Travels with Frank. Installment #1: Life with a 60yr old Ex-Marine

Life has been especially interesting (and sometimes equally frustrating admittedly) because our Fearless Adventurer has taken up with quite a unique and quirky fellow lately. Namely, that of a Mr. Frank Broadfood Taylor. A 60 year old American ex-marine who hasn't worked a day since he got out of the marines 30 years ago. How to go about describing Frank. Most, if not all, wonder why on earth a chick like me would choose to hang out with such a seemingly strange fellow. After all, it's not like he goes around practically naked (in warmer climates of course) and barefoot--as well as runs barefoot--eats raw meat like my grandmother, is the must frugal human being known to man as well as GARRULOUS to high heaven. OMG, the man can talk! Well ya...he's actually all of these things and MORE, MUCH MORE.

Frankly speaking ;) I am a magnet for such odd, strange people. Maybe because I find that they just add SO much extra spice to life and make it SO DAMN amusing! Or maybe because I'm rather a strange duck myself.

Regardless of all the outwardly visible oddities and slight annoyances (prime example being the other night when we had just arrived from Medellin, Colombia after 34 hours of bus travel, Frank had managed to piss off the only 3 cab drivers at the terminal at 2 in the morning as were FREEZING our butts off over a buck or two--not a smart move) we make a reasonably good dynamic duo. We are good running buddies, we prefer the same type of diet--high in veggies and protein, have the same financial limitations and he reminds me of a family member in the way that we are able to openly and candidly talk about a wide range of topics (he keeps himself highly educated and informed) and also has a heart of gold. In addition, he is not the overly sensitive sort which is good for someone who has to be around me for long periods of time as I can be a little...acerbic to some!

It all began back in the beginning of December when Frank showed up at my hostel. Admittedly, I avoided him the first few weeks due to his glaring idiosyncrasies. But, like all fungi, if you're around it long enough, you start to grow accustomed to it and even start to appreciate it, or, it just simply starts to grow on you. And for better or worse, it's there to stay. This is how I feel about Frank. After a few weeks, he convinced me to run with him. Then we started cooking together and sharing meals. A month later we were contemplating a trip down the Amazon River together--and if you're Julia, you're crazy enough to go PAST THE POINT OF CONSIDERATION to ACTUALLY ATTEMPTING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT with such a person.

So that's where my story leaves us currently. Frank and I have traveled from the beautiful Caribbean Coastal city of Cartagena in Colombia, to Ecuador where tomorrow, we will begin our daring decent into the jungles of the Amazon where we will hop on the Amazon River and if successful in obtaining our Brazilian visas, take it all the way through the top portion of Brazil's wild jungle to the Atlantic Ocean. I know I'll definitely make it. The question that everyone else and probably yourself is asking is how far Frank will make it before Julia ends up pushing him overboard! I trust no one will say anything though if I emerge on the other side solo... ;p