When I was about twenty I constructed a list. A list of all the reasons my life was so good. A list of the ten best things in my life. Ten reasons why I should be content. It ran as follows:
1) I have thousands of dollars in my bank
2) I have all the material objects I want (snowboard, stereo, clothes, bike etc. and could get all the others I wanted)
3) I hold an ´A´ grade average
4) I have represented my country in a sport
5) I have a nice girlfriend
6) I have a good circle of friends
7) I have a loving family
8) I have a good body (health wise)
9) ...
10) ...
I thought I was looking at the reasons I was happy. I think, in hindsight, that really I was searching for the reason why I was miserable. Because I was. I see that now. I knew it then but would not admit it. In fact, that same day I went on to write a list of three things I could have that would make my life even better. For now, all three of these things are forgotten. But they were trivial. Of that I am fairly certain.
And now I look back I can analyse why I was sad. Was it something I had?
Viewed with the old mindset: My money? Does this make me sad? No, this allows me to have financial security and be able to buy whatever I want when I want it. My snowbaord, bike, stereo and other material objects? Nope. These allow me to escape sadness if and when it comes. I can use these things to make myself happy. My grades? I like knowing I am smart. And having others know I am smart. This does not make me sad. And having represented NZ at finnswimming holds the same appeal. My girlfriend? Martha is awesome. Makes me laugh and smile and feel successful on a different plane. I like the feeling of having a girlfriend. My friends? These are my friends. Like material objects, when I am sad, they help make me happy. They help entertain me and provide companionship. My family loves me unconditionally. How could unconditional love create sadness? It wouldn´t. Knowing my body? Knowing I can run, swim, jump or do whatever I want, whenever I want. I love this feeling! The freedom it brings to me.
So no, it isn´t something I have that is making me sad. It must be something I don´t have. But what don´t I have?
Now viewed today: The money - I had greed. I knew it by name alone back then. Now I know it´s face. I had greed. I had money but always wanted more. I had material objects but again, I always wanted more or better. I could buy them if I wanted them but, as said, I knew greed and was tight with money. The grade average. I didn´t really care what my grades were. They brought me no happiness or feelings of joy. Only frustration and pain to get them. Or sadness if they weren´t high enough in my eyes. Or even jelousy if I saw another´s were higher. My grades were a pressure on myself I created in an attempt to polish my ego in the view of others. I wanted others to think I was smart. I knew, and still know, what I am. Sport – I never felt I did well. I don´t hold that trip to Mexico as something special in my eyes. I swam. A lot. So what? Pleasure of pride? That never truly existed as I always felt a fraud. Perhaps I was too hard on myself. I did do a lot to get there. And yet it felt so fake. Like I was never really wanting it for myself. Girlfriend? A hard one. I liked her. She was great. But I was still searching for I know not what. Martha was all I wanted in a way and yet I craved more. Friends? Family? Both come and go. Both I wanted from in return. I gave to receive. Setting myself up for saddness if the return was not there. Body? The constant worry it would be lost. Pimples, haircuts, pointless little irrelvances that I held so dare and cared so much about. So vain. Not of looks but in a quest to find some or hide my flaws from others.
So it wasn´t something I had that was making me sad. I was right there. It was in fact EVERYTHING I had that was making me sad. What happiness these things could have brought was lost as I viewed them all in the wrong light.
And as I reread this I notice I used to think in terms of ´my´and ´mine´and now I look at these things as objects.
Nov 9, 2008
Blinded by the light
It is the end of day 8 of the vipassana course. For me, the day has not gone well. My mind has wandered and the sensations were blind or cloudy at best. Thankfully, it is now time for the discourse. The hour where Goenka explains and reaffirms what we are doing and why we are doing it. Provides the encouragement needed to face the coming days. And this was one discourse I was to find would hold a lot of meaning for me.
He begins with a story. A quote from Gotema (Buddha). It goes:
“There are four kinds of people in this world. Those running from darkness into darkness. Those running from darkness into light. Those running from light into darkness and those who run from light into light.”
Buddha always realised that his words would be read into and so he always explained his meaning when his stories were over in terms all would understand. Here is the meaning of the above passage:
Those people who have bad lives, miserable lives, are living in darkness. People who steal, kill, lie, crave and live without dhamma. And if they continue to live this way, when they continue to steal and lie then they continue to run into darkness. Their lives will continue to be miserable and full of saddness.
Then there are those people who have had bad lives, miserable lives, lives without dhamma but who have begun to change. Who are now leading dhamma lives. These people are running towards the light. Towards enlightment. Good things are coming towards these people.
There are others still who already have great lives. All the money, food, pleasures and so forth that they could want have been there. These people have had good karma in the past and it is playing out for them now. But if they begin to lead non-dharma lives, these people will begin to lose this lifestyle. They will crave, begin to steal and lie and so begin to run towards the darkness, towards a life of misery.
The final set of people also have a great life. They have all they need and are happy. They are content with what they have. They continue to enjoy this life and work hard to keep it without using lies and deceit. These people continue to run, to live, in the light and the happiness remains.
Luck? Good past karma catching up with me? Or had I actually earnt it in the present? For whatever reason, I have had a good life. A priveledged life. I have been living in the light. I´ve never gone hungry, been cold or been without a roof over my head except by choice. I´ve never truly wanted for anything in life and yet when I look back I can see I´ve been wanting in happiness. I have been running from the light.
With all the good in my life I have still managed to do bad things. I have stolen, killed, lied and made wrong speech. These things have lead me into darkness. And I have been sad. I had not admitted it to myself and many of us never do I think. I was not depressed as the term goes but sad? Yes, a lot of the time I was sad.
I was off the path.
For me Vipassana was like finding the path once more. And finding a means of not becoming lost again. Think of a path in the darkness. When it is dark it is impossible to follow the path as the way is not clear. You may begin on the path but in the darkness you quickly step off it and so leave it behind. So it was for me. I would then try and refind the path, refind the happiness using different means to light my way.
Drugs. Taking drugs often makes you happy. But the feeling is impermanent. Taking a drug is like lighting a bonfire next to the path. All of sudden the path is so clear in front of you. You can see once more the right way to reach true happiness. And so you begin to walk in the right direction again. Only the further you walk the less bright the light from the bonfire becomes. The less clear the path becomes. And so you use more drugs. Throw more fuel onto the fire. It gorws and the light becomes even brighter but still, it runs out eventually and you are once more lost in the darkness.
Money and material objects. These offer a more long lasting form of ´happiness´for some. This is like taking a branch from the fire and using it as a torch to follow the path. You will get a lot further and see the path much more clearly but as with the drugs, this too will fade. The joy will pass and you will find yourself either wandering lost again or going back to the fire to get another torch (seeking more material objects). And so you will again begin the futile run up the path with your impermanent torch of happiness.
