If you've read my last few posts, you've probably noticed that I've been unreasonably fixated on food of recent. I mean this in a couple of senses. First, as I have noted, I spend a good deal of mental energy on worrying if I will find a particular item, like beer or milk or cream of mushroom soup. And then, if I happen upon said item, I try to do black market math in my head to determine how much the item actually costs in dollars and how much it will cost me to buy a dozen to hoard in my apartment in preparation for the next shortage. Secondly, I've found myself lost in la la land on more occasions than I care to mention, daydreaming about what I am going to eat during my two weeks in America. Most recently, I've be fantasizing about Starbucks Eggnog Latte's, Trader Joe's entire freezer section, and everything on the Chic-Fil-A menu. Personally, I think this current list is totally tacklable in two weeks. I hope some of you will help me rise to this challenge.
Finally, with Thanksgiving this week, I have been thinking about missing dinner with my family. Man, nobody warns you about holidays as an expat. This Thursday, I'll be at work as usual, then I have a Spanish lesson. Then maybe I'll have a turkey sandwich. That's it. I realize this was part of what I signed up for, but as the first major family holiday descends this week, I'm pretty bummed. But mixed into the bumminess is a very, very keen sense of appreciation. My, oh my, how I have taken my family for granted. One does not truly realize the joy of a close family until you miss a holiday. Missing this time with them makes getting to spend Christmas at home even more meaningful and special.
I'm so glad I am going home for the Christmas break, even if it's only for two weeks. Some of my co-workers are not returning to their homelands for the break, and while I don't pretend to know their reasons, I'd be willing to bet it has something to do with the exhausting practice of having a foot in two different worlds. Many of the expat lifers I have encountered don't travel home but once a year. I guess after a while, some folks eventually plant both their feet wherever they are. It certainly requires a good amount of mental toughness to stay straddled the way we are, keeping our lives going in our home country while living a life in another. In some ways it's a meditation, trying to keep yourself from being swept away by your new life and new experiences while still enjoying where you are. At the same time, it's an active practice, making a home for yourself in your new community while also making the efforts to keep the relationships back home strong and connected. I have to say that in this department, my friends and family have made all the difference- the letters, emails, chats, likes, Skypes and Facetimes have made the "active practice" part so much easier. Now that it's been four months, I feel like I survived the initial transition and have actually managed this expat double life thing reasonably well. I won't say I'm not nervous about how going home is going to screw with my adjustment to the expat life. It may be like when you finally get your first kid potty trained and then have another and the first wants to get back into diapers. I worry that coming back in January will put me right back to July. But well, as long as I don't forget all the Spanish I have learned, I think I can handle the post-vacation blues. I've got good friends, good family and will be filled to the brim with Trader Joes, Starbucks and Chic-Fil-A. And thanks to some expert hoard-shopping, I have enough milk to last me until March. So ya, with a little luck and a few well-directed prayers, I think I'll be alright.
November 25, 2013
November 20, 2013
Thoughts about coming home
I must say I am starting to get quite excited to come home. I think everyone else here is too. It's obvious at work, both with the kids and with the teachers, that we are frankly sick of one another. We've been in each others lives day in and day out, at work and socially (not the students, my co-workers obviously) every day since July 26th. That's a lot of time with the same 20 or so people. I have to hand it to us though, we are a remarkably compatible group, and besides a few sharp tongues here or snappy sentences there, we have all gotten along remarkably well. I'd go as far as saying we all independently like one another, and will look forward to seeing each other again in January. But yes, the break will be good.
