Goodbye 2007!

Hi all

 

A cold and slightly dizzy New Year`s best wish for all of you.

 

FRUITY IDEA

I am currently doing altitude adjustment in the Peruvian highland town of Huaraz before setting out on a 4 day trek tomorrow which should see me view some of the highest mountains in the Andes... I have had the idea of spending this New Year on a mountaintop in Peru, so here´s to making it happen... it is low season, however, and I think I picked a pretty dodgy hike company but they were the only ones going, let´s see if this does happen. If you don´t hear from me, send the marines.

 

REALLY REALLY RIDICULOUSLY GOOD LOOKING

I do look like a GQ cutout in my new fake designer climbing jacket, which brings me back up to par with my boy Fico... speaking of which, the living legend treated me to a very hospitable week at his place in Lima, including catching up to old Global Village friends Mary Frances, Ayelet, Sujin, Barbs and making some new ones. I caught a vicious attack of hayfever plus some Christmas blues missing the folks and my girl Susie, but we actually got into a gym routine, which, if you know both of us, is pretty amazing... so I am feeling tons better, even did a mountainbike today. My boy Fico seems to have a birthday every other weekend, however, after some due dilligence it appears his actual birthday is Jan 5... if I survive the Andes, will I survive that...? 

 

THROWING SEVEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF SMOKE IN 2007

New Year`s resolutions aren`t my bag, I am constantly making and missing goals anyway, but just so we can go on record, here are some of the to-do items...

 

1. Have a finished manuscript which I can duly peddle to disinterested publishers by the end of the year (Either and adventure tale of a how-to book... am working on both!)

2. Take some of the lessons learnt this year and really put them to work in my life... including stopping relying on crutches.

3. I will consider my year travels successful if I manage to hit up Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Columbia and Venezuela before the end of May. Brazil is a given, I gotta meet my Boy Blue in Rio for Carnival!

4. Go do one more stint in the States with the amazing folks at Lehigh... I hope to get a return invitation to be a guide for one more year, watch this space!

5. Go catch up with some good friends met on my travels in the States and Canada...

6. Go home, start training for the Argus and attempt to become an honest citizen again.

7. Oh, and I will consider my Spanish learning to have been successful (ie a good start) if I can understand what these Peruvians are saying... damn they speak fast! Failing that, I am still plugging away at the Tarot in Spanish... one card at a time!!!

 

THE LAST SUPPER

Not counting tomorrow night`s camp cookout, I will now return to my amazing hotel, the upper store is a kitchen lounge with a view of the snowcapped Andes and a FIREPLACE! Hopefully the fire is already going... I am armed with some noodles, tuna and sauce, plus a cheapie bottle of Chilean red, so my favourite backpacking activity... cooking up a storm... will be my final encore for this year.

 

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES... AND EACH OTHER

Jerry Springer had it right. Have a good one folks, be good, may all your dreams come true, or better yet, may the Big Guy (or is that Girl) give you what you need... instead of what you want.

 

Stay fruity in 2007!

--
Pieter

www.coveyfan.blogspot.com

The length of the journey doesn't matter... it is only the first step that is difficult!