Sunday, May 30, 2010

A volcano erupts AND a hurricane???!!!!

Yikes! My mother called yesterday (she is perpetual worrier) and said, "Um, isn't Guatemala having a hurricane?" Well, Jacob and I turned off the satellite tv about a year ago to save money to go to Guatemala, so we didn't know. I got online today and yes, in fact, 16 people have died so far from the rains and hurricane, and several from the volcano. The airport has been closed due to the volcano and the hurricane is creating mudslides in Xela, where we are going.

I did receive an email from the Spanish school today, so it is still running. I sent them a reply that asked how they were and told them that we were thinking of them.

Yikes, it is such a poor country. Very sad... I will check before I go about the rains and I will call Spirit Air to make sure the airport is open in Guatemala City.

Tomorrow on my list: Call AT&T and get the "world" thing so I can make phone calls in an emergency; call the credit card companies to let them know I am going out of the country; call my car insurance people to make sure the new car is set; call the bank that I financed the car through to make sure the first payment gets made; get more cat food; send a research grant report in; work on an NEH grant; and return a pair of shoes that I bought the wrong nephew (I got birthdays mixed up). Busy day!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

I have been preoccupied with the NEW CAR...

Today, however, Jacob and I read a lot of information about Xela. We looked at available trekking trips. We decided on about 8. I don't know if we'll get that many in, but for all 8 it will cost about $250 for 2 people for all 8 trips. This is one of the reasons that I love central America, because I can afford it.

We hope to: bask in the Fuentes Georginas hot springs for an afternoon, shop at one of two large artisan markets for a day, bask (again) on one of the black sand beaches near Xela for a day (and maybe spend the night), explore Takalik Abaj Mayan ruins for a day, and then do one of 3 volcano hikes. Unfortunately, I am suffering from Plantar Fascitis (where the tendon on my foot is very painful) so I'm a little wary of doing a too difficult hike, so it will be a day trip probably. We will be going with the Monte Verde tour company. Go to xelapages.com and check them out.

I also got Jacob to begin laying out his gear. THAT took an act of the gods...slowly but surely... More later.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Drugs...

OK, so Jacob got 2 shots yesterday. It is a good thing he remembered that he had had a tetnus in the last 10 years. So his shots, 2 malaria Rx, 2 dysentery Rx later and I'm $270 poorer. I guess that is better than last year. We are going to begin the acidophilus regimen next week. I read in several travel publications that the way to condition your stomach for weird food is to begin taking acidophilus pills 2 weeks before you go and a week into the trip. It worked for me last summer - no problems. Get the acidophilus pearls (they don't have to be refrigerated). Malaria meds (which tend to make me ishy) begin a week before the trip, continue throughout, and 4 weeks after. oh weeee.

I think I have done everything I'm supposed to do except pack and get travel insurance. That's on the list for tomorrow. Oh yeah, and I have to buy a car this summer....but that's a later story.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Time to get down to business...

I am back from a wonderful couple of days in the mountains with some of my favorite students. So, now it is time to concentrate on Guatemala, as this will be my only destination out of the country this summer.

We plan to study at the Pop Wuj school in Xela, Guatemala. Their website is: www.pop-wuj.org. I absolutely am relying on the testimony of a woman I met in Belize last year. She went to this school and really enjoyed it. We get 5 hours of private Spanish a day, and then our afternoons to do whatever we want. There is also a volunteer program in which we can participate.

I have been reading up on Guatemala and what other activities that we'll be able to do. It looks like a hikers' paradise. For about $50 us per person, we can hike for 2 days near Santiaguito, the most active volcano in Guatemala. I'm thinking this might be fabulous. We have our weekends free.

We have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday for Jacob to get his vaccinations. He'll have to get the 3 that I did last year: typhoid, tetnus, and Hep A. We both will have to get malaria meds and probably dysentary meds. I will also get us the digestion aids that I got for me last year because I never got sick in Mexico or Belize. I will get us Acidophilus to begin taking 2 weeks before we go, ginger pills for the motion sickness and altitude sickness, etc. We will have to replenish the first aid kit. I will refer back to my own post last year about the medicine chest I carried.

