So many countries, so little time

I haven't posted in a while, but it's because I've been busy.  Besides the usual things of life, we are also preparing for a trip to Guyana.  We're going next week, staying for almost a week.  Our whole house has been consumed with Guyana-related stuff.  When I go to our weather homepage, Guyana is on top, because apparently we search the weather down there more than the weather where we actually live.  But things are coming together, the Pepto-Bismol is purchased (not by me.  I don't believe in the stuff.), the mental preparations for their rainy season (which is to say, rain rain and more rain) slash regular weather (which is to say, 95-100% humidity) is sorted, and we all picked shoes we don't mind wearing in the rain and/or using for a lot of walking.  Everyone worried about this, but I fetched my trusty Nike flip-flops.  People, I am ready to go!

Anyhow, do pray for us, if you like.  We plan to sort of... missionary about, I suppose.  Meet the locals, hand out candy/gospel tracts.  That sort of thing.  We shall see what comes of it.  No matter, I trust the Lord uses this trip for blessing.  For those we meet, as well as us.  This is, incidentally, our family vacation for the year, so I'm sure much happy bonding will ensue.  Good times.

Also, this is my first official Third World country.  That's kind of cool.  When I went to Romania the first them I was sitting at the breakfast table at the house where I was staying and the man of the house leaned back and said, "So, how does it feel to be in a third-world country?"  I had no idea what to say, because Romania's not actually a third world country (these days it's based on the average annual income, if I have my story straight, and there is discussion as to whether or not there is such a thing as a second-world country.  If there is such a thing, Romania is that.  And not to get too wordy in this parenthetical phrase, but going by that classification, technically we have fourth world countries these days.  My sister informed me the other day that Malawi is such a country).  So anyhow, Guyana is the winner of this round of travel in terms of new experiences (sorry, Romania.  You're not poor enough).  Kudos, Guyana.  I look forward to many happy times on your fair coasts!

And when I say fair coasts I really mean it.  Apparently it's a beautiful country.  Maybe tourists would actually go there, were it not for the rampant pick pocketing, malaria, and yellow fever.  I guess every silver cloud has to have some dark lining.  Or, um, something... Cough.  Anyhow, Guyana will be beautiful, I'm sure.

I'll let you know when I come back.  Lord willing.  : )

Start at Square 0

While in England, we went to the Prime Meridian.  Cool place, for people who like standing on Line Zero of the Lines of Longitude.  Personally, I like to stand on line zero.  Anyhow, we sort of raced through the park, and didn't pay to go to the museum (which was super sad, because I once read a fascinating book about John Harrison, who was a brilliant man who is apparently heavily featured in Greenwich attractions), but went to where the line was and stood about, taking photos.

Exhibit B.  Our feet.  Mine are the second ones back.  Running shoes are the only shoes for tourists (sorry, friend in front who took the time to pack cute purple boots.  I eschew cute shoes on vacation).  The end.  That or Nike flip-flops, which of course I could not wear.  But that's another story.  Anyhoo, sometimes I just like to think "remember that time I was in two hemispheres at once?  Good times.

Just realized: the shoes I wore?  Nike.  The flip-flops I love?  Nike.  I sometimes scare myself with all the unintentional brand loyalty I show.  Weird.

Beautiful Feet

I always thought the verse about how beautiful are thy feet with shoes was pretty weird.  If you have shoes on, you can't even see the feet, so what's the point?  Yes, I am one of those people.  The kind who hate shoes.  Honestly, the Lord made Adam and Eve coats of skin in the garden but it doesn't say anything about shoes, so maybe we shouldn't have to wear them?  Not to mention, the Lord told people to take their shoes off (actually, some people had maybe only one leg?  twice it tells people to take the shoe from the foot, not shoe from feet.  Maybe the Diddle Diddle Dumpling John had it right all along...)  on holy ground, so obviously shoes hamper something-er-other.

All that being said, you can imagine how difficult it was to promise one of my going-to-England-together friends that I wouldn't bring flip-flops on our journey.  I would have you know that it's suppose to be in the upper 50s while we're there, which to me seems like perfectly reasonable flip-flop weather.  Also, I don't even remember the last time I went on vacation without my trusty Nike flip-flops.  I don't know if you've ever had the pleasure of wearing such comfortable things on your feet, but if not, you're missing out.  Honestly, they are the most amazing things ever.  Like a hug for the foot.  And, speaking as someone who dislikes things to interfere with my foot-to-ground ratio, that's saying a lot.

I heard once that girls walk around the house in their first pair of heels, to practice walking.  I never did that, but what I have found myself doing this week is wearing a shoes a lot, just so I can get a feel for the whole feet-being-shod thing.  Allow me to say: ick.  Honestly, my feet just aren't happy in shoes.  But I've gotten a lot of practice, so hopefully next week I won't feel frantic about all the shoe-wearing I have to do.

Chiefly I regret saying that I wouldn't bring my flip-flops.  I think I'll try to renegotiate the terms of our arrangement.  I can... buy her a meal while we're there or something, as long as I can bring the shoes of my choice?

She's pretty much never going to go for that.  Sorrow.