Puerto Vallarta

Oasis Hostel is where we will sleep tonight, tomorrow is a mystery. Here in the comforts of free internet and a kitchen with running water and four, yes, four burners of goodness, bunk beds, and say it ain't so--showers! Yeah, but... no open air, no barking dogs or squawking birds, no free range peeing.

There is a larger more dominant part of me that loves the adventure, the thrill of not knowing where we will sleep, the engine heat of passing semi trucks, the sideways looks of village folks, gypsy charm of constant vagrancy, and the protective layer of sweat and dirt that builds up on my body. But there is the smaller less dominant part of me that loves community, routine, a kitchen. There is that other part of me that looks out and sees my friends and family in the faces of strangers, in different nationalities and with different stories.

I think of you all when I am having the time of my life.

A story from the road:
Language barriers can be frustrating and dammit how I wish I could just communicate with all these generous helpful folks. And also, Leah goes to buy cheese. Quardro sounds a lot like quatra, quardo means 1/4 and quarta means 'how much.' The store owner lady keeps asking how much Leah wants, Leah says, "Quardro." Fine, "Medio." The lady nods and cuts a slice of cheese that weighs 1/2 kilogram. Leah pays for the cheese and is a little distraught, but the sun is setting and soon it will be dark. Later, when we are trying to eat the medio kilo cheese with beans and tortillas, we realize that the cheese is Parmesan.

I write more the next time I see "Internet" painted on the side of a cement building. That is to say, most of the buildings are cement and most of the signage is painted on the buildings.