First print run of the Eagle Eyes Adventure Goggles!!!!!
There were numerous problems: design, printing, delivery. The above model shows approximately what they may look like. However, these may not work until a later version.
There are tougher times. Slog through!
It's not just me, affected by the weather. On cloudy days, different people come out than on sunny days. People act much more rowdily in some weather than in other weather.
Continuing through the week!
Each step takes a while.
Idea: porn involving extinct species of humans. Have people dress up like Australopithecines and others, and act crazy!
Finally, after months of delays, the package is in P-a-P!
Still not available for pick-up.
It's Monday! Power's back off at the place where I've been charing up.
I'm dying to leave, but still waiting on the goggles to arrive, getting a phone, and more of civilization to open up again.
It seems like more stuff continues to get back to normal.
I can now feel from the weather what sort of day it will be.
For example: hot, muggy day: tons of loud activities, me feeling tired and sensitive.
The heat and humidity are extreme.
Keep going through the tough stuff!
Motivation power strength!
Things happen differently than one would expect. Important to adapt!
Rainy morning, sat in a café/restaurant, had breakfast while charging up.
Went to the phone shop after making an appointment (it's still by appointment only, due to Coronavirus). Showed up, but they said their systems were down. At any rate, doesn't seem that likely that they'll be able to do much. Maybe I'll get another phone, although I got the impression that they won't let me test it beforehand.
Tons of stuff seems broken here. Caribbeanitis. Things often don't work. But it's relaxing.
Seems like this place is at a see-and-be-seen location, at a corner on the main boulevard. Tons of styles and fashions going by.
This town (Point-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe) seems quite fashionable. Numerous fashion stores, people like to dress up.
It's one of the busier places I've seen in the Caribbean, even though it's not huge.
Going on!
For years in temperate countries, I yearned for warmer climates. Now that I've spent years in the tropics, I'm starting to yearn somewhat for a cooler climate!
Probably only for a while, then I think I'd quickly get sick of it again and want some sun!
Apparently Northern Europeans like to go to the far north for recreation. I guess it's like people further south going to the tropics for vacation.
Sitting here in a bar, nominally Dominican.
Catchy French-language music, reminds me of Haiti.
Rain.
Sun.
Some ongoing frustrations. Still haven't found a fully working phone solution. Seems like both the phone and the card that I have are showing issues, and the shops haven't solved it yet.
Power went out at the public place where I've been charging up. Also, more stores are opening. I'm planning to rent again!
Then probably get back out there, when a few more things are open and I've wrapped up my stuff here.
There are some delicious smells around this area.
A recurring theme: often when things don't work out, it's for the best.
I feel like I've become substantially better at many aspects of travel, which also improves my abilities in other areas like work, over the years. I suppose that's part of the process.
I still have tons of areas that I want to work on. Many are psychological.
I still struggle with the basics, after so many years. That's one of my ongoing areas of work, is to get better at taking care of paying work, important chores, and more.
Seems like we're on the way out of Coronavirus territory, but I've thought (and written) so much before, and been wrong.
Often, during work or other activities, I get so involved that I forget why I travel. However, on stepping back, I can see the rewards again!
Music, food, people, places, culture, geography!
I feel like I haven't had that much to say lately, because I've largely just been working. Much of my thought comes from going different places, seeing and doing different things.
There are often occasions when I'm uncertain what to do, and have to act anyways.
Presumably a common situation. I guess we can take chances, do our best!
Still camping out. Maybe rent next week?
After a long week, relaxing w/ a tropical rum punch!
Caribbean music on the loudspeakers!
(Or is it French? I think it's French Caribbean.)
Feeling better!
Each day, week, month, year is different than the last!
We have to adapt to carry on!
Feeling high, tired, happy after a long week!
Things continue to turn out way differently than I expected, but that's what I now expect!
There's always something! :)
I think that some stimuli that annoy me when I'm trying to work don't annoy me when I'm trying to relax.
Jamaintenant (n., Fr., jamais "never" + maintenant "now"): when things happen in the French Caribbean. :)
It still seems so weird to me to be in a French Caribbean place. My impressions of French and Caribbean cultures is somewhat divergent. Both are definitely sense-oriented. But the French seems so refined, the Caribbean so coarse. Anyways, fun!
My feelings are all over the place!
Like the weather!
It feels funny to be human. Like it's normal, but at the same time sort of weird. We handle stuff that we can't make all the time. We don't know a fraction of ourselves. We're just born here. It seems so normal, yet it's so far beyond us. Weird.
I'm somewhat appreciating being middle-agedier.
It's sort of strange having all these capacities, desires, etc., some of which are biological many of which are cultural.
The place where I had been charging up, which was turned off last week, is now back on.
Don't worry excessively. There's tons of false anxieties. Focus on positives!
A bird went flying by with a ribbon or something attached to it. Looked funny!
A cooler, cloudier day. Feels great!
I think that the tropical weather has been tough on my body.
Jeje, now my body feels hurt in a different way from this weather. Stiff joints.
Continuing here in Guadeloupe for a while longer!
Rock & Roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Busier day.
Yesterday, someone I know told me she got robbed.