I have started fantasizing about a lot of things, though mainly food. I am so looking forward to some DC brunches with my girls. Extra points to whomever takes me to Sweetwater. And Meredith and I, well, we've been friends for a long long time. I don't even have to tell her what's on the menu for when we get home. She knows there's going to be lots of chic-fil-a, starbucks, and slurpees. We might even have starbucks followed by slurpees. Weather be damned, we just get too gosh darn excited about having 7-11's around. Of course I am looking forward to seeing people too. I miss my Mom and Dad terribly. I just want to be curled up on the couch with my Dad watching Star Trek. Or snuggle up with my Mom on her bed with the cats and Josh Grobin crooning Christmas carols. I am just going to soak up my 17 days back home, loving on all my dear friends and family and eating my way across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mark your calendars folks- Dec 14th-Jan 2nd. And everyone better have plenty of milk and toilet paper around.
I have started fantasizing about a lot of things, though mainly food. I am so looking forward to some DC brunches with my girls. Extra points to whomever takes me to Sweetwater. And Meredith and I, well, we've been friends for a long long time. I don't even have to tell her what's on the menu for when we get home. She knows there's going to be lots of chic-fil-a, starbucks, and slurpees. We might even have starbucks followed by slurpees. Weather be damned, we just get too gosh darn excited about having 7-11's around. Of course I am looking forward to seeing people too. I miss my Mom and Dad terribly. I just want to be curled up on the couch with my Dad watching Star Trek. Or snuggle up with my Mom on her bed with the cats and Josh Grobin crooning Christmas carols. I am just going to soak up my 17 days back home, loving on all my dear friends and family and eating my way across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mark your calendars folks- Dec 14th-Jan 2nd. And everyone better have plenty of milk and toilet paper around.
November 14, 2013
A Comment About the Shortages Where I Try Desperately Not to be Political
I feel the need to address the scarcity issues in my current homeland. I thank Anne for sharing with me the pithy blog TheSkimm that regularly and with great humor covers the goings ons here in Venezuela. I know that many other media outlets also cover the situation here, though less blithely and often with a political sway that lands squarely in the ideological right and over-top a puddle of oil.
I mean, I'm not ignorant. I live here for heavens sake. Shit is not good. The government is run by people who are blind to everything except their own self-interest and their beloved new age socialism. That blindness has unfortunately manifested into a full blown economic war, and everyone is a soldier, because everyone is affected. I'm trying hard not to be political here, but there really is blood on everyone's hands. Every side is guilty, because they are all putting being right above human rights, and when there are hospitals without gauze and grocery stores without milk, toilet paper, sugar and oil, then it's clear that something is not working right. And while the opposition is blaming the government, and the government is blaming the Empire, I am literally playing hookie from work to elbow my way through a crowd to shamelessly grab a carton of milk.
After I got my crate of 12 liters of long life milk, I smugly rode the bus home and when I got to school, I gave away half of it. It was literally like I was handing out gold. People were so grateful and appreciative. For me, it was paying it forward, because who knows when I will be out of toilet paper and need a kind donation from a friend. This is the game we play here. We are ready for any basic good to go AWOL at any moment. If we know we can't live without it, we buy it in bulk. And when we get caught with our pants down, we rely on each other's generosity to get us through. It's people helping people. So when my friend who works in the Catina got wind that a milk shipment was in the store, I didn't hesitate. It was my moment to help out. With my bosses blessing of course. I was like " OMG KELLY THERE'S MILK I'M GOING!" and she smiled and waved and sent me on my way.
Really though, most of the time I stay blithely unaffected by the majority of the swings in supplies. I don't cook, so only when toilet paper or milk or beer goes scarce do I feel the pangs. Thus, I currently have eight liters of milk, 30 beers, and two bags of coffee and toilet paper in my house, just waiting to weather the storm. And thankfully, I have the money to pay for any good I want when I happen to stumble upon it. I'm middle class here though, and many people aren't so lucky. They can't leave work or don't have the resources to buy in bulk. They are the ones we all should pray for, because there is no light at the end of the tunnel here. And while I am voyeuring in this country and have the opportunity to escape every holiday, others can't. And unfortunately, I can't import milk and toilet paper from the US. My suitcases simply aren't big enough.
