The Quest for Paradise

The next day.

Another conundrum. Dress for warmth or cold?

Personally I tended to think towards the warmer side, but I backed my wardrobe up with a few thermal long-sleeved shirts that I could slip under my more tropical geared clothes if need be. It would definitely have helped if the government would have handed out some kind of list as to how to pack for the expedition at hand.

While clothes were important I didn't want to go overboard on them and fill my pack up with them. It would be a good idea to lay down some survival gear too. I for one didn't fancy the idea of casting myself into the beckoning mercies of the government's long arms in expectation that they would have everything else besides clothes in readiness for me.

I went to the other side of the local Cabela's and tossed items as they appeared in importance to me into the shopping cart. I found a great backpack, which the price normally would've caused me to see stars, but not today!

With empowerment I finished my shopping experience feeling very much pleased with all my selections. The backpack was going to weigh a ton, but I was strong.

Though slight of frame I worked out regularly with weights. Actually I preferred lifting weights to other exercises like running. Running could get old and there were far less muggers with knives lurking in the weight room then there were lurking about the shadows of town parks at 5 PM.

That's not really why I didn't prefer to run though. I just liked the challenge of weights more than the repetition of running.

*****

Feeling a bit like on the verge of entering a new era of my life I waited patiently on the street outside my apartment. In the process of doing so I received a few curious looks, which I did my best to ignore.

Being a college town and me being a woman I decidedly stood apart from the rest of my sex right now. What girls were still in town, no doubt the ones who would soon be enrolling in summer classes, were wearing decidedly less than I was.

Only in the movies did you see the pretty lady archaeologist with shorts all the way up to mid thigh. I was pretty, but a lot more sensible than that or at least lately I was, experience had helped to make me so.

First off there were these things called bugs, not to mention poisonous plants, and thorns. The kicker of all though is having to kneel down on bare knees in the rock and dirt of a dig site. Never again!