Don't cry for me - I'm going to Argentina!
Where it's sunny and 80 degrees!
The plane takes off in just under 12 hours. This is my first time to the Southern Hemisphere. Aren't you supposed to do something in particular the first time you cross the equator? What is it???
The plan is to fly into Buenos Aires, hang out there for a couple days, and then take a bus to Mendoza, the wine country at the foot of the Andes, where my friend Agustina (Tina) lives. Mendoza is near the base of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere. Though Tina has climbed the peak, the Professor and I will merely ramble around on its base - Shasta was hard enough last summer, and it's around 2000 meters shorter. We'll be trekking on Thanksgiving, so the menu is likely to consist of freeze-dried turkey, with mac-n-cheese as a vegetarian option. But Mendoza is reputedly famous for its food, so don't cry for us.
After a short trek on the mountain, we'll return to Mendoza for Tina's wedding festivities, then take the bus back to BA and fly back via Miami.
***
With all the packing and unpacking I've done in the past year, you'd think I would have it down to a science, today was a typically hectic day of pre-trip preparations.
It went something like this:
last night: Claim that I'll get to the office by 8:30 so I can finish grading the papers I need to hand back at 10.
8:45 Actually leave for campus.
8:50 Get frustrated that I decided to drive for the sake of expedience. Traffic is not expedient. Note to self: cycling is just as quick and way less stressful.
8:55 Look for parking. This is not expedient either.
9:05 Finally get to my office and start grading.
9:10 Office neighbor happens by to discuss good places for buying boots and jackets.
9:18 Return to grading. Realize that I have 24 papers to grade, and 120 papers to sort by section in the 32 minutes before class.
9:49 Grade the final paper, run downstairs to grab the film to show in class, dash across campus to the classroom.
10:10 Start film, take advantage of darkened room to sort papers by section while students watch film.
10:30 Complete sorting papers. phew.
11:00 Return papers. One thing checked off.
11:30 Go to Marmot to get hiking pants, as mine as just about to fall about after wandering all around Bhutan last year. The guy tells me that "it's not really the season" but there's a big sale rack of summer stuff, and I should check there. I find some great hiking pants in my size on sale! Score! Check another thing off the list.
12:10 Realize that I am late for an appointment. Show up, apologize, wait.
12:45 What should have taken 10 minutes has taken 35 because I was late. Return to my office and gobble a microwaved lunch. Assemble travel claim from Chicago conference, so that I'll have money when I get back. Try to assemble long overdue travel claim from summer Bhutan research, and realize I don't know where any of the necessary receipts are.
2:00 Drop off the travel claim, and discover that boarding passes, which I've probably lost, are needed. Maybe I won't have money when I get back.
2:30 Leave campus to buy wedding gift for my Argentinian friend. Realize that there's no way I can meet a friend in SF by 4. Phone to push back our meeting.
3:30 Walk out of Sur La Table with a nice wedding gift and a box. Score again!
3:45 Park at BART, and head to the City to meet a friend visiting from out of town, relieved that I have achieved nearly all my goals of the day... except packing!
7:30 Return home - famished - tired - and ready to pack. Assemble piles on the bed.
9:00 Microwave dinner. Realize piles are too large. Take something out of each of the piles, fit them into the suitcase, along with the wedding gift.
11:00 After numerous last minute additions, the suitcase can still be closed!
11:30 Take out trash and composting, straighten up.
11:50 Drive to the Professor's so that we can take BART to SFO together in the morning, and begin our vacation!
The plane takes off in just under 12 hours. This is my first time to the Southern Hemisphere. Aren't you supposed to do something in particular the first time you cross the equator? What is it???
The plan is to fly into Buenos Aires, hang out there for a couple days, and then take a bus to Mendoza, the wine country at the foot of the Andes, where my friend Agustina (Tina) lives. Mendoza is near the base of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere. Though Tina has climbed the peak, the Professor and I will merely ramble around on its base - Shasta was hard enough last summer, and it's around 2000 meters shorter. We'll be trekking on Thanksgiving, so the menu is likely to consist of freeze-dried turkey, with mac-n-cheese as a vegetarian option. But Mendoza is reputedly famous for its food, so don't cry for us.
After a short trek on the mountain, we'll return to Mendoza for Tina's wedding festivities, then take the bus back to BA and fly back via Miami.
***
With all the packing and unpacking I've done in the past year, you'd think I would have it down to a science, today was a typically hectic day of pre-trip preparations.
It went something like this:
last night: Claim that I'll get to the office by 8:30 so I can finish grading the papers I need to hand back at 10.
8:45 Actually leave for campus.
8:50 Get frustrated that I decided to drive for the sake of expedience. Traffic is not expedient. Note to self: cycling is just as quick and way less stressful.
8:55 Look for parking. This is not expedient either.
9:05 Finally get to my office and start grading.
9:10 Office neighbor happens by to discuss good places for buying boots and jackets.
9:18 Return to grading. Realize that I have 24 papers to grade, and 120 papers to sort by section in the 32 minutes before class.
9:49 Grade the final paper, run downstairs to grab the film to show in class, dash across campus to the classroom.
10:10 Start film, take advantage of darkened room to sort papers by section while students watch film.
10:30 Complete sorting papers. phew.
11:00 Return papers. One thing checked off.
11:30 Go to Marmot to get hiking pants, as mine as just about to fall about after wandering all around Bhutan last year. The guy tells me that "it's not really the season" but there's a big sale rack of summer stuff, and I should check there. I find some great hiking pants in my size on sale! Score! Check another thing off the list.
12:10 Realize that I am late for an appointment. Show up, apologize, wait.
12:45 What should have taken 10 minutes has taken 35 because I was late. Return to my office and gobble a microwaved lunch. Assemble travel claim from Chicago conference, so that I'll have money when I get back. Try to assemble long overdue travel claim from summer Bhutan research, and realize I don't know where any of the necessary receipts are.
2:00 Drop off the travel claim, and discover that boarding passes, which I've probably lost, are needed. Maybe I won't have money when I get back.
2:30 Leave campus to buy wedding gift for my Argentinian friend. Realize that there's no way I can meet a friend in SF by 4. Phone to push back our meeting.
3:30 Walk out of Sur La Table with a nice wedding gift and a box. Score again!
3:45 Park at BART, and head to the City to meet a friend visiting from out of town, relieved that I have achieved nearly all my goals of the day... except packing!
7:30 Return home - famished - tired - and ready to pack. Assemble piles on the bed.
9:00 Microwave dinner. Realize piles are too large. Take something out of each of the piles, fit them into the suitcase, along with the wedding gift.
11:00 After numerous last minute additions, the suitcase can still be closed!
11:30 Take out trash and composting, straighten up.
11:50 Drive to the Professor's so that we can take BART to SFO together in the morning, and begin our vacation!
Comments
Just trying to maintain proper anonymity... but suggestions of a better pseudonym are most welcome. The Skier? The Lawyer? none of ´em work so well...