So what's the answer here? I had a really neat conversation with my juniors earlier this week, where they used two economic models to explain to me why I can't find milk. They had great ideas on how to improve the situation, valid ideas with a solid economic foundation. And what's more, they want things to change. The problem is they are leaving. And so is everyone else with a dollar and prayer. There is an exodus of intellect in this country. The people with the will and means and mind to change things are getting the hell out of here. They want to stay- they want to help, but the situation is too dire. Their best option is to get out, get established elsewhere, and come back when the situation is less grim. And I can't fault them for it, because I don't know what critical mass it would take to incite positive change. Nor do I know what theory or political bent would be best suited to fix the situation. But what I do know is that this country has so much to offer this world. There are brilliant, wonderful people who should be proud to call themselves Venezolanos. These are just dark times- the country is struggling through a very troublesome adolescence, and it's reputation is nearly irrefutably tarnished. The best I can do as an appreciative expat is dig my heels in and focus on the positive, because there is so, so much positive. The people of this country are incredibly resilient, not to mention kind, giving, fun-loving and friendly. I have no doubt that Venezuela will overcome this, if no other reason than sheerly on the will of her people. And in the meantime, I have shit ton of beer, milk and toilet paper in my apartment and when I come home for Christmas, it's Starbucks EVERY DAY for me! :)
I mean, I'm not ignorant. I live here for heavens sake. Shit is not good. The government is run by people who are blind to everything except their own self-interest and their beloved new age socialism. That blindness has unfortunately manifested into a full blown economic war, and everyone is a soldier, because everyone is affected. I'm trying hard not to be political here, but there really is blood on everyone's hands. Every side is guilty, because they are all putting being right above human rights, and when there are hospitals without gauze and grocery stores without milk, toilet paper, sugar and oil, then it's clear that something is not working right. And while the opposition is blaming the government, and the government is blaming the Empire, I am literally playing hookie from work to elbow my way through a crowd to shamelessly grab a carton of milk.
After I got my crate of 12 liters of long life milk, I smugly rode the bus home and when I got to school, I gave away half of it. It was literally like I was handing out gold. People were so grateful and appreciative. For me, it was paying it forward, because who knows when I will be out of toilet paper and need a kind donation from a friend. This is the game we play here. We are ready for any basic good to go AWOL at any moment. If we know we can't live without it, we buy it in bulk. And when we get caught with our pants down, we rely on each other's generosity to get us through. It's people helping people. So when my friend who works in the Catina got wind that a milk shipment was in the store, I didn't hesitate. It was my moment to help out. With my bosses blessing of course. I was like " OMG KELLY THERE'S MILK I'M GOING!" and she smiled and waved and sent me on my way.
Really though, most of the time I stay blithely unaffected by the majority of the swings in supplies. I don't cook, so only when toilet paper or milk or beer goes scarce do I feel the pangs. Thus, I currently have eight liters of milk, 30 beers, and two bags of coffee and toilet paper in my house, just waiting to weather the storm. And thankfully, I have the money to pay for any good I want when I happen to stumble upon it. I'm middle class here though, and many people aren't so lucky. They can't leave work or don't have the resources to buy in bulk. They are the ones we all should pray for, because there is no light at the end of the tunnel here. And while I am voyeuring in this country and have the opportunity to escape every holiday, others can't. And unfortunately, I can't import milk and toilet paper from the US. My suitcases simply aren't big enough.
