(#tbt) Travellin' Fool

I hadn't actually written anything about it yet, although I'd planned many a blog in my head, but there was serious talk amongst Alex, my dad and myself about taking a three generation trip abroad come June - a 2+ week camino in Spain. The pilgrimage has more or less been on my Bucket List since learning about my dad's experiences, and I thought it would make for an interesting family adventure. My motivation, really, was creating this great narrative to tell the Bean over the years, something she could attach to and feel connected to my side of the family. Although we'd put some planning into action, it turns out I don't have the vacation time and can't get approved for unpaid leave through my job at the VA. Upon first hearing this, I was tremendously disappointed. I feel like I haven't done anything "cool" in several years, and Francie is getting to an age where we can actually do cool things again. But alas, right on the heels of my disappointment was inordinate relief. One less thing on my plate. No worries about the air travel. No worries about how to get the Bean to sit in her stroller for several hours each day. No worries about getting registered for that Kaiser anxiety class in time for the trip. No worries about how to make time for planning for the trip details and training for the actual walking. One less thing to worry about. Phew. But, it does mean that anything "cool" on our horizon this summer will likely take place within the confines of our own fine state. Which got me all hot and bothered with nostalgia for the cool travels I have already completed. I first got bit by the travel bug when I studied abroad in Ireland my junior year of college. From there I got to see some of Scotland, England, France, and Italy, where my travels were cut short due to my inability to maintain any semblance of an immune system while overseas. This was only my first foray into international hospitals and navigating public healthcare in foreign languages. I didn't have a digital camera at this time, so my photos are tucked away in a box somewhere waiting for me to scan them in. I did, however, get a digital camera just in time for a trip to Costa Rica, and have been taking too many pictures ever since ...

Stac and I went to Costa Rica in 2005 for about 3-4 weeks. We were hot and sticky, but went ziplining, surfed, rode horses and 4-wheelers, and got eaten alive by mosquitoes.

After CR, I went to Belize for a couple weeks, traveling some by myself, then meeting up with Kathleen in the Caribbean seas on Caye Caulker where we got sunburnt, took boat rides, crocodile hunted via golf cart, and swam with sharks and eels.

The next Spring offseason, in 2006, I met Lauren in Brazil. More sunburn, crowded beaches with amazingly toned and tanned bods, long bus rides, and an amazing waterfall, leaving us both with more wanderlust for our South American neighbor.

While working for the Sierra Sun newspaper, I had an opportunity to fly on a very small plane to the southern end of Baja to write a story about some Truckee locals and their trip to a small Mexican town to provide medical services. Did I mention I'm afraid to fly?

In 2007 Alex and I were off on our big Argentina adventure. We started in Buenos Aires, taking intensive Spanish classes and getting a feel for the city life.

And then I had my first visit of this trip to the hospital. I was diagnosed with "small pox," to later find out I was one of the few individuals to get chicken pox for a second time in life. So we had to quarantine in a hotel room. And my face looked like this. "Tengo picaduras, pero NO HAY MOSQUITOES!" was a popular refrain before getting an accurate diagnosis.

And then my chicken pox looks like this. All before popping. Gross is right.

Once I was better, we headed to Patagonia, where there were beautiful sights for days.

And later, on the other side of the country, I spotted my first penguin.

We made quick trips to both Uruguay and Chile, and this photo of our younger selves was taken at my favorite beach, Papudo. Before coming down with the second major illness of our trip. Did I mention I hate being sick, let alone sick abroad??

Although we won't be gracing Spain with the Closeman presence anytime soon after all, I'm happy to have had some adventures abroad under my belt before embarking on this parenting thing. And I'm always happy to take a trip down Memory Lane, during the times when I can't take any actual trips overseas. Here's hoping that this summer brings a few local adventures, like camping in the Willowas, or roadtripping to BC, or maybe just walking to the park with our pigtailed toddling tot.