Despite some blurry photos, I have great memories of this first visit to Buenos Aires.
Lovely people, full of life and enjoyment of the arts. Very supportive of community events.
The acoustics at Teatro Colon were incredible. Such full sound in a fairly intimate setting.
Considering how hard Argentina's economy has been hit, found an unexpected combination
of laid back vibes alongside care for the elderly and homeless.
Back from latest adventure -- unfortunately with another injury. This time it is the right forefoot as I rolled over my toes trying to get up on a surf board too quickly during my lesson. But, my new surf board will be arriving next week, so I'm not quitting. Need to do more shoulder girdle training in anticipation of the next lesson opportunity.
D got into it too after witnessing a surf competition. Was my first time too and wow, did the long boarders impress me! I love seeing the power of the short boarders but the style of the long boarders won me over.
Just did my post trip covid test and am negative. With each journey, I am getting more and more used to all the extra steps and checks. It's ok. Am grateful to be able to get out there again, doing what I can to stay well during and making it back without too much drama or incident.
Starting to get a bit too comfortable with flying business or first class though -- a dangerous thing as this phase is temporary. There will come a day where I won't be travelling enough to earn upgrade certificates and I know I won't be willing to pay for those class of seats unless there is an incredible sale.
At 24 days, this was also my longest time away ever. And it felt fine, normal even, which was surprising. Would have been ok staying on longer, despite being injured. That's the plan next year, only the longer part... Also need to sort out some discipline with respect to eating as I gained weight even with daily activity.
Am a trip behind in posting so the next post of photos will have nothing to do with water.
There are extra steps I'm taking for me to feel more OK with travelling internationally right now. I've been asked a number of times about my preparation for all the "what ifs" that can occur; so here is a base list:
Snapshots from Robben Island, Langa Township and the District Six Museum.
I would recommend visiting the District Six Museum before
heading to Langa Township.
My trip to Cape Town was a long time coming. Part of plans for many years; the last attempt about four years ago, during a time when the city was counting down to day zero, when usable water was to run out. To not add to the burden, I cancelled.
There has been permanent water restrictions since as their reservoir is building back up from a historic drought. It was in the 70% range full when I was there.
I loved my time there and have added the city to my "return each year" list. Stayed a couple of blocks from the ocean in Sea Point and joined the many people on the seaside promenade getting their daily exercise. The scenary was breathtaking and the sheer number of active people, inspiring. I easily clocked 15 - 20 km a day.
What I didn't realize was their reliance on coal for electricity. Load shedding was the worst ever this year. After about 9 days, I started to feel irritation in my nose and throat, similar to what I had experienced in Bangkok and Kampala previously due to pollution.
Otherwise, the high standard of living (for some), the quality of the food, service, is in sharp contrast to the weak underlying infrastructure. Should the day come when sustainable solutions to water and power are found, that city would be unstoppable. Just follow their Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis (and the City of Cape) on Twitter and you'll see what I mean. Him and his team are simply doing an incredible job.
Snapshots from Cape Town, South Africa. I took so many. It's impossible to capture all the beautiful moments that an ocean displays. Learned quickly that it was better just to take it in.
Thoughts to come. Wanted to start with some visuals.
Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians near and far!
As I reflect on being Canadian;
our environmental stance, our universal healthcare and how we are perceived around the world;
I also consider what it means to be a Female Canadian and what rights it fortunately comes with.
I think of all the countries I have been to and how Covid shed light on the very real inequalities that existed long before.
So many are worse off because of it, some for political reasons, some due to natural disasters and global warming -- Hong Kong, Palestine, Indonesia, Australia, Myanmar, Brazil, India, USA, Ukraine...to name just a few. What will it take for them to recover and will it even be possible?
If I lose hope now, living in a priviledged country, how functional would I be, if I actually had to manage some of the devastating realities that exist right now in so many other locales?
A solid reminder to myself to please remember to regain some perspective after each emotional upheaval. All this access to news; real or ridiculous, isn't free -- It takes a huge mental toll.
