General musings

It has been 5 months since I left home for my big adventure and it has surprised me how fast the time has flown by. Here are some of my thoughts and general observations so far.

1) Stating the obvious to start but this is one hell of a big country, I think the UK is about the same size as one of the smallest states like Maine.

2) 99.9% of the people I have met so far are extremely friendly and welcoming.

3) I am the only person in the whole of the country that uses both a knife and fork to eat their food with.

4) Everything here is supersized. My old mini would not have been a sensible choice to drive here, I would have been squashed like a fly on a windscreen, and they would not have noticed.

5) Dry desert air messes with my skin.

6) I only have 3 sleeping positions when in a sleeping bag in a tent, left side, right side, back.

7) Many people mistake my accent for Australian and look surprised when I tell them I am Scottish, then say "Wow but I can understand what you are saying"

8) I am now addicted to peanut butter.

9) I should not drink more than 2 cups of coffee in one sitting.

10) You don't feel so far from home with modern technology.

11) Mexican food is cheap and filling.

12) I have eaten more corn tortillas in the last 5 months than most people have in a life time.

13) Climbers male or female over the age of 30 are hard to find.

14) Nobody walks anywhere, a long hike is any distance over 500m.

15) When at home I often crave male company, when only surrounded by men under the age of 25 for more than 2 months I crave female company, but am coping well under the circumstances.

16) There is nothing to do in El Paso when it rains.

17) Walmart/Asda has the same customers world wide.

18) A 2 man tent only fits one woman and all her stuff.

19) Life passes too quickly so make the most of it while you can.

20) Sleeping with your ipod in your sleeping bag saves it from going all wonky in the cold.

xx