In Case of Kill or Capture: Vacation Begins

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
--Bilbo Baggins

The teaching schedule in Chile is such that I get two weeks off in July for winter vacations, and as such I proclaimed to my best friends and travel companions, Chris Craft and Brandon Thompson, that it was high time they traveled south, and south still for a visit. Along the proposed route would be the countries of Peru, Argentina, and of course, Chile. The situation was thus: both Brandon and Chris would fly into Lima, Peru and I would journey up to meet them. Once united, we would head back south through Peru and into Chile, but only for a moment. Once in Chile, we would cross my backyard and into northern Argentina, and from their head south to Buenos Aires, Mendoza, back into Chile at Santiago, and from there disperse to our respective homes. I did not doubt that there would be many other, smaller reunions with fellow volunteers as we traveled along, since a great many would be in Peru and Argentina over the break as well.

Thus, come Thursday night the 8th of July, I set the plan in motion by boarding an overnight bus to the northern border town of Arica. As I packed to leave, and waited the agonizing hours until my 11:00pm departure, I found that I was uncharacteristically nervous. My stomach was in knots in ways that were reminiscent of my last day before flying to Santiago over three months ago. I paused to consider this and realized that as I headed out that night, it would be my first time traveling solo. Since making international travel a habit some years ago, I have always made it a point to be in company; whether a group or simply tandem, as Chris and I have been doing for going on three years now (you can read about those adventures by clicking the links in the sidebar *wink*). It occurred to me that there was no reason why I should be apprehensive. The Lord would certainly take care of me as he always had, and if all else failed I would simply end up dead which is, first of all, inevitable, and second of all the opportunity to finally meet Jesus in person. That last thought became a little unsettling, as I was sure not ready at the moment to be meeting the creator of the universe, and as such I spent a good deal of time in prayer getting things sorted. Soon enough, it was time to leave and I felt at peace, and was able to smile a bit thinking that most people probably don't start their vacations with a spiritual crisis. Then again, most people don't live in Calama, where such instances are nearly a daily occurrence.

The tales that will follow are best told chronologically and in the form of a day to day journal, and as such I will begin with my arrival in Arica in the next post, and proceed hence, day by day accordingly.