So what's the answer here? I had a really neat conversation with my juniors earlier this week, where they used two economic models to explain to me why I can't find milk. They had great ideas on how to improve the situation, valid ideas with a solid economic foundation. And what's more, they want things to change. The problem is they are leaving. And so is everyone else with a dollar and prayer. There is an exodus of intellect in this country. The people with the will and means and mind to change things are getting the hell out of here. They want to stay- they want to help, but the situation is too dire. Their best option is to get out, get established elsewhere, and come back when the situation is less grim. And I can't fault them for it, because I don't know what critical mass it would take to incite positive change. Nor do I know what theory or political bent would be best suited to fix the situation. But what I do know is that this country has so much to offer this world. There are brilliant, wonderful people who should be proud to call themselves Venezolanos. These are just dark times- the country is struggling through a very troublesome adolescence, and it's reputation is nearly irrefutably tarnished. The best I can do as an appreciative expat is dig my heels in and focus on the positive, because there is so, so much positive. The people of this country are incredibly resilient, not to mention kind, giving, fun-loving and friendly. I have no doubt that Venezuela will overcome this, if no other reason than sheerly on the will of her people. And in the meantime, I have shit ton of beer, milk and toilet paper in my apartment and when I come home for Christmas, it's Starbucks EVERY DAY for me! :)
November 10, 2013
Colonia Tovar, the Marine Corps Birthday Ball and a Present-Time Check In
Well we have almost caught up to the current time here at TraceyinCaracas. We left off at my visit to the wonderful Colonia Tovar, so let's pick up there.
Colonia Tovar is a German village in the jungle in the middle of no where half way between Caracas and Valencia. The village was founded in 1843 by a sect of Bavarian immigrants who remained largely cut off from the rest of the population until the 1930's, when the village became a thriving tourist destination thanks to its proximity to Caracas and strict infrastructure regulations that left the architecture, customs and food largely intact even today.
The village literally looks like German village in the alps, or, since I have never actually been to Germany, I can definitely say it reminds me of the Festhaus at Busch Gardens. Traditional German houses dot the hills, and in the center of town, there is a beautiful church and a smattering of stores and restaurants selling sausages, strawberries and cream and special (and delicious) Tovar beer.
Ivan, myself and Pablo and Yis, two friends of Ivan's, took to the mountains for a little weekend getaway. When Ivan arrived to pick me up, he reminded me that it would get cold at nights in Tovar, and around that time I realized that I sincerely did not pack the clothes to move here that I would need to deal with chilly weather. I was very grateful, therefore, when we arrived at our cottage and saw that they had provided us with a plethora of blankets, which I immediately transplanted to my bed because it was indeed quite chilly. Saturday morning we got up, grabbed some coffee and hot chocolate and cruised through the jungle towards the beach. Puerto Cruz beach was an hour and a half drive from Colonia Tovar, and the road, while positively terrifying, was also breathtaking with some beautiful views of the mountains. The beach itself was just awesome. No crowds, beer tents a short walk away and people would serve you fresh fish for lunch at your umbrella on the beach for roughly the equivalent of $6. I felt pretty snazzy. Of additional coolness was the fishermen who would bring their catches right to the beach. About half way through the day a boat came in with the biggest swordfish I have ever seen. It was a solid foot longer than I was, not including the sword part. They cut it up right there in the water, which was obviously gross, but super cool at the same time. I just made sure not to swim in that area after that to avoid being covered in fish blood.
On the way home, we stopped by a deli to get some delicious German sausages. While it was a good idea at the time, our charcoal grill cooking capabilities were more limited than we thought, and it ended up taking us like three hours to cook them. But they were extra delicious at 10pm, for sure. The next morning we took a walk around the town, and then took a tour of the Colonia. We visited a winery, a sausage house and a chocolate factory, so I was basically beside myself with glee even before lunchtime. For lunch, Ivan introduced me to pig's knee, which is apparently a German specialty and something I would be happy never to see again. After lunch, our afternoon plan for shopping got completely washed away by a pretty persistent rainstorm, but Ivan and I were troopers as we ran from storefront to storefront, dodging sheets of rain and the rivers coming down the streets, all just so I could get little German knickknacks for my family. You're welcome, family!
