I don't know if I'll make it home tonight, but I know I can swim under the Fijian moon (Nadi, Fiji)
Bula all!Pearl of wisdom: Life has a way of working itself out.
Of course, I'd known this pre-travel, and would repeat it endlessly to students in the midst of teenage angst. Serendipity is my credo, and has been my one guiding force as I bounce around in this pinball game of life. Things work themselves out. Little did I know I would be practicing what I preached so soon during my travels, though.
After Colorado, my journey started out as a test of patience and sanity. I walked through the LA airport, on the phone with my dad, tears streaming down my face, as others walked on, glancing at me with detached pity. Day 1 and they'd already lost my backpack. My BACKPACK--containing everything I needed for a year of life on the road. I should have figured this would happen--I always pack extra underwear just in case, but that morning I had decided not to. So there I was, without even a spare set of underwear, no shampoo, no soap, nothing. I was tired and scared, and already wondering what the hell I was doing. Fortunately, my calm side persevered and prevailed. I made fast friends on the plane, and by the time I had filed a lost luggage report in Fiji, I was a member of the fearless foursome and had people offering me clothes, shampoo, deodorant, money, whatever I needed.
And guess what? My bag showed up the next morning. Life works itself out, sometimes you just might need to push it along a bit. Particularly when you're dealing with United.
It's been an amazing week, full of bonfires on the beach, snorkeling in waters that teach me what blue is supposed to look like--well, at least I think they do, until I dive under and see the beautiful blue Fijian starfish-- climbing enormous sand dunes that make you feel you're in the Sahara, meeting chiefs wearing skirts and western t-shirts, riding busses with the locals, buying fresh fruit at the market in Nadi town that made up our dinner, and, of course, drinking kava, which was not so amazing as it made me throw up and gave me a migraine the next day. All the while I've been haning out with my new friends. The cast of characters:
Gemma, my guardian angel, who offered me the shirt off her back 10 minutes after I met her, a podiatrist from Birmingham, England, also spending a year on her own.
Phil, who we've nicknamed Gadget thanks to his assortment of, well, gadgets, along with random encyclopediac knowledge, a university student from Canada, spending 4 months in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia.
Fredrik, a Swede, who just spent the past few months driving across the States in an '88 Cadillac without a license plate. He got pulled over 10 times, but only got truly harassed in Texas (of course) after sleeping on some redneck's property. He left his Cadillac parked on the street on the upper west side of New York.
It's been an amazing week, and I have lots more to tell, about Colorado and Fiji, but only have minute left on this computer. I will fill in more tomorrow, from Auckland.
I love and miss you all!!!
posted by La Rizz @ 11:47 PM
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