Sunday, June 29, 2008

Guest Post!

Hi, I'm Teabelly. The Renaissance Man has been kind enough to give me space on his blog for the Twenty Something Bloggers blog swap. Attempting to come up with something to write has driven me mad for the past few days, and after trying to think of something universal that everyone can relate to, I gave up and decided to talk about myself. I'm lazy, what can I say?

In around six weeks I'm going holiday. Actually, I don't know if trekking through jungle can be called a holiday, surely it's an adventure instead? So fine, I'm going on an adventure. On 10th August I will leave this city behind and head off to Belize (with a looong stop over in New York first, and a shorter one in Texas), then across the border to Guatemala, then on down through the country to El Salvador. Just writing that out makes me feel tired, so god knows how I'll feel after two weeks wandering around with all my possessions strapped to my back.

I'm not much of an adventurer, it must be said. I like my comforts, I like having a bathroom nearby and the ability to shower regularly. I like clean clothes and straight hair. The last time I did anything nearly as hard core as this was a school trip to Pakistan aged 17. I hated almost every minute of it, didn't eat for two weeks and came home feeling like death. Frosties and cold milk have never tasted so good, let me tell you. So I'm pretty nervous about the trip, my last few trips abroad have been Europe and New York, nothing too exciting, and certainly no prospects of being stung by a scorpion. And my friend seems to think we're going camping in the jungle. I don't do camping in the countryside here, what on earth makes him think I'll do it there? I need a bathroom damn it, no negotiations there.

I'm trying to tell myself to be brave and go for it, because I'll never get another opportunity like it, but still, nerves are nerves and they don't listen to me trying to be rational. But I've got my trusty guidebook, which fills me with excitement when it describes all the places I could go (Tikal looks like the place to go if nothing else, but watch out for those monkeys!). And I've looked at the stories of people who have been and loved it, who tell you to be careful but that nothing bad has ever happened to them there, that the people are friendly and kind and it's the trip of a lifetime.

I'm ignoring the Foreign Office website with its hurricane warnings and statistics on theft and muggings and kidnappings. They're just trying to make sure I'm careful, right? There's no real cause for concern or anything…

Anyway, I have six weeks to prepare. Six weeks in which to get my injections and malaria tablets, walking shoes and hat, sunscreen, waterproofs (its wet season don't you know), insect repellent, mosquito net, sleeping bag, photocopies of my passport (just in case) and money, mustn't forget money, need that to buy all sorts of tat with which to weigh down my already huge rucksack.

I'm sure that's doable. Now I just need to find an extra dose of courage.

3 comments:

L.C.T. said...

Haha, yay for the Big Blog Swap!

You'll be fine! Just make sure you don't spend the time wishing you were at home with comforts because when you're home you'll want to be able to say you actually enjoyed your two weeks!! Have fun!

Ben said...

Ugh. I'm so suceptible to the travel but that I shouldn't even have read this. Your trip sounds INCREDIBLE. Good luck and I look forward to reading it!

Thanks for swapping!

P said...

Don't think I'd like this at all, I'm in total admiration of you for doing it!