Lessons learned on the road…Volume Uno…
1. When travelling with limited underpants, the following manoeuvres are permitted:
• Continuation – the continued wearing of a pair of semi-clean undies, after for example, a shower or swim, if the undies have been worn for less than 16 continuous hours
• Double-dipping – a last ditch option, whereby you select the least soiled pair of underwear from the laundry bag and re-wear. Cannot be combined with Continuation.
• Inside-out – much controversy surrounds this dangerous manoeuvre, whereby a worn pair of skivvies are turned inside-out and re-worn. Generally, this manoeuvre is considered covert and not publicly disclosed.
• Commando –can either be a desperation move, or one justified by chosen attire (surf shorts, bathing suits, man-pris, etc.). When skilfully applied, this manoeuvre can significantly extend the length between visits to the ‘lavanderia’.
2. The size of the crap you’re carrying expands to 120% of the space you have in your pack, requiring that you strap objects (e.g. pineapples – true story) to the outside of your bag. And no matter how much you think your boyfriend loves you, he will not, under any circumstances, carry your pack for you, nor will he put any of your shoes or makeup in his bag. No matter how much you whine.
3. Don’t flush toilet paper down the toilet. Bad things will happen. Trust us.
4. The size of a bug does not correspond in any way, to the size of the bite it will leave behind, or to the amount of itchiness it will cause.
5. You can never see too many monkeys.
6. Yes, you can be allergic to the sun. This is most unfortunate when you are 3 weeks into a 46 week sun-filled trip. Pictures of Mel’s welts to follow.
7. The best time to spot wildlife is when you are without your camera. The harder you look, the less chance you have of finding it. Thus, no pictures of Titi monkeys. Best strategy: beer in one hand, standing alone in a parking lot, without your glasses.
8. The price of any given food item bears no relation to its quality. $3 casado better than $17 casado; $1 beer better than $10 cocktail.
9. Budgets are easy to meet when they are moving targets that contract or expand depending on how badly you need that massage or $4 diet coke from the mini bar.
10. Spending 24 hours a day together, every day, can be a challenge. But for formerly very social people, we’ve made a fairly smooth transition to being a Party of 2.
Tags: Costa Rica, Lessons Learned, Travel
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