Vipassana provides a means to light the path permanently. It is like receiving one of those wind up dynamic torches. You can use this torch to follow the Dhamma path as far as it goes. The path to true happiness. As long as you wind the handle, the torch will continue to provide you with the light to find your way. If you get lazy and stop winding, the light will fade and you will become lost once more. But now that you have the torch, whenever you begin to wind it again, you will once more be able to find the path. You will never lose this. Winding the torch is synnonamous with following Vipassana. Continuing to follow the five precepts, meditating morning and night and sharing what good you can with others. As long as you continue to do these things you are continuing to wind the torch.
And when you look into it. Who doesn´t want to follow the path? Where is the difficulty? What is wrong with the precepts for instance? Abstain from stealing? We can all see the sense in this. No sexual misconduct? This is not abstinance we are talking about, this is sex without consent or understanding. Wrong speech. To tell no lies. Hard to achieve but again, when you think about it, why do we need to be told? No intoxicants. Again, hard, but in the long term, if we are happy, drugs are not needed and I have seen the damage they do. To abstain from killing any sentient being? Life is life in any form. Who are we to end it? Play god?
And yet I want to say, I do not follow these five explicitly. For me I begin where I can and believe just being aware is a start. The idea that it is the thought that counts holds true in my eyes. If you tell a lie but only to reduce anothers suffering is it really so wrong? To kill to put an animal out of pain? To steal to survive? I do not know the answers yet. I am just beginning the long walk down the path. But as long as you think each time you act, remain aware of the reasoning behind your actions, that at least is a start. With time you can make your own mind up on each of the five.
As Buddha always said,
“Do not believe anything I say because I have said it. Believe it only once you have experienced it yourself”
He begins with a story. A quote from Gotema (Buddha). It goes:
“There are four kinds of people in this world. Those running from darkness into darkness. Those running from darkness into light. Those running from light into darkness and those who run from light into light.”
Buddha always realised that his words would be read into and so he always explained his meaning when his stories were over in terms all would understand. Here is the meaning of the above passage:
Those people who have bad lives, miserable lives, are living in darkness. People who steal, kill, lie, crave and live without dhamma. And if they continue to live this way, when they continue to steal and lie then they continue to run into darkness. Their lives will continue to be miserable and full of saddness.
Then there are those people who have had bad lives, miserable lives, lives without dhamma but who have begun to change. Who are now leading dhamma lives. These people are running towards the light. Towards enlightment. Good things are coming towards these people.
There are others still who already have great lives. All the money, food, pleasures and so forth that they could want have been there. These people have had good karma in the past and it is playing out for them now. But if they begin to lead non-dharma lives, these people will begin to lose this lifestyle. They will crave, begin to steal and lie and so begin to run towards the darkness, towards a life of misery.
The final set of people also have a great life. They have all they need and are happy. They are content with what they have. They continue to enjoy this life and work hard to keep it without using lies and deceit. These people continue to run, to live, in the light and the happiness remains.
Luck? Good past karma catching up with me? Or had I actually earnt it in the present? For whatever reason, I have had a good life. A priveledged life. I have been living in the light. I´ve never gone hungry, been cold or been without a roof over my head except by choice. I´ve never truly wanted for anything in life and yet when I look back I can see I´ve been wanting in happiness. I have been running from the light.
With all the good in my life I have still managed to do bad things. I have stolen, killed, lied and made wrong speech. These things have lead me into darkness. And I have been sad. I had not admitted it to myself and many of us never do I think. I was not depressed as the term goes but sad? Yes, a lot of the time I was sad.
I was off the path.
For me Vipassana was like finding the path once more. And finding a means of not becoming lost again. Think of a path in the darkness. When it is dark it is impossible to follow the path as the way is not clear. You may begin on the path but in the darkness you quickly step off it and so leave it behind. So it was for me. I would then try and refind the path, refind the happiness using different means to light my way.
Drugs. Taking drugs often makes you happy. But the feeling is impermanent. Taking a drug is like lighting a bonfire next to the path. All of sudden the path is so clear in front of you. You can see once more the right way to reach true happiness. And so you begin to walk in the right direction again. Only the further you walk the less bright the light from the bonfire becomes. The less clear the path becomes. And so you use more drugs. Throw more fuel onto the fire. It gorws and the light becomes even brighter but still, it runs out eventually and you are once more lost in the darkness.
Money and material objects. These offer a more long lasting form of ´happiness´for some. This is like taking a branch from the fire and using it as a torch to follow the path. You will get a lot further and see the path much more clearly but as with the drugs, this too will fade. The joy will pass and you will find yourself either wandering lost again or going back to the fire to get another torch (seeking more material objects). And so you will again begin the futile run up the path with your impermanent torch of happiness.
Vipassana provides a means to light the path permanently. It is like receiving one of those wind up dynamic torches. You can use this torch to follow the Dhamma path as far as it goes. The path to true happiness. As long as you wind the handle, the torch will continue to provide you with the light to find your way. If you get lazy and stop winding, the light will fade and you will become lost once more. But now that you have the torch, whenever you begin to wind it again, you will once more be able to find the path. You will never lose this. Winding the torch is synnonamous with following Vipassana. Continuing to follow the five precepts, meditating morning and night and sharing what good you can with others. As long as you continue to do these things you are continuing to wind the torch.
And when you look into it. Who doesn´t want to follow the path? Where is the difficulty? What is wrong with the precepts for instance? Abstain from stealing? We can all see the sense in this. No sexual misconduct? This is not abstinance we are talking about, this is sex without consent or understanding. Wrong speech. To tell no lies. Hard to achieve but again, when you think about it, why do we need to be told? No intoxicants. Again, hard, but in the long term, if we are happy, drugs are not needed and I have seen the damage they do. To abstain from killing any sentient being? Life is life in any form. Who are we to end it? Play god?
And yet I want to say, I do not follow these five explicitly. For me I begin where I can and believe just being aware is a start. The idea that it is the thought that counts holds true in my eyes. If you tell a lie but only to reduce anothers suffering is it really so wrong? To kill to put an animal out of pain? To steal to survive? I do not know the answers yet. I am just beginning the long walk down the path. But as long as you think each time you act, remain aware of the reasoning behind your actions, that at least is a start. With time you can make your own mind up on each of the five.
As Buddha always said,
“Do not believe anything I say because I have said it. Believe it only once you have experienced it yourself”
Dhamma
Dhamma is viewed as a path to be travelled. It is a long path and takes a strong determination to reach it´s end. It is very easy to be mislead and to begin to wander aimlessly. Many do not even know the way exists. When you become aware of Dhamma, this is like becoming aware of the path. Beginning to follow Dhamma is like taking the first step. This is a great success. Vipassana is a way to remain on the right path. To remind yourself of why you are following this route and to help others become aware of it. It is the path, the only path, to true happiness. It is the only way to reach true enlightenment.
