Shananagans

Well, I have arrived in Guatemala! After much debate, I decided to take my chances and not put Jake in a box, but rather just wheel on up to the airline counter. There was a lot of chaos at the airport. A LOT. But then, really, flight was delayed anyway due to mechanical error, so the fact that I was personally escorted all through the airport with men talking on walkie talkies and doing hand-offs of me, well, this was just a sideshow! My stars were not in alignment.

The lack of box, I have decided is not ENTIRELY my fault, you see, I extended my stay a bit in Tena in order to take part in this kayaking/biking/running race (relay...guess which leg i did). This cut down on available time. But then also, you will remember that my box was pretty smahsed in before. And then I left it at a hostel anyway for my return, but during some construction they moved it and it got a bit wet, and I just didn't want Jake to suffer more injury.

Roommate James already discussed with me a bit regarding my "shannanigans," if you will. More like a disucssion and lot of incredulous head shaking. But really, I thought about it and decided that if you consider the fact that he featured my less-than-mechanically perfect skills on HIS blog, and in fact, claims I even heated up the whole house with my mechanical endevours and considereing that Ecuador is already hot enough, I really was doing everyone a favor. That is how I think of it. His account of me preparing Jake for the journey is at http://hambonestyle.blogspot.com/2005/10/ecuador-guatemala-for-meg.html

Though, to my defense, the only grunting occured when i was trying to undo screws that, notably, i did not install. Furthermore, two guys also tried and could not get them undone, despite making their faces very red. Only THEN did James think he would bring out a different tool with more leverage. And the 6 hours included a trip or two to the store.

Jake is here, however. Alive and Kicking. Just wanted to make sure none of you were worried. And you should check out James' blog regardless, I usually find it pretty entertaining. -- Without talking to each other about it, we both started one on the same day.