So this New Years Day 2009 was a quite one spent with family and friends in cold Minnesota (cold, but fun with movie going, eating, and reading). But I was not always so dull (haha)! In my wild and crazy youth I actually spent a few New Years Days out of the country.
Back on January 1, 1994, I was flintnapping obsidian in Belize! I was on an archaeological dig (at a slightly dull Mayan site) in Placencia, Belize (an incredibly beautiful place). The New Years Eve, I vaguely remember, involved dancing and a few days later we (all of us archaeological students) did some scuba diving, sailing, and visited two Mayan sites in the area, including Lubaantun which is where one of the Crystal Skulls was said to have been found! But archaeological work is slow and hot (and occasionally wet and buggy), especially at a site where all you are finding is burnt pottery. Here I am with fellow archaeology student Kelly (Hi Kelly, hope the weather is lovely in England and thanks for the Christmas card) were we were actually drawing said burnt pottery. The third photo is a photo of time and nature at the Mayan site of Lubaantun.
Flintnapping obsidian
Kelly and Me drawing pottery
Lubaantun
In January 1995 I was in Bolivia and Peru. Michelle, aka the twin sister, was living in Brazil for six months learning Portuguese and met up with me in Bolivia. Michelle had lived for a year in Bolivia after we graduated high school and has visited many times since (a big hello to the Villafane’s in CBBA and Toronto). I was suppose to go to Bolivia for New Years, but for some reason ended up going a few days later. I stayed mainly in Cochabamba (a city of great people and wonderful food), but we (the twin and I) toured around Bolivia a bit and then went to Peru. I could only find three photos of our adventures in Bolivia and Peru. Sadly no Machu Picchu photos are to be found, as I have no idea where the photo album is. The first photo is of us on a tour of an Incan city in Peru, note the stone walls. The second photo is of me standing in front of the Door of the Sun at Tiwanaku, Bolivia and the third photo is of me on a boat sailing on Lake Titicaca. Yes, a bit too many photos of me, but there you go.
The twin and I at a Inca site
Door of the Sun
Lake Titicaca
January 1, 1997 found me in Egypt. On New Years Day (and New Years Eve and a few days after) I was on a Nile cruise and New Years Day was spent on the Nile (getting up way too early after a long night at a light show at Karnak and a party with silly hats, which no one needs to see) and sailing across to visit the Valley of the Kings and Deir el-Bahari.
Early morning on the Nile
Me in the Valley of the Kings
Deir el-Bahri
Sadly all my other New Years Eves and New Years Days involve places in Minnesota or Wisconsin and they were not very exciting (or not exciting enough to mention). Its fun and slightly frightening to look back at the old photos and my various hair colors and lengths. I remember having over 20 rolls of film for Egypt and a underwater disposable camera for Belize (they were the hot new thing back in 1994). I am keeping my fingers crossed to be somewhere fun for New Years Day 2010! Sadly no plans yet, just some scheming (haha) I mean ideas and trying to save some money (which is the hardest part).
Update: A friend emailed me and asked what about Honduras? No New Years Eve or Day in Honduras. When I was living in Honduras I came back to Minnesota for the holidays.