Abandon Your Life for Adventure

 

 Trying to explain how great it is to have kids to someone that doesn't want them is like trying to explain world travel to someone that doesn't want to leave their home state.

***

 Traveling is expensive. Planes crash--did you know that? Taxi drivers WILL rip you off, airlines might lose your luggage, or better yet, deliver your backpack, ripped in half, spewing contents, back to you in a giant plastic baggie, like that's somehow helpful. 

 You can't bring more than you can carry on your back. The shampoo you've been using for a month has a black pigment in it, and your hair is now gray. Thanks Thailand. That was your last hair tie? Shame. 

Buses are late. They get stuck in the mud. They get held up, and the have even been known to drive off cliffs.

Do you have the shits yet? What about now? Don't drink the water, eat ice cubes, buy juice, smoothies, soda, beer or empanadas. Do you have the shits now? Now?

Hotels have bedbugs. And loud Australians that vomit and fight all night long (sorry Richard, I don't mean you). Traffic starts at 4am. The air in this city is going to coat your lungs, your pack, and every inch of exposed skin in greasy soot.  You'll see it go down the drain when you chance the in-shower hot water heater. Oh, there's no water right now. Sorry.

Call to prayer. 

Call to prayer. 

Call to prayer. 

Call to prayer. 

Call to prayer. 

All these dogs are going to die. Soon. Most of them will be hit by cars. 

Mind the electric wires that hang into the street, sparking with the onset of a monsoon. 

Yes, that is the head of a small animal in your soup. 

What just stung you?

Are those men with Kalashnikovs in the back of that lorry Federali or not?