I think that getting back on the road's going to be not so much a resumption of my previous life as a continuation of my present life and the start of a new life! :)
I think the main remaining obstacle that I'm dealing with in going to Dominica is the entry requirements. From what I've seen it looks like they still leave open the possibility of arbitrary detention for testing positive on the BS COVID. I don't think it's that likely given that there'd be a test beforehand from what I understand. Still, seems like an unreasonable barrier to entry.
That doesn't necessarily interfere with going to Marie-Galante, so I may go there early in the new year anyways.
(Early in the new year, the situation seems the same. I'm still considering going to M-G soon.)
I think I'll feel like going from a secondary character as a guest in this place to a principal character in the adventure of my own life!
I think I'll be better off using my precious scarce time traveling than lying around here!
I've developed in some ways while here. Maybe more mature? :) More willing to drink alcohol again? :) Maybe more focused on my longer-term goals?
I'm feeling more like going in January!
Weather's turning better (not wetter). Running out of things to do. Hungry for adventure! :)
I have a month or so that I'm probably committing to spend in Marie-Galante anyways, since I suspect the vaccines will remain practically necessary for travel and that's around how long they take. So any worries over difficulties finding or renting a place for a month there are a sunk cost not to worry about any further! :)
I'd rather explore a new island than sit around here thinking! So I'm planning to go in January unless there are serious issues like violence, as previously noted.
(As of now there's still violence, lockdowns, weather, illness.)
Part of me's wanted to go for a long time. Now I'm starting to feel that it will actually make sense to go soon.
Adventure: for when you're ready for a few things to go wrong! :)
A funny yet scientifically accurate way to see people, including our thoughts, behaviors, genes, and even deeper parts: copies with modifications.
Where do people from the Caribbean go to leave behind all of their troubles? The U.S.? :)
Someone should invent a cleaning product that's safe for your eyes. Then instead of all those warnings about not getting the product in your eyes and what to do if you do get the product in your eyes, you could just happily rub it all over your face including in your eyes. Like soothing eye drops and face wash/body wash in one.
The clouds are like a powerful narcotic drug. They make you sleepy, somewhat hallucinatory. A bit like opium.
Playing those phone games where you line up gems is like picking all the fresh fruit you want. And looking at internet porn is like having all the fresh young partners you want. In our modern world you actually can have tons of fresh fruit and partners, outside of the screen, but the screen costs less and is easier so it's far more prevalent.
Just moved years' worth of photos and videos from my phone to my computer and my new personal cloud! :)
I like it here, in Capesterre! :)
After all the annoyances and frustrations in getting "stuck" here during the Coronavirus, it still feels like it'll be difficult to leave, waaaay later than I'd expected to leave!
I guess it makes sense to think in terms of the future, the other places to see!
A surprisingly productive year, given that I didn't go anywhere! :)
Story idea: alternative history in which humans didn't undergo the agricultural revolution, but did nonetheless undergo the industrial and digital revolutions. Instead of having cities with massive automatic farms and factories as we do now, people have developed an advanced nomadic lifestyle in which they hyper-efficiently hunt food and pick fruit.
I guess they'd have to automatically repopulate the food species, making it somewhat like mobile farming, or they'd run out of game. Or they could switch to more plentiful species, e.g. using their efficient technology to hunt rodents or insects. Then they'd also probably want to use some technology to make the animals tastier.
Feels weird to be maybe I think transitioning back to my travel life.
I'm now in agreement with my previous/latest plans, are they stabilizing? I'm aiming to go in probably one of the six-seven weeks from mid-January to late February. Still tons of adaptability due to the unpredictable COVID situation.
I think that the things holding me back here include comfort, convenience, and the social scene. I think that it's worth pushing myself to go out of my way soon to get back on the road.
The ferries are running, kind of sort of. The borders are open, kind of sort of.
Probably said a bunch of times already by me and others, but often things don't go according to plan. Make THAT the plan, to adjust to surprises.
