Done Work!

I'm done work for seven weeks! Woo!! If Yellowknife had a spare field of yellow, sun-drenched daisies, I'd be running through it right now.

And I also have some new malaria medication to pick up. While the old ones didn't give me crazy dreams, there were side-effects that I really don't want to take on vacation with me. And the new stuff has a warning with it, saying that this medication increases the effects of "blood-thinning" drugs. So as an added bonus I'll be saving a few bucks at the cantina! There's also a warning saying that it may cause increased sun-sensitivity and propensity to burn. Not as fun. I guess I'll know what it's like to be ash white for a few weeks. It'll be like that book "Black Like Me", but white and not socially relevant.

I feel like I have so much still to do before I leave in four days.....

Yesterday was the first day...

Yesterday was the first day I took my malarial pills (more accurately, my ANTI-malarial pills). The particular brand of pill I'm taking is known for giving you vivid dreams. EXTREME vivid dreams in some cases. I had been hearing some horror stories to the effect. Stories about people quitting them halfway through in malaria stricken areas because people would rather have malaria than take these pills.

So I take the pills, go to sleep and... not much happens. I'm entirely under-whelmed. I suppose my dreams were a bit more realistic, but nothing to really Knock my socks off.

So much for selling my surplus pills for a profit.

Paranoia

I'm getting so close...

It's my last week of work, and then just a few days after that I take off. It's getting so close now that I'm starting to think that there must be something critical that I'm forgetting, and couldn't possibly get in time before I go. I'm sure I will forget SOMETHING by the time I'm down there, always do, but hopefully it won't be something too bad.

"What, you mean you didn't get anti-baboon pills before you left? Yeah, without them you're pretty much certain to be attacked by baboons."

"$#%^!"

It's ridiculous I know. Who could ever forget their anti-baboon pills??

New trip... new layout?

Not sure if I like it....

So close..

Bought some new travelling equipment on Saturday.

1) a mummy sack (sleeping bag liner) for those places that require it
2) a small ditty bag, a little mesh bag for holding my watch and glasses while I sleep
3) SmartWool socks for hiking
4) a compression bag for clothes

I'm getting very eager to get going.... it's hard everyday to hold back from starting to pack. I have all my travelling gear out, with my backpack, just sitting there..... AHHHH

If you dislike witty and concise posts, you can also reference my traveling partner Terry's blog for rambling forests of pretension and the occasional pond of lucidity.

First Week Planned + Vague Inclinations

Day 1: Get into Alajuela around 9pm, a little city outside of San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica). Just staying for the night before going to...

Day 2-4: La Fortuna, the town outside of Arenal volcanoe, waterfall, hotsprings, etc.

Day 5-6: Taking a jeep/water taxi/jeep to Monteverde, home to the Cloud Forest reserve with ziplines and canopy tours.

Day 7: Off to Liberia, a gateway town to the Pacific coast beach communities. Don't know if we're staying there, might go straight to Tamarindo, a town recommended by the sis and bro in-law.

Week 2: Up and Down the Costa Rica Pacific coast.

Week 3-4ish: Nicaragua. Granada, that big lake in the middle, etc

Week 4-5: Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica and a southern Costa Rica forest preserve.

Week 5-6: Panama. Some cool islands. Try not to get robbed. From what I've read, that's tricky.