The weigh-in occurred, and it is official… my back WILL break.
Backpack: 19 kg ~ 41 lbs
Melanie: 52 kg ~ 114 lbs
So, I have spent the past couple weeks packing and re-packing my bags. Yesterday, momma sat down with me and went through every part of my bag to make sure everything going to Ecuador was absolutely essential- after all, I would be carrying around my luggage on my back. Her ruthlessness caused the removal of a battery powered hand fan, cooling mist, an extra toothbrush, batteries, a pair of jeans, and numerous other small items. I guess I can manage without the cooling mist, but a little luxury would have been nice when living 6 months wearing the same 6 shirts and 5 shorts in rotation. I started to think that I wasn’t tough enough to take on the Amazon.
Then…
I was reading a book yesterday. A good book. Minding my own business. I had a lamp on to assist my reading. And, out of no where a moth came crashing into the light, bouncing into my face, and getting caught in my hair. The moth had surprise on its side. And I freaked out. Dropped the book, losing my place, then wiggled in ways I didn’t know was possible. It was a test to see if I was ready for the jungle, and I failed. No other way around it. Nature won. I thought I was ready, but that simple episode caused me to re-think the entire trip…again. Maybe I am just too much of a “girly” hard-core girl. I can manage 900 lbs horses, jump 50ft cliffs into the ocean, go without showering longer than I’m willing to admit, but I like my blow dryer, my earrings, my flats, and my cooling mist! I’m still going- surprise, surprise- but I have started to mentally prepare for the endless sneak attacks the bugs will have planned for me. I am prepared….prepared to exterminate and disappoint the bugs with my malaria pills and 45% DEET- ha, take that!
Backpack: 19 kg ~ 41 lbs
Melanie: 52 kg ~ 114 lbs
So, I have spent the past couple weeks packing and re-packing my bags. Yesterday, momma sat down with me and went through every part of my bag to make sure everything going to Ecuador was absolutely essential- after all, I would be carrying around my luggage on my back. Her ruthlessness caused the removal of a battery powered hand fan, cooling mist, an extra toothbrush, batteries, a pair of jeans, and numerous other small items. I guess I can manage without the cooling mist, but a little luxury would have been nice when living 6 months wearing the same 6 shirts and 5 shorts in rotation. I started to think that I wasn’t tough enough to take on the Amazon.
Then…
I was reading a book yesterday. A good book. Minding my own business. I had a lamp on to assist my reading. And, out of no where a moth came crashing into the light, bouncing into my face, and getting caught in my hair. The moth had surprise on its side. And I freaked out. Dropped the book, losing my place, then wiggled in ways I didn’t know was possible. It was a test to see if I was ready for the jungle, and I failed. No other way around it. Nature won. I thought I was ready, but that simple episode caused me to re-think the entire trip…again. Maybe I am just too much of a “girly” hard-core girl. I can manage 900 lbs horses, jump 50ft cliffs into the ocean, go without showering longer than I’m willing to admit, but I like my blow dryer, my earrings, my flats, and my cooling mist! I’m still going- surprise, surprise- but I have started to mentally prepare for the endless sneak attacks the bugs will have planned for me. I am prepared….prepared to exterminate and disappoint the bugs with my malaria pills and 45% DEET- ha, take that!
And here I thought you were going down there to save the little buggers.
ReplyDeleteKeep it I. I'll help you write a book when you get back
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