The following week at school was a relatively stressful one, as issues with governance of our overseeing board of parents are beginning to seep into the school day. As this is my first experience in a private school setting, I am curious to see how these issues play out. As you can imagine, working in an international school is quite different than an American public school, and I am still sorting out my views on a lot of the similarities and differences. But, as with working in any new environment, I am just trying to keep my head down and do my job. First year at a new job is always an exercise in survival, because that is about all you can do- keep your head above water. I'll leave ideological warfare for next year.
Yesterday was a delightful break from the school week as a bunch of us girls got makeup-ed and dressed up and headed out to celebrate the Marine Corps 238th birthday. This was my first Marine Corps Birthday Ball, and I have to say, we certainly went in style. Tendai helped me find an absolutely stunning black bedazzled dress a few weeks ago, and it was so perfect, it didn't need a single alteration. I got some baubles to match and I was ready to go. Tendai, Jackie, Holly and I went to a very gay salon in the Centro next door to our apartments to get made up and boy did those boys go to town on us. I brought mimosas to share and we ended up getting to toast to another Miss Venezuela winning Miss Universe. Tell me a better place to be than in a gay-owned beauty salon in Venezuela when Miss Venezuela wins Miss Universe. It was kind of awesome.
Ivan was my very handsome date to the ball, and we all enjoyed a great dinner and dancing at the fancy Hotel Tamanaco. Good times were had by all indeed. As I prepare for another week, I am feeling completely satisfied. I had another weekend with wonderful people, I am still loving where I live, my job while stressful at times is still mostly positive, and despite the absolute chaos, violence, rampant inflation and general deficient nature of the country I live in, I still get along in my day to day affairs pretty much unscathed. Though if anyone could Amazon Two Day ship me toilet paper, milk, Woolite or Drano, I would be most appreciative:).
Colonia Tovar is a German village in the jungle in the middle of no where half way between Caracas and Valencia. The village was founded in 1843 by a sect of Bavarian immigrants who remained largely cut off from the rest of the population until the 1930's, when the village became a thriving tourist destination thanks to its proximity to Caracas and strict infrastructure regulations that left the architecture, customs and food largely intact even today.
The village literally looks like German village in the alps, or, since I have never actually been to Germany, I can definitely say it reminds me of the Festhaus at Busch Gardens. Traditional German houses dot the hills, and in the center of town, there is a beautiful church and a smattering of stores and restaurants selling sausages, strawberries and cream and special (and delicious) Tovar beer.
Ivan, myself and Pablo and Yis, two friends of Ivan's, took to the mountains for a little weekend getaway. When Ivan arrived to pick me up, he reminded me that it would get cold at nights in Tovar, and around that time I realized that I sincerely did not pack the clothes to move here that I would need to deal with chilly weather. I was very grateful, therefore, when we arrived at our cottage and saw that they had provided us with a plethora of blankets, which I immediately transplanted to my bed because it was indeed quite chilly. Saturday morning we got up, grabbed some coffee and hot chocolate and cruised through the jungle towards the beach. Puerto Cruz beach was an hour and a half drive from Colonia Tovar, and the road, while positively terrifying, was also breathtaking with some beautiful views of the mountains. The beach itself was just awesome. No crowds, beer tents a short walk away and people would serve you fresh fish for lunch at your umbrella on the beach for roughly the equivalent of $6. I felt pretty snazzy. Of additional coolness was the fishermen who would bring their catches right to the beach. About half way through the day a boat came in with the biggest swordfish I have ever seen. It was a solid foot longer than I was, not including the sword part. They cut it up right there in the water, which was obviously gross, but super cool at the same time. I just made sure not to swim in that area after that to avoid being covered in fish blood.
