I've spent the past two days awake, cursing Lariam. I hadn't slept a wink between my second day in Ireland and our arrival in India. Both nights (and several plane rides) were spent visualizing black dots, white pillows, jumping sheep, relaxing days on the beach, etc. None of it worked. Finally, I watched a Sandra Bullock romantic comedy in the middle of the night on the plane to Delhi, started crying, and continued crying for the next two hours. Then I arrived in Delhi and slept for 6 hours, so maybe it was just stress. The good news is th [View Full Entry]

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I've spent my final few days in the United States editing Kate's thesis, so we can leave Dublin on schedule. As a result, I'm an expert on female Muslim suicide bombers. After reading the 70+ pages multiple times, I've learned they bomb for the dudes. Sigh. Love hurts. I might have to pack Kate's bag for her when I arrive in Dublin, so she can hand in the thesis, but I think I'm prepared. After grumbling about the boredom of the suburbs for a few days, I came to peace with the isolation and enjoyed a few weeks of reading on [View Full Entry]

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Five Reasons I'm Most Excited to Visit India By M.R.A.M. 1. It's our first stop and therefore the only one I've given much thought. When you're traveling for six months, you either need to quit your job well in advance to research and prepare, or you need to wing it. Initially, I attempted to research a few of the countries we'll visit throughout our trip, but I wound up stuck in the safety section of the travel message boards, reciting phrases like, "In order to increase your chance of survival in a bus accident, sit in an aisle seat toward the [View Full Entry]

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Are you scared? Scared is an understatement. Here is a list of my biggest fears (longer explanations can be provided if necessary): * Plane/bus/car/train accident * Natural disasters * Disease * Getting sick of each other * Squat toilets * Being scammed/ripped off * Death of a loved one while I am away * Robbery/theft/rape/kidnapping/murder * Severe heat * Arrest * Homesickness * My own lack of patience * Starvation * Finances * Being forgotten by everyone at home * Becoming a lost soul who continues to travel at length because she has no clue what she wants [View Full Entry]

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