Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Week 5 on the road

And so there it was time to leave my last hostal and move to another one, Pakololo was really nice and worked it`s purpose but the tourist city life where eating tuna due to not being able to cook was not what was looking for and the spot where Eva and Aoife stayed offered an alternative as an exchange program where I could have my own room and one meal while working, little did I know that this would be a golden opportunity to do things that I love as well to get to know more people with similar interest than me



The next day I arrived my friends had to leave so that Aoife could take her plane to Ireland and the rest hang out in Oaxaca but due to budget I decided to stay and wait for them here, as I mentioned doing the things I love has always been a priority but weird enough I got offered to work the kitchen and oh boy I love every minute of it, thanks thanks thanks, free meals and being able to keep on eating small portions while cooking all to help me no longer being depleted for the journey ahead





The music that we listened too while cooking and the people that have the same soul encaged in a different body wanting to be the same when we were young and now we mutated to something else but we keep our love for rap music strong LOL



The kitchen was beautiful fully equipped and with total freedom to improvise on the go with the only rule of cooking for all the staff and a mixed of meat lovers and vegetarians to feed, it was so different than cooking at my place where I could start my own meals from zero getting everything I need from the market but now I was only able to use what was already there and still make it interesting

Along with the kitchen that I love I was able to cut and braid hair for my friends, despite my budget of $500 pesos at this point, I did it free of charge as I enjoy doing it and practice will make perfect so maybe some time ahead this road I will feel good enough to charge and get that energy back from the universe





Punta Paraiso offer for surfers a paradise as there is also waves all year round so people will come and go but the memories will always remain, the stories that we share, the backpacking friends from Argentina, Sweden, Israel, people from all over the world that come and go along with us Mexicans representing in our very unique way hahaha unique in terms of drinking and party endurance I believe hahaha and with no further delay my friends



At this place it is where we will all hang out while listening to some jams and share stories, other people will only be on vacations but the vibe will be the same of energy towards discovering and living in the now for new places to come and the open road to show









Punta is a place where we stayed longer that 1 week but the time it is not something that I will measure by it´s regular standards but more by the place where I stayed and the experiences earned, for me this was an opportunity to meet with other travelers and what drives them and make them thrive and even tough the means that we choose to do it are different the essence remains of discovery, get to know places, experiences, no confort zone, also I learned that the best answer to give when you traveling it is: I do not know when or where will it end and we only plan as far as the next city, every day it is new to me since I choose to live free and even when I miss my love ones, my luna hermosa the learning that I will get will last me a life time and the stories to share will be something to pass on and perhaps make some one do the same knowing that it is possible to be free







week 5 I am out :)







Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Week 4 on the road


And then we came back to reality after chasing dreams and talked to entities that showed me the way and answer some questions that I did not understand, it was time to say goodbye to the mountains and my love for a few days, to return to Jim´s place and look for another place to stay to continue learning more as we go, the crew split up once more and it is hard to find accommodations for 5.

Eva and Aoife found a place for them to stay at exchange workers at la Punta which happens to be a surf town village that extends to 1 streets but after that street there is always waves so perfect spot for Eva and for Aoife to spend her las days in town, the same day we started with our search Checo went out looking and started talking to the owner of Bici Puerto´s Carlos that happens to be the reason why we were able to see Puerto in a different light due the ideas and the background that he has working in different projects but decided to work towards his dreams and do what he loves that happens to be his family, surf and bicycles.





Gaby and I arrived after Checo and started brainstorming about ideas that could work to ignite a movement to take back the street and enjoy them more while riding in form or bike tours, workshops and marketing his shop for which we came out with an image which we printed and I decided to tape them on my panniers to help our friend along the way, little did I know that Carlos would be helping me more that anyone in a few days.

The same day we told Carlos that we happened to be looking for a place to stay for the 3 of us and not only he helped us but also offered his place in case we did not find any, we went and visit 2 places, first one called Pakololo right on Zicatela beach a surfer beach as well where my luna stayed a week ago and it was only 3 places down the street from where we stayed back then, the manager Yusif was super called and he even rides a bicycle so it is was easier to relate and told us that he would have to make a call before so we left for another place with his friend Julian a French man that lives here with her wife and runs a little hotel and happened to know about a place where we could stayed, we went there and it was nice but far from the beach so we went back to Bici Puerto and hang out for a couple of hours while waiting to the phone call back as I had already leave Jim´s house fully loaded in my Bike,



Carlos and his son on the right :)



later that night we did not hear back from Yusif but Carlos called back and managed to talked to the person in charge and he agreed to let us stay as the group split and Gaby, Checo and I found a place to camp inside the hotel where we might need to do some work while at it ( I only work one day at the end for an entire week I stayed in ) it was a nice place to camp as it came with a clean toilet although I was not able to shower until my 3rd night there







yes it says braids 5 dollars :) I do know how to braid hair lol

3 days after my arrival my luna hermosa arrived and we spent some time together while we eat, watch the sunset and drank some wine the night before she left back to her town, I love my luna and we have been able to manage a relation where everything has started backwards from leaving in different cities to only see us a few days per month but it is due to this dynamic that we are able to see each other with passion and not only that but also discover more of the each other with every encounter, I miss her every day and think about her face, smile, tender touch and words that make me a better man, the day she left her flight delayed for 10 hours which gave us another opportunity to bond while waiting, everything happens for a reason and today I am so grateful for the delay


During the time I stayed at pakololo  this is the inside of the place where for the following days I would just chill at night since during the morning I will go early and help around Carlos´s shop













