I miss Australia. Lots. I don’t know that there is really much more to say.

Yesterday we went on a mini adventure to buy a suitcase. A big old and cheap one so that we can take lots of things home with us. We went to one of my favourite antique shops where I have been eying off the retro suitcases.

I had known that the girls in my house would laugh… a lot. And when we arrived they proceeded to do so for 30 seconds.

But in the evening it seemed the boys understood. All my concerns about it being ‘too’ big obviously went down the drain when I realised I wasn’t going to be taking anything else with me except…

Oh dear Luis! When we walked out that actually had him zipped up and all. We unzipped him and he started screaming “Para Australia, Para Australia”. I think now that he’s proven we can pack him in the suitcase it will be hard not to take him.

Today I decided that I want to be a translator. I can stomach the idea of being a part-time designer if I were perhaps a translator. I think I would really enjoy it. And so I have decided it can be my new career.

I am really noticing how one needs to use language to keep it. The other day I was trying to think of the phrase ‘hang-up’. First I thought, set-up…and after a bit of thought, I went no no that’s not right. I went oh yes, it’s ‘hook-ups’ and so I laughed at myself for taking so long and voiced this to Gabbie and Cara who proceeded to tell me that I still didn’t have it right and that it was actually ‘hang-ups’.

In addition the other day the three of us spent about 5 minutes trying to think of the word understudy.

I never really thought I’d struggle with English but I actually find it a bit difficult at the moment. Unfortunately it doesn’t make Spanish any easier.

Last night little Xalapa had the most insane storm I have ever experienced. I couldn’t sleep because the wind was blowing through the house and making awful noises. Far worse than Hurricane Dean. And today is absolutely freezing. Apparently there was hurricane on the other coast of Mexico and we were getting a cold front. And it’s given new meaning to cold fronts for me. Winter is well and truly here and I am scared scared scared of December. It’s only October. It’s apparently 15 degrees, and considering we were in Veracruz yesterday where you want to rip your clothes off, it’s COLD.

I went to my Spanish class this morning in my teachers house. I arrived after braving the wind and cold. She asked if I wanted hot chocolate. I said yes, and it made it all OK. She made me ‘Abuelitas’ in the blender which was really good and yummy and was in a cosy blue cup.

Today I went to the Tlapeleria to get some screenprinting supplies. I always like to go because it’s such a mess. I figure it’s one of those places that looks like complete chaos but there is some sense for the owner. I can’t even figure out what they sell, but you say I want this random thing and he potters off and finds it.

Today, he started talking to me, along with some other random dudes in the shop. It was so bizarre. We chatted for about 20 mins. It was kind of nice. He was saying he was really grateful I talked to him because foreigners are really closed. I’ve heard this before. I find it interesting, I can see why people think that, but I was trying to explain that it’s really hard living in another culture because you don’t understand it and you don’t want to offend. I’m heaps shyer here than in Australia (well sometimes). I think I have a very different compassion for people living in another culture now after this experience. And that’s quite useful to know in a country as multicultural as Australia. But I very much understand why one would seem closed or shy. Oh yes!

Today marked a very exciting and significant moment for me. I finished Como Agua Para Chocolate, my first novel in another language. I’m sure I’m much smarter for this. I really liked it.

I got back last night from a little bush adventure. I climbed ‘Cofre de Perote’ which, is just a little climb here but is actually 4282 metres. And I do believe that is the highest I’ve ever been. And although I didn’t have altitude problems (minus a altitude headache) I can see how altitude is one of the biggest problems with climbing big mountains. The air is so thin and you get puffed. And gee…It’s COLD.

I went with a friend Jorge, his Slovakian girlfriend and her parents. A very random, but fun dynamic. We were talking, Slovak, English and Spanish amongst the 5 of us and my poor little brain was either confused or laughing at the randomness. I think there was one moment, they translated from Slovak, from Slovak to Spanish and then I translated from Spanish to English so they could learn the English word.

So nice to be out in nature again. So fun to be on a little Slovak adventure here in Mexico. I love camping. We had to get up at 4.30am to rise to the top, where we unfortunately couldn’t see anything because of the clouds. I’m told there are amazing views of Xalapa and the surrounds.

Little camp spot.

Tamales on the cool portable fires. They are just mini tins of solid alcohol (they cost 60 cents) and they last 12 hours and you can start and stop them. They are the chidisima. And so are tamales as bushwalking food. Corn leaves I have now learnt are fire resistant. I also learnt that water doesn’t boil above 4000metres.

The early morning rise to the top.

Cool dogs while we waited to acclimatise a bit more to the altitude.

Cute dog…kind of adds to Ryan’s series.

The insane ride we asked for home. I whacked my head hard on that ‘pinche’ ladder.

I was thinking the other day about how sad it really was, that my avocado dreams (of eating them all day everyday for super cheap), although sort of fulfilled, went miserably down the drain after vomiting up a whole bowl of guacamole with food poisoning. I have eaten avocado again, but I must say with less gusto.

There is nothing better than a good avocado.
Oh but no, no there is nothing worse than chomping on piece of rotten avocado,
Oh not even dancing with sleazy Mexican boys gives me the gags like that.

I am sick. And I am so super bored and agitated by it. I also really am agitated by not ever getting to experience the bush. And most unfortunately my friend just rung me to ask if I want to go bushwalking up a mini volcano tomorrow. I was going to say yes until he said they were leaving at 8am. And I am still sick. And it´s already 12pm. That is very sad. Maybe I will go and watch some equestrian instead. Luis says there is an equestrian show this weekend. Nearly as good eh.