2010 A New Year

New Year. For so long that has always been September. Fall and the beginning of a school year has always felt "new". Now with an empty nest, I am trying to look at January with fresh eyes. First there are the dreaded New Years Resolutions. These are usually something to be made, procrastinated about and ultimately ignored until they are forgotten. I am trying to look at these with fresh eyes too. I have succumbed to the temptation though. The resolutions have been made. I will learn to do something new. I will file the mountain of paper that threatens to bury me. I will improve my Spanish. I will keep off the caffeine and moderate the wine consumption. And most of all, I will give myself a break if and when I fail to do any of these things.


Simplicity is a key. Enjoying small things. Looking forward to going for a walk this afternoon and having a scoop of frutilla grazinado sorbet. That in English is strawberry chocolate chip sorbet that is a little bit of heaven on a cone. To get there I pass old buildings with beautiful iron doors. Parks full of families enjoying their holiday. A simple walk that is perfect.

A simple walk that turned out to be anything but! It turns out the Dakar Rally is now held in South America............Who knew? Africa is now considered to be too dangerous to hold the race so it has been relocated to Argentina and Chile. As we took the 45 minute walk for ice cream we were surrounded by people out to see the Rally cars, trucks and motorcycles. The mood was contagious and soon we were standing on the street cheering with the crowd.

The 373 drivers officially begin the journey from Colon to Cordoba, 349 kilometers. 16 stages and 9,030km later, the participants will return to Buenos Aires in the middle of January. I look forward to seeing the cars at the end of the race.

Sometimes you are lucky and get to experience the unexpected. The beginning of a new year is a clean slate waiting to be written on. New adventures, new people and of course the family and old friends that make your life complete. For now I am enjoying the anticipation of what is to come.