Jessica's page
****Bonjour every one, I guess I won't be needing French on this trip huh? Well, I'm on my way down to Belize, In a bus with 9 people and 2 dogs. Wow, I was quite impressed with the comfort of an old school bus, with the name of Greg. This is going to sound strange, but I feel like I have turned into my parents. They are usually the relaxed, travelers, while I'm the one who is almost always up tight about something or another. I'm quite proud of myself in jumping on this bus for an amazing adventure that will be full of "un-planned" adventures. The people are warm and friendly but sarcastic like almost all of my friends so it's pretty perfect in personalities for the moment, we will see how everyone is with each other in another month or so, but I'm quite positive in everyone's ability to respect the comfort zones of each other . Currently we are on our way to El Paso Arizona to find a rest stop to well, rest of course and then wake up for the long haul across the border. I'm really curious in how the Mexican dudes are going to search us. I've never really considered in driving across Mexico, but now, I'm all for the experience. My mood is a little edgy of course, I'm a little nervous, but I'm sure that every thing will be under control. I'm learning that you can't always have everything under control in a big adventure like this one. I'm learning to be open to everything. What else, I'm hopefully getting over a congestion cold, which i think I either picked up from being stressed out or from the fricken typhoid shot that was a little bastard to my arm. I hate shots. As far as anyone that I know on this bus, Erica, my best friend for 10 years I think, Kristin, who as i can say is another one of my best friends, and Kyle, who I have known through Erica. The other i'm getting to know and they are all great individuals. I'm sure that they will grow on me the more I get to know them. Until next time good night from the rest stop in Arizona***Tuesday December 3rd.****
****Hola, Como estas? Me llamo Jessica. Donde Esta La Banno? Whatever, I'm in Mexico and I don't know a damn thing other than the words that I wrote here..Huh. This will be really interesting, but I'm loving every minute of it. It's so nice to be in another culture, where everyone is full of curiosity of strangers on their land. .Where am I right now? at a "rest stop" that has no essential bathroom goods like the States has. We are on the toll gate road that is supposed to be a little safer than the average road, so maybe we won't get harassed. Although, I think that it would be interesting to encounter a curious fellow. But, maybe not, I don't know. I'm doing pretty good, I think that the Malaria stuff is kind of making my stomach feel upset. Kyle, Erica and I took the meds on Wednesday at 6:42 to be exact. Now we need to remember that and take it at exactly the same time every week. Yeah! Kyle is sleeping on the top, because of, well, gas! and Erica is just making upsetting faces every now and then. We all know what she's doing on the love couch....hmmmm.. Welcome to the smelly bus..Of course we did just take showers today, by the next couple of days, we won't be smelling a thing...Sleeping arrangements are getting kind of funny. Erica has been demoted off of the cozy bed because, well, being comfortable all the time. I'm not far behind from her, I've slept on the cozy bed all but last night...We are all waiting for the warm weather so we can sleep on top of the bus, but I bet we will all be fighting for the top. So, I guess we will be competing for everything the next month. Bring it on! I saw an amazing sun set over the tip tops of some hills in this Mexican desert. Bright Orange and pink, while I was sitting on top of the bus by my lonesome self. It's nice to spend some time by myself.. I need to, in order to stay happy with nine other people, only child thing I suppose. I was angry that the dudes at the border didn't harass us or anything. It seemed to easy, it left everyone on the bus really confused. No drugs, guns, nothing and then he left. What the hell, I've been stressing myself out for no apparent reason. Ahhh. Always seems to happen to the best of us...Well, I've also been reading up on the Mayan culture and I have to say that I'm going to be in my prime area of enjoyment. I am definitely going to bring home some culture to my parents new house. My house got struck with lightning this summer and we lost every thing from our adventures, so this is one of my goals: to bring back some more Oaxacan rugs and surprises ..Just you wait mom and dad...Au Revoir, amigos!*******Thursday December 6th*******
******Mexican protests and driving...Well, we woke up at the but crack of, well, 7am, but that's early to me. Mace and I were up late last night singing to Abba. yippee. It's been a while since I've listened to them. Then, all of a sudden I sat up and saw a huge truck that looked like he was about to hit our bus..Apparently one of the trucker dudes ran out of oil and he waited for his other trucker dude friend to help him out...Kyle was sleeping on top of the bus and was kind of a scaredy cat of the trucker dude so I heard a loud splatter of pee coming from the sky, well the top of the bus..hmmm. We left early in the morning and drove all fricken day..yes! We paid mucho money for many toll booths and one of them we paid and parked to take a potty break only to find our bus being blocked in with many trucks and cars..Huh, what's going on? Apparently the locals have to pay every time they need to go to school or hospital and it's fricken expensive..So, they have been chatting with the government to get the word of a free toll..I think..But, they received nada, so, the locals all gathered at this particular toll booth and protested, waving ever one by for free. We apparently made it in the local newspaper due to our spectacle on top of the bus..What, a bunch of Americans on top of a bus is a scene, really? Now, we are at another rest stop, but this time, we are parked next to a store and bathrooms, yippee. The weather is getting warmer, kind of. There was sun in the morning, and rain in the afternoon and now at night, I think that it's an over cast or something...I think that we have really crossed the warm border, well, I'm crossing my fingers for that theory. Thought of the day: We are all on this trip together with one thing in mind, to have a great time. No one is thought of as a third wheel, in my world. I love being around each person in Greg. Wow, that might confuse a lot of people, even my self. I've never been the one to put philosophical words together. Whatever, Lets go have another fun filled adventurous day. *****Friday December 7th*****
The week off... I think that this title is appropriate. Lets see,
where to begin. We went to some hot springs in the middle of no where into this
kind of oasis place that we an ideal place to ketch up on showers and
relaxation. Then, our main destination was Palengue, where the Mayan ruins were
and it was an incredible amazing place that totally made me look at our
surroundings in a whole new perspective. We stayed at the last camp site closest
to the ruins, where the howler monkeys made god awful noises that sounded like a
house of horror of some sort. We met a lot of cool
and interesting people at
this place and I call it the Hornings festival hide out part 2. Pretty much like
a hippy fest, and the people were nice to us, but yet talked about us behind our
backs, apparently. I think it was because they had bus envy. Then we left,
picked up a couple from Isreal and a couple from France along the way to the
town of Palenque. It was a pretty mellow day, we were finally on our way to the
ocean or the gulf of Mexico...I slept most of the time but when I saw the ocean,
it was beautiful. Along the way we drove into a couple of down poors that cooled
everything off, even Ericas down sleeping bag amongst other clothes....Not
always a good idea to leave things on top when it's raining and things do not
dry down here.....Other than that, the sunset was beautiful and the weather
cleared up to moist weather. I don't even need to put on lotion and my skin
feels like a babies butt...The bad thing about the moist weather is bugs...I
itch all over my body and I had a freak out session this morning when I couldn't
find my Calamine lotion, but I found it and it made my day much better.
Everybody keeps on laughing at me when I say "looks just like
Corvallis" kidding, but it does have the same valley effect, but it's more
like a jungle out here, maybe, don't ya think? Tomorrow is anothe day filled of
driving, but we are going to check out Merida and Campeche and Merida is the
capital of the Yucatan. The town itself was made for the horse and carriages so
the streets are going to be pretty tight for Greg I suppose, but who knows.******
Saturday December 15th*******
