So it's Saturday and I'm outta here on Monday, bright and early. Actually, the sun won't even be up when I leave. I blame Vince for the itinerary and early start.
I've been home in Hudson, Ohio, for a few days now, and have been preparing for Nicaragua ever since! 10 weeks is a long time to be gone, and I have a lot to do, so I have tried to make preparations accordingly. I picked up plenty of testing equipment (Thermocouples and Data Acquisition Systems, or DAQs) from UD last week, and have been shopping for other various materials throughout. Now, I have everything pretty much laid out and ready to be put into the suitcase.
As a result, however, the house is a mess. Mother won't show the house while I am home because my room is a blackhole of clothes and various travel items. She says she's nervous about me leaving for Nicaragua, and that she is going to miss me, but I'm sure a part of her will be glad that I am gone as well.
Packing has gone smoothly, and I am extremely thankful for all my previous travel experiences, which have all combined, cultivated, and culminated into this one unique and very different travel experience. I have a few travel tips, items which I have crossed off my personal travel list:
- bring plenty of dryer sheets. Clothes love 'em, bugs hate 'em.
- bring ziploc baggies. Sometimes, toiletries explode. Also, baggies can protect things from the environmentals.
- Duct tape. If duct tape can't fix it, give up all hope.
- copies of your passport (plural if you happen to be a fugitive) and credit cards.
- don't settle for a bug spray with less than 25% deet.
- I never leave home without a frisbee. It doubles as a plate.
Research indicates that Nicaragua will be hot. It happens to lie just above the Equator, and seems to recieve little Hadley Cell wind. Sabana Grande itself means "Great Plains", which pretty accurately describes where we will be staying. Whilst it is not labeled on the map above, You can easily find Managua, and then Esteli straight above that. Sabana Grande, to the best of my knowledge, is just SE of Esteli (but really a great distance away).
Prepartions have gone pleasantly smoothly, and now we pray to The Lord for safe travels, and that the plane be completely devoid of snakes. My Continental flight leaves Cleveland, with my fellow travel companions and I on board, at 5:55AM Monday morning, the 19th of May. We travel to Houston, then arrive in Managua, Nicaragua, at 11:28AM. They are only two hours behind New York time.
With that, I am about to go finish up some packing details, and actually start stuffing my suitcase! It's likely that the next time I am able to convey something, it will be from somewhere in Nicaragua! Again, please pray for the safety, happiness and wellbeing of all my travel companions and I, and I will see you on the flip side.
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