A short announcement

Thursday, February 18, 2010

I’m taking a vacation. Yes, I know I’m already on vacation so let’s call this a vacation from my vacation. In the last 75 or so days I’ve been through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Jordan, Egypt, India and Nepal. They were challenging destinations. On March 7th I’m booked to start a 20 day tour of China. That will be challenging too. So in the intervening days I’ve decided to take a break. A break from packing and unpacking. A break from the endless string of “must see” sights. A break from early morning buses and overnight flights. A break from squat toilets, and toilets where you have to bring your own paper, and toilets that are bushes, and toilets that aren’t even bushes (banks of the river Ganges, I’m talking to you). A break from cold water showers and crazy food and strange languages. And – brace yourselves - a break from blogging.

I’m going somewhere to relax and sit. Somewhere I can hang up all my clothes, sleep in the same bed every night and linger there every morning, lay about drinking coffee or beer or wine and do crossword puzzles or nap or watch Olympic hockey on tv or play with the new iPhone or simply stare at the wall.

Where am I going, you might ask? That’s none of your damned business, I say. For now, the “Last known location” area of the blog will remain Kathmandu. The little red line on the Google map will end at Kathmandu and pick up again, miraculously, in Beijing. In the mean time, you can speculate as much as you like.

I’ve still got a few blog posts about Nepal to write, so there will be one or two more published in the coming days. And if I really feel strongly about writing something while I’m on the break I will, but don’t count on it. Probably you’ll just have to go cold turkey until I get into China. I’ll still be online when I feel like checking email, but I’m not going to worry about anything else.

And that’s all there is to say about that. Have fun, and I’ll see you in Beijing.

Your faithful, weary blogger,

- Pam

15 Comments:

Craig said...

Well, there goes my reason for getting out of bed. Looks like it's hibernation until you get to Beijing. Better set my alarm.

Enjoy the break. You've earned it.

Figured out my cryptic clue?

Lisa said...

Awesome...Maybe the WH3 will contribute to this well-deserved break (?). I will miss reading your updates...they truly make me smile and I look forward to them more than you know.

Have fun but more importantly R-E-L-A-X!!!!!

Looking forward to when you pick back up again.

Still missing you!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Enjoy!! Will miss the contact. :(
Jen

Unknown said...

Don't go getting your hair cut. It is really coming along nicely.

Have a nice break.

rh

Mitch said...

Here here,

Have great vacation - yes, you do deserve it. Get that shiny new iPhone broken in - just try to keep the sand out of it.

Which begs the question of where you are going for your vacation... If you are vacationing from your vacation, are you going to run another marathon while putting in another show? Just seems like the kind of thing you might do - or lay on the beach with oversized sunglasses and a good book (or many).

We will miss you, but we all have other things to keep us occupied, I guess we will just have to do our real work until you get back to blogging.

Unknown said...

Very happy for you but so sad for us. I am so dependent on your blog. Enjoy, this has been like a job for you, the break will be great for you.
Your fans await your return.

marg

Anonymous said...

Good on ya, Pam!! As a retired person who sometimes feels the need for a "day off," I can relate. Hope you have a wonderful, restorative, lazy, refreshing vacation. I too will miss the accounts but will look forward to catching up when the spirit moves you. Be well! Colleen

Anonymous said...

Just adding to the general "happy for you / sad for me" feelings. At least I have the Olympics in town to keep me occupied. Is it odd that I check GSRED each morning before the CTV Olympic site? You seem to have trumped the Olympics on my daily "To Do" list.
But if you do get the urge, posting a couple of asterisks or pictures of wooden boats would always be appreciated.
All the best,
Steven G.

Kathryn said...

Eeeek. I concur!
You are the reason I turn my computer on in the morning. Now I will have to catch up on my Deck LX Run Sheets. Ugh.
But enjoy whatever you do...looking forward to hearing about it on the other side!

eme said...

Have fun on vacation!

Post a twitter update once in a while, just so we know that you are still alive ;)

Unknown said...

If you have not done so already, the GSRED fans can pass the time while Pam takes a break looking at her photos.

I recommend the beautiful photos of the coloured prayer flags in the set called Limbini in Nepal.

Cheers to the fans while we wait...

Anonymous said...

Ok, me too... have fun. For the rest of us, we can have fun speculating on where Pam is... Bali or Lombok? Singapore? Goa? Come on , let's guess!
Cheers Pam... cut the hair and paint the toenails, drink beer, wear sunglasses, go wild!

Global Granny said...

Good for you girl! Ever so wise to know when you need to slow it down a bit, digest the many wonders you've experienced and recharge your batteries for the no doubt amazing sights yet to come.

Purely remarkable that your "vacation from a vacation" post comes on the same day I posted my own stray mutterings on the matter. A little travel malady that I call Global Glut

Enjoy your serene little interlude, Pam. I'm sure you'll find the perfect haven, and I look forward to your resurface in China.

Laura C said...

Funny, I still keep checking...I hope you enjoy the phone. I have a love/hate relationship with Mitch's, but I'm sure if it were my phone it would just be love...That phone is remarkable.
Have great down-time, enjoy!

Amanda Isaak said...

no Pam.... sigh.

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