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 Too Easy!Back to A Turning PointBy Daniel Lins - 2009-05-31
Too Easy! I woke up this morning in a nice, soft bed, with a full stomach, in a climate-controlled house, and had the distinct feeling that this trip is getting too easy. We’ve come a long way from the windswept barrenness of the Pampas, the freezing rain of Patagonia, and the terrible washboard roads of the Carreterra Austral. We know ourselves now. And we know each other. We know Who provides for us. And we’ve gotten comfortable in this groove. We’ve learned what works best for us: individual tents, food, and budgets: freedom. We’ve learned about each other so much that we can predict each other’s moods, and steer clear in the rough times. We’ve learned how to love each other, and it makes conflicts smoother. Don’t get me wrong… we still have conflicts, like any relationship. But we’ve become experts in resolution. We’ve gotten used to this Chile. The culture is so similar to that which we left: the United States, that we barely feel like foreigners. We even use Chilean slang that makes Ecuadorians and Argentinians crinkle their noses. We all have a better handle on the language, so that each new conversation is less of a challenge to overcome, and more of actual communication. And the people are as open and generous as a Southern Santa Clause. Cycling is easy, too. The roads are pavement and the winds are gone. We are accustomed to sleeping outside. Our legs are pedaling MACHINES. We are Adventure Cyclists. But a part of me gets restless when things get too comfortable. Those that know me can maybe understand. I’m wondering if we’re getting soft. I hope this is just a phase. When I look back and see what we’ve come through, how much we’ve grown, it makes sense that it would be easier now. We’ve been in Chile for almost four months. We’re used to it, like after you’ve been in a new job for months, you stop having that wide-eyed wonder… drinking everything from the fire hydrant. When we pass to Bolivia, things will get tougher. But for now, I’m learning to enjoy the "tranquilo." 
Peanut GalleryGrowthLepingBird 2009-06-01 15:45:23 UTC
Hi~ You guys have grown so much! I have loved reading your blog and sometimes feel I am actual there with you. I don’t think that this part of your journey is ‘Too Easy’ I think instead you have just come out of a growth spurt. Just like a child when they start to grow they are clumsy, they fall and trip over the slightest thing and then they settle into their new growth. So think of this as settling into your new growth, but be aware! You might get clumsy again! Peace, Barb Plummer |