I look at it this way. I was always trying to get to true happiness. I knew it was there, We all know it is there. There are times as a kid when we are completely in the moment. Living in the present. So happy and free. Then we discover money and sex and ambition and cravings and we begin to lose this feeling. These moments of true happiness come less and less often. And so it was for me. I was switching from path to path, chasing this past feeling. Trying to find where this feeling lay. Trying to find a path that would take me back. I tried all sorts of different routes. One marked ´DRUGS´, one marked ´MONEY´, one marked ´RELATIONSHIPS´, one marked ´FAME´. All sorts. And on one of my wanderings, when I was in search of a new path, I came across a sign marked ´DHAMMA´. This was in India. And so I followed it for a bit and found I liked it. But I also liked what I saw on the other paths and I soon found myself drifting off down one of these again. These other paths are nice but lead away from true happiness. What they offer does not last. The happiness is momentary. Sometimes they bring you close, so close, if only momentarily to true happiness, but if you continue to follow them you will find that they will never reach the final goal. That is not their final destination.
While on the Dhamma path I heard of Vipassana. And even as I wandered off from the Dhamma path, I had at least learnt of its existance. It took a year for me to rediscover it once I had lost my way but in Switzerland it happened. I took a course and refound my way. For now at least, I am back on the right path. I step off it on occasion but now, with my growing awareness, I am able to sense the loss and so work to get back on track before I travel to far from it and lose my way in darkness once more.
I look at it this way. I was always trying to get to true happiness. I knew it was there, We all know it is there. There are times as a kid when we are completely in the moment. Living in the present. So happy and free. Then we discover money and sex and ambition and cravings and we begin to lose this feeling. These moments of true happiness come less and less often. And so it was for me. I was switching from path to path, chasing this past feeling. Trying to find where this feeling lay. Trying to find a path that would take me back. I tried all sorts of different routes. One marked ´DRUGS´, one marked ´MONEY´, one marked ´RELATIONSHIPS´, one marked ´FAME´. All sorts. And on one of my wanderings, when I was in search of a new path, I came across a sign marked ´DHAMMA´. This was in India. And so I followed it for a bit and found I liked it. But I also liked what I saw on the other paths and I soon found myself drifting off down one of these again. These other paths are nice but lead away from true happiness. What they offer does not last. The happiness is momentary. Sometimes they bring you close, so close, if only momentarily to true happiness, but if you continue to follow them you will find that they will never reach the final goal. That is not their final destination.
While on the Dhamma path I heard of Vipassana. And even as I wandered off from the Dhamma path, I had at least learnt of its existance. It took a year for me to rediscover it once I had lost my way but in Switzerland it happened. I took a course and refound my way. For now at least, I am back on the right path. I step off it on occasion but now, with my growing awareness, I am able to sense the loss and so work to get back on track before I travel to far from it and lose my way in darkness once more.
Vipassana
Day one:
Day two: Time to run
Day three:
Day four: So much energy! How to sit still? How to concentrate?!
Day five: Pain is gone. Where? Who cares!
Day six:
Day seven:
Day eight: What has happened? Where has my concentration gone?
Day nine:
Day ten: GOoooonggggg! The serious meditation was over. The time to heal had arrived. The morning session...
The teachers left and the old students soon followed. Slowly, the new students also left the room and as I sat I begun to hear voices in the dining hall. A general hubbub was beginning. I sat a while longer observing the guy two seats in front of me. He also seemed hesitant to move. Goenka had said the course would complete at 8 and I had wrongly assumed he meant that night. We waited and soon myself and one other girl were all that remained. I decided to make a move and see what was going on. Had it really finished? It suddenly seemed so short.
On entering the dining hall I quickly took in the situation and it was all too clear communication was once more allowed. Only it was not what I was after. I wandered over to grab a drink and met Jo and Mischa. They smiled and said how I would need to remember how to talk. I made some non affirmative grunt, felt bad and quickly said, "No, it is all just so sudden". I then took tail and ran.
Outside. Into the open. People seemed to be pairing up. One other student also wandered alone. I moved to sit in the sun. To think? And so I sat for the next hour perhaps. On the verge of tears throughout. One of the servers came to say hello and I appreciated that. He was one who I had noticed always seemed to help out of true wanting. Never looked to be in a rush or that he had the want of being somewhere else, doing something else.
Why did I want to cry or feel like I could? I don´t honestly know. Not yet. Tears would come to my eyes. I think perhaps I was overwhelmed. And everyone else seemed so happy. Why did I not share their joy? Had I not managed the same during the course? And yet a part of me knew I had managed so much. Perhaps it was a fear this change would once more be lost to me? I had been here before and knew how hard it would be to keep it up in the real world.
And so I sat. Alone.
Soon the gong rung for breakfast and I followed. I spoke during breakfast, regretted it soon after - again, not truly sure why but was probably still trying to get my own mind sorted out - and then I retreated to my room to sit alone and think some more.
Talking tires you out.
Day eleven: Awoken at 4 once more knowing it was the last time not by choice. The two hours meditation had changed to a 45 minute session with an hours discourse afterwards. Here Goenka explained how to continue the practice in everyday life and emphasised how important it was to continue to practice mediation. - Was this one reason I lost the results from Tushita? - Two one hour sessions would be required each day. One morning, one evening. And throughout the day, continue to practice compassion, spend time observing sensations and meditate some more if you find opportunity.
At 8am the discourse was concluded.
I still felt a little offset when we left the course. I still had tears near the surface. I still felt sadder than when I had arrived.
Then in the tram when we had reached Karlsruhe, no, earlier. In one of the cars with one of the lifts. I cannot remember which. Only that I suddenly found I was full of happiness. More so than I had reason to be. And as the night progressed, so did the feeling. I soon caught myself wanting to laugh each time my eyes caught anothers. I would watch as wonder replaced the fear that first entered their eyes as they realised my smile was sincere and not judging. They would soon smile themselves and perhaps they wondered why?
The feeling Goenka had spoken of had arrived. I think also that I did not the almost artificial feeling, the over emphasis, the exageration of the happiness some others from the course were almost crying out that they felt. Perhaps it was just slower for me to come to terms with. Or perhaps I just needed the sharing with Jo, the talking once more to get the thoughts out, to get some help in deciphering them.
Whatever the reason, it does not, did not and I think will not, ever truly matter. I am happy. This is where it begins to count.
Day two: Time to run
Day three:
Day four: So much energy! How to sit still? How to concentrate?!
