Hangin' with Granny

It's been a busy January and I have a few minutes here in Corozal to blog a little. I though that posting some excerpts from a few emails from me to Lisa might help illuminate these pictures. Something different:

31 Dec 2007 20:49
	subject			I made it
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi Lisa,

I made it to Tucson and I'm in the hostel.

Very lonely, though it does seem to be a good set up.

Hope you get this at SFO, and everything is going smoothly.

I'm heading out now to look like i've got friends.

Love you so much.

Happy New Year,

BEN

1 Jan 2008 11:44
	subject			Re: Happy New Year!
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Happy New Years mum and dad,

here in Tucson I chose to lay low in the hostel, playing cards with a
few others. Most went out to barrrrrrrs but I wasn't that keen.

Hope all is on track for Lisa's arrival,

I'm a bit lost as for what to do now. No Lisa this morning for the
first time in over six months.

Speak later,

BEN

1 Jan 2008 15:38
	subject			Re: Hayes:
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi Hayes,

NYC was exciting, we were lucky enough to have accommodation leaving us to have a pretty relaxed and relatively budget stay for the week we were there.

I'm now in Tucson Arizona spending my first day without Lisa in over six months. I'm watching the flight status page as she flies into Sydney this morning. She's visiting her sister to help deliver our first niece/nephew and attend a wedding. We'll meet again on the 21st. I haven't felt this lonely in a long time, if ever...

Ever been to Mexico? I'm right on the border and plan to go and have a look around for the next two weeks, i'll spend the last week with my Granny - she's currently in Iowa with another daughter. The hostel here has no tips about where to stop next in Mex and few of the guests seem to cross the border beyond Nogales. If Lisa was here, we'd have a plan...

Hope the tribe is well and you're enjoying all the getogethers of the season, as well as warm weather.

BEN

1 Jan 2008 16:28
	subject			Waiting
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi Lisa,

i've borrowed a laptop from one of my bunkmates. It's a six berth men's room with the three tops empty. Chris is the young pro cyclist who loaned me the computer, he's training here in the good weather away from his home in Seattle, the other is a middle aged ex heavy weight boxer from Texas who is as scary as he sounds, he's been giving me tips on how I can double my punching power. He speaks very slowly and stares at me after every sentence.

I'm in a cafe with wifi and i've enjoyed a burger and chicken soup. I spent last night with those who didn't want to hit the barrrrrrs. I've had little waves of sadness, missing you like I didn't think was possible. I even had this strange feeling of disorientation this morning when you weren't there.

I've just seen that your flight arrived, I hope it all went well and that your welcoming party is as planned.

I've written the Romania blog and have started another page called "Lisa meets the Family"

I've been in this diner for about three hours now so I better get a move on. There doesn't seem to be any sort of hostel trail south of here. The first is apparently a two day bus ride which I don't want. What to do? I'm at a bit of a loss without you. I've been content with just your company for so long.

Miss you much, love and kisses,

BEN

2 Jan 2008 23:54
	subject			Any word?
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hiya Baby,

any progress with Anne?

Hope all is well there.

I've had a quiet day at the library and a 99c spicy chicken burger at Carls Jr. for dinner.

I think I have a plan:

I want to get to the Copper Canyon Railroad in Central Mexico, so I'm
heading to El paso in Texas tomorrow by bus and try my luck for a room
(hostel world says they're full, so I'll call in the morning)

The following day i'll get the bus to Chihuahua (like the little dog!)
and stay for a few days before getting on the train. After that it's
a bit of a blur, but I should have a better feel for the place by
then.

I'm keeping Anne in my thoughts, hope it's all good.

Love you, miss you,

BEN

3 Jan 2008 22:09
	subject			Howwwwwdy
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi there Cowgirl,

Thanks for the photos, everyone looks happy. I put the details about today on the general email...

All's well, I'm excited about the train ride, I don't know how I'll go in Mexico, should be OK, I do miss having you as my sounding board - and me as yours!

I sat next to a bloke about our age who slept for the full 6 hours, I did miss you by my side. Missy Higgins playing as the sun set...

