Going For It

I knew I was nowhere near home when I read the road sign exits- Saudi Arabia and Baghdad. I mused how well both conifers and palm trees grew together in this dry, rocky land riding together in the poorly maintained city bus just outside the Amman, Jordan airport. It was with great relief and satisfaction to know we'd finally rejoined Ammon after such extensive preparations. Everything I had was either in storage, given away, liquidated or crammed into my bulky backpack. For me a New Adventure BEGINS!
Living in constant danger and literally just out of reach beyond our horizon... Skylar safely joining us someday can't come soon enough. It was great having Grady join us for a month before his lamented departure (especially for Savannah) as we both shared the fully accepted designation of Newbie. As such, I found myself contemplating my body's apparently not so well "oiled" condition. Was I a complete slacker for bringing up the rear after a normal day treking 15km+ in 34 C heat? No, I had simply been thrown necessarily headfirst into being initiated into what I now know is a die hard, looks can be deceiving, shockingly tough, well experienced group of very closely knit world travellers!! Damn the body "squeaks" I feel the morning after....full charge ahead!
The past five weeks have had their share of surprises and the anticipated culture shock. Food and bathrooms easily come to mind with Breanna and Savannah energetically adding to the shock factor. Yes, I recall worms found in dried dates with my whine (of protest) but only AFTER said protein laden (thank you Shean) worms were deliberately sought after, plucked out and wiggling as they were nonchalantly tossed one by one down the hatch of my youngest female dinner companion!
Upon opening the door to the bathroom I initially wanted to pass out for fear the stark reality of it all would be my demise. In the next millisecond, I unfortunately envisioned the appropriate liquids associated with torture chambers mistakenly dripping on the sickly yellow tile of the small 5' 11 " tall room sporting a rotten board rigged into the cracked frame of a lone window to completely cover its broken glass. I imagine how this place somehow, in some way, surely resembled Frankenstein's lab or better yet where Sky was subjected to his nightmare tear gas training. I was afraid to use my own nose to check for ANY type of gas....perhaps Bre could do it for me???? Suffice it to say with a little coaxing from Maggie I did survive this room. However the next bathroom prompted a somewhat different reaction. For an instant I was sure that the shower was designed to be used standing with one foot in the toilet bowl (later it was pointed out that at least there was a toilet bowl). And why not? The shower head in the very small room (that barely accommodated a sink and toilet) hung just off centre above the toilet seat. Perhaps rotated 180 degrees and switching feet would facilitate the users best chance of successfully getting clean, squeezed between toilet and sink in a hunched over position (poor Ammon).
All in all I am having the time of my life and as promised, as the days fly by, I am more easily able to see past the uncomfortable differences to the luxuries I am accustomed to at home. I have easily found that the pluses far out weigh not only the minuses but everything else. The history to be easily found here boggles the mind, the people are generally very helpful and friendly and many things seen and done together with family have been truly incredible to me (a lot more on these topics later). I couldn't be more elated to be looking forward to more good natured "abuse" and adventure from this crazy gang I call family.
Brandon