Day five: Pain is gone. Where? Who cares!
Day six:
Day seven:
Day eight: What has happened? Where has my concentration gone?
Day nine:
Day ten: GOoooonggggg! The serious meditation was over. The time to heal had arrived. The morning session...
The teachers left and the old students soon followed. Slowly, the new students also left the room and as I sat I begun to hear voices in the dining hall. A general hubbub was beginning. I sat a while longer observing the guy two seats in front of me. He also seemed hesitant to move. Goenka had said the course would complete at 8 and I had wrongly assumed he meant that night. We waited and soon myself and one other girl were all that remained. I decided to make a move and see what was going on. Had it really finished? It suddenly seemed so short.
On entering the dining hall I quickly took in the situation and it was all too clear communication was once more allowed. Only it was not what I was after. I wandered over to grab a drink and met Jo and Mischa. They smiled and said how I would need to remember how to talk. I made some non affirmative grunt, felt bad and quickly said, "No, it is all just so sudden". I then took tail and ran.
Outside. Into the open. People seemed to be pairing up. One other student also wandered alone. I moved to sit in the sun. To think? And so I sat for the next hour perhaps. On the verge of tears throughout. One of the servers came to say hello and I appreciated that. He was one who I had noticed always seemed to help out of true wanting. Never looked to be in a rush or that he had the want of being somewhere else, doing something else.
Why did I want to cry or feel like I could? I don´t honestly know. Not yet. Tears would come to my eyes. I think perhaps I was overwhelmed. And everyone else seemed so happy. Why did I not share their joy? Had I not managed the same during the course? And yet a part of me knew I had managed so much. Perhaps it was a fear this change would once more be lost to me? I had been here before and knew how hard it would be to keep it up in the real world.
And so I sat. Alone.
Soon the gong rung for breakfast and I followed. I spoke during breakfast, regretted it soon after - again, not truly sure why but was probably still trying to get my own mind sorted out - and then I retreated to my room to sit alone and think some more.
Talking tires you out.
Day eleven: Awoken at 4 once more knowing it was the last time not by choice. The two hours meditation had changed to a 45 minute session with an hours discourse afterwards. Here Goenka explained how to continue the practice in everyday life and emphasised how important it was to continue to practice mediation. - Was this one reason I lost the results from Tushita? - Two one hour sessions would be required each day. One morning, one evening. And throughout the day, continue to practice compassion, spend time observing sensations and meditate some more if you find opportunity.
At 8am the discourse was concluded.
I still felt a little offset when we left the course. I still had tears near the surface. I still felt sadder than when I had arrived.
Then in the tram when we had reached Karlsruhe, no, earlier. In one of the cars with one of the lifts. I cannot remember which. Only that I suddenly found I was full of happiness. More so than I had reason to be. And as the night progressed, so did the feeling. I soon caught myself wanting to laugh each time my eyes caught anothers. I would watch as wonder replaced the fear that first entered their eyes as they realised my smile was sincere and not judging. They would soon smile themselves and perhaps they wondered why?
The feeling Goenka had spoken of had arrived. I think also that I did not the almost artificial feeling, the over emphasis, the exageration of the happiness some others from the course were almost crying out that they felt. Perhaps it was just slower for me to come to terms with. Or perhaps I just needed the sharing with Jo, the talking once more to get the thoughts out, to get some help in deciphering them.
Whatever the reason, it does not, did not and I think will not, ever truly matter. I am happy. This is where it begins to count.
Oct 14, 2008
Visiting Lucy...
It began with a cat.
Perfect love, perfect acceptance.
It ended alone. Crawling between realities. Hoping, that in exhaustion, I would crumple finally back into the beginning.
________________________________________________________________________________
It truly is a trip. A trip like no other. Or actually, a little like mushrooms. But not a tourist trip or a world trip like the one I am on now. It is a mind trip. A trip to new worlds completely.
I took half a tab. An hour passed and my patience ran out and my confidence grew. I wasn´t freaking or hardly even feeling it.
So I took the other half.
I wanted it good. Not just good good, I wanted the trip to be really good..
When it hit, looking back, I see my usual arrogance and impatience in action...
Fighting against nothing. Still I lost. Clawing my way back to reality. But which reality? More than one reality? 12 dimensional. Woah! Gone again. Lost as laughter overtook my life.
Lying back, laughing. Hysterical. Tears streaming down my face, mouth not able to close. Then BAM! “Woah!” and I was ´back´. I would try to stay. For just a moment. To tell Sam and Jo... something? Something important!?
Something important I must say. Then the laughter would come. I would see it approaching and this is what would make it come. My acknowledgement would speed it up. I would try to ignore it but my subconcious would focus on it and it would fly. I´d know that what I had to say would not, could not, be said. And if I could say this one thing. This one single thing then all would be right in the world. All would be happy.
“So close”, “I know”
Grabbing my sleeping bag to help hold me up. Help fight the nothing that seemed determined to pull me, push me, wrestle me, back to where I had come from. I´d try to ground myself. On what? What was permenant? “Focus on the stove” Sam suggested. Mahahah, like that is permenant! Nothing is permenant. Nothing! Realisation would hit. Then I would begin to fall. I would fight it. Fight is so hard. Then I´d remember I´d been here before. Would be here again in the future. Why fight it? In 3 seconds I´d be in a different world/reality anyway. And so I would let go.
Falling. Drifting. Laughing.
Am I laughing or crying? Living or dying?
So many realities. When to stop in one? How to stop in one? Which one to stop in?
Each deep thought would fling me far off to somewhere new. As Sam said, it was like I was a really old computer being asked to carry out calculations too advanced for my system. I would overload. Lose touch and be gone from the world until... until I was back?
Jo recorded me. Caught him out. Dropped me to a mellow brown level where talk was heavy. Hard to get out. Every thing was dark. Earth colours. Wet earth.
The lights. The dome. The lizards each white line of stiching became. Long white fast lizards. The patches of mould that danced. The fabric that pulsed.
The beat in the background. A rythym. A message. It was there for all to hear. Everywhere. I just had to take the time to look.
Where am I running to? Is acid running or the first time I bother to stop? Stay in the shallows?
Blue spots everywhere. Blue light, streaks. Coming out, shooting out from the purple ganja plant. Snapping a piece of to snap on occasion kept me sane. The light from the moon. Waves coming out in patterns. Like the scout symbol but flowing out in the millions.
Sam and Jo ask me to decribe what is going on. How? How to share? How to describe Heaven? How to describe Hell? So many emotions would pass through me. Every emotion ever felt would pass through me in seconds. Three secondas that would leave me exhausted like hours had passed. Am I crying or laughing? I describe 1mm of an infinite facade. The corner of one small tile in the endless mosaic of life.
