Farewell, FSD

A year ago, so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed:


Friday was the last day for Ashley and me, which we celebrated with some bubbly and Ghirardelli chocolates (thanks Mom). It seems like we got everything done, or at least did everything we could to successfully pass the torch to Becky.

This isn’t goodbye, though – especially not in September, the official month of Cochabamba, when every other day is some sort of fiesta or concert.

I panicked for a few hours on Saturday about the prospect of my indefinite vacation and no longer having some sort of structure to my life. Sunday I was distracted by my second encounter with the amazing Día del Peatón. And today I realized that there are plenty of ways I would like to spend another three months in South America. It didn’t take much time to remember how to be on vacation… although I think it will take a little bit longer to convince myself that this sort of vacation is justifiable…

The plan right now, the one which has been the most constant of all my fantasizing and scheming, is to travel in the next few months, most likely in Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, but to keep coming back to Cocha as a base. Ostensibly because I have lots of stuff, but really because I like the idea of being here a bit longer.