Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I am thirsty…..


That’s how I felt that night at the charity event at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas 5 years ago. I had a glass of wine, was thirsty and needed some water. It wasn’t difficult to go up to the bartender and ask for a glass. The water was taken from the bar tap and put into a tall glass with ice. I drank it quickly and asked for more. No problem, the beautiful female bartender happily obliged and shot more water from the bar tap into my glass. It didn’t take long to feel better and order another glass of wine.
It was a fun evening with loud music, good company and knowing the $50 entry fee was going to a good cause: charity. But $18 for a glass of wine is just a bit over the top. Just because the venue was at a nightclub in the Bellagio, it seemed a bit ridiculous to charge that amount for just one glass of wine.
But I became thirsty again for some water, after all, I was drinking and dehydrated from riding earlier in the day. This time I walked up to the bar and asked a different beautiful female bartender for a glass of water. “$5” she replied as she reached for a bottled water. “That’s O.K. I’ll just take Vegas tap”, I said. “We don’t have tap water, only bottled.” “That’s untrue” I responded, “The other bartender gave me a glass of water.” She said “no, we only have bottled water and it’s $5”. Why should I even have to argue? What difference does it make if I wanted a glass of tap water or bottled water, shouldn’t it just be human instinct to serve someone who was thirsty water? What has Vegas become? What have the hotels become? What have people become?
That’s when the argument started, I was angry. I was angry because she walked away from me. She walked away and I didn’t get any water. I even used foul language (which never gets anyone anywhere) and still nothing. So I asked to speak to the manager. I explained the situation to him and even he said they only served bottled water. I told him I didn’t want to pay $5 for a bottle of water, that Vegas tap was fine, as I had been drinking and I am thirsty. I also told him the other bartender had served me a glass of ice water from the tap. He said it was a mistake! A mistake? Impossible! After long persuasion he did cave and had them pour me a glass of water from the bar tap. Now that’s the sign of a good bar manager isn’t it?
Why would I even have to argue with anyone about a glass of water? If someone is thirsty shouldn’t another human being just give them a drink of water? Some might think that I am being a bit irrational and perhaps I am. This guy at the event that I was talking to thought I should just be happy and as he merrily bounced up and down to the music beat, all I could think of is he just doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get what this meant to me. He doesn’t get that there is a deeper disappointment here not just the fact that I had to fight for a glass of Vegas tap water!
These beautiful female bar tenders; they look so good, so put together. With their make-up meticulously applied and very perky breasts but where is the beauty here? Where is the love for their fellow human being? That is where I was having trouble. It’s just a glass of water!
Perhaps I shouldn’t go on this mission to quench people’s thirst? Perhaps I am the one being a bit irrational? Or perhaps this is a sign for me to make a difference? That this is the right time to make certain that if people are thirsty they have a drink? This is the beginning of my mission. IAmThirsty.org. This silly mission that all started because one night, at a charity event at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, I was thirsty!

That’s how I felt that night at the charity event at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas 5 years ago. I had a glass of wine, was thirsty and needed some water. It wasn’t difficult to go up to the bartender and ask for a glass. The water was taken from the bar tap and put into a tall glass with ice. I drank it quickly and asked for more. No problem, the beautiful female bartender happily obliged and shot more water from the bar tap into my glass. It didn’t take long to feel better and order another glass of wine.
It was a fun evening with loud music, good company and knowing the $50 entry fee was going to a good cause: charity. But $18 for a glass of wine is just a bit over the top. Just because the venue was at a nightclub in the Bellagio, it seemed a bit ridiculous to charge that amount for just one glass of wine.
But I became thirsty again for some water, after all, I was drinking and dehydrated from riding earlier in the day. This time I walked up to the bar and asked a different beautiful female bartender for a glass of water. “$5” she replied as she reached for a bottled water. “That’s O.K. I’ll just take Vegas tap”, I said. “We don’t have tap water, only bottled.” “That’s untrue” I responded, “The other bartender gave me a glass of water.” She said “no, we only have bottled water and it’s $5”. Why should I even have to argue? What difference does it make if I wanted a glass of tap water or bottled water, shouldn’t it just be human instinct to serve someone who was thirsty water? What has Vegas become? What have the hotels become? What have people become?
That’s when the argument started, I was angry. I was angry because she walked away from me. She walked away and I didn’t get any water. I even used foul language (which never gets anyone anywhere) and still nothing. So I asked to speak to the manager. I explained the situation to him and even he said they only served bottled water. I told him I didn’t want to pay $5 for a bottle of water, that Vegas tap was fine, as I had been drinking and I am thirsty. I also told him the other bartender had served me a glass of ice water from the tap. He said it was a mistake! A mistake? Impossible! After long persuasion he did cave and had them pour me a glass of water from the bar tap. Now that’s the sign of a good bar manager isn’t it?
Why would I even have to argue with anyone about a glass of water? If someone is thirsty shouldn’t another human being just give them a drink of water? Some might think that I am being a bit irrational and perhaps I am. This guy at the event that I was talking to thought I should just be happy and as he merrily bounced up and down to the music beat, all I could think of is he just doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get what this meant to me. He doesn’t get that there is a deeper disappointment here not just the fact that I had to fight for a glass of Vegas tap water!
These beautiful female bar tenders; they look so good, so put together. With their make-up meticulously applied and very perky breasts but where is the beauty here? Where is the love for their fellow human being? That is where I was having trouble. It’s just a glass of water!
Perhaps I shouldn’t go on this mission to quench people’s thirst? Perhaps I am the one being a bit irrational? Or perhaps this is a sign for me to make a difference? That this is the right time to make certain that if people are thirsty they have a drink? This is the beginning of my mission. IAmThirsty.org. This silly mission that all started because one night, at a charity event at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, I was thirsty!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Back on the Blog

Why is it so difficult to travel and blog? Or is it just me? The last trip I found my self so tired at the end of the day (due to endless hours in the saddle) that the last thing on my mind was to write about my day! But as I look back I could kick myself for not doing so because I really cannot remember half the things that happened during the day. The feelings I felt riding down the road, the people I met and saw along the way, and the frustration I felt traveling through Third World countries.

It's not easy traveling in the Third World. By the end of the second month I was ready to come home. Though that was not possible, my dream was about to unfold. My dream of going to Africa. My dream of climbing Kilimanjaro. My dream of seeing real Maasai tribes people. My dream of going on safari. This dream that has been inside of me for over a decade. Yes, it was about to begin.

But it was there that I was broken. It was Africa that turned my whole world upside down. Africa broke me. Ethiopia broke me. It was painful for me. Painful because it was so poor. Painful because it was so dry and there was no water. Painful because I didn't have the patience anymore to deal with people. And why not? Why couldn't I deal with people anymore? That is a question that I still cannot answer. But still of all the countries I visited, still calls for me.

I still feel the pull to go back. To make a difference. To do something for someone and not expect anything in return. To give with my heart. This is where my wheels have been turning. And I will make a difference. I do believe I will be back.

I still have more to write about my journey. This isn't the last of this. I also have beautiful photos to share. Check back for the rest of my story! For now this is all that is in me!