Grateful to have the comfort, space and freedom to be able to reflect.
And to never take for granted, the incredible ability to escape to other places when I want to.
“It strikes me that the most important aspect of cultivating a crisis mindset is the subtlest one — the ability to retain a strong connection to the sublime, to life beyond mere survival and claustrophobic intersubjectivity, in whatever stolen moments you can find against the general backdrop of never-ending crisis.”
Maybe it because of covid, dealing with loss, getting older or being shooken up from all the falls; I am feeling more sentimental than usual. Ski season ending, groups dissolving, never to be repeated in the same way ever again. Am clinging to the daily routines and don't want it to end. This resistence to change is likely part of my effort to self soothe.
Good thing I've been dwelling in self soothing as I had my first mammogram yesterday and holy crap did it hurt -- Still sore the morning after! A trainee worked with me plus I needed a few extra shots. Many fingers crossed that I won't need to be called back by the radiologist for more of that joy.
Also managed to fail a recent health screening test, so now am signed up for an additional procedure. Had my telephone consult and date now set. Hard not to wonder if the relatively carefree life as I knew it will come back again.
Am not letting all this stop me from taking steps forward. Have trips booked. Ordered more protective gear for snowboarding next season. My shoulder is slowly starting to come round. Pelvis is sorting itself out. Dr on the mountain told me to give it another 2 weeks and am currently where I should be at the 1 1/2 week mark. He's good. Still hoping to avoid physio but if I need a consult I'll do it. Paddling season is starting and I don't want to miss out.
He was also trying to convince me to come out of retirement to help him part time during the ski season. Not likely to happen but I can see the role I could play and it would make his ability to provide timely care much easier. Hope he'll attract a suitable candidate for next season.
In the spirit of continually learning new things, I decided to take up snowboarding. I had been warned and advised to take precautions as it is a steep learning curve. Armed with padded impact shorts and wrist guards (could have used padded top and knee pads) I went for it when D finally found me an instructor.
Have had 5 lessons and have come to a full stop this week due to a couple of injuries, one to the shoulder and the other to the pelvis closest to the tailbone. Got to meet the Doctor on the ski hill and am glad to hear that I had been doing the right things but "maybe you have had enough snowboarding for the season...".
I was planning on 3 more lessons next week but will snowshoe and ski instead -- both I can still do with minimal discomfort. The season is ending and we are flying home next weekend anyways. Feel such relief from going through with the consult. I'm not one to complain but unfortunately know enough about about injuries to know what I was experiencing was more than just a couple of bruises.
My bigger concern was the prospect of long term disability from these injuries, which shouldn't be the case. Physio was recommended for 4 - 6 weeks should things not resolve in another two. I'm actually going to consult him again for a skiing knee issue before I leave since I had such a good experience.
Someone once told me that the warranty on the body expires at 50... I'm definitely feeling that to be the case...
I've gotten overloaded and overwhelmed with everything that is going on with the world. A response team from the organization I've been involved with is on the ground in Moldova to help. Like many others, I've been donating money and medical supplies. And to think a mere month ago I was excitedly looking at enjoying spring in Europe.
Going numb and empty is an emotional defense mechanism for me. I need time for my system to reset before engaging again. Those running away from war don't have this luxury. I can only imagine the level of attack on their nervous sytem if I'm finding it difficult just reading and seeing the news.
On some level I can't believe this is happening. It does feel like we as a species is on a one-way course to completely destroy everything we know to be true and right. So many people are acting like they have lost their minds. Makes me want to run away, to try and rationalize life, if that is even possible right now.
At this point, I'm wondering if life as we knew it will actually come back. Forget supersede. Just to almost neutral. Neutral is mighty appealing right now. Those large emotional and too eventful swings have taken such a toll. Will we even be able to crawl up from this massive hole we are in?
It has been a while since I've felt such despair. I won't allow myself to dwell too long in the dark as I feel the best thing we can all do is continue to do and emanate good. Add some joy into the world and allow that energy to clean up and brighten the skies again.
