The Adventures of Blake and Bridget

We’re officially tired of Prescott. It’s April 14 and it’s snowing. Cold. 40 degree high. We’re just not made for this type of environment. We are moving back to Mississippi at the end of this month, driving back the cars with whatever we can stuff in them. We’ve been selling all our things, though, and we’re down to the last couple big items. We wanted to have a final yard sale this weekend, but, alas, the snow. One last kick toward the door.

But at least we want to go through the door. On the other side is family and friends, and the next step to accomplishing our goal of getting to Nicaragua. The month of May will be spent in Mississippi, visiting. We also want to go to the Mark Twain NF in Missouri, backpack around the Ozark foothills in a special space made of memories. But, moving on:

We were accepted to work the Ropes Course at a Kids’ Summer camp in the Adirondacks. We’ll be there June through mid-August, so we’ll be able to beat most of that Mississippi heat. I can’t wait for this next step, the good moments and the bad. It’ll be a growing experience for everyone involved.

We are going to take the megabus to camp, stopping in Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, NYC, and Albany. We’ll spend a few days in Chicago and NYC, as we have friends to visit and places to explore.

On the way back from the camp we’ll stop in NYC again, Boston, Washington DC, then back to Memphis.
After that it’s only a matter of time before we’re ready to jettison for Nicaragua.

So, before we leave, we’ve been accomplishing those last few things:
We went to Fossil Creek one last time, got to swim. Epically beautiful as always. Our friend and her dog made the trip extra enjoyable. I fell and roughed myself up a little bit, but I swear that magical blue water has healing properties. I’ll miss that place.
A little while back we also went to Sedona with said friend and dog. Crossed the Devil’s Bridge and looked out at the red rocks. Another incredible place that I’m glad I experienced.
Now we’re off to Antelope Canyon, Marble Canyon, and hopefully Zion. The weather here is so unpredictable and right now it’s just plain cold. Marble Canyon is the only place that’s going to be bearable at night. We’ll make it work, whatever happens.

Until then, we’re packing up, I’m learning to drive the stick shift (and getting the hang of it), and mentally preparing ourselves.

Here’s to us taking steps, and making the best of whatever comes next.

So, planning for the Nicaragua trip is 99.9% complete. Now it’s just figuring out what to do beforehand to make some extra cash. We listed all sorts of crap on Craigslist and Amazon: hopefully some will sell. It’s finally yard sale season, so we’ll be getting rid of things left and right.

We have both been applying for different jobs in the area, though I have not been as successful. I still have my odd jobs, though. The best part is that I can maintain my webediting job, even in Nicaragua. We have also begun the application process in a lot of camps across the US. We could tutor ceramics, rock climbing, hiking, whatever. Hopefully we’ll be able to find a place that can accomodate us both.

All in all, the goal is to be in Nicaragua by December, if not before. We are going to leave Prescott by May 01. Hopefully, as stated before, we will be heading to work at a camp, where not only will we be getting paid good money, have free room and board, but we’ll be helping others. Can’t beat that.

If not, our options are limited. We COULD keep living here in Prescott, but the job scene is not so good. We COULD go door to door and essentially beg for a job, which I have done many times before, but we don’t want to. So we won’t. We COULD move back to OB and live there for a little while, and we’d definitely find work there. But OB sucks. We would never go back there if our families weren’t there. Regardless, we won’t stay long.

Best case scenario: We work at a kids camp from May to August or September, then go back to OB for a month to visit family, then jet off to Central America.

Wish us luck.

It is mid January. Blake and I live in Prescott, AZ. We like it here, but we don’t want to be here forever. It’s too cold during the winter, though it’s very nice in the summer. People in this town are very thoughtful, creative, and compassionate. On the underside, there is still a great deal of ignorance.
Many people in Prescott are racist, or at least incredibly prejudiced. There are only white people in this town, smattered with the occasional hispanic family. I have only seen about 10 black people here. This is unacceptable to me.
At least in Memphis there was greater diversity. Sadly, the racism was even more pronounced: many people being direct descendents of slaves and slave owners. Despite both sides being stubborn and hateful, I was able to learn from these opposite cultures. Both were foreign to me, a child raised in the middle of nowhere on 40 acres of woodland by California-born parents.
Here in Prescott, the primary culture is cowboy. Cowboys, who run out anyone different: Native Americans, Hispanics, and African Americans. Come to think of it the only Asian people I have seen in Prescott work at Asian restaurants (but most of the people that work at Asian restaurants are hispanic, strange but true).
I guess kindness and generosity applies only to whites.

We have recently decided that we are going to go to Nicaragua for an indeterminable amount of time. I have been researching extensively, and have come up with an incredibly detailed 20 page itinerary. This schedule, of course, will change once we get down there, but the routes and places will still be applicable. Here is a fast and incredibly rough version of the plan:
Megabus from Memphis to Atlanta. Fly from Atlanta to Managua. Explore the Northern Pacific side, and climb a couple volcanoes. Ferry to Ometepe Island and climb a couple more while gawking at petroglyphs. Boat down the Rio San Juan, making side trips to indigenous villages in the Indio-Maiz Reserve, eventually floating to the Caribbean. Go to San Juan del Sur and the Southern Pacific. Travel the Managua-El Rama road by bus, then take a ferry down the river to Bluefields. Spend a significant amount of time on the Corn Islands. Travel by cargo ship to Puerto Cabezas (Bilwi). Take a trip to Pearl Lagoon and learn from the indigenous people there. Bus to the mining triangle, and explore the Bosawas Reserve. Meander back toward Managua, taking side trips to las isletas in Lago Nicaragua.
We will backpack the entire time, tent-camping and staying in hostels. By the end of our backpacking journey (which will take months), I hope we’ll have a clear understanding of the country as a whole. If we don’t, we’ll go anywhere we missed.
You may be wondering why we’ve chosen Nicaragua. You may think Nicaragua is dangerous: it’s not. It’s the safest country in Central America. WAY safer than Memphis, TN.
After the revolution, people have rebuilt, and continue to do so. They are progressing, instead of regressing. Faced with the brutality and tyranny of the Contras led by the US government, they retaliated… and won. Indigenous culture is still central to Nica life instead of capitalism and consumerism. I wish the same could be said about the United States.
The nature in Nicaragua seems untouched, yet it is littered with awe inspiring Pre-Colombian ruins, a constant reminder of the country’s vivid history. There are rainforests, volcanoes, lagoons, mountains, cloud forests, waterfalls, and beaches to explore, not to mention the massive freshwater lake Nicaragua.
The cost of living in Nicaragua is, to me, unbelievably inexpensive. The rent for a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom house containing all the luxuries we deem necessities (hot water, fridge, washer-dryer, stove, bathtub, etc.) will run you about $300 a month. Hotels run the gamut, but you can find nice places for $10 a night. Public Buses from town to town are rarely more than a dollar. Museum entrance is typically $2. Fresh food from the market, pennies. Even furniture, cigars, and gold are sold at extremely low prices.
Possibly the most important reason we are going to Nicaragua is that many people are in need, whereas we are not. The poverty level is outstanding. Many people live on less than $2 a day. Malnourishment is high in some areas. We want to spend our time helping others. To volunteer in the local communities, building and teaching. Learning from experienced craftsmen, fishermen, and guides. We will spend money in local businesses, hopefully deterring such evils as WalMart and high-rise resorts. We want to go to Nicaragua to experience the culture, but most importantly, to help protect it.

For excellent information about Nicaragua:
www.vianica.com