Tackling the Globe…

Scott and I leave tomorrow for 16 days in Central America (uh, maybe I shouldn’t be putting this out on the Internet…to all your thieves out there, stay away from our valuables and our cat! As if we had any valuables…). Alaska aside–which was with my family and 11 others–this is our first vacation together in nearly two years. I know, I know, you guys think my life is one big ongoing vacation, but there’s a huge difference between being on assignment where you have to take meticulous mental notes, attend hordes of boring meetings, get historical lectures (yawn) and nearly ever minute is planned for you than exploring on your own volition. While the second half is actually work-related–albeit in a resort! on an island! in Honduras! I can hardly consider it work!–the first eight days will be spent bopping around Guatemala at our leisure. And you know what? We haven’t planned a damn thing.

Actually, the first three days we’re staying here at Guatemala’s version of Lake Tahoe, but after that? Who knows! Maybe we’ll end up in Tikal…maybe we’ll find ourselves hanging with the MS-18 in El Salvador. Who really knows at this point! All I know is we must be back in Guat City a week from Saturday for our flight to Roatan.

Our last vacation was in Hawaii, which suffice it to say, was pretty darn carefree. The last time we’ve actually done “stress traveling” as I like to call it (which could entail third world countries, unreliable transportation, hitchhiking and the like) was in Portugal back before we even decided we were going to actually test the waters as a real grown-up couple (pic from that trip below). We survived then, and we’ll survive now, because in my eyes, the best way to tell if you’re meant for each other is by how well you travel together (luckily, of the 15 or so countries we’ve hit up in the past, it’s always been (relatively) smooth sailing!). SVV’s actually an amazing travel buddy–maybe it’s because he lived in Europe for four years or that he’s just a laid-back sort of Californian as it is–so I’m blessed that he’s my resident plus one.

But why haven’t I had time to plan a SIXTEEN-DAY jaunt, you ask? Oh, I don’t know, perhaps in the two weeks I’ve actually stayed stationary, I’ve been a wittle bit of a busy bee. I’ve gone back to boot camp. Utilized my Bikram membership. Ran with Autumn. Gone to two film screenings, Wendy and Lucy (yawn) and Rachel Getting Married (amazing!). Hung out with Jemima, Holly, Alison and Moose. Cleaned the house from top to bottom. Covered a film festival. Stalked many a celebrity for that other job. Indulged my vain side.

Had drinks with several of my favorite publicists (like this one and that one and another, Trish, who doesn’t have a site). Met the Tablehopper!!! (I almost fainted from the excitement.) And also Michele, also a resident celeb who I’ve been pen pals with for months now! Freakin’ caught up with my girl Jackie, who was my mock trial roommate at American University nearly a decade ago–man, are we that old?!–and whom I had not laid eyes on since that summer (holla, Jackie!). She truly rocks. And she’s still every bit as cute as I remember (pic below), is in her final year of law school at Boston College and just finished her first half marathon (girl looks AMAZING as a result from it, too!). Tried Michael Mina, Slanted Door and Kokkari. Triple yum.

Finished a couple chapters of the guidebook, with much help from my better half, SVV. Penned a bazillion stories. Turned in revises. Blogged. Drank gin before noon at Haas-Lilienthaal. Attended a trio of events–all in the same day. Played tennis for pretty much the first time since I retired after college. Went to a Giants game. Slept (a very little). Saw Sarah, a Sewanee friend who I also hadn’t laid eyes on in the better part of a decade. I felt the slightest bit shallow telling her about my globetrotting and entertainment reporting, while she’s been in Cameroon starting her own non-profit.

Yeah, I was just slightly occupied.

So talk to you guys when I return! Fingers crossed SVV and I successfully rent and traverse the Guatemala countryside! I have set up some posts and guest blogs to publish sporadically over the next couple weeks, so you’ll be well attended to. And if I have a chance (read: they have Internet somewhere; I’m not taking my computer on a trip for the first time in years!), I’ll stop by to say hi! And as always, travel tips to Guat or Roatan are much appreciated!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! You don’t look a day over 29!