HOW TO PLAN AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP

CAITIE (daughter, 23, works in credit union, lives in Portland Oregon):

- Applied for time off 3 or 4 months ago.

- Advanced purchase of tickets for best price.

- Required details of transportation from Guayaquil to Cuenca.

- All I's dotted and T's crossed (twice).

ALEX (son, 21, part time kitchen work, finished road trip a couple months ago with Brady and has been squatting at Cait's until he and Brady can afford place of their own):

- One hour before taking Caitie to airport changes his mind and decides to come too. Therefore the 5:00 AM phone call ....... from Cait ..... not Alex.

- Will possibly phone in resignation.

- NOT getting discount air fare. (Brennie and I pay basic air fare only.)

- Will be required to vacate Cait's couch upon return.

(Cait is bringing 2 friends with her and Brady is coming with Alex.)

RESULT:

They are all on the same flight. I will be meeting them at the Guayaquil airport. Upon return to Oregon, Caitie will go back to work and also back to school. Alex and Brady plan to head to Bend (because that is where the snowboarding and rock climbing are ....... but jobs in Bend are SCARCE). Caitie will know where her next meal is coming from. Alex will almost certainly have yet another tattoo ....... from Ecuador.

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You just gotta love them both. But they are polar opposites. We are very excited to see them. When we all get together it is an absolute gas and almost never appropriate. My mother, god rest her soul, would be horrified!

Clarke