Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Mexico is hot.

Is there a word for that moment when you are so bothered by an itch or being too hot, or uncomfortable that you feel like the appropriate answer to any question asked of you is, 'FUCK OFF'.  As if an imaginary audience has appeared and you suddenly find yourself on a quiz show with no ability to even understand the question let alone guess a response. Inevitably at moments like this I look down and there is my 3 year old, undoubtably asking me why that mans t-shirt is black? Oblivious to the heat, the fact I am balancing an umbrella in one had and an asleep babies head in the other. Sweat gluing us together where we are forced together by the baby carrier, tired from the same baby manipulating the whole world by a series of small events to feel that it's reasonable to offer only two options to me at 6am every morning, feed me or have me cry so loud I wake everyone else up for the day then refusing to go back to sleep. The three year old is unaware of how much further it is to walk, and how irrelevant it is that there are taxis because babies wake up in taxis and will then not go back to sleep, and really need some down time over nap time.

Why is heat so unbearable? We have arrived in Mexico, and although I through Florida had set us up for being used to the heat, I was wrong. This morning when I got up the thermometer in the bathroom said it was 29 at 7am. We don't seem to be adapting either, today is day 3 and I was still dripping wet by the time I unlocked the gate one flight down from our apartment, already ready to scream at anyone wanting my concentration. It's a possibility, perhaps one of hue he liberating things about travelling, we could always move on early.

I think I am going through my first dip in this travelling episode. The time when I ask myself what is the point of travelling? I get fed up of endlessly spending money without earning any, I miss contributing meaningfully to anything, and I miss the ease of home (ie knowing where to buy food, what items are in the supermarket, and being able to prepare a meal without spending at least half the time looking for implements or trying to work out how to turn on the cooker). But what a thing to wine about. I even honestly feel like I miss the great british weather! Oh how I will lament this just a few months from now.

Also because it is so hot the kids are not having a great time. Although they are not complaining about it too much, it's hard to play outside when there is so little shade and all the floors are burning hot. One thing we have learnt is how hard work it is to take a pre walking baby away to unknown places. She continually has dusty knees and shins and has eaten no end of 'things' off the floors because we simply cannot keep her contained in her pushchair all day.

I'm sorry I am moaning, this is a trip of a life time. It's easy to lose focus on what I am doing right now as I am not entirely sure what I am doing, but as the famous Allen Saunders says (or has at least copyrighted),

'Life is what happens while we are making plans'.

I need to spend more time focusing on the little things, the first rough and tumble fight that Cookie and Starbucks had yesterday, the kisses that Starbucks gave me son my hand as we walked to dinner this evening, the laughter in Xss's eyes when he eventually found his pjs he had been looking for, on me. It'll be over too soon and we will all be split up again going to work and child care. So tomorrow I am making Jo plans but to try and enjoy them. If only it weren't so damn hot.

2 comments:

:-D Bubble Bee said...

Ellie you're entitled to feel all emotions. I think people think that travelling is a big old bag of fun... but part of the reason that most people don't do it, is because it's effing hard work.

Moving constantly, searching for meals like you say and living out of a bag was frigging frustrating after a while; so unpacking and packing four people's belongings would be exhausting. Keeping everyone safe, in view etc. attempting to fit in naps. Oh my, you're either brave or crazy! But what a magnificent adventure. Embrace the feeling of a little lull; look how much it reinforces your appreciation in what you have, where you are etc.

Sorry, rambling! Just wanted you to know you're not alone - you and your little tribe are doing a great job! As you say, if a place doesn't suit you, you have the advantage/opportunity/option to move on.

Big awkward hugs xXx

Geek said...

Thanks Debz. Could we have a less awkward fist bump instead?