7.20.04: I met a man from Sudan on the bus ride home to Albuquerque from Oklahoma. When I told him I was going to Tanzania, among other places, he drew me this map and taught me some Swahili. He said, "You'll never want to leave Africa." I said, "That's great, because I don't have a ticket out." And he said, "What?!"
7.29.04: Received my India visa earlier this week. Took longer than expected because I accidentally mentioned my short-term volunteer work. The visa for that takes 6 to 8 months. I had to fax them a letter assuring my status as a tourist. Despite a misspelling of my name on the package (Romerantz) everything looked good in the passport.

             Maybe my judgment's slipping from all the new microorganisms in my body. Vaccinations to date:

             1. Yellow fever
             2. Tetanus
             3. Polio (Different from the children's vaccination.)
             4. Oral typhoid
             5. Hepatits A

All in the past month or so. Can't say that I've noticed any side effects. But I probably won't say the same of my malaria medications:

            Lariam (mefloquine) - vertigo, nausea, anxiety, headaches, muscular aches, depression, sleep disturbances, vivid dreams, nightmares, hallucinations, overt psychosis, epileptic seizures, irregular heartbeat, convulsions, cognitive difficulties, visual disturbances, fatigue, tinnitus, confusion, and suicide

Okay. I'm considering not taking this one. Getting malaria sounds like a better deal. Although, on the other hand, I could get in on a decent class-action lawsuit when I get back to the states.

             Doxycycline - sun sensitivity, nausea, stomach pain, vaginal yeast infection

Still doesn't sound so great. Oh well. Maybe I will just try on the malaria for size.
back to page one

world trip

published works

not yet published works
8.02.04: Well, I can't believe I have less than two weeks left as a New Mexico resident. Here's a general itinerary of what I'll be doing in the future...all subject to change, of course.

Late August - Arrive in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mid-September - Arrive in Bangalore, India. Volunteer work arranged through Volunteers For Peace until early October. After that, general travel around India or perhaps some farm work through Willing Workers on Organic Farms.
November - Volunteer work in Nepal, near the Chitwan National Park.
Mid-January - Arrive in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Volunteer work arranged through STAESA from February until April in either Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, or South Africa.

That's all I've got so far. I'm thinking of going to South and then Central America from South Africa. Word on the street is that a flight into Brazil from South Africa isn't much of a problem. I've gotten several suggestions to go to Chile, so I might do so, and then I think I might go to Guatemala to learn Spanish. But this part of the trip is a little nebulous as of yet...
8.04.04: In the first of what will most likely be a long line of screw-ups, I realized (while I was posting my itinerary to this site, actually) that I had booked my flight to Bangalore for the wrong day and my volunteer work in India began on the 13th, not on the 17th, upon which I had made my travel plans, so my flight would place me there a day too late. What are the odds of being able to hitchhike through Myanmar and Bangladesh in two weeks?
But as soon as I emailed my travel agent, she changed the flight to the 11th of September. No problem. I was amazed. And no charge, either.

Then I decided never to worry about anything ever again.

And, in a moment of clarity, I did not get my Lariam prescription filled, opting out of both brain damage and the lawsuit.
My last week in New Mexico...
8.06.04: My exceptional co-workers at the Institute for Public Policy got me some useful going-away presents, including some magical blood-stopping powder in case I sustain a major wound.
             Luckily, I read several books on survival, including how to survive kidnappings (don't get in the car) and shootings (duck), so I doubt I'll ever need to use it, but this way my survival is extra assured.
I booked a hostel in Bangkok for my first night there, because I get in so late. There's a 7-11 and a McDonald's right down the street. Stupid global capitalism.

8.10.04: Returned from a great trip to northern New Mexico. Mary and Miles took me on a death hike to the top of Mt. Wheeler, the highest peak in the state at 13,181 feet. I learned that at high altitudes, I become somewhat hysterical and marmots scare the hell out of me. Don't know that I'll make it up Everest.
             Also, I milked a goat.
             I returned home to find that for some reason the post office had stopped sending my mail and fruit flies were taking over my home. It's like New Mexico is kicking me out.

8.14.04: Well, New Mexicans, you sure didn't make it easy to leave. I'll miss you terribly. Anything less than a world trip and I never would have made it out of the state.
              And when I was waiting in a lengthy security line at the Albuquerque Sunport roughly ten minutes before my flight's departure, if I hadn't followed the lead of some woman on the same flight who started cutting in front of everybody else, I never would have made it out of the state.
Mary tames a goat...
So Miles and I can practice our synchronized milking.
The east coast...
Come for the famous buildings...stay for the giant typewriter eraser...
8.18.04: I had fun with my Aunt Mabel this weekend in Washington, DC. When we went to church on Sunday, she announced that I had graduated college and was heading out to travel around the world, and everyone applauded. I could get used to that kind of positive reinforcement all the time, rooms full of people clapping for you just for doing what you want.
              Among other places, I visited some of the Smithsonian museums, the Washington monument, the Lincoln memorial, and the White House, where I took these pictures.  And then on to the giant typewriter eraser, which is my personal favorite.
              I've been at home since yesterday. I'm going to start documenting the place for anthropological purposes, so when future generations dig up my web site they can try to decipher the weirdness that is New Jersey. I wish you were here as an eyewitness. I swear, when I get back to the states, I'm going to start giving tours of this place.
              Oh, and after the punishment of carrying my worldly possessions on my back for several days, I realized the necessity of further downsizing.                
              I leave a week from tomorrow.
An account of my time in the tri-state area:
8.18.04 to 8.26.04
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1