"Did you just climb Everest?"

were the first words from my Scottish friend Ewan as I walked through the door of the base at Sources Chaud. All the sun I've been getting out on the open road has caught up with me. Both my nose and forehead sluffed off yesterday. The Haitians all stared in disbelief, skeptical that the sun could do that. After all it the same sun on their face and it certainly never did that to them. I'm taking better care now, appling aloe often and keeping covered with a bandana whenever I step outside.

Safe and sound

I ended up having to cross through the aweful checkpoint in the parched plain east of Port-au-Prince. The guards on the Dominican Republic side were really helpful and there was plenty of Haitian street youth hanging around to aid whenever I needed translation from Spanish to Kreyol. Amazing they Customs didn't care that title, registration, insurance, everything, was just shoddy photocopies. Plus bringing the bike across was only $3 extra. As I pass the gate into no-man's-land I just walked my bike along, waiting to get away from the crowd of people to start up the engine. The street kids I'd befriended made a game of it and all got together tried to see how fast they could get me going just by pushing. Once in Haiti, I was anxious to have to pass through the Port-au-Prince. When I came to the first crossroad I was in disbelief I could have got so far so easily and so quickly and so I just chalked it up to a faulty memory, maybe there was a third crossroad I'd forgotten about. When I arrived at the second crossroads without having even begun to be nauseated by usual stench, clutter, and chaos, I figured I was lost and asked for direction. When the gas station attendant told me just follow this road out of town, it seemed to good to be true. It took no less than 5 familiar landmark on the road out of town for me to believe that it had all been so easy. The next 40 miles up to Pierre Payen were uneventful with the bike not missing a beat. When I arrived at my old driveway Camilla, the cook, was on the roadside attending her new little fast food stand. She recognized me immediately and started hooping and hollering joy and yelling for Marie-Phile, the little girl I tutored, to come. All over the town I've had the same wonderful welcome from all my friends. Jean-Renaud, the project foreman, even lent me his computer so I could write you this entry.

He made it!

To the Dominican anyway. Jack purchased a dirt bike and I believe, after signing papers in a lawyer office, today he is on his way to Haiti. Does the bike look like this?

Or maybe this?

He promised to send pictures, which I will probably be the one to post since I have more a reliable and fast internet connection.

But now that I for sure know he has a bike I need to start looking for a bike helmet for myself! I think I'll pass on the leather jacket though simply because of the heat.

Introductions

Hi. My blogger id is Intrepidity and my real id is Erin, Jack's girlfriend. He's added me as a team member to his blog. Talk about a big step in the relationship! Not quite equivalent to a key but close. =P Since I have the gift of gab moreso than Jack he was happy to add me as a blog writer! I won't join him in Haiti for another two months but when I do, we both hope to use this site to keep in touch with home, family and friends.

Currently, Jack is with me in DC. He'll take off for the Caribbean next Tuesday.