Arica thoughts and observations - Part II

- All flights are DONE!! Today is a day for finishing up packing (most packing was done yesterday while I was on the flight), one last trip to town and that delicious ice cream place, and a late afternoon on the beach with my book. Tomorrow morning I am leaving for Santiago, where I will be staying with relatives of Ben (Angie and Marcos and their family), and explore the area for a few days - I'm looking forward to that! Then, most exciting - thursday evening, I'll be headed home!! I can't believe it!!

- Yesterday, I looked at the date, and realized that next month is my birthday! I like birthdays :)

- The words and terms "drizzle" and "interesting microphysical gradient" have been the topic of far too many conversations these past 6 weeks.

-I've written before about all the stray dogs around. There is one dog, that hangs around the hotel and seems to live at the hotel, because she is well fed and looks pretty clean. I heard somewhere that her name is "negra". She loves to come cuddle you, sit on your lap en give you kisses, even though she's all scruffy from playing on the beach all day.

Even though negra has been an ok substitute, no puppy can replace my horse - Sage - can't wait to cuddle her again!

- The french research group has set a bet who can get the closest guess to the total number of cloud droplets counted in this field campaign with their cloud droplet counting instrument.

- On friday night, the british group had organized a bbq at their hotel to celebrate the end of the project. It was a very good time, however one (slightly intoxicated) Brit came up to me, and I guess felt the need to practise his pick up lines on this married, pregnant girl. What he said to me was the most dubious thing that's been said to me here, and I still don't know what to think about it: First, he asked if I wanted a drink. I said "no thank you, I am not drinking, I'm pregnant". He then got the same old shocked look on his face that I've been getting from most people here once they find out. However this is what he said next: "Ahh that explains things! We (a group of Brits he pointed to) were wondering why- we all thought you were pretty cute, but couldn't figure out why you seemed so relaxed about having your gut hang out like that. Most girls at least try to hide their tummy if they had one."

Huh? How would you react to that?