Later, when I got back to my camp place, I found that someone had rummaged through my stuff and taken a few things.
Seems like a criminal place here, as in much of the Caribbean. I've had far more attempted robberies in the Caribbean than anywhere else.
Another week ahead!
I continue to like Guadeloupe. It has gorgeous environmental scenery and architecture/public art. The people are quite friendly. The food is delicious.
I occasionally whine about the noises, which I recognize are the same as anywhere, when I get annoyed. Overall, it's quite a pleasant place.
The culture and geography aren't exactly a match for me, and I do still look forward to leaving, but I also know that it's going to be a place I'm sad about leaving.
Looks like it's going to be rainy for a while, and I still have more stuff to do here and am liking it. Also, many things remain closed. As such, it's probably working out for the best that I not leave as soon as I had thought -- as often seems to happen!
Maybe not even leave the following weekend!
Probably go by around the turn of the month.
I'm guessing that some people probably lucked out by the virus shutting down migrations, and they're "stuck" in a country where they would rather be.
Stuff seems open again. Unpredictable?
I'm looking to leave ASAP, maybe this weekend!
Some rain.
Quiet again. Are stores only opening on occasional days?
A few more days here. Is the "confinement" over?
While there are numerous pleasant things about this place, it's also full of annoyances. I want to go but it seems like stuff's still shut down.
Still does seem somewhat unpredictable what things will open when.
The French government website didn't have an obvious thing saying if or when the confinement is over.
Nicer weather. More stuff open. Things opening on even days?
Every society should have laws against overly loud motorcycles, cars, trucks, etc.!
(And loud yelling!)
As I was working, a guy came up and asked me for a light. As I was answering him, the police came up and asked him if he didn't also have anything illicit. As they continued questioning him, I jumped down from the surface to the ground, but I landed on a broken bottle. It cut into my foot, but luckily not too far.
The other evening, when I took out my earplugs, a lizard jumped on one and bit into it! After, I moved the earplug back to where it was.
Idea: a commercial for an earplug company, showing an earplug as a bullet, destroying noise.
Midway through the week!
Midway through the week.
Craziness all around.
Things seem closed again, after a short period of being open.
There's now a public concert, though, seems like some Arican music.
I think I have two bands of interest, above the rest, which go horizontally through Meso-America in the northern hemisphere and through Brazil in the southern hemisphere.
Probably leave either Saturday: May 30 or June 6.
I often feel pressures of dirtiness, noise, criminality, and such here in Point-a-Pitre. While there are some pleasant placetimes, I often want to go on.
Goggles not yet here. Looks like I'll be here another week!
In my head, I'm already gone from Point-a-Pitre.
I'm tired of seeing the same stuff. Looking to get back on the road ASAP!!!!!
I think I've seen as much of the people, the places, and such, as I can around here.
At least it's exciting to have an upcoming departure. I feel slightly nervous, but mostly ready!
Each day, busy. Then go!
I like the French food here (cheese!!!!!). There are some decent and interesting people. The architecture's quite something.
I find it somewhat noisy.
I think that I can now identify and say a few things about just about every resident of Point-a-Pitre, and the pigeons too.
A thicker plastic container seems to have kept the rats out. Then the ants came! Also, the rats still seem to be hanging around.
Tried some of those fast foods, they're basically as I thought. Dough, baked or fried. Sandwich fillings.
There remain enough interesting things for now!
Probably take my first opportunity to leave.
Criteria: Finished with my ongoing projects that depend on being here, and confident that I can travel through Guadeloupe without Coronavirus issues like shut down roads.
Seems like another day when shops are closed, that I didn't know about.
Things continue along as per "normal".
I want to leave soon! I no longer have any stuff I want to see or do around here other than my previous commitments, and I want to get to other places!
I'm so ready to leave!!!!!
Maybe leave at the turn of the month?
Halfway through May!
I have an idea for one of those surprised-by-the-camera TV shows. A bearded old man asks for a meal. When someone brings him a meal, the old guy pulls out an iPhone and asks the donor to take a photo, as the old guy climbs onto a motorcycle with a beautiful model sitting on it.
I think that if food is slung from a tree branch, then it's too high for the rats.
Seems like the rats can probably climb trees, after all.
More stuff's open, still seems kind of Coronavirusy.
I'm now thinking of leaving Point-a-Pitre in June, probably.
I want to go on, see more, but not before I've finished a few things, and hotels and stuff are open.
I'm feeling more positive now.
I'm continuing to work, travel, relate!
I'm aiming to try some local foods now that shops are reopening.
There are a few fast foods I've seen advertised around Guadeloupe. Bokit. Agoulou.
I think they're both variants of sandwiches. I'm guessing that a bokit is somewhat like a burger, and an agoulou somewhat like a crepe or baguette-wich. One may be on fried bread, the other on baked. Not sure about much of that.
People are out and about in much larger numbers, it seems.
During the height of the pandemic, I think it was mostly eccentrics, and people who had to work in basic areas of society. Now I think that regular people are going out more often.
The rats have got through two different types of traps. I'm starting to think that they're smarter than humans!
I'm now thinking of getting back on the road ASAP!