It's a rest day today...That's what I said yesterday until I was lured out by a warm blue bird day and the prospect of a food truck selling fish and chips at the bottom of a ski run. So I braved the crowd, got in line and ate lunch in the sunshine on a snow bank. Glorious.
D said that I was adapting well to this "ski bum" lifestyle and I think I would agree. It's been real healthy to live in a beautiful fresh air environment where I'm drawn to spending my days outside doing whatever activity comes to mind. Getting slimmer and fitter is a gradual byproduct.
Part of the challenge with getting used to being here and having a full time active lifestyle has to do with meals. At home, I don't eat breakfast and fast until almost noon.
It has been a transition, making sure I now eat a proper meal first thing to have enough fuel to go out for a few hours in the cold. A vegan protein bar and half a banana hasn't cut it. I've had to organize my cooking to have things on the ready.
My energy and recovery suffered until I realized I needed more calories. My ferritin level has dipped below 50 again so I need to be extra mindful.
Another area I'm working on are gear upgrades. Skiing is not a high output activity for me so I need windproof and increased insulation or else I freeze on the chairlift and while skiing. I'm wearing 3 layers plus jacket along with 2 layers of tights under ski pants, plus mitts or gore gloves. It's ridiculous.
Whereas I can go out on the same minus 17C day without windchill with just a breathable shell and 1 heavier gauge merino layer, single layer tights plus wool insulating skirt on extra cold days, go snowshoeing for a couple of hours and have to take off my hat, neck warmer and gloves because I'm sweating. They are completely opposite activities for me. It's going to take more time to dial in the gear changes.
It's another bright and sunny day today but even when it isn't, the moodiness of a grey day is still beautiful.
Am waiting with bated breath, to see whether my flight will get cancelled last minute like so many others have been since Christmas. I had no idea the sector would blow up like that when I flew back east. Had my share of delays (6 hrs out and 2 hrs back) but it never crossed my mind that manpower was quickly to become severely limited.
D's flights back out west got cancelled and changed 4 times. He bailed on the trip as he had planned to work remote, had meetings scheduled and did not want to contend with the uncertainty. He has since rescheduled for end of Feb in hopes this current covid wave finds itself on a downturn by then.
I'm still committed to going back out and settling in for a couple of months. Am willing to wade through the vortex that is domestic travel right now. It is overwhelming the extent of moving parts that make up an airline, much less an airport. All the different lives impacted, their health and individual stories rippling out, all of our actions intersecting.
I relinquish control. I know what flights I would likely get move to and their seat availability for the following days. I've taken pictures of my luggage contents should I need to file a claim. I'm carrying all must have items. May the stars align well enough to allow me to move through relatively unscathed.
Unlike the way in November when I was trying to force my way through to a destination. Just banging my head against one regulation after another, followed by hoop after hoop. All those emails sent inquiring about where I would get sent should I test positive before my flight home.
Were tourists sent to mass public facilies in community centers and would I get the boot from the hotel I would be staying in? Would my new covid insurance cover me if I found to be a close contact of someone on a plane or shuttle and sent to isolate for 10 days even if I'm symptom free?
Signing up for various online private lab accounts to faciliate booking a PCR test. Asking them what happens when they discover you test positive. Writing to Consulates to see if they had a plan to recommend -- No for Argentina...And all those contact tracing apps!
The best replies with the best plans came from Greece (really impressed me), Cape Town health authority office -- Literally 5 days before Omicron imploded the world and Singapore (website only -- emails were quite delayed and surprising irritating and not very helpful). Thailand continues to make changes seemingly every week.
I feel like I've got a handle on most of the EU requirements and processes. Central and South America procedures remain hazy. Got replies to emails from Lima but not confident their system is robust enough to handle negative outcomes.
Am not willing to just show up somewhere right now without knowing whether you'll have any say in where you are taken, how you will be treated and whether your insurance will have any rights to insist differently on your behalf.