Maybe to write it?
Me: So much effort for such a little thing.
Jo: What are you doing?
Sam: He´s trying to write
Jo: Don´t write there, it´s already written on
Me: Stop reading what I am writing!
Jo: I can´t read it from here!
Me: Don´t read what I´m writing! (Laughing all the while)
Jo: I can´t even see it!
Me: I can see you reading it!
Jo: Oh my god (In exasperation)
Ate some choc. Too big. Spat it out. Size of a pea became the size of a watermelon in my mouth.
Tea that lasts forever. I had to tip it out. Salty digestive - also too big!
Watched my hands. And then Bham! Gone again. Watching hands that take forever to catch up. I´d wave them in front of my face and it was like watching hands pass over a shadow. Like looking at them through a wall made of horizontal slates of wood. The hands would pass behind them so you´d only see them at times. Then I could see all the bones within. I could make 20, no 30, of my hands appear in this form in front of me, slowly chasing the final product to combine once more. And I would tell myself to just be normal. Make my hands normal! Nope. Doesn´t matter. This is how I see my hands. I cannot slow it. Only wish the others were here to see it all too.
Then the acid hit. The colours, the shapes, the patterns, the action.
Crying or laughing?
Then the acid hit.
Crying or laughing?
There are two zones. Funky colours and lights zone. Or funky brain zone.
Playing in the shallows or diving into the deep end.
I´d snap out. Tell the others I didn´t know if I would recommend or not. Visiting the worlds I was in. The things I was seeing. The thoughts I was having.
Hell yes I would recommend it! It´s so good! And then I would cry...
The moment I stop speaking I can hear the beginning of what I said.
The only way to escape is for everything around to be lost. Only through becoming lost could I ever be found.
Do I choose to return from this ´crazy´? Is not to be given the choice in the first place crazy?
If you are everywhere and nowhere, are you somewhere?
Which reality? Who`s reality?
What if you corrupt your own reality?
If you cannot remember being sober. If you cannot remember being sane. How can you ever return? Or know that you have returned once you arrive? You could pass it by in your ignorance and keep on searching for all eternity.
When noone speaks reality can be found. But which? Groundhog day. Knowing the life thought will pass. Then not knowing if it would ever end? Or did it just begin? If I stop talking I will think. Then I will have to enter reality. But what is reality? To talk is to avoid. And maybe I don´t want to re-enter? In fact, I remember saying at one stage how I did not want to ´wake up´ to reality again.
How many times will I go here?
Where is reality?
You call this falling asleep to a dream. I call this awakening to reality.
Switch the concepts around.
Forever
Wherever
Always for me a small white speck back there. At the end of infinity. Keeping me from joining the crazies. To snap out of it and then sink back again. Still knowing the other state exists but knowing I could not return by choice. Phycotic? I knew that it was all in my mind. Will always all be in my mind. I am creating it. No one else may enter. No one else can control. (Later thought – hypnosis. Does it enter this rhealm?).
When the world began to spin and reality begun to be flung far from reach. As I sat up with a “Woah!” and attempted to grab on to this reality. As I watched it exist, felt it exist and then knew it to be sliding away, I also realised some people just never return. They slide on forever. Lost to us.
Jo´s sleeping was a grounding point. That he slept and had been awake showed time had passed. Showed there was a time existance somewhere. Whether I would ever return was now the question.
Towards the end of the night, as the others drifted off to sleep, I found friendship in the pen. I began to try and record the thoughts going through my mind. Try before the acid would come to take me back to crazy world.
Scribblings keep the mind sane. Show evidence of a past. Potential for a future.
The existance of these scribblings again allowed me to know that on some level time was passing.
And always the important message I want to, have to, get across to the others. To say the one concept. And yet to know it is lost. The fight, lost before it has even begun. It ended with me finally sinking back. Letting the crazy win. “The crazy always wins” Sam said. And as I slipped out of it for the last time, I whispered, or more gasped out, that this time the message would have to remain unsaid. It was for someone else to tell perhaps. Not mine this time. And then crazy.
To laugh or to cry? Is there a difference?
We all need better seats to watch the man who is waiting for the start of the show of life to begin. He sits, seat bound, arms crossed, in wait for the beginning of the creation of a reality that will never be. We run in mobs to grab seats in his arms, his legs, his head, his everywhere. We join him in staring out of skinless windows at the show about to begin. We wait to watch him. He waits to watch us.
Oct 11, 2008
Goodbye... again
Last night in Beneficio. Again. Winds are still whipping up an absolute storm too. Roofs being lost, trees coming down and a sky murky with dust.
Tomorrow I will head off early morning with Jo by bus to Granada. From there it is just over 500kms to Valencia hitching. Then my plane is the next day at 1pm. Bit late to organise a couch surfer so a night at the airport it could be (o:
All going well, my next entry will be from the land of chocolate and cheese...
Tomorrow I will head off early morning with Jo by bus to Granada. From there it is just over 500kms to Valencia hitching. Then my plane is the next day at 1pm. Bit late to organise a couch surfer so a night at the airport it could be (o:
All going well, my next entry will be from the land of chocolate and cheese...
Oct 9, 2008
Beneficio once more
Booked my flight to Switzerland for the 13th. I fly into Basel at 3pm and there I will stay with a CS'er Florian. A city ambassador, he sounds really nice. Then two days later i will begin Vipassana. No talking for 10 days again. I really enjoyed it last time and figure that if this time it is only half as good, I will still love it immensely!
Oct 3, 2008
Sep 28, 2008
Ramadan
It is the Ramadan. A Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calender, it is the month in which the Quran wasrevealed to the Prop`het Muhammed.Today it is an Islamic month of fasting where participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from true dawn until sunset. Around 4:30am until 6:30pm. It is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility.
In reality, it seems to make people crazy, especially towards the end of the evening and it just means that at night they eat heeeeaps! Like HEAPS! They gorge. Fasting? Sure it is...
In reality, it seems to make people crazy, especially towards the end of the evening and it just means that at night they eat heeeeaps! Like HEAPS! They gorge. Fasting? Sure it is...
Africa! Huh? Spain?!
We awoke still stoned. Bong chai lasts well! Knowing we had a ferry to catch and also a mess to clean, we sat. We couldn't think to do more. So we sat. And wondered if we would make the ferry at all that day.
But Jo wanted it and so we cleaned a bit (more would have been better as we knew another was about to move in) and pushed off. Down the hill we stumbled but soon the fresh air took affect and the excitement began to enter our veins.
Two buses later and we were in ... um... the Port place. We booked a midnight ferry and at 12 set off for Africa!
On arrival I learnt we were actually still in Spain. A city called Malilla, it was part of Spain still. Haha. So we jumped on the next available bus (after a little haggling) and found ourselves headed for Fes.
