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[jillrlev]

we're leaving france today for bern, switzerland and since our train doesn't leave until 1, we're just biding our time. i'm really feeling very irritated and out of sorts, which has been how i've felt pretty much every morning since it's been impossible for me to get a good night's sleep between the noises outside, the heat inside and the goddamn

Comments

Bzz bzz bzzzzzzz

[ella_rpr]

*sigh* It sounds like you are having such an awesome time! It's wonderful that you guys get to do this - be together and travel together. And it's SUCH a blessing to have a partner you can travel with

Re: Bzz bzz bzzzzzzz

[lil_amysunshine]

Another excellent thing for mosquito bites is lavender essential oil. You can put it directly on the bite, and it will quit itching almost immediately. And then you smell fabulous. I feel confident you can get lavender essential oil anywhere in the world. Well, anywhere with shops I should say. Probably not Antarctica. . . .

Re: Bzz bzz bzzzzzzz

[ella_rpr]

That's right! I forgot! I think lavendar oil is a generalized bug repellant as well as anti-itch - I diluted some last week and sprayed it on myself while sitting on the patio... the bugs that had previously been landing on and feasting on my poor little legs would no longer land on me. In fact, they buzzed around about 6 inches away and that was about it. So either they were full or the lavendar oil did a great job at repelling them...

Re: Bzz bzz bzzzzzzz

[jillrlev]

yes lavendar oil, i forgot about that! we've left that situation, but i am confident it will come up again. i will keep a look out for sure. that is very exciting.

[anonymous]

It's Kate. I don't have a fancy account. It sounds like you are having a fabulous time! I'm so jealous. We just got back last week from Spain, so I'm cathing up on your entries. I can't believe you were in London during the bombings! Eric and were talking about that last night and can't imagine how strange that was. It sounds like the rest of your trip haev been wonderful. Here's a little advice - try to pace yourselves! I felt like there was so much to see when I was in Europe that I ended up getting really sick halfway through my trip. I was so excited to go hiking in the Alps, but ended up sleeping for 3 days instead. Sounds like you have the right idea renting beach chairs and jsut relaxing. How's the drinking going? Was it worth the wait? I can't wait to hear all the stories when you get back!

[jillrlev]

that's good advice to be sure. now that we're in prague and have a week to just hang out here and be in the apartment we rented, i think we will slow down. the last two days have been very slow and it's been great.
the drinking was definitely worth the wait. now i have a sense of when it's really worth it (monetarily and hang over wise) to order a drink or not and i feel like it defines certain kinds of experiences less. it's also been really fun to be able to order a drink when i want to after a year of it being "forbidden." i hope spain was great, even though way too short i'm sure. see you in a month!

[sadiejones]

it's funny, i have been thinking about a lot of the same stuff lately. I have this really heightened awareness of how easy my life is, and how much extreme suffering there is all over the world, even down the street..... i have been struggling a lot with it. i have been extremely self involved lately trying to figure out all my of job stuff and life stuff - and yet feeling like my problems and struggles are nothing compared to what most people go through every day just to survive. but after reading this i realize that feeling bad for being blessed is not constructive. instead i should be grateful for everything i have, be proud of what i have earned, feel what i need to feel, and then do everything i can to give back. easier said than done i am sure.... but at least i know what i need to do now. plus, it makes me feel good that we are feeling a lot of the same things even when we are a world away.

love you and miss you

[jillrlev]

that is cool that we're on a similar page so far away. and also that i could offer some insight that was useful to you. self-involved periods are interesting- i don't think there's any avoiding them, nor do we need to try to avoid them. it's coming out of those periods that we can be the most energized to give back in whatever way we are best at. i feel like the beginning of this trip was very much about my own experiences and feelings and the just being in europeness. i feel like the second part might open up into some insights on how i might want to move forward with my own giving back once i get back home. one couldn't happen without the other i think.
love you and miss you too

ahh

[stillh20]

topless on a beach, just chillin out does sounds sublime. What a great day, sans mosquitos...