Tucuman

Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And everything you do,

Yeah, they were all yellow.

I came along,

I wrote a song for you,

And all the things you do,

And it was called "Yellow".

So then I took my turn,

Oh what the things have done,

And it was all yellow.

I swam across,

I jumped across for you,

Oh what a thing to do.

'Cause you were all yellow,

I drew a line,

I drew a line for you,

Oh what a thing to do,

And it was all yellow.

Coldplay

So last night we head out to Tucuman, which is a few hours south of Salta, Argentina. From there, we can catch a bus to Arica, or San Pedro de Atacama or several other Chilean destinations. From Arica, we can get back to Arequipa in 8 one overnight bus ride, or even a cheap airplane. Maybe we will splurge and fly from Tacna to Arequipa.

We did manage to get front seats upstairs. This would have been an even longer 21.5 hour bus ride if we hadn’t gotten those seats.

We are cutting the trip short a bit, but not for the reasons I thought we might have to. I have weathered the really bad bits, and probably could handle more. It was so hot in the Iguazu area, that I took Aodhan’s sweater away to wash. I told him he could have it back the next day if he was good, which of course he wasn’t, and I still have a sore jaw to remind me of that. I didn’t really want to. Now he is doing so much better without the sweater. The stress level has gone down. The incentive level has gone up. He asks for his sweater a lot, but he seems so much happier without it. I want to stay where it is warm enough that he does not need a sweater, and keep him sweater free for as long as possible. Bolivia will not be sweater free.

So fuck the progress, later in the bus ride, despite my repeated reminders to go to the bathroom and my required bathroom trips for Aodhan, he wet his pants while I was telling him that he was required to go downstairs and use the bathroom. He soaked his pants, the bus seat and everything. This is so disgusting. He wasn’t even stressed or upset and he is going where he wants to go. He has adequate food that is delicious. The bus guys have been keeping him very happy with gluten free food.

We have six hours left on this ride and I wish it was 20 more, because I have no idea what to do when it is time to get off this bus and leave a soaking wet disgusting seat behind. I have no way to clean it. He hasn’t peed in a seat before, just let little bits leak out that soaked his pants. This was a full bladder dump. The entire bus reeks, and I’m sure most people think it’s the bathroom.

Aodhan agrees that he needs a shower when he gets to to the hotel room. I don’t even get it. He is not upset, he is not stressed. He his happy and having fun. He seems to have to sink to rock bottom before he can let go of something. I wish this bus had been complete jerks to us, instead of being the nicest to us that anyone has ever been. Maybe this is his turning point on this one. I hope so. I would put him in rubber pants, or diapers, but I have no way to do that. Any pad I put below him will be ripped out and used as a scarf or blanket above him and will make him violently angry.

I’m sure this is all a reaction to his sweater being gone, but he was peeing while he had the sweater, so giving it back is not the answer.