On the way home, we stopped by a deli to get some delicious German sausages. While it was a good idea at the time, our charcoal grill cooking capabilities were more limited than we thought, and it ended up taking us like three hours to cook them. But they were extra delicious at 10pm, for sure. The next morning we took a walk around the town, and then took a tour of the Colonia. We visited a winery, a sausage house and a chocolate factory, so I was basically beside myself with glee even before lunchtime. For lunch, Ivan introduced me to pig's knee, which is apparently a German specialty and something I would be happy never to see again. After lunch, our afternoon plan for shopping got completely washed away by a pretty persistent rainstorm, but Ivan and I were troopers as we ran from storefront to storefront, dodging sheets of rain and the rivers coming down the streets, all just so I could get little German knickknacks for my family. You're welcome, family!
The following week at school was a relatively stressful one, as issues with governance of our overseeing board of parents are beginning to seep into the school day. As this is my first experience in a private school setting, I am curious to see how these issues play out. As you can imagine, working in an international school is quite different than an American public school, and I am still sorting out my views on a lot of the similarities and differences. But, as with working in any new environment, I am just trying to keep my head down and do my job. First year at a new job is always an exercise in survival, because that is about all you can do- keep your head above water. I'll leave ideological warfare for next year.
Yesterday was a delightful break from the school week as a bunch of us girls got makeup-ed and dressed up and headed out to celebrate the Marine Corps 238th birthday. This was my first Marine Corps Birthday Ball, and I have to say, we certainly went in style. Tendai helped me find an absolutely stunning black bedazzled dress a few weeks ago, and it was so perfect, it didn't need a single alteration. I got some baubles to match and I was ready to go. Tendai, Jackie, Holly and I went to a very gay salon in the Centro next door to our apartments to get made up and boy did those boys go to town on us. I brought mimosas to share and we ended up getting to toast to another Miss Venezuela winning Miss Universe. Tell me a better place to be than in a gay-owned beauty salon in Venezuela when Miss Venezuela wins Miss Universe. It was kind of awesome.
Ivan was my very handsome date to the ball, and we all enjoyed a great dinner and dancing at the fancy Hotel Tamanaco. Good times were had by all indeed. As I prepare for another week, I am feeling completely satisfied. I had another weekend with wonderful people, I am still loving where I live, my job while stressful at times is still mostly positive, and despite the absolute chaos, violence, rampant inflation and general deficient nature of the country I live in, I still get along in my day to day affairs pretty much unscathed. Though if anyone could Amazon Two Day ship me toilet paper, milk, Woolite or Drano, I would be most appreciative:).
November 5, 2013
Update in Warp Speed
Well, after my awesome Venezuelan vacation, I've kept myself busy. The weekend after the trip, Jackie and I threw a joint birthday party for our friends Jason and Colleen. As I said before, birthdays are a big deal around here, and this celebration was no different. Cocktails, fondue, dancing, brunch and pool time were involved and fun was had by all. The following weekend a few of us went to a Halloween party hosted by the French embassy. As to be expected, the drinks were overpriced and the music selection was sub par, but since it was a French party, I didn't set my bar very high to begin with. And truly we had a good time and got the dance floor started once we finished our expensive drinks. On Saturday, Ivan, Colleen and I met up with Ivan's Mom and friend for some salsa and meringue at a rooftop bar in downtown Caracas. The rooftop bars in hotels are very popular here, and they all have their own style, ambiance and a fantastic view. We had a great time dancing and enjoying the atmosphere. I also had the pleasure of spending more time with Ivan's Mom the next morning when she made us and some other family members a delicious brunch. I contributed by introducing the whole family to mimosas, which none of them had heard of before. What's the best way to get in with your significant other's family? Bring alcohol to breakfast. Tracey-1, Being classy-0.
Last week, Ivan took Jason, Walli and I to a wonderful piano concert in a gorgeous music hall in the center of town. The added bonus was that a Peruvian market was taking place before the event, so we got to eat delicious Peruvian food and then see the concert. The concert venue was breathtaking, and the main stage and seating area actually were designed by an artist so that the whole theater was art in place. The music, the venue, the whole thing was just phenomenal. And free. Did I mention free? As I understand it, the government makes up for its terrible infrastructure and shortages in milk, gas, oil, coffee, toilet paper and basic services with providing world class free music and art events. Who needs basic necessities when you have art? Right? Ah socialism.