Off to bed know, Leanne would laugh - it's a room with bed, four walls, a sink and a simple dining chair for me to sit and stare at the wall from.

Hope you're looking after our niece,

Love and goodnight kisses,

Uncle Ben

And after four days I finally got out the camera, in Chihuahua Mexico:

5 Jan 2008 21:48
	subject			Re:
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi there gorgeous,

I'm in Chihuahua still, I'll head to Creel manyana and stay for a few days. I had the company of Masashi (much like Masato) for the day. He has a tourist card and hung around as we went to the tourist office, the HSBC bank where we can get a tourist card Mon-Fri but not today Sat we found out - after about five hours trying to find out all this.

Maybe there is an HSBC in Creel, nobody here knows. W^'ll see. I do plan to be in th ecountry for more than 72hrs, but nobody knows, it's all a bit loose but i did give myself a headache today...

We^'ve been joined by another Brit and the three of us were just the toast of the local cantina. One local insisted on buying us a round of beers, but they ended up on our bill any how, three beers and a feast for about 8USD each - mariachi band included.

Jeremy, the Brit, asked me whether it was hard to be without you, having been traveling together for so long. I had to hold it together because the answer is a big phat yes. I miss you incredibly and can't wait to hug you again.

Anyhooz, better go, there is a movie starting and my time here is just about up, hope you're well and busy.

Love you,

BEN

7 Jan 2008 17:39
	subject			Re: everyone is mad!
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hola,

How was our house? How was it to be in our house? Did Leo cook for you?

Can you believe that today is one week since I said goodbye to you at PHX?? I looked at the photo you sent of the sisters at the hospital for a while, you are gorgeous. Ingrid looks like she is happy to have your company. Might you have her sleep over in Ashfield when Leo goes to Jp.?

Horseriding was a killer, I might send a photo if I have a chance. Tell Ingrid I´ve been out with the cowboys in the Copper Canyon in Mexico, because I have. My horse Ïmposter¨ was not ready to give me control to easily and we galloped at full pace across a few fields. On two occasions she did a bit of a buck at full pace but I held on. There was no disclaimer or waiver to sign, nor any warnings or training. Just a horse, a whole lot of riding (3hrs) and a quiet cowboy guide. Being with the four other backpacker blokes was good, we were all dealing with the pain of having our seats pounded by these evil animals.

Are you ready to hit the backpacker trail again or are you going to stay in Aus forever now?

All the fellas here are heading south, except the Swiss guy, but he´s heading NW rather than NE to Tucson. I´m sure there´ll be some more company along the way somewhere.

Love you, miss you, would love you to walk in the door right now.

BEN

9 Jan 2008 22:32
	subject			Re: Where are you?
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hi there gorgeous,

I´ve been on buses for about 11hrs today, the ride was meant to be 4.5hr. We got stopped at military checkpoints four times. They checked my passport but no question about the tourist card. I should make it to the border tomorrow, we´ll see.

I´ve been on a train yesterday through the Copper Canyon and then a night in El Fuerte with the Belgian cyclist and one of the geezers. Almost all I´ve met are long-term and are heading south into Central America and beyond.

I miss you much, I´ll try to get skype going at Granny´s so we can talk. have you got an account set up at mum´s?

I´m glad you´re doing some shifts, you´re amazing, funding my holiday - eating tostadas and drinking cervaza every night! I´m worried about returning to ´life´too, but don´t think about it too much, you´ll be on a beach on the Yucatan peninsula soon enough, or maybe the Caribbean¿ your choice. Another reason I´m returning to Granny´s is because now I´m friendless again, It´s a waste of money sitting in restaurants by myself. I missed you on the train through the canyon, I love that we´ve shared so much and miss doing it at present.

My bum is still sore from the voluntary horse riding, it was nice being a cowboy for a few hours though, maybe I can talk to Rod about my life as a cowboy?

Wish me luck, my hotel is a dive, about $21, near the bus though.

7hrs to Nogales, the border crossing, 1.5hrs to Tucson then who knows how I´ll get to Granny´s, about 45min in a car going direct. I think there´s a bus about halfway, maybe they have a shopping shuttle¿¿ So maybe it´ll take me two days.

