many of them quite well in the five days. Since we’re not always the most outgoing people by nature, it’s comforting to know that we can =).

4. Preparation breeds success. The hike out was quite daunting — 9.5 miles long with almost a mile of elevation gain in Arizona in August heat. Needless to say, we were somewhat concerned with our physical conditioning for such an outing, so we trained a few times with our packs in nearby Shenandoah. This helped immensely. I’m sure our spry young legs helped, but we were able to make it out of the canyon each carrying our 25 pound packs in under five hours, before the worst heat began. Who needs mules?

If you want to read more, Theresa wrote a story about this trip for the San Antonio Express-News that you can read here. Also, you can look at all of our pictures from this trip here.

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And Four Traits that Make Us Not So Good Travelers

Because I am incredibly self-aware and always completely unbiased, I thought I’d follow up last Sunday’s post on the traits that make us good travelers with the other side of the coin. I already laid out some of my travel issues in an earlier post about why I wouldn’t be a good contestant on the Amazing Race, but here are four traits that both Jeff and I share.

1. We Like to Change Our Underwear Daily.
Jeff doesn’t always like to change his clothes every day, and I’ve been known to re-wear a thing or two, especially if I’m not going out in public or am unlikely to be seen by the same people who saw me wearing said outfit the first time, but we both agree that changing underwear daily is a good–and essential–thing. We own those Ex-Officio Underwear with the slogan “17 countries, six weeks, one pair of underwear,” and we’ve seen the many packing lists that claim there is no reason to take more than 4 pair of underwear. The reasoning being that if you take the right underwear (such as the Ex-Officio ones) you can easily wash them in the sink, dry them overnight, and put them right back on the next day. Sure, sounds good. But what about when you’re on that 7-day trekking trip, or you’re on an overnight bus? Yeah, you’re wearing dirty underwear. So though it’s good to know our underwear are up for the challenge of everyday wear, for our round the world trip we’re still packing 7 pairs each. We’re such over-packers.

2. We believe in the concept of the line.
Orderliness is good. Lining up…to buy tickets, to gain admission, to place an order…is a good idea. It imparts order to the process, keeps people from getting hurt, and promotes fairness. And though I think most Americans would agree with me, we are still a small minority. Other countries seem to like mobs and stampedes. Or if, by the grace of God, there is a line, people from these other countries see no need to stand in it. This is even true in Germany, which is, to many, the epitome of orderliness. Just go to Mass once there and see what happens. When it’s communion time, there’s no pew by pew procession to the front. No, sirree. Instead, it’s a mad dash, everybody at once, elbows flailing, as if the priest is going to run out of wafers. In a post about Latin America, fellow travelers at WanderingWhy confirm that this is also true in the countries south of the border.

3. We aren’t good at bargaining.
The bulk of the world expects you to haggle–over prices in the market, taxi cab fares, hotel rates…pretty much everything. Having grown up in a world where you pay the marked price period, we’re not used to that. Being averse to all forms of confrontation, bargaining is a true nightmare for me. And though Jeff is a bit better at it than I am, neither of us is particularly comfortable with it. Adding to the discomfort is the fact that almost everywhere we will be traveling, we’re far better off than the people who live here, and often what we’re haggling over is no more than a couple of bucks. It just seems wrong. But at the same time, it’s not good for us to hand over whatever amount is asked. We’ll feel like we got a raw deal, and we’ll also be negatively affecting the overall economy of that place. Though the seller will be a bit better off, every time he makes that first price, he’ll feel more and more justified in raising the cost until the market price is more than the citizens of that place can afford. Economics is weird.

4. We quickly get tired of eating out.
There are people who eat out every day. There are even people who eat out every meal every day. Others eat out a couple of times a week, once a week, once a fortnight, etc. We probably eat out about once a month. The rest of the time we cook. With eating out only about once a month, I look forward to it. I pick some type of food that we don’t prepare at home (usually sushi…mmm), and I enjoy the whole pomp and circumstance of eating out. But make me do that a few times in a row, and I’ll be annoyed. I get sick of the whole process…the looking through a menu, the waiting for your food, the dealing with the wait staff. I just want to cook what I want, put as much on my plate as I want, sit with my legs crossed under me if I want, talk about anything I want without fear of people overhearing me, get up from the table when I want, etc. After a week of vacation in which most meals are eaten out, all I want is my pantry, my dishes, my kitchen, my table. And while we do plan to cook when we can, it won’t be as frequent as I’d like I’m sure. It also won’t be the same. We won’t a stocked pantry to choose from–herbs and spices, jars of random things like fish sauce and curry paste, a selection of cheeses. We’ll only be able to buy what we plan to use immediately, and we’ll also have to work within the confines of the diet in the place we’re at…which will probably mean many things that we’re not familiar with nor have no idea how to cook. Hopefully we’ll learn. Otherwise, there’s always street food and picnics.