Wednesday, December 24, 2008

greasearching my trip

i'm actually reading my guidebook in advance of the trip, which is a bit unusual for me. i'm trying to piece together a rough itinerary. i'm not really sure why.

here's a research highlight from today:

the el salvadoran town of suchitoto is considered to be the cultural capital of the country.

famed suchitoto festival #1: smear grease on poles. then try to climb those poles.

famed suchitoto festival #2: smear lard on an agile pig and send him running through town. whoever catches the greasy swine gets to keep it.

cultural capital indeed.

Friday, December 05, 2008

about 5 weeks to go until departure

The map above represents day one of the trip. monday, januaury 12th, i fly into cancun. my goal is to spend NO time there, and instead make a beeline (mexican bee suit simpsons guy image stuck in my head) from the airport to the bus station to find transport to vallalodid. from there i'll probably hit chichen itza the next morning, the famed mayan site. then the rough plan is to meander toward belize, and leave north america behind. mexico is really just a way to ease myself into things...

as the trip progresses, i'll fill in the map. the only other time/place combo i know in advance (to the extent that one can ever know), is Panama City, Panama, April 10th, to catch a plane home.

btw, this map widget it pretty sweet. go ahead, play with it.