Things can change dramatically over time, even if things seem almost at a standstill at some specific moments. Gradual progress! :)
An exciting year's coming! :) Hopefully this Coronavirus mess clears up! Back to travels!!!!! :)
"Did you say 'the clock's ticking' or 'the cock's tickling'?"
Doing some equipment repairs has me wanting to get back on the road!!!!! :)
I don't wanna take off my backpack!!!!! :)
Shouldn't beheading be called bebodying?
Tons of motivation to travel again! Plus there are hidden advantages to unlock when you start. Also, hidden costs to staying.
You know it's a good new year's eve when you have no idea where the fuck things in your place came from or why the doors are wide open when you get home the next day, and you have a new worldview, and you feel horny.
Yay! I'm now leaving! :)
We'll see how it works out in practice, but I'm now thinking of myself as actively in the process of leaving town. This week I'm aiming to see the state of things with barricades, protests, couvre-feus, etc. Then maybe a week or two after that, if the coast looks clear, take a shot at Marie Galante!!!!! :)
In that period I think I can run through my remaining disposable belongings here, then hit the road with as little as possible!
Maybe I found my home, or "lakay m" :) Only to then leave it…
In my opinion, and that of at least a few other people, take risks on what you care for! Go for your goals!
I feel like I'm starting a new life! :)
I've been in the Caribbean so long that white people now look foreign to me. :)
Sitting here at the writer's desk, at the dawn of a new year. Excited to go touring again!!!!! :)
This year I'm working to be generally more confident, optimistic, giving, and sociable.
Feels surreal to think of or plan touring again. Like I've become a different person. Again.
There's a moderately heavy burden in starting off touring (again), but I think it's easily worth it for the freedom travel!
COVID politics has to be one of the stupider mess-ups that people have made in a while!
Humans are "just" flow systems, and sometimes the systems are off-balance and need to rebalance, and often we do better to have some degree of imbalance.
Looks like more COVID BS issues in the new year. Protesters have taken over the government's main offices, with more barricades and arrests. I somewhat agree with the protesters, but it makes it more difficult to travel!
Guess I'm gonna see how things unfold locally over at least a few more weeks. At least I don't have to feel bad about not feeling ready to leave yet anyways.
Still hungover from New Year's. :)
Not leaving until at least the weekend of January 22, anyways.
I think that international political institutions, including notably in France and Guadeloupe where I've seen things up close, have lost much of their legitimacy through the imposition of excessive controls over COVID.
More travel options are opening up with Guadeloupe! Looks like it's becoming more feasible to travel.
I'm still hungover/sick from New Year's and the subsequent days. Maybe a few more weeks of things clearing up?!
Also blocking a port and road traffic, so some more hurdles remain.
Starting the new year hungover/sick, with crazy coup-type events, and rainy weather, doesn't seem like the ideal occasion to start bike touring again. A few days later, with the sun out, starting to recover, seeing an occasion as maybe available soon!
Not sure if I should bother with these frequent assessments of the situation. Last year or whenever I considered going, the COVID problem dragged on for quite a while. At least I can keep tabs on my feelings about going.
It's turning into a one-year later version of last year!
(Hopefully with a different exit!)
I'm now aiming to leave in the January to April range, preferably the earlier part of that but with flex for the highly unpredictable situation. There's still also a chance that it won't be in this range, e.g. if there are more serious COVID fascism issues.
Somewhat comforting at least to have a window when I plan to leave, instead of only a vague desire to go. Even if things don't work out exactly according to plan. :)
It's difficult yet I think useful to ready oneself to leave, even a comfortable situation.
I'm feeling like an emotional mess again. In part due to the weather, my personality, life events. Also due to the stresses and uncertainty around leaving, and the local chaotic situation.
If you're middle aged, you're young compared to being old. :)
I think I'm over the hump, recovery-wise. Still feeling slightly ill, but on the mend.
Looks like they have a "state of emergency" with couvre-feu at 8 PM! This is insane, someone remove the politicians!
I'm thinking of going soonish anyways. Spend a few weeks or so on Marie-Galante.
We'll see how things go!!!!!!!!!