Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Some general blogginess... and a run..

So this is my run from yesterday morning. I'm getting pretty good at making running paths here with minimal crossover.. So yesterday morning I explored a new road. The scariest thing about exploring is the fact that it messes up my calculation of how much more I need to run if I hit a dead-end. I could probably just come back and run the dead-end again, but ..okay forget it. 

I went down this new road and intentionally passed the road that I knew would connect again because the road was a little longer. There were trees on both sides and little houses. So I got the end of the road and was searching for a way out without going back the way I came. I saw a little path that went into trees toward the main road I live on. At first I was like, oh cool, this road goes through this jungle and its perfect. Then I got to the back of a house and thought I was to the road. But I wasn't. Right as I came around the corner of the house I got a face-full of extremely strong thick web. 

Obviously I panicked and flailed my arms trying to fling off the invisible spiders.

But there still wasn't a clear road out.. and I was in someones private yard. (no way I'm going back past the spider web or screw up my running loop) After a few seconds (still flailing) I  found a small path and started bushwhacking towards the road. After a few more face-fulls of spider web and increased flailing I leaped over a bush onto the road. Mid-leap I had to slow myself down rather than get hit by a motorcycle that happened to be passing by.

So there I was half-stumble/jump-running out of a bush onto the road when an equally thick web decided to make its home on my face. I freaked out for a little while (of course I never stopped running) and I continued to brush off invisible spiders for the next 10 minutes.

The past few days I have been sick. Not anything horrible - my head just feels like its going to explode if I bend it over or change from lying down to standing up. I started on an antibiotic today because the left side nose under my eye is sore, and my chronic sinus infections don't fix themselves. Don't worry mom, I still have probiotics left. I eat a lot of papaya also..

SIDE TRACK TIME!!!

This is the snacks I bought for my trip. It cost me $1.

This is supposedly Beef Stroganoff, I was not impressed.
They try to copy a lot of foreign foods.

I still can't get an amazing picture of this volcano.
This is an example of what my "homestay family" gives me for breakfast.
This is some sort of coconut milk rice porridge with brown sugar syrup.
Then some fried bread. The white bread puff in the middle of the plate is one of my favorites.
Its called 'bak pao' and its steamed bread with a filling. (strawberry, chocolate, chicken, etc.)
This is Opek (Nickname for Faith)
(they pronounce english in funny ways)
I thought his name was Fate for a while.
Here he is helping me demonstrate the filling of 'bak pao'.
Quote of the day (I received this revelation while showering, complete with reference)

Questionable things: Question them so your lack of questions may remain unquestioned. 
-Arcturus the Walrus, Volume 7, Chapter 5

So this week I am trying to hit my max mileage (60 miles). My schedule is like this:
Wake up around 5:30 A.M to run
Shower, eat, then leave to school at 7:30 A.M.
Class until 1 PM, then eat
Study or waste the little time I have till 4
Run again
Stretch, shower, eat, then its time to sleep by then

Somewhere randomly in there I get some core workouts done.

Amen.

4 comments:

  1. Okay- you managed to give me major creeps on the spider thing- I would have been screaming my insides out and having post traumatic stress disorder over it! I have permanent goose bump disorder now. And it doesn't help that last night as I was trying to go to sleep, I felt something crawling on my arm and when I went to see what it was it felt like a hard round body a little bit like a black widow which I flung in the dark (like a tennis stroke) which could never be found. I might as well have hit my sleep with a overhead lob- it wasn't going to happen until I found that spider- no return on the lob. So if that traumatized me, what would your experience have done to me?- funny farm I think. Love you lots, MOM

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  2. Invisible spider phobia. I lost a GIGANTIC california spider in the bathroom after I attacked it with hairspray. Now I can't open my cupboard or get a towel without freaking out.
    So, the running through thick spiderwebs is totally creepy especially after you posted that tree spider thing!
    That is so awesome that you are so close to a giant volcano. I have never seen one of those.
    How much more time do you have there?

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  3. I have three full weeks left. Crazy how fast time is passing. I'm in a small internet cafe full of kids under 10 years old. I'm snacking on roasted soybeans.. are they nutritional at all?

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  4. I take a picture of a new spider almost every day. If it makes you feel any better, you can pretty much touch those huge spiders without being too afraid.. though I havent tried myself.

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