And a thank you to the really nice man we met at the Port who gave us advice on prices. Like a taxi in the Spanish city to the border (maybe 5mins) would be 5 euro. On crossing the border, a 30 minute taxi ride to the nearest town would cost 5 durram - around 50cents. Neighbouring countries and yet a world apart in price!
But Jo wanted it and so we cleaned a bit (more would have been better as we knew another was about to move in) and pushed off. Down the hill we stumbled but soon the fresh air took affect and the excitement began to enter our veins.
Two buses later and we were in ... um... the Port place. We booked a midnight ferry and at 12 set off for Africa!
On arrival I learnt we were actually still in Spain. A city called Malilla, it was part of Spain still. Haha. So we jumped on the next available bus (after a little haggling) and found ourselves headed for Fes.
And a thank you to the really nice man we met at the Port who gave us advice on prices. Like a taxi in the Spanish city to the border (maybe 5mins) would be 5 euro. On crossing the border, a 30 minute taxi ride to the nearest town would cost 5 durram - around 50cents. Neighbouring countries and yet a world apart in price!
So long, fair well, alfetasten, adieu
We had decided to have a goodbye dinner on the night before we left. We would invite all we knew to say a thank you and a good bye before we left for Morroco. That was the plan. Now for the reality.
Firstly, we forgot to really tell anyone. Micky and Fran and Zasha turned up. Also Michael, a polish friend, girl with dreads, Dominic, another Polish guy and of course us. 12 all up I think. Who have I forgotten?
I sat early on making food with the Polish guy number one and Michael and later Sam. At first on my own and I soon found myself dominating the nuts and choc... oops (o: Then Micky and Fran turned up and we felt less bad eating it all.
Jo then came with the pizza we had made earlier and he had cooked at Zashas and the meal began. The joints also now began to flow. I watched as smiles grew on stoned faces and full bellies. Then the second Polish guy came (other in between) and he started handing around a pipe full of really truly strong weed. Everyone began to die!
Then Poland 1 began to snore? Was he sleeping? Nope, this thought was shattered as sprays of vomit erupted from his mouth, out onto my bed! Sam (stoned and seated next to him) could only manage a hand on his shoulder as a look of disbelief passed over his wasted features. Quite funny at the time but maybe not so in the morning.
As vomit drooled from his mouth, the party changed in attitude as many of us moved to the floor. Bong chai was cooking and soon this was making the rounds and life begun once more. Or for us it did. For Jo it all ended. The tea somehow kicked his arse royally (sorry for the language). He could not speak, he could not move and once more he entered a state of senility (how do you spell that word?).
We all slowly joined him, some made the move for home and so we settled for the night...
Firstly, we forgot to really tell anyone. Micky and Fran and Zasha turned up. Also Michael, a polish friend, girl with dreads, Dominic, another Polish guy and of course us. 12 all up I think. Who have I forgotten?
I sat early on making food with the Polish guy number one and Michael and later Sam. At first on my own and I soon found myself dominating the nuts and choc... oops (o: Then Micky and Fran turned up and we felt less bad eating it all.
Jo then came with the pizza we had made earlier and he had cooked at Zashas and the meal began. The joints also now began to flow. I watched as smiles grew on stoned faces and full bellies. Then the second Polish guy came (other in between) and he started handing around a pipe full of really truly strong weed. Everyone began to die!
Then Poland 1 began to snore? Was he sleeping? Nope, this thought was shattered as sprays of vomit erupted from his mouth, out onto my bed! Sam (stoned and seated next to him) could only manage a hand on his shoulder as a look of disbelief passed over his wasted features. Quite funny at the time but maybe not so in the morning.
As vomit drooled from his mouth, the party changed in attitude as many of us moved to the floor. Bong chai was cooking and soon this was making the rounds and life begun once more. Or for us it did. For Jo it all ended. The tea somehow kicked his arse royally (sorry for the language). He could not speak, he could not move and once more he entered a state of senility (how do you spell that word?).
We all slowly joined him, some made the move for home and so we settled for the night...
Sep 25, 2008
New plan!
That is your final decision? Your sure about that? All right, lock it in!
Morocco!
Correct!
So tomorrow, Friday 25th Sept, we head to Africa (o:
The plans at present are...
- reach the Sahara
- find a camel
- go camel riding
- get a turban and some local gears (baggy pants etc)
- enjoy the end of the Ramadan
We have also been offered work again with Steffen in Stuttgart this time. Work begins early November and will last until we find a boat to sail us to the Americas before the winter kicks in.
Morocco!
Correct!
So tomorrow, Friday 25th Sept, we head to Africa (o:
The plans at present are...
- reach the Sahara
- find a camel
- go camel riding
- get a turban and some local gears (baggy pants etc)
- enjoy the end of the Ramadan
We have also been offered work again with Steffen in Stuttgart this time. Work begins early November and will last until we find a boat to sail us to the Americas before the winter kicks in.
Sep 23, 2008
What to do, what to do?
We were sitting with the Austrians at Annalee's place talking with the English guy Andrew. A guy we had met a few days earlier and had entertained us with talks of energy spots, drinking your own pee to beat cancer, u.f.o's and so forth. An interesting fellow to say the least.
Anyway, so I was listening to him explain to Micky about how he was headed to Morocco and how he was going about it. Sounded cool. And simple. He then explained why he was going at this time; end of the Ramadan and season for when Hash was often made in earnest. And then a line of thought and a quiet debate began within...
What are we doing in Beneficio? Nothing much really.
What was keeping us there? A lack of plan of what to do next.
How much longer could we stay? Our house was wanted in a week's time...
What was the Ramadan? A Jewish fesitval perhaps? Worth finding out about in any case.
Which is cheaper; Europe or Africa? Africa by heeeeaps!
Which is cooler; Europe or Africa? Africa by heeeeaps!
So why not go to Morocco?!
I suggested it to Sam and Jo and the reactions were mixed. Sam was very enthusiastic... but he was also very stoned. Was he sincere? Jo was all silence. What was he thinking? What will they decide? Let's sleep on it was the final plan...
Anyway, so I was listening to him explain to Micky about how he was headed to Morocco and how he was going about it. Sounded cool. And simple. He then explained why he was going at this time; end of the Ramadan and season for when Hash was often made in earnest. And then a line of thought and a quiet debate began within...
What are we doing in Beneficio? Nothing much really.
What was keeping us there? A lack of plan of what to do next.
How much longer could we stay? Our house was wanted in a week's time...
What was the Ramadan? A Jewish fesitval perhaps? Worth finding out about in any case.
Which is cheaper; Europe or Africa? Africa by heeeeaps!
