con mucho gusto

We are leaving tomorrow. But first we must earn our passage to El Salvador, so before we hop on that red-eye we get to drive 7 hours to drop off and acclimate M. So our trip starts a few days early, with child depositing and family arranging and a late night dinner with friends we never see. And oh yeah, we've still got to pack.

Excitement, see, it's building.

And then on Sunday we'll head out, our backpacks and a lonely planet between us. We've been shameful this trip - we've spent no time deciding where we want to go - we've gotten as far as deciding to head to the bus station after getting off the plane, but where to go from there?

Lucia mentions beaches. You can bet my happy ass will be sitting on one. I hear there are volcanic rocks and lots of hiking. People with guns. Homemade tortillas and bits of silver. We'll figure it out as we go.

We have no expectations beyond getting through customs. J says we'll sort it out on the flight down, but I think we'll be sleeping. There will be time enough once we get there.

But before we do any of that we'll stop at the nearest spot and have an ice cold beer and breath it in. El Salvador.

El Salvador. Be kind to us. We'll tread lightly but am expecting we'll run into a few walls along the way. Gringos, we know. Lo siento, amigos.

Just Posts are coming. And then I'll blog from the road as soon as I find an internet cafe. And after I have that beer.

Too bad you all can't come. We'd have a grand time playing poker and drinking cheap beer late into the night.

El Salvador, my sweet. We'll be seeing you.