75 days of the best time of my life and I am back in the grind. A graduate assistant for a university, but my mind is still in the jungles and mountains of South America. Anyone who has ever done something like this knows the worst thing that can happen (also the inevitable) is to come back. Nothing, NOTHING compares to life on the road. In retrospect, the best and worsts......The best was definitely getting adopted by a family of Peruvians. I met a new friend at the beginning of my trip, and visited when I was back in Peru. Thought I would stay in Huancayo for 2 days. Two turned into ten; it was such a great time I decided against the beach or Lima.
The worst was definitely the food of Bolivia. Horrible. I love the struggling developing nation, but the food is horrid.
But back to reality. The US just inaugurated its first black president, another massacre in Gaza, Illinois has a corrupt governor, and jobs are disappearing faster than people can count. Yikes. Im happy to be in grad school for the next 18 months....debt free. I decided to turn down Emory or U of Illinois for a school that will pay my way. All this because of one test score. Kind of scary.
The one thing that has changed about me. The concept of 'America' is no the same. America can also be Suriname, Panama, Brazil or even those people up north. The important word has changed, but it makes sense to me. I will start updated more, even tho my life has lost its excitement.
Ciao!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, November 14, 2008
Still living it up!
Almost a month on. Damn, that was one quick month. My last post was on Halloween. Since then its been, well, crazy. Entering into Bolivia was epic. As soon as we were at the border, the bus driver came on the bus and asked for ´The American´ to please step out first. Yikes. Customs def. treated me badly and forced tons of paperwork on me, ask me questions in Spanish I didnt understand and took the nice little $135 visa fee from me, emptying my pockets. Ugh. It was worth it tho. Every penny. But really....screw reciprocity.
Two days later I was in La Paz watching the presidential elections. It was def. an action packed night, as I chose a great hostel to watch the next president be chosen. I am not a cool-aid drinker and I def. don´t vote blindly one way or the other, but everyone there was terrified that the woman from Alaska would be elected. Questions to the governor for AK: Seriously, don´t you follow domestic policies? Why did you get your passport last year? What publications do you read? Your son is in Iraq to protect free speach? Yes, Alaska is close to Russia. Go away lady, I never want to hear of you again. No wonder why abunch of raggety backpackers couldnt even see right this election. Anyways, the economy is bad and 8 years of serving the elite was more than enough to give this election fo B.O.
Two days after the election I biked Bolivia´s infamous ´Death Road.´ It was, in all regards, fricking amazing. In the course of 60 kilometers the road descends 11,500 feet. It went fast. It was scary. There are ALOT of crosses and memorials for the dead. But for me, just having a good bike and a solid head was enough not to die. In 1994 400+ people died on that thing. No big surprise, but eventually developing Boliva developed enough to build an alternate highway. Now deaths are only a few unlucky, or dumb, bikers who go off the edge. I have no clue why, but the Israelis tend to be the unlucky ones here. 4 out of 13 biker deaths since 1990 raises an eyebrow for me.
Last weekend I got cocky and tried my first peak over 6,000 meters. Huayna Potosi, 6,088 meters. There is overestimating your ability and getting cocky. I think I had both. I´ve climbed rocks for years, I spent summers working in Rocky Mountain NP. However, sleeping at 17,300 feet was tough! The air was amazingly thin. I had a huge headache and when we awoke at midnight to climb the peak, I was feeling abit off. I hiked to 18,900 and after 2 hours said screw it. My heart was beating out of my chest, I couldnt go 30 feet wo falling and my mind was a big haze. In such moments of desperation, you question the motive for any human action; ruining your body and torturing your lungs do not fall into the realm of logical. I turned around and wobbled down the giant beast, with guide in tow. No regrets. Not to mention, I could barely speak. Maybe 4 or 5 days up there would have done me good. The two guys I did it with made it. They said it was the hardest thing of their life. They also had been at 16,000 for a week. And they used a special ingredient, popular in south America. Hint, it looks alot like the snow outside.
Everything else in a nutshell.......3 days jeeping the Bolivian desert, a few night on an uncomfortable bus and now I am chilling in Sucre for 4 or 5 days. Me gusto la jungle. Need a break from living so hard. How far south can I go? Before my flight departs December 29th?
Two days later I was in La Paz watching the presidential elections. It was def. an action packed night, as I chose a great hostel to watch the next president be chosen. I am not a cool-aid drinker and I def. don´t vote blindly one way or the other, but everyone there was terrified that the woman from Alaska would be elected. Questions to the governor for AK: Seriously, don´t you follow domestic policies? Why did you get your passport last year? What publications do you read? Your son is in Iraq to protect free speach? Yes, Alaska is close to Russia. Go away lady, I never want to hear of you again. No wonder why abunch of raggety backpackers couldnt even see right this election. Anyways, the economy is bad and 8 years of serving the elite was more than enough to give this election fo B.O.
