concerned

Oh Peru. I feel like zero communication is happening when we try to make reservations (ie, I know zero communication is occuring) and it's going to be like 4AM in the middle of the Amazon and we'll be at a bus station where the next bus only comes in three days. Or the the city has two airports and we discover this at 1AM with no ability to communicate and no cash. I don't know...call me crazy..not like this has happened before...(horrible flashback occuring;)

Exhibit A:

from someone in puno:
"bellow please the description for the trip...the Upgraded trip returns at 1 but at the moment is not available. We will know on the 1 january and in the afternoon.".....sketch...so they found someone who had an extra boat but they don't know if he'll be able to work that day...and odd that the "upgraded" package comes back earlier at the exact time we requested.

Another--in regards to a bus we have to make that leaves early in the afternoon. Unfortunately buses "all the times" is not helpful if they don't go to our city.

hello Avidan

only the boat com back at 1:30 an arrive to puno at 4:00 pm

but is you want there are buses all the times

regards

yenny
-----------------------------------------------------------

HI.
NOW IS GOOD EVERY THING I HAVE YOUR COPY STUDENT CAR ISIC.

I WAIT TO DAY PLEASE.

BYE
LIZ.

And then the best part is probably the drama underlying the trip and the flight situation or maybe the fact that two of the three airlines the book recommends have gone under due to large catastrophes or you know...really it's too painful to talk about further.

cheers.

Learning from the past....

So I started to realize (yes once again) that I will actually graduate one day and then that got me thinking about my 45% tax rate and other similarly scary thoughts. I'm really going to miss being a student and everything that comes with it. There are just so many memories--I'm trying to write them down...because basically I continuously fail to learn from experience, so here is one more try.

Bleach is dangerous and oh so very permanent

Tequila is not the same as rubbing alcohol for getting water out of ears

Green ginger tea with steamed soy milk is amazing

Where the e-bus drops off and picks up (it only took four years…)

Guys and girls cannot be friends, right?

That the best of friends will take you to the ER

It's all about who you ask, or better yet don't ask

Everyone you know will always be at Trudy's

Beware of neighbors who will tell your parents about the lingerie party you had--and the whore house that is your apartment

Don't join organizations that people will make fun of you for three years later

Being the oldest trumps being the smallest when fighting over who has to sit in the middle car seat

Happy hours are the best places to make travel plans

The smallest you will ever feel is standing next to football players on the field

If someone steals your purse, don't chase them

I will never be able to look older than 12, maybe 16

Being nice to people can randomly get you platinum status on an airline

Some things, people you'll never get over

Travelling is not a vacation, it is an experience, you will be more tired afterwards and that is ok

Everything can be eaten out of a bowl

Cars always stop when you walk in front of them

Perhaps one day I'll try posting without making a list...but probably not...when writing these things it's hard to concentrate for more than 30 seconds...which typically leads to short lines of random and disconnected ideas.

things to know

I think some things are just worth knowing...inherently part of being a better person or just interesting in their own right or at the very least fun to know. New Year's Resolutions.

What cases the Supreme Court is hearing
Geography
People's names that you meet, even if briefly
Celsius/Farenheit conversions and Miles/Km
Understand train schedules in other countries
Major points of all religions
Operas and their composers
Your city's operating budget
How to value antique furniture
Different types of coffee and why Italians won't drink milk in coffee after 11AM
Political structures of different countries
How to drive a standard
How the internet actually works (or tv for that matter or phones or radios)



On a completely unrelated note, I think it's interesting how some words or phrases stand out long after you've heard them. There's a beauty in them that causes them to continue to ring in your mind. My current phrase of the moment is "the vertical hour." It's some political play right now but it's named after the hour after someone has been shot (or something along those lines) when you still have a chance to make a difference. At least it's something along those lines--I heard it on NPR and wasn't totally paying attention. I just think it's beautiful.