What next! The recent Green Toroise experience proved that I am no longer up to the challenge physically. Yesterday's experience proved that I am also losing mental capablilities. Here's the way it went down. (Fox news reporting language)
Yesterday was spent in final preparations for the upcoming almost three month absence. Laundry was done, folded and put away, refrigerator cleaned out of possible bacteria growing leftovers (even the last of the milk drunk, "Here I'll take care of that." says Lester) The few fresh veggies and fruits left over were passed on to a family member lest we be greeted in April with an unrecognizable slush in a bucket on the back porch. Beds were changed, Valuables locked away in a safe place (granted, that was a light and easy task), goodbys were said, bags were packed and waiting by the front door for Les's son to come by and whisk us off to the airport for our flight south in a few hours.
Then, oh so casually, Les says, "Let's see. Monday is Feb. 1st. Right?"
An alarm goes off in my head! Adrenalin shoots through my body! "What day is this?" I cry. "Saturday, Jan. 30th." he replies. A quick check of travel documents confirms my growing suspicion, our reservations are for Sunday evening, Jan. 31st.
So, except for a casual remark on my partner's part we would have been at the airport calling for a ride back home or sitting there for 24 hours with our faces lowered in shame. I ask you, What next!
There is an upside to this situation, however. (There usually is if one looks hard enough.) The upside is that we now have an extra day. A free day in which we are not obliged to do anything because it is all done. There's nothing left in the house to eat but we can sneak out to eat. Maybe we'll dress in disguise in case we run into any of the many people to whom we so ceremoniously bade farewell. But in any case we have an extra free day to do whatever we might choose to do.
Just one thing. For those of you who I have helped with travel advice; it might be wise to check your itineraries. If I have you scheduled to travel on Feb. 30 or Feb. 31 you may want to look into it more!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Fouteen Days on a Big Green Bus
For some time now I have been heard to proclaim that those of us in our senior years "can still do it all! It just might take us longer." Well, I'm here today to tell you that this is not exactly true. I hesitate to report this, as I still believe in Green Tortoise and find it to be an amazing adventure experience, but I am now convinced that there comes a time when not all adventures are appropriate for all people. This time does not necessarily correspond with too many years lived. It does, however, have much to do with too little strength and agility left after those years lived. Darn!
Anyway, this was a great trip in terms of traveling companions. Such an interesting group! Two young sisters from Denmark, two older Polish ladies, a young British fellow, a frenchman of middle years who lives in Spain and is an employee of British Airways, a young Canadian woman from Halifax and a number of U.S. citizens from scattered points across the country (with Oregon providing a surprising number of participants). They were all fun and good sports. One woman, who at first appeared a bit disgruntled, "I could have gone on a cruise for this money and I would have had my own bed and would have been waited on ---" was heard to announce a few days later that all was well after all because she was pretending that she was not "roughing it with a bunch of stangers". She proved to be a real trooper!
I will take a look at my pictures and post a few next. The whale watching was hard to photograph as it was impossible to predict where the next whale might surface and by the time you swerved around in that direction, focussed the camera and snapped the shutter (with it's built in delay) there was hardly a ripple left of the event. But I can tell you that all accompanying baby whales (you won't see any of those, of course) were only one day old. That is what our guide said. Not quite sure how that was determined but each one was one day old.
The beach camp was wonderful. The weather beautiful the first day and then windy and cold the next. When I was a little girl in Oregon I used to listen to the nighttime storms and try to imagine that I was warm and cozy while out in a tent in the howling wind and storm. It was a favorite dream and in Mexico this time the dream came true.
We had expected some sort of old rust bucket of a ferry to carry us across to mainland Mexico from La Paz but it was quite nice. Very elegant. Although, come to think of it, some of that elegance may have been in the eyes of beholders who were fresh from a much less comfortable site.