Love you, miss you,

BEN

10 Jan 2008 22:03
	subject			Re: can you call me?
	mailed-by			gmail.com

Hiya,

OK, I'm just back and staying in the hostel in Tucson - another 11hrs on buses, 2.5hrs at the US border. BTW, I got through the Mexican border, the bus didn't stop there!

I went downtown and found only one computer in one cafe, in use before
and after I had dinner. My waitress told me about the same computer
when i asked her if there was an internet cafe in town. She also
mentioned the library, but it's almost 9pm... I tried. Granny should
have a PC.

Did I mention I got through Mexico without paying the tourist fee or
tourist fee fine? It did worry me, I know you know that. Thanks for
reading up about it for me.

You woud have been proud of me last night. After writing to you,
eating and getting the $200 note for the room - she didn't have change
for my wad of 500s - I went back to the hotel and the price had gone
up to $250. I stood my ground, she wanted the fifty extra for the TV,
this went back and forth in Spanish. She called one of the drunken
truck drivers from the car park. He helped translate what I already
understood. It went back and forth again with me keeping my cool, he
got a bit embarrased because he could see I wasn't an idiot or
American and knew she was trying to rip me off. After about 20min, he
translated "Is the 200 alright?" I smiled, said Gracias, Buonos Noches
and left. Bastards. The room was the worst place we've ever
stayed, I couldn't sleep until 2 then got up at 6, walked to the
station at dawn and got the 730 bus... I should have stayed up in
Creel for another night or two - If I knew then what I know now...

That's all the drama in my life. Mickey "Rapid Fire" Pryor, the big
Texan boxer is still here. As is Bill, the truckie staying here to be
near his kids (living with his ex-wife) and Dick, about Dad's age and
says annoying things a lot, a bit like tall Rob... They were all glad
to see me, in their own special way.

Tomorrow I'll head to Granny's. She called me here at the hostel,
returning my call, even though I didn't leave the number - techno
Granny! She says she has so many projects for us to do
together. I'll be there for a few hours less
than seven days!

Miss you, looking forward to about a week and a half (we've passed halfway!)

Love you,

BEN

* I've got a bus to catch now to Belize City, so I'll get back to this cutting, pasting and editing later. BEN

Lisa Meets the Family

We arrived in NYC late in the evening and cabbed it to my cousin Becky's apartment on the Upper East Side. The three of us got comfortable in her studio looking out over the NY skyline including the Empire State Building. We were bombarded by the sensory overload after the bleakness of Bucharest. Travel here was so much easier than anywhere in the past six months - everything is over-signposted and there seems to be some level of over employment through the use of staff in any given establishment (calling me sirrrr) to guide me through every step of every operation. But where is the love after the tip has been paid?

Despite working, Becky made quite an effort to show us round and politely listen to our stories! She took us out to a fine Mexican restaurant on the first night together, not far from Grand Central Station. We had kept only to her block during the day. Dining at a diner for breakfast - pancake stacks and bottomless coffee cups, and had a shop around. Jet lag was a bit of an issue so we had a nana nap before getting out there again.

We set out the next morning, walking through Central Park and down 5th Ave, stopping in too many of the big name stores.

FAO Schwarz, the famous toy store, kept us entertained for a while, as did the underground flagship Apple store under the giant glass cube. I had planned the whole day around getting to Tiffany's to get Lisa's Christmas present. We got inside, had a browse, but I simply was not happy with the quality of the service we were given so we went with plan B, where I took Lisa to Target in Brooklyn a few days later where we bought each other some cut-price underwear.


Becky arranged tickets to a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, I arranged some hot dogs when we arrived. The Knicks won and we cheered along with the home crowd and met Paul, her boyfriend, who invited us all back to his apartment with an even higher view of the skyline.


Our view at the Knicks game. If you squint a little, you can see Woody Allen in the front row. Spike Lee was there as well. There was a great range of entertainment between quarters and during time outs. I particularly enjoyed the marching bands who marched on, played for under a minute and kept marching off. They filled the stadium with sound and energy.

Later that night we saw the NYPD on patrol - this is about midnight. Sirens and horns made up the main background soundtrack to our stay here.

