embracing the journey

So, we got to the airport at 6 AM to catch our first flight. The engine on the plane was leaking something. They called in the mechanics. The mechanics said they needed a part. The part had to come from Chicago. We stood in line for 1.5 hours afterwards to get rescheduled. Our new itenerary: hotel in Seattle for the day, red eye that night, hotel in Dallas for the day, flight to Miami in the afternoon, red eye to La Paz. What luck? we thought as we accepted our new fate and $60 in food vouchers. The hotel was decent, though the toilet didn´t work initially. And the vouchers only worked at one restaurant outside the airport. So we ate two meals there and slept until our red eye to Dallas. On our way back to the airport, I checked my stuff to make sure my passport was there. It wasn´t - and Allison´s had been in the same bag with it. YES! I kicked myself for being such an amateur while Allison remained calm and reassured me that it would be OK. Eventually, I realized it would be OK as well and decided that the debacles of the day were a sign that I needed to (1) Be super careful about passports and (2) Embrace the freaking journey - goods and bads. Isn´t that what travel is all about? Gracefully accepting every experience as a learning opportunity. We got our passports back - I had left them on the leaky plane, and some kind soul had found them. Dodged that bullet, eh? So we took a breath and accepted our new itinerary, which would have us spend the night in Seattle and fly the next day with a more continuous schedule. Seriously, despite the 24 hours of flying / airports yesterday, it was remarkably peaceful - as if it were the day we were supposed to have left. Bolivia is very comfortable and tranquil thus far. Our little hospedaje is great and cheap - so is the food. Í´m currently combatting altitude sickness with coca tea and relaxing. I think I might learn Quechua - it seems interesting. If the past two days were any indication of what´s to come, I think this could be an interesting and educational adventure.