A New Year... and Other Daily Shenanigans

With the arrival of the New Year (See New Year´s photo above), Jansa and I have fondly waved goodbye to our travel lives of 2008. Farewell $1.00 lunches and thatched roof huts. Bon voyage Inca influence and bathrooms that make the little league outhouse look like the jacuzzi suite at the Playboy Mansion. Goodbye $3.00 rooms and Quechua charm.

At the same time, we are learning to embrace what is new here in Argentina. Hola modernization and conquistadors. Although I have kept this blog free from superficial gibberish, let me give a Montaner HOOOOWDDDY to the chicas de Argentina (The sexy Latina sass and a full set of teeth are welcomed qualities). And of course, news that shocked the world, welcome Nick Foley as the new addition to the ramblin´ duo (Starting Jan. 8th, he will undoubtedly add some spice to our married life).

There is the new and the old, but some things will never change. The following are day-to-day snippets from our travel lives.

Aji --> It means hot sauce, salsa, and all things picante! While I find aji to be an essential nectar for all food across South America, Jansa cannot so much as think about it without breaking into a sweat. Note: It can have negative effects. Consume with caution. Not all aji is born equal.

Overnight Bus --> It is a noble method of travel, but can be a gamble. Rule #1 . . . Don´t get sick. Rule #2 . . . Avoid sitting by the bathroom. Rule #3 . . . Always bring headphones or earplugs. Rule #4 . . . Bring a variety of snacks and water (Oreos and Sublime). Note: If you like pirated action films dubbed in Spanish and set to full blast, then the overnight bus is perfect for you (We just completed the round robin: Bruce Willis, Jean Claude Van Damm, Steven Segal, and Chuck Norris). Also, in South America the horn has replaced the need for brakes. More horn, less brakes (Rule #5 should be . . . . learn to pray the ¨Our Father¨).

Sloth and Stallion --> Referring to Jansa´s agonizing slow pace in life. ¨Si madruga, Dios le ayuda,¨ is a great Spanish saying that Jansa has not taken a liking to. It means, if you wake early, God will help you. He prefers, ¨Diez horas para dormir cada noche y muchas siestas de gato.¨ This one means, ten hours of sleep per night and many cat naps.

Beer --> One of the 6 food groups and an essential element for conversational Spanish. Ecuador had one primary brewski available, while Peru could offer three in most places, all of which tasted exactly the same. I even challenge the Marcus Duffys of the world to a taste test. Argentina seems to have a wider selection (maybe 5). We have even found a dark beer (something besides a pilsner). Note: The bottles have gotten progressively bigger as we have moved south. This gradual change has been deceptive and has resulted in a morning headache or two.

Jansa sidenote: If Cory is going to attack my laid back lifestyle then it should be only fair that I get a rebutal. If I am going to be dubbed a sloth then I think it should be made clear that Cory cannot be a self-proclaimed stallion... I think an overly anxious chicken with his head cut off will suffice. Just look at this picture... Its 9am and we have a fresh cup of tea and breakfast coming our way amidst the stunning terrace views of Huraza, Peru. Yet, Cory is somehow managing to stress himself out (again the picture speaks for itself) over not knowing enough Spanish or about all the things he has on his to do list (he has a new one everyday) when in actuality we don´t have a thing to do all day but catch a bus that night. If that name doesn´t work we can also go with my personal favorite, Sprintasaurus Rex. There is no other adequate way to describe this man´s inability to walk at nothing short of a sprinter´s pace (watch your back Ussain Bolt)everywhere we go.

All that being said, Cory and I seem to balance each other out perfectly. And despite our friendly bickering we are the happiest traveling duo known to South America and I am forever grateful for his companionship.