Which is cooler; Europe or Africa? Africa by heeeeaps!
So why not go to Morocco?!
I suggested it to Sam and Jo and the reactions were mixed. Sam was very enthusiastic... but he was also very stoned. Was he sincere? Jo was all silence. What was he thinking? What will they decide? Let's sleep on it was the final plan...
In a little more detail...
We headed down at nightfall not really knowing what to expect. Jo has some sauna experience in Germany but, between us, that was about it.
We had carried stones with us thinking they might be wanted but our arrival was welcomed by a huge fire in which stones were already slowly taking on a new hue - a rich fiery red. We sat for a couple of hours while the flames burnt themselves down around these stones, wood being added over and over and then around midnight we were told it was time to begin.
I removed my clothes and then was asked to stand in a circle around the fire. Palms together with those on each side of me, I listened as a few of the more practiced practitioners began to chant. Others who weren't taking place just sat on and watched (kind of weird and a little disconcerting at first). The chanting slowly reached a crescendo before falling away and after a quick bow to the flames (not me), I joined a line with maybe 20 others headed for the tent.
The size of a small igloo, it was a domed wooden structure covered with tarpaulin and blankets. Inside was a floor made of straw maybe an inch thick and central to it all was a shallow hole perhaps a foot deep and 3 feet wide.
Fourth in line, I followed a young chick in through a small flapped opening at the front and, following her example, moved crab like around the hole in the centre from the left to the right. I had been told to keep this up until I bumped shoulders with the next person where I was to then stop, knees drawn up and wait for the tent to fill.
So wait I did. Squashed in relative silence - considering there were maybe 20 other people in this small space with me - I waited in true suspense for what was to come next.
It was to be heat. Dry heat. And lots of it. Hot stones were brought in one at a time and thrown into the shallow pit. Each welcomed like another being into our midst with a spoken word. They crackled orange with sparks flashing on their surface. Each a piece of orange sky with golden stars entombed within. The heat given off was fantastic. Waves of it would reach out in search of your body to find and steal away with any trace of cold or moisture you were silly enough to reveal to it. Then the door closed, the night was shut out and we were alone (my hands covering my face as the intense heat beat down upon me).
A quiet chant begun. A blessing to the sun and moon? On each increase in volume a ladle of cool water was thrown onto the stones and a wave of steam, feeling like it was straight from the bowels of the earth would engulf us.
Hotter and hotter it rose around and through us. It made the dry heat seem cool. My breath would catch in my throat; too afraid to come out. Sweat appeared from nowhere and soon was sweating itself. My head lowered, my mind screamed and my sweat just kept coming. I sat, thankful I had drunk so much before entering.
4 times we entered and the process was repeated. You would sit, at times fighting horribly an urge to bust through the back of the tent and out into the fresh air. When a pail of water was thrown on it was often all I could do to remain. To breath was a challenge fantastic! My hands lay on the ground - really helped to cool - and with each addition of water they would fly to my face to cover my mouth and try and help with breathing. I cannot relate the sheer intensity of the heat as it hit you.
When finally it was enough - and we only lasted out the whole of the first session - you would declare "door, door, DOOR!" and then crawl out into the night. And so refreshing was it! A hose of cool water over your head. A mouthful of the most wonderful water ever pouring down your throat. Life was once more bliss.
Then you would forget the heat that was and enter again, only to discover once more the heat that is!
Oh, and afterwards, I had the most itchy arse in the world, no, the universe! Hay allergies plus sweaty bum on straw floor plus heat = itchy, ITCHY, arse (o:
We had carried stones with us thinking they might be wanted but our arrival was welcomed by a huge fire in which stones were already slowly taking on a new hue - a rich fiery red. We sat for a couple of hours while the flames burnt themselves down around these stones, wood being added over and over and then around midnight we were told it was time to begin.
I removed my clothes and then was asked to stand in a circle around the fire. Palms together with those on each side of me, I listened as a few of the more practiced practitioners began to chant. Others who weren't taking place just sat on and watched (kind of weird and a little disconcerting at first). The chanting slowly reached a crescendo before falling away and after a quick bow to the flames (not me), I joined a line with maybe 20 others headed for the tent.
The size of a small igloo, it was a domed wooden structure covered with tarpaulin and blankets. Inside was a floor made of straw maybe an inch thick and central to it all was a shallow hole perhaps a foot deep and 3 feet wide.
Fourth in line, I followed a young chick in through a small flapped opening at the front and, following her example, moved crab like around the hole in the centre from the left to the right. I had been told to keep this up until I bumped shoulders with the next person where I was to then stop, knees drawn up and wait for the tent to fill.
So wait I did. Squashed in relative silence - considering there were maybe 20 other people in this small space with me - I waited in true suspense for what was to come next.
It was to be heat. Dry heat. And lots of it. Hot stones were brought in one at a time and thrown into the shallow pit. Each welcomed like another being into our midst with a spoken word. They crackled orange with sparks flashing on their surface. Each a piece of orange sky with golden stars entombed within. The heat given off was fantastic. Waves of it would reach out in search of your body to find and steal away with any trace of cold or moisture you were silly enough to reveal to it. Then the door closed, the night was shut out and we were alone (my hands covering my face as the intense heat beat down upon me).
A quiet chant begun. A blessing to the sun and moon? On each increase in volume a ladle of cool water was thrown onto the stones and a wave of steam, feeling like it was straight from the bowels of the earth would engulf us.
Hotter and hotter it rose around and through us. It made the dry heat seem cool. My breath would catch in my throat; too afraid to come out. Sweat appeared from nowhere and soon was sweating itself. My head lowered, my mind screamed and my sweat just kept coming. I sat, thankful I had drunk so much before entering.
4 times we entered and the process was repeated. You would sit, at times fighting horribly an urge to bust through the back of the tent and out into the fresh air. When a pail of water was thrown on it was often all I could do to remain. To breath was a challenge fantastic! My hands lay on the ground - really helped to cool - and with each addition of water they would fly to my face to cover my mouth and try and help with breathing. I cannot relate the sheer intensity of the heat as it hit you.
When finally it was enough - and we only lasted out the whole of the first session - you would declare "door, door, DOOR!" and then crawl out into the night. And so refreshing was it! A hose of cool water over your head. A mouthful of the most wonderful water ever pouring down your throat. Life was once more bliss.
Then you would forget the heat that was and enter again, only to discover once more the heat that is!
Oh, and afterwards, I had the most itchy arse in the world, no, the universe! Hay allergies plus sweaty bum on straw floor plus heat = itchy, ITCHY, arse (o:
Sweats
Last night was the equinox. So here in Beneficio they welcomed in the new season with a sweat lodge for those who chose.
We chose.
Think...