El Fuerte is a delightful colonial town. We stayed in a hotel there (Hidalgo) that was truly elegant with beautiful courtyards and even a statue of Zorro. Creel, the town in the mountains from which the Copper Canyon may be visited is a cold, miseraable place high enough in the mountains to cause near death to those ( of which I seemed to be the most affected ) suffering from altitude sickness. We visited a most spectacular canyon and I took a few photos there between desperate gasps struggling for oxygen in the thinly supplied air.
A stop in Tucson and Joshua Tree Park and then back to SF where the Green Tortoise Hostel was a welcome resting place before heading back to Live Oak. By the way, this hostel is the perfect place to stay while exploring San Francisco and may be on the agenda at some point in the future.
We are getting ready now to leave on Saturday for East coast Mexico, Guatemala, and then a long stay on Caye Caulker. Pray for us!
Anyway, this was a great trip in terms of traveling companions. Such an interesting group! Two young sisters from Denmark, two older Polish ladies, a young British fellow, a frenchman of middle years who lives in Spain and is an employee of British Airways, a young Canadian woman from Halifax and a number of U.S. citizens from scattered points across the country (with Oregon providing a surprising number of participants). They were all fun and good sports. One woman, who at first appeared a bit disgruntled, "I could have gone on a cruise for this money and I would have had my own bed and would have been waited on ---" was heard to announce a few days later that all was well after all because she was pretending that she was not "roughing it with a bunch of stangers". She proved to be a real trooper!
I will take a look at my pictures and post a few next. The whale watching was hard to photograph as it was impossible to predict where the next whale might surface and by the time you swerved around in that direction, focussed the camera and snapped the shutter (with it's built in delay) there was hardly a ripple left of the event. But I can tell you that all accompanying baby whales (you won't see any of those, of course) were only one day old. That is what our guide said. Not quite sure how that was determined but each one was one day old.
The beach camp was wonderful. The weather beautiful the first day and then windy and cold the next. When I was a little girl in Oregon I used to listen to the nighttime storms and try to imagine that I was warm and cozy while out in a tent in the howling wind and storm. It was a favorite dream and in Mexico this time the dream came true.
We had expected some sort of old rust bucket of a ferry to carry us across to mainland Mexico from La Paz but it was quite nice. Very elegant. Although, come to think of it, some of that elegance may have been in the eyes of beholders who were fresh from a much less comfortable site.
El Fuerte is a delightful colonial town. We stayed in a hotel there (Hidalgo) that was truly elegant with beautiful courtyards and even a statue of Zorro. Creel, the town in the mountains from which the Copper Canyon may be visited is a cold, miseraable place high enough in the mountains to cause near death to those ( of which I seemed to be the most affected ) suffering from altitude sickness. We visited a most spectacular canyon and I took a few photos there between desperate gasps struggling for oxygen in the thinly supplied air.
A stop in Tucson and Joshua Tree Park and then back to SF where the Green Tortoise Hostel was a welcome resting place before heading back to Live Oak. By the way, this hostel is the perfect place to stay while exploring San Francisco and may be on the agenda at some point in the future.
We are getting ready now to leave on Saturday for East coast Mexico, Guatemala, and then a long stay on Caye Caulker. Pray for us!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Further comment from Copper canyon
Another interesting thing about these computers. Most of the letters, or the biggest part of each one is worn off the keys. Definitely cannot visit high altitudes in the future. Too much difficulty breathing, headaches, etc.
Lost in Copper Canyon
Sorry! Have not been able to post. Mexican internet difficult to use. Could not access this site. Then did not have time to post. Then altitude sickness. Now getting ready to leave Creel and will not be near a computer again until back home. Oh well, it seemed like a good idea a long timr ago in a far away place and in a different life! (Will post some pictures and a few lines when we get back)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Packing for the trip
The Green Tortoise packing instructions say that we may not take more equipment than we can carry around a city block. My gear (backpack, sleeping bag, day pack, tent) is ready to go. I have loaded it all up and taken a test walk. If necesssary I could get it around that block. It wouldn't be pretty, but I could do it.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Green Tortoise Adventure Travel
As we get ready to leave on our Green Tortoise trip it occurs to me that not all my friends and family are familiar with the Green Tortoise Adventure travel program. For those of you who are not, here is a brief history and description.
