Brittany, you should have only accepted the marriage proposal, if the guy actually had had the guts to propose to you, in person, without the aid of his mother… I know, it is old fashioned and there is something “alluring” about a mother wanting to pawn-off her son (perhaps “failing to launch” on his own) on a tourist she has just met but (!) where would that have left Ben? Perhaps both of you could have married into this family and this in itself would have made a great additional story. Well, I know, “what a great idea” you screech out-loud, yet as it is often is the case, this brilliant idea comes a little too late… (he he)

Ok, so I am kidding and likely, the family (and the overly pushy mother) was simply having fun, in an innocent way (or she really did want to get rid of her son? Ha!) I did not however, know what to think of your Tarzan imitation! I remember hearing my old combat airborne qualified drill sergeant saying “gravity is a b@#ch!” and your video segment only served to prove his point! At least you have more guts than I do! I simply cannot swim very well, (which probably go a long way in explaining my number of “near-drowning” experiences throughout my life) and tend to stay well-away from potential areas that could prove to be my “last.” It would go something like this: “Well, that thar dead feller was-a-swingin’ from that thar tree and he let go and forty-five minutes later, Earl here thought maybe thar was somethin’ wrong, since he hadn’t surfaced…”

At any rate, though I love taking long baths, as well as long showers, I avoid large bodies of water (“large” is a relative term here, meaning “large-enough” body of water, which could lead to my drowning!) as a self-imposed rule of thumb.

Brittany, I think you need to re-try this feat and really go for it, in a very big way! I think especially, “ululating” during your attempt (and it takes practice) will serve to provide you with an “edge” in your video. I cannot help but think that perhaps most if not all great moviemakers, must have had a beginning involving “ululating” and swinging from a tree into a welcoming body of water. Speaking of “bodies,” (sorry Ben, but I feel compelled to complement her…) yours is not too bad either! You must be doing something right! (Ok so it appears Ben is a very lucky person… That is, unless you have odd patterns of behavior, often described in detail, in something called the DSM-IV.)

All jokes aside, thank you for sharing your traveling tales and mishaps. By the way, though no ones mother proposed to me, during my travels lasting two months, I was able to get the phone number of a very nice (and “very easy on the eyes”) flight attendant… Only if she did not reside half-a-world away from me…

A fellow traveler,

Mustapha

P.S. I’ll get you, Iglesias!!

-Enrique