My life adjusted

The human ability to adapt is truly astonishing.

Before I left for this trip bus travel was not an option. If I couldnt fly or drive myself, I wasn't going.

Once I got to South America I was forced to take buses everywhere we went, and I soon found out that they weren't bad. TV. Air Con. Reclining seats and in ride dining. Not a bad way to travel. I said to myself, if this is how bus travel is, well then hey I can deal with it.

Then I got to Africa.

The buses here were smaller. And they kept getting smaller the more I traveled. Where there once was a reclining chair with headphone jacks, there was now a torn plastic bus bench with a metal rod sticking out of the headrest.The plush and comfy row that fit two person per row, was now replaced by a 4 person row that sat 10. The foot room that I was accustom to, where I'd take of my shoes and stretch out my tootsies, was now replaced with room enough for one foot and a tool box, a chicken, a box of fish, and three tanks of gasoline. That arm rest I had, was now some strangers lap. And the in ride movie, was now the back of someones head and/or ass, just inches from my nose. Direct routes were now, mutliple stops and on bus bathrooms were now plastic bottles into which I pissed.

But you know what? I'm dealing. You learn to deal because you kind of have to. It's the rythm of life here, and you either dance to the beat, or get off the dancefloor and go home.

The bus journeys, like the places I stay, or the things I eat or the people I meet along the way are what they are, and I'm adjusting quite nicely to that.

I like to hope and pray that I will end this trip someone completely different than the person that began it. But if not, I can at least say one thing for certain. If I have to, I can share my bus seat with a chicken.