Anyways, last week I also went to my first Caracas baseball game. The Caracas Leones were playing the Magallanes, their big rivals. The whole thing was an absolute blast. We were shuttled into the game by riot police, and once we got into the bleachers, it was like a party. Vendors were selling taquinos and popcorn and cheap beer as people crowded in on top of each other trying to get seats. Every time anything good happened....like, a strike or someone hit the ball, the crowd would erupt. People all had these loud kazoo-like horns that they would blow and everyone would throw whatever they were drinking in the air or generally at the people in front of them. Since basically everyone was drinking beer, that meant that the entire game we were pretty much taking a beer shower. But the crowd was having so much fun and people were just enjoying themselves so much, you just join in rather than getting mad. It was definitely the best baseball game I have ever been to, even though the Leones lost miserably, so the actual baseball wasn't so good. I will definitely be checking out more games in the future!
Finally, last week I visited Colonia Tovar. Go ahead, look it up! Because I am going to have to go to bed now and save that story for another day. It was just a neat little adventure, I can't wait to write about it! So until then, my friends!
Adventure Vacation: The Concluding Chapter
Guys, this is really embarrassing. I am so behind in my blogging, simply because I cannot tell an efficient story. And now, due to my extreme verboseness, I am going to have to severely abbreviate my life over the last three weeks. Which is tragic, because I have done so much! As I tell the kids: todo es terrible. Everything is terrible. But we will persevere.
So, let's finish off the vacation first. After Angel Falls we flew on another six seater to Uruyen, a small village constructed in the Pemon style that serves as a small camp for tourists. It is nestled on a river at the base of the Tepuy, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and a vast savanna. It was breathtaking. And imagine our shock to find we were the only ones there! We had the camp to ourselves, and the BEST tour guide, Arturo, a Pemon guide who we later nicknamed Sneaky Arturo because he always had little surprises up he sleeve. Arturo took us to see and swim in a beautiful waterfall, and the next day, we hiked 12 kilometers to our next camp, Kavac. On the way, Arturo had us visit a few Pemon homes, including one village. Kavac was a slightly larder tourist camp, with an even more lovely view of the Tepuy, mountains, savanna etc. We were all in constant amazement of how every place we went was more and more beautiful than the last. At Kavac, they had beer at the lodge, which put Gordon in a better mood, and in the two days we spent there, we visited two more waterfalls. One was in a cavern that we had to swim to and I swear, if I could live in Kavac and swim to that waterfall every day of my life, I would die a happier and healthier person. It was just incredible.
To maintain brevity, we'll move on to our jungle adventure on the Orinoco river, which lies in the northwest corner of the country near Trinidad and Tobago. So we took another six seater, spent the night in Ciudad Bolivar and then the next morning took a three hour car ride. At the end of the ride, we found that the mountains were behind us and we were squarely in the jungle. We got dropped off, loaded on a boat and fifteen minutes later we were in a camp that was built literally on top of the Orinoco river. The Orinoco is the continent's third largest river and we were separated from this river by one layer of two-by-fours. But that didn't seem to bother any of us because there were dogs, cats, a myriad of birds and beer at the camp. Beer for Gordon, cats for me, dogs for Jackie and birds for Walli. All was well in the world. We took an evening boat ride and saw a stunning sunset over the river. While we were enjoying the sunset, we were also joined by a family of adorable children, who just paddled their canoes up to our boat and hung out with us for a while. I have to admit, they were more interested in Gordon's phone than anything else, but it was definitely fun to interact with them. After we returned to the camp and Jackie and I got into our mosquito net covered beds, I have to admit I was terrified. There was nothing but mosquito net separating me from anacondas and crocodiles and bugs of all sizes and weird jungle creatures of the night. Just as I was lamenting to Jackie about my fears, another unexpected concern came forth quite violently and without warning: an earthquake. A 6.5 Richter scale earthquake. While we were suspended over the continent's third largest river by one layer of two by fours. When it was over, I took two sleeping pills and told Jackie I was ready to go home. She agreed.
