To Funkytown and Back

I got a tattoo two years ago. It's the word "be" written in lowercase letters in my handwriting on the inside of my wrist. The idea is that it is the simplest form of existing. It's there to remind me that wherever I am, whatever I'm doing, however I'm feeling is exactly as it should be. It's a reminder not to worry too much about what happened yesterday or what's going to happen tomorrow. The most important thing it represents for me is to truly live in every moment. Because this moment is the only one I have.

I was in a bit of a funk my first day here for reasons I can't explain or make sense of, and I was mentally struggling. Every day on the road will not be perfect. Even though I'm in the most beautiful places in the world, living life my way, I'm still going to struggle sometimes. Sometimes so many intense experiences gets overwhelming and my mind starts working overtime. I start to panic about my life. And while most of the time I am able to live it and go with the flow, sometimes I let my overthinking mind run away. It's these such moments when I'm supposed to look down at my wrist, see that word, calm down and be reminded that I don't need to figure it all out right now.  But sometimes I forget, and that's when I'm most thankful for the people in my life who know me best and can bring me back down to earth. Thanks to Bianca for doing that over gchat this week. I took a deep breath, got my head out of my ass, and went to the beach to enjoy myself.

In other news, I was once told I was a really good sleeper. This hypothesis was tested and proven when I slept approximately 22 hours of my 28-hour bus ride this week. Full cama seats are boss.

I still struggle with the 24-hour way of telling time. I thought our bus arrived at 11:40pm on Wednesday, and was pleasantly surprised when we got to Bariloche 4 hours early. Turns out I was wrong. 19:40 is 7:40. Bus was right on time.

I have abandoned looking up every word I don't understand in 100 Years of Solitude. If I keep doing that it's going to take me 100 years to read the book. I am actually understanding and enjoying it without my dictionary.

Today I went hiking, taking the road less traveled. I'm not saying that to be cute. I climbed up the steep hills to the lookout, and sort of lost the trail on the way back down leading me to literally walk/run/slide straight down the side of the mountain. I got down almost three times faster than it took me to climb up.

lake

new friend Rob sitting in the only free spot on the bus, the windshield

family steak dinner at the hostel

view from my hike today...perfection

dirty shoes

watching the sunset

my very scratched pov

sunset on the water