I also just ordered a Spanish guide from 30Words.com. It is a passport sized language guide. Maybe I won't need it after the summer.

I am a little nervous, I have to admit. When it is just me, it's just me. However, now that Jacob is going, more responsibility... I guess. More very soon!

Friday, May 7, 2010

damn damn damn

So one of my most favorite items to travel/camp with is a Sea to Summit Lite Line clothesline and I CAN'T FIND IT!!!! It's tiny (and that's probably why I can't find it) and it is so handy. Google it and you will see. So I went to the outdoor store here in Flotown and they don't have any more and can't get any more right now. If I order it online, I will pay as much for shipping as the item. dammit! I know I can use other things, but I WANT THAT ONE!

On a brighter note, my friend, Jeff loaned me his backpack so that Jacob won't have to use his Vietnam War issue pack that his uncle gave him. Thank you, Jeff!

We are now creating piles of things to pack....it's all underway!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Errands, errands, errands

Schools out for sum-mer.....(thank you Alice Cooper) and I'm beginning my neverending list of errands. I took a lovely bike ride this morning before it gets so hot. Yes, we're already in upper 80s and 90s. So today: I have to go....ready?...wash the engine of the car (are you kidding me?) so that my mechanic (who was just in Guys and Dolls here in Flo, by the way...I know weird) can find the oil leak before we go away; then to get new glasses for driving and night vision because I lost mine after a particularly fun party (I think there was something not quite right about them anyway); then to the grocery to get food for Jacob (THAT is never ending); I was going to go to Barnes & Noble to get a new Mexico City guidebook, but found the one from last year. I am really glad about that too. It is Eyewitness Travel's Top 10 Mexico City. It is a great book and much used. Good maps of the city and subway. Later, I hope to talk with my friend, Gene, who is hopefully going to Mexico with me later in the summer. We have to firm up some plans so that I know what to tell people.

Summer adventure news: I will be spending the 4th holiday in Austin with my couchsurfing friend, Jennifer! I am so excited. THAT should be another very fun party.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Hola Amigas y Amigos...

Leg 1

Once again, I am beginning a big summer adventure. At this point, I know that Jacob and I are going to Guatemala to study Spanish for 2 weeks because I booked it today. We are leaving June 6 and returning the 21st. We will fly into Guatemala City, take a 4 hour bus ride to Xela, Guatemala. Last summer on my Mexico/Belize adventure, I met a young woman on Tobacco Caye from the US, but living in Berlin. She told me about Xela (it's official name is Quetzaltenango) and that there were numerous Spanish schools for English speakers there. So, we are going to stay with a Guatemalan family and study Spanish for 5 hours a day...all for $175/week at a school called Pop Wuj. Crazy, huh? However, getting there has proved to be challenging.

I read several travel blogs that said that Chicago had the best rates to Guatemala City. However, a friend told me to check Spirit air out of, are you ready?...Myrtle Beach. And yes, it is as cheap to fly out of Myrtle Beach that it is to fly out of Chicago. But Spirit, or course, charges for EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING. My cheap tickets after they added taxes, fees, baggage fees...and ready for this???!!!!....seat charges ($8 each if you want to sit together) ended up being just a little cheaper than the Chicago flight on American - about $700 for both. Sigh..oh well, it is still a little less challenging than trying to get to Missouri, then Chicago, then Guatemala.

Leg 2

I was asked/I asked the Witte Museum in San Antonio, TX to archive their carpa collection. It will help me with my research and give me experience in archiving, which I'm interested in. I got a research grant to do that from FMU. It is also a great excuse to see some of my couchsurfing buddies that I met last year.

Future legs... Stay tuned. There may be other fabulous legs to our adventure...maybe Mexico, maybe Tahlequah...who knows....