It started out with a stripped down old school bus that carried passengers between San Francisco and Seattle back during the hippie era. Since there were no seats, travelers were able to just throw their packs on board and find a place on the floor to sleep. In the 70's Green Tortoise began to offer cross country trips with some camping and sightseeing along the way. Gradually they added more trips and better buses until now there are many choices. (Check out their website for the many trips available.)One thing remains the same though. While there are some benches and tables on the bus, sleeping arrangements are still as follows; pick a spot, throw your sleeping bag down on the provided pads, and spend the night.
There are regular rest stops along the way as there are no bathroom facilities on the bus. (Well, there are. But they are not available for use.) Some night time rest stops may consist of pulling over to the side of a country road with the men going one direction and the women another. Hot showers are rare. Actually, showers are rare.
Meals are a community project with all pitching in to set up, peel, slice, stir fry, clean up, etc. The food is mostly vegetarian! Healthy stuff! Not my usual diet! But very enjoyable.
Participants may come from every corner of the world, every walk of life, old or young, etc. However, with all the differences, there is one common thread, a willingness to give up some comforts to experience a real travel adventure. There are five members of our travel group, Frank, Carol, Joan, Les, and myself. Some of you would have liked to come with us but were unable to get away at this time (or so you said!) Others among you listened to a description of the trip with eyes glazing over and then politely, but firmly, turned it down. That's okay! It really is not for everyone and I still love you even if you did not want to come.
This trip, The Gold Coast Loop, consists of 15 days, evenly divided between sleeping on the bus, pitching a tent and camping on the beach, and staying in town at a small hotel (Shower Time!!) Activities on this particular trip include whale watching, kayaking, snorkeling, riding a mule, crossing to mainland Mexico on a ferry, riding the Copper Canyon train, and an excursion into the canyon from the town of Creel. All these are optional except for the ferry ride. Those who are interested will also be able to eat fish tacos and drink margaritas at various stops along the way. Count me as one of those interested!
Next on the agenda is packing for the trip.
It started out with a stripped down old school bus that carried passengers between San Francisco and Seattle back during the hippie era. Since there were no seats, travelers were able to just throw their packs on board and find a place on the floor to sleep. In the 70's Green Tortoise began to offer cross country trips with some camping and sightseeing along the way. Gradually they added more trips and better buses until now there are many choices. (Check out their website for the many trips available.)One thing remains the same though. While there are some benches and tables on the bus, sleeping arrangements are still as follows; pick a spot, throw your sleeping bag down on the provided pads, and spend the night.
There are regular rest stops along the way as there are no bathroom facilities on the bus. (Well, there are. But they are not available for use.) Some night time rest stops may consist of pulling over to the side of a country road with the men going one direction and the women another. Hot showers are rare. Actually, showers are rare.
Meals are a community project with all pitching in to set up, peel, slice, stir fry, clean up, etc. The food is mostly vegetarian! Healthy stuff! Not my usual diet! But very enjoyable.
Participants may come from every corner of the world, every walk of life, old or young, etc. However, with all the differences, there is one common thread, a willingness to give up some comforts to experience a real travel adventure. There are five members of our travel group, Frank, Carol, Joan, Les, and myself. Some of you would have liked to come with us but were unable to get away at this time (or so you said!) Others among you listened to a description of the trip with eyes glazing over and then politely, but firmly, turned it down. That's okay! It really is not for everyone and I still love you even if you did not want to come.
This trip, The Gold Coast Loop, consists of 15 days, evenly divided between sleeping on the bus, pitching a tent and camping on the beach, and staying in town at a small hotel (Shower Time!!) Activities on this particular trip include whale watching, kayaking, snorkeling, riding a mule, crossing to mainland Mexico on a ferry, riding the Copper Canyon train, and an excursion into the canyon from the town of Creel. All these are optional except for the ferry ride. Those who are interested will also be able to eat fish tacos and drink margaritas at various stops along the way. Count me as one of those interested!
Next on the agenda is packing for the trip.
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