Two days after the election I biked Bolivia´s infamous ´Death Road.´ It was, in all regards, fricking amazing. In the course of 60 kilometers the road descends 11,500 feet. It went fast. It was scary. There are ALOT of crosses and memorials for the dead. But for me, just having a good bike and a solid head was enough not to die. In 1994 400+ people died on that thing. No big surprise, but eventually developing Boliva developed enough to build an alternate highway. Now deaths are only a few unlucky, or dumb, bikers who go off the edge. I have no clue why, but the Israelis tend to be the unlucky ones here. 4 out of 13 biker deaths since 1990 raises an eyebrow for me.
Last weekend I got cocky and tried my first peak over 6,000 meters. Huayna Potosi, 6,088 meters. There is overestimating your ability and getting cocky. I think I had both. I´ve climbed rocks for years, I spent summers working in Rocky Mountain NP. However, sleeping at 17,300 feet was tough! The air was amazingly thin. I had a huge headache and when we awoke at midnight to climb the peak, I was feeling abit off. I hiked to 18,900 and after 2 hours said screw it. My heart was beating out of my chest, I couldnt go 30 feet wo falling and my mind was a big haze. In such moments of desperation, you question the motive for any human action; ruining your body and torturing your lungs do not fall into the realm of logical. I turned around and wobbled down the giant beast, with guide in tow. No regrets. Not to mention, I could barely speak. Maybe 4 or 5 days up there would have done me good. The two guys I did it with made it. They said it was the hardest thing of their life. They also had been at 16,000 for a week. And they used a special ingredient, popular in south America. Hint, it looks alot like the snow outside.
Everything else in a nutshell.......3 days jeeping the Bolivian desert, a few night on an uncomfortable bus and now I am chilling in Sucre for 4 or 5 days. Me gusto la jungle. Need a break from living so hard. How far south can I go? Before my flight departs December 29th?
Friday, October 31, 2008
Two weeks in the Other America
Okay, a little more than two weeks. But traveling solo in any underdeveloped country can be the most insane/happiest/depressing thing anyone can do. So many extremes, both high and low.
Since I arrived in Peru on the 16th of October, I´ve completed a large array of things, both touristy, and non-touristy. The worst part; spending 4 days alone in a shitty hostel with no one to talk to because of food poisoning. Meh. Did Machi Picchu yesterday, and although the fees were astronomical compared to the rest of SudAmerica, it was worth it. Machu Picchu IS the most beautiful place on earth. Nothing Ive seen has come close. It was well worth the $40 entrance fee. (And the $9 I spent on overpriced water)
Above all else, backpacking is an addiction. Being able to land someplace anywhere in the world, with no friends, no roots, and honestly, no one you can really trust. For some its a giant party, for others a touristy experience, for some its everything and more. One thing is certain; it takes a certain mind-frame.
I´m a moderate traveler. I did 2 and a half months in Asia at the beginning of the year. I did a school trip to Europe (overpriced and really boring, with really really boring people).
I meet workaholics here on their two weeks vacation, and I meet the hardcore crowd, who disappear for up to two years on an extended holiday, although this type typically never reveals their finances. I suspect independent wealth.
Currently, Im in Puno, Peru. A sleepy, touristy southern town close to Bolivia, which is probably my destination tomorrow!
Since I arrived in Peru on the 16th of October, I´ve completed a large array of things, both touristy, and non-touristy. The worst part; spending 4 days alone in a shitty hostel with no one to talk to because of food poisoning. Meh. Did Machi Picchu yesterday, and although the fees were astronomical compared to the rest of SudAmerica, it was worth it. Machu Picchu IS the most beautiful place on earth. Nothing Ive seen has come close. It was well worth the $40 entrance fee. (And the $9 I spent on overpriced water)
Above all else, backpacking is an addiction. Being able to land someplace anywhere in the world, with no friends, no roots, and honestly, no one you can really trust. For some its a giant party, for others a touristy experience, for some its everything and more. One thing is certain; it takes a certain mind-frame.
I´m a moderate traveler. I did 2 and a half months in Asia at the beginning of the year. I did a school trip to Europe (overpriced and really boring, with really really boring people).
I meet workaholics here on their two weeks vacation, and I meet the hardcore crowd, who disappear for up to two years on an extended holiday, although this type typically never reveals their finances. I suspect independent wealth.
Currently, Im in Puno, Peru. A sleepy, touristy southern town close to Bolivia, which is probably my destination tomorrow!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
First post, New trip!
First Post!
I've always been pretty big into blogs. After much procrastination and a busy period, here I am, with my first post.
This has been an interesting year; it started with an extended trip to Southeast Asia and is ending with an extended trip to South America with some work experience in between.
I'll keep everyone updated on my latest happenings and whereabouts in the southern continent!
The scenario itself is asking for adventure:
A male traveling solo to South America for 75 days with no friends for thousands of miles and no set plans. Colombia? Brazil? Venezuela? Patagonia? Anything and everything will happen.
And oh yeah, my Spanish is next to horrible. I'll either sink or float in the emerged atmosphere.
Whatever happens, I want to spend the most time in the most politically and socially volatile areas; no better way to experience a different country then during a period of social upheaval (provided there is no American lynch mob!) Venezuela is very expensive so I'll probably head to Bolivia.
But we'll see. Its all up in the air!
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