menos de dos semanas

"If you look like your passport photo, you're too ill to travel."
~ Will Kommen

At the party in Brooklyn friday night, I discovered that about 50% of the attendees had been to Peru at one time or another. It seems to be a popular destination. Which disappoints me a little. I'd rather be off the beaten path. But perhaps I just run with a rather Latin Americanist crowd.

What did give me a bit of pleasure though, was their shock at both my length of stay and choice to go alone. In many ways, I wish I had a companion. It would make me less nervous, more confident, perhaps even more excited. I keep thinking about the rez and how it was the people rather than the place that was so special. But at the same time, I think this is something I have to do alone. I will learn more, gain more, and do more. I'm doing it the right way, I think.

Some very old travel journal I once had listed a quote on the top of a page, which I tore out, and recently re-discovered. It said something like "When looking for travel companions, i often forget what a good friend i have in myself."

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I misplaced my watch about a week ago. It made me very nervous to travel. It is my traveling watch, which I've had since I went to Austria at 15. Well, after a week of fretting, last night I found that it had fallen into one of my shoes. It is back on my wrist and i'm very relieved.

My mother is coming for a visit tomorrow. Its sort of the last hurrah before I leave. The clock is ticking. I'm ready (even if my Spanish is not).