I added NYC to my list of 'haircuts around the world'. This guy was efficient if a little stand-offish. He was a bit confused about where Australia is and wanted to know what language we speak there. Across the street is a Thrift Shop, next door is a Piano Bar, Veterinarians and doggy daycare centres seemed to be over represented. I really enjoyed just walking these streets, exploring the excitedly concentrated metropolis.

The two of us made it over to ground zero, currently a construction site. It does have crowds visiting it though, including a long line to join the tours.

Off to Times Square where the crowds never dwindle.

And tickets to Les Miserables. A superb performance and special night out for us on Broadway. There didn't seem to be too many other unemployed people there.

Bettendorf, Iowa was our next stop. Christmas with my Uncle Nathan, Aunty Laurie, Erik, Amy and Granny. It was a change of pace from NYC and we both enjoyed the domestic comforts of a big family home, with a lovely family for a few days. We ate well, slept soundly and attended a beautiful Christmas Eve service where my cousin Amy sang in a very impressive choir. Lisa here with my cousin Erik.

Granny on Chrismas Day. Each of us had a few gifts to open and be thankful for. Lisa and I have a couple of new special bits and pieces for our house now. After living with so little for so long (by choice), it was special to give and receive so freely.

The Family decided they would join us for our second Christmas in Minnesota so we embarked upon an intergenerational road-trip crossing into Mum's home state within five hours. Granny got to celebrate with her younger brother and sister, something that hadn't been done for a while, and I had dinner with cousins I hadn't seen for 20yrs. Great Aunty Frieda cooked up an amazing feast which must have taken a long time, others added to the spread with their own specialities. It was definitely winter food for a well-confirmed white Christmas. The photo above is 'big American' breakfast the morning after - I was so busy the night before that I hadn't got the camera out, though plenty of other flashes were going off.

Lisa looking out the window to the lake at Uncle Cal's. All the cousins had walked out on the lake the night before, thick with snow and seemingly thick with ice. I chose not to jump up and down like some of the locals. The temperatures were going nowhere above zero, though the sun shone for the entire time we visited.

With our hosts, Cal and Frieda. The locals appreciated Lisa having shovelled the path and driveway the night before. I watched from behind a steamed window.

On our way to Minneapolis Laurie took us on a detour through both Arlington, to visit Granny's sister Fayetta and then through Glencoe, where my mum grew up. This is the Brewery building where the family lived for years and held their mink farming business before building a beautiful family home across the road. All their old land has been subdivided now and there is quite a community of fancy houses and golf course.

We were accompanied by Amy, Laurie and Granny into Minneapolis where they treated us to a suite at the Hilton! We visited the Mall of America where Laurie insisted we ride the roller coaster. Granny joined us and chatted away as the carriages were flung left, right, up and down to just within their tolerances. Granny loved it. I'm not sure how many Grannies get on that ride.

Early the next morning we flew to Phoenix, Arizona. Met by my Aunty Peg and Uncle Fred, we relished the warmer weather - much closer to our comfort zone. I found myself in a peculiar situation. Lisa totally lost her voice and I was thrust into the position of primary conversationalist. Lisa continued to sit forward and motion to say something but no sound would come out. It reinforced my knowledge of what a great listener I am. Fortunately, a few good meals and plenty of fine wine soothed Lisa's larynx back into working order and I could resume my place in the shadows. Lisa is pictured with (American) Chinese take away in boxes - something on her '100 things to do before I die' list.

The Listener, here in the kitchen with Fred, Becky, Molly, boyfriend Jarrod and Peg. Below, Lisa looking down over the valley where we had Chinese the night before.

New Year's Eve arrived and it was time for Lisa to embark on her cheap flight home to Sydney for three weeks to take care of some business. We wished each other Happy New Year (2pm) at the security gates and I waved as she faded into the crowd. I took a local bus to the Greyhound terminal and boarded a coach headed south for Tucson. It was the first time we had done nearly anything separately since June 25. I watched planes taking off as we headed onto the highway. Looking out the window I patted the empty seat next to me, holding down the lump in my throat as her iPod playlist gave me some virtual company. 21 days to go.