Returning home from Patagonia was a bit surreal. It was difficult to wrap my head around what I had just experienced during the past six weeks, combined with the loss of a loved one at home, and rounded out with the preparation needed for another six-week departure. I really wanted time to just absorb the magic of Patagonia and how fortunate I felt for getting to be there, experiencing the life of a nomadic researcher. I had plenty of good intentions on getting this blog started, but of course as it were, life had other plans for me. Instead I spent as much time with my family and friends as I could, I managed to secure a great apartment in Queen Anne, Seattle with one of my best friends, and I definitely ate! I didn't mention in my Patagonia post that food was merely a fuel source to keep our bodies going for the frequent 10-hour a days with 60+ pounds on our backs. To say the diet lacked in tasty composition is putting it mildly. We cooked with MSR stoves which yielded daily meals of boiled vegetebles (mostly onions, carrots and cucumber things called zapatitos) and either pasta or rice. Sounds okay but trust me, it wears on the taste buds and appetite! I'll include a picture of our newly honed MSR cooking skills to give you an idea.
So, many visits and a few pounds heavier, I began to feel like I was home again. With the help of my family (thank you!) I was able to get all moved in to our new place and get settled before leaving again. One of my best friends also gave me the greatest honor in asking me to be maid of honor in her wedding, so planning became a priority too. We were able to go get her wedding dress, veil, and my bridesmaid dress picked out too which was an amazing feat in one day.
As the next departure neared, I slowly packed and prepared for a place I've only dreamed of one day seeing, smelling, hearing and experiencing; Africa. Just the word itself invites notions of a world full of dark mystery and primitive survival. I was more than exited, I was bewildered at the opportunity. I'd be living in the middle of nowhere in an unforgiving land where animals outnumber people in dizzying proportions. It was exactly what I was looking for and as far as I could tell, I was ready.