The most adventurous thing you could do in Europe was eat leftovers that hadn't been in the fridge. "Eeek. It's been left at room temperature for almost 7 hours! Is it still safe to eat?" This ridiculous sentiment had spiraled out of control, given that in Cambodia I had watched Sander adjust the classic '5 second' rule, to a '30-seconds-that-also-applied-to-drinks-and-yogourt-if-you-could-slurp-them-off-the-table' rule. The development of unprecedented health concerns aside, Europe was a veritable vacation. Everyone spoke English, getting lost was an impossibility, there were bread products on every corner, and I didn't have to pee standing up. (I did anyway, just for fun). I did love it though: relaxed and art-snoot, often simultaneously. Thanks to the thick rimmed 'Ray Bon' glasses I bought in Indonesia and my obsessive quest for great nap spots, I fit right in.
The biggest problem, though, was doing it all on a budget. Budapest was the first European city that struck the bankroll digits in red. The reintroduction of fashion, after 6 months in the same smelly clothes, had been a tempting option ... but then again, so was food. The ever present aroma of gourmet Euro-cooking, after 6 months of rice, was another tempting option ... but then again, so was coffee. Thus, priorities were established: we were to be underdressed but exceptionally awake backpackers. The lazy days rolled by, and the nights blurred together in a technicolor metropolitan haze. It was an escape from the hurried madness; a return to a romantic normalcy.
... But who likes more than a week or two of that?! Take me back to the scorching chaos where every task is an adventure. If there's no risk of being killed, contracting a virus, or spontaneous human combustion I don't want to go. Take me to India! And here we sit, back in the middle of exhaust pumping rickshaws, mind-bending street markets, and urban whirlwinds of satisfied looking birds of prey. I intend to be stomach sick before the week is up, and won't regret my undisciplined consumption of delicious street snacks for an instant. And, I'm exponentially more likely to be run down by a herd of holy cows, than a redneck in an SUV.
It's nice to be back.
So glad to hear you made it safe! Hope you got some swag on the flight down!
ReplyDeleteAs Darren and I sit here planning Oktoberfest, we have decided it won't be nearly as fun as it should be without you guys here. And hell, who's gonna ATTEMPT to teach us how to play the bean game again!? Seriously, I don't get it!
Good luck in your adventures, and I look forward to reading about them soon.
Miss you already!
K&D
ps, Darren wants to remind you about the "Blurberry" LOL