As my time ended I realized that despite where we go our essence will remain as well for personality traits that make us easy to relate to people or not, it is also during this stage that a new set of skills reach the surface by making me humble enough to work around the shop and the hostal, making new friends and smile from the inside, miss the ones that are with me and the ones that are not, share memories and make new ones on the go, see the sunset and understand that everywhere we go it will be different and that is okay and while we ride our time machine we evolve and mutate to someone else, the journey will continue and the learning will never end with so many colors out there during my travel time along with my friends Gaby, Eva, Checo and Aoife as it was at this point where the team split since Checo and Aoife had to go back to their home towns taking with them our love and leaving theirs with us, the learning the laughter and the meals on the road, the moments where we got mad at the each other but also not knowing what would it have been of us without them, I am honor to call myself their friend and will continue to work towards reunite us all one day























Wednesday, July 22, 2015

week 3 on the road

And then we said good bye to Punta Maldonado with hopes and dreams to continue our journey to the south, the energy given by people and the assistance during the entire tour has been what drive us to continue or at least it has for me as waking up to a different scenario or even a different situation keeps me awake.

The day that we left Gaby and Checo ride the bicycles out to the main road while Eva, Aoife and I asked for a ride out since we had to get some work in our bikes to continue on, it was a nice mellow ride for 30 km out as well a good chance to take pictures and enjoy the wind on our hair while riding in the back of the truck









That night we cover pretty good distance around 50km and I also recover my big plate so whenever going downhill I could go fast, we ended up at a place called Mancuernas pretty close to Pinoteca Nacional as the same day we crossed over to Oaxaca, we camp at the local goverment building where we had low internet but it was safe and the moment we arrive Gaby and Eva played soccer with some kids while we prepared camp and started talking to a few local people that asked us questions and we heard once again about chincunquiña the virus that it is currently at costa chica.

One lady next door had the keys to the bathroom and let us in to shower and use the toilet so that night we shower yeaaah hahahaha, I did after playing basketball for the first time in the journey with some local kids but it was really funny as what started 5 vs 4 ( my team had 4 ) ended up being 5 vs 2 but it was worth it as we all had fun and the were able to see a different style and laugh the whole time





Next morning we head out to Pinoteca with some company as Checo talked to a Leobardo a local kid that was training on his bike and share our story, he was really cool and took us to the ATM´s and some other shops to get parts before we head out and warm us about the 10km curvy hill road ahead of us in order to get to our next destination 60km away, the road was beautiful and full of life as it is on Oaxaca where there is a lot a lot of green and the weather change more to a jungle type.

We stayed that night at Jamiltepec where we saw this empty space where there probably a shop to fix cars and after setting up some stuff, Checo and I went to explore town



So funny when people call us names not in a bad way as everyone has been really nice but I heard some saying I was Arab, maybe the long beard and my tan but I know for a fact that I fall into different races due to my looks as it has always been







Next Morning on our way out the unexpected happened as my rim broke down after a massive hill downwards knowing that something like this would happened as before we left town one of my spokes broke and by the time we made it downhill my back tire was moving side to side as I was on it, the moment we stopped I noticed another spoke gone and the time broke for 3 different parts and as Checo tried to adjust it another one was gone, I decided to ask for a ride on the side of the road and make it to Puerto Escondido and work on my bike, by this time I was at the 2300 pesos range on my budget and not happy about knowing that I had to spend some more of what I did not have but needed to continue as otherwise my bike would break down, long story short it did not work and we decided to make it really slow until next town but we did a stop a this hot springs that we could not left without seeing but so funny as my bike was able to endure another 20 + km from the moment 3 spokes were gone and my rim broke in 3 parts and still I did 5 km in terrace bumpy road yeaaah











After we left and we got to the next town, the rest of the team head out to Chacahua Oaxaca and I got into a bus towards puerto, 100km for 50 pesos not bad, that night our host from warm showers Jim was already waiting for me by the time I arrived to town and he was awesome since day one as he share some information as how he got into warm showers, how many people have hosted, his point of view about life and also the best pizza and salad I ever had, it was weird eating a lot after having small long endurance meals but I went for it and ate it all as it was magically delicious, thanks a lot Jim for that first meal that felt like heaven and the amazing conversation.

The next morning I asked Jim about the local bike shops as well I went out and explore town for myself and I noticed that Puerto kinda has the same energy that Playa del carmen but at a smaller scale as there is no massive resorts but a really big community of people all over the world that makes puerto their home









Tha afternoon we went to a local beach and then I head out to explore Zicatela and there I might be able to get a job to continue to sponsor my own journey







2 Days after the team arrived full of adventures and ready to rest while as I missed them already and started making plans for the weekend to come



Also my luna hermosa arrived to town and we were able to hang out prior to the weekend trip to San Jose del Pacifico that was just awesome and as words can not describe the experience from this moment on I will leave just pictures for the readers to let their imagination flow and enjoy the ride, life it is full of surprises and miracles that we will never understand as part of this miracles form part of our day by day and tend to go unnoticed by us but it all plays an important road on everyones evolution and the joy of discovering what we already have it is greater than what we do not have.



































The first day once again the team split it two ways by leaving me, my luna hermosa and his friend heading towards San Mateo on what begun as a 3km walk ending on a 8km walk on the dark of the night the the rest of my team walking towards another place, we all had different emotions and feeling during our journey but knowing that we had to do it this way help us to understand who we are and where are we going, words can not describe the insight that I got from this place but magical all the way

























I would like to also ask for feedback or comments on my blogs to keep me fresh and learn more and more, this is a new experience and I take everyone that cares to read with me I also learn new ways to express and maybe one day make my own book or share some with my family back home, special thanks to Jim as we could have not done it without him, thanks for being so patience with us as me being a host in the past I can relate to the experience that at time it can be overwhelming