The next morning, I caught some piranhas while using my expert fishing skills, and then we took off to the airport. The flight was remarkably on time and uneventful, and we were greeted by a smiling Ivan at the airport- the best end to a great trip I could think of.
All in all, this trip was one of the best experiences of my life. It was my first real vacation that I paid for by myself, and it was unlike anything I have ever done before. And whats more, I really got to know my new country, and that was very meaningful to me. Now, I just can't wait to share all of this with you, friends and family! Get excited! :)
So, let's finish off the vacation first. After Angel Falls we flew on another six seater to Uruyen, a small village constructed in the Pemon style that serves as a small camp for tourists. It is nestled on a river at the base of the Tepuy, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and a vast savanna. It was breathtaking. And imagine our shock to find we were the only ones there! We had the camp to ourselves, and the BEST tour guide, Arturo, a Pemon guide who we later nicknamed Sneaky Arturo because he always had little surprises up he sleeve. Arturo took us to see and swim in a beautiful waterfall, and the next day, we hiked 12 kilometers to our next camp, Kavac. On the way, Arturo had us visit a few Pemon homes, including one village. Kavac was a slightly larder tourist camp, with an even more lovely view of the Tepuy, mountains, savanna etc. We were all in constant amazement of how every place we went was more and more beautiful than the last. At Kavac, they had beer at the lodge, which put Gordon in a better mood, and in the two days we spent there, we visited two more waterfalls. One was in a cavern that we had to swim to and I swear, if I could live in Kavac and swim to that waterfall every day of my life, I would die a happier and healthier person. It was just incredible.
To maintain brevity, we'll move on to our jungle adventure on the Orinoco river, which lies in the northwest corner of the country near Trinidad and Tobago. So we took another six seater, spent the night in Ciudad Bolivar and then the next morning took a three hour car ride. At the end of the ride, we found that the mountains were behind us and we were squarely in the jungle. We got dropped off, loaded on a boat and fifteen minutes later we were in a camp that was built literally on top of the Orinoco river. The Orinoco is the continent's third largest river and we were separated from this river by one layer of two-by-fours. But that didn't seem to bother any of us because there were dogs, cats, a myriad of birds and beer at the camp. Beer for Gordon, cats for me, dogs for Jackie and birds for Walli. All was well in the world. We took an evening boat ride and saw a stunning sunset over the river. While we were enjoying the sunset, we were also joined by a family of adorable children, who just paddled their canoes up to our boat and hung out with us for a while. I have to admit, they were more interested in Gordon's phone than anything else, but it was definitely fun to interact with them. After we returned to the camp and Jackie and I got into our mosquito net covered beds, I have to admit I was terrified. There was nothing but mosquito net separating me from anacondas and crocodiles and bugs of all sizes and weird jungle creatures of the night. Just as I was lamenting to Jackie about my fears, another unexpected concern came forth quite violently and without warning: an earthquake. A 6.5 Richter scale earthquake. While we were suspended over the continent's third largest river by one layer of two by fours. When it was over, I took two sleeping pills and told Jackie I was ready to go home. She agreed.
The next morning, I caught some piranhas while using my expert fishing skills, and then we took off to the airport. The flight was remarkably on time and uneventful, and we were greeted by a smiling Ivan at the airport- the best end to a great trip I could think of.
All in all, this trip was one of the best experiences of my life. It was my first real vacation that I paid for by myself, and it was unlike anything I have ever done before. And whats more, I really got to know my new country, and that was very meaningful to me. Now, I just can't wait to share all of this with you, friends and family! Get excited! :)
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