Burning hams & street dogs

I’m often asked, “what’s different or the same about each country?” or “which is the best country so far?” A loaded question if ever I heard one but one thing is constant, rock solid, unbending: how time flies.. It’s November already (gulp!) and it’s very confronting when I sit still, contemplating my original goals and what I have/have not accomplished.

It doesn’t matter what you seek to do, life invariably gets in the way and you end up with a notebook filled with.. well lots of ideas, lists, facts and funnies but at the end of the day it’s just pencil lead.. the past and there’s no magic eraser to go back. Sure I could add some colour & trick it up but if you can’t look back and smile at the best and worst of it, you may go mad. Thankfully I’m quite mad anyway and I’ve drifted from my main point: Time flying!

I was so looking forward to Vina del Mar: relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, maybe even a surf but little freckle faced life turned up with his bat & ball and we’re playing a different game again! I got sick: stomach cramps whenever I ate, tiredness and what started as a niggling hamstring pain in one leg is now a constant burning in both. OK, I tried taking it easy for a while but it was pissing me off, so I killed myself at Bikram Yoga Vina on the weekend (doing my best Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimotthanasana btw) and now I’m paying for it!

So 9 days in Vina: we’ve rested much, explored little and yet to take an ocean swim! But I’m still having fun. We rented a room + bath in a massive 9 bedroom house, breakfast & lunch included with a family who caters for students. It’s quite a funny experience and we’re within walking distance to yoga, the beach and just about everything in Vina, plus there’s a film festival – ‘El Festival Internacional de Cine de Vina del Mar’ this month.

But things are about to change as today we even managed to get out of bed at 7am.. whoa, crazy times! Apart from my burning hamstrings (propped up in bed, covered in Voltarin at the mo’) and the roving street dogs at night, I’m loving Vina del Mar. Oh did I mention Veronika had to take a special medical tea for constipation? Hehe I better save this post and log off right about now!

Check out the Vina slide show.