30 naked people standing around a campfire chanting.
30 naked people sitting around a pile of hot stones in a tent chanting.
30 naked people sitting around a pile of hot stones chanting while water is thrown on.
30 naked sweaty people sitting around a pile of hot stones chanting in the steam.
30 naked sweaty people gasping for breath outside on the grass.
Repeat 4 times.
You have a sweat lodge (o:
We chose.
Think...
30 naked people standing around a campfire chanting.
30 naked people sitting around a pile of hot stones in a tent chanting.
30 naked people sitting around a pile of hot stones chanting while water is thrown on.
30 naked sweaty people sitting around a pile of hot stones chanting in the steam.
30 naked sweaty people gasping for breath outside on the grass.
Repeat 4 times.
You have a sweat lodge (o:
BIG Lodge
So the Big lodge works like this.
It is not the communal kitchen as we had thought. This is Casa Maya and is further up the hill. The big lodge is more a chill out zone. You can eat here but it is expected that if you do, you should bring enough for all and offer it around.
Most days and especially nights, you will find the big lodge full of people. Mostly stoned. Joints, chillums, pipes and bongs get passed around continuously with the same thought as food. Share with all and accept from all - if you want that is.
It can be a nice place to relax at night, a good place to relax if stoned and at night a good place to listen to drums, guitar, singing and flute. These guys are good! But conversation is better to be had elsewhere as stoned people just do not have it going on in that department.
And since our return from Morroco a huge teepee has been put up around the circle so it is now all enclosed. Nice (o:
And if you sleep the night in the lodge, often you will awake with a tea or coffee sitting in front of you and a breakfast of fruit on offer. Generosity is the key to this place.
It is not the communal kitchen as we had thought. This is Casa Maya and is further up the hill. The big lodge is more a chill out zone. You can eat here but it is expected that if you do, you should bring enough for all and offer it around.
Most days and especially nights, you will find the big lodge full of people. Mostly stoned. Joints, chillums, pipes and bongs get passed around continuously with the same thought as food. Share with all and accept from all - if you want that is.
It can be a nice place to relax at night, a good place to relax if stoned and at night a good place to listen to drums, guitar, singing and flute. These guys are good! But conversation is better to be had elsewhere as stoned people just do not have it going on in that department.
And since our return from Morroco a huge teepee has been put up around the circle so it is now all enclosed. Nice (o:
And if you sleep the night in the lodge, often you will awake with a tea or coffee sitting in front of you and a breakfast of fruit on offer. Generosity is the key to this place.
Sep 13, 2008
Beneficio
We were lazy. And there were four of us (Johannes, Sam, Ori and myself). So we caught a bus. From Valencia to Orgiva. From there we walked up to Beneficio. Friggin hot walk too! Or Jo and I walked, Sam and Ori hitched up. Actually, Jo and I walked up and past it before we realised what we had done. Then we walked back down and met the others.
I entered down a dusty trail. A driveway with sparse vegetation on the sides heading towards a house? But just when it seemed I was to ring the door bell, the path swerved off up to the right around a crumbling cliff side. Up and over a slight rise and I found my eyes settling on a carpark full of decrepit cars and campers and rubbish surrounded on each side by trees. Was this what a hippy camp was like? I had expected nature and colours and laughter (o:
We wandered on (Sam, Ori, Jo and myself) and soon we had passed the carpark, passed an aptly named Shit Pit 1 and had entered a forest of gums. Up we travelled, through and out of the forest and on into an open grass field. Further we pushed still. We had heard of a big communal kitchen somewhere and it was here we hoped to meet some others and learn a little before finding a spot to build our home.
Further on we came across a big house. Was this the kitchen? We went to say hey and found it was someones house, haha. Edgar's. But he has been there for years and was able to answer a few questions.
Still summer in Spain, we walked up to the local watering hole and jumped right in (o: Ahhhh! So good! Quick soak and then back to the gums to find a place to nest for the night. An open spot near the big lodge served us well and with Ori's tent up, the rest of us settled around to pass a cold but soundly slept night nonetheless.
Before we settled down we did head to the big lodge for dinner. This is a place everyone meets at night. We arrived thinking "cooking? Is this the communal kitchen?" We sat down and observed for a bit first to see how the cooking was done. Only no one was cooking? Figuring something was amiss, we decided on muesli for us and soon headed off to bed as most people were quiet and ill disposed to talk (not that we tried much, if at all, ourselves).
I entered down a dusty trail. A driveway with sparse vegetation on the sides heading towards a house? But just when it seemed I was to ring the door bell, the path swerved off up to the right around a crumbling cliff side. Up and over a slight rise and I found my eyes settling on a carpark full of decrepit cars and campers and rubbish surrounded on each side by trees. Was this what a hippy camp was like? I had expected nature and colours and laughter (o:
We wandered on (Sam, Ori, Jo and myself) and soon we had passed the carpark, passed an aptly named Shit Pit 1 and had entered a forest of gums. Up we travelled, through and out of the forest and on into an open grass field. Further we pushed still. We had heard of a big communal kitchen somewhere and it was here we hoped to meet some others and learn a little before finding a spot to build our home.
Further on we came across a big house. Was this the kitchen? We went to say hey and found it was someones house, haha. Edgar's. But he has been there for years and was able to answer a few questions.
Still summer in Spain, we walked up to the local watering hole and jumped right in (o: Ahhhh! So good! Quick soak and then back to the gums to find a place to nest for the night. An open spot near the big lodge served us well and with Ori's tent up, the rest of us settled around to pass a cold but soundly slept night nonetheless.
Before we settled down we did head to the big lodge for dinner. This is a place everyone meets at night. We arrived thinking "cooking? Is this the communal kitchen?" We sat down and observed for a bit first to see how the cooking was done. Only no one was cooking? Figuring something was amiss, we decided on muesli for us and soon headed off to bed as most people were quiet and ill disposed to talk (not that we tried much, if at all, ourselves).
Valencian beach
The med. Almost a year in Europe and we had only now managed to reach the med for a swim. The moment we hit the beach we were in. Bags thrown to ground with tshirts, pants and shoes following in quick succession and making a haphazard line towards the water edge.
And it was B U T Full! So warm. So refreshing. Keep in mind we are still covered in tomato. The locals hoses had done their best but behind our ears, down our backs and in all those other not so often seeing sun places, we were still nicely tomatoed.
Quick scrub, bit of a swim and we hit the beach for dinner. Tortilla, tomatoes, ice cream, and tinto de verrano.
As dusk settled upon us, we drank heartily from our 50c wine casks and lent back into the sand to enjoy the suns setting. We threw up the tent, bundled in our valuables, locked it up and wandered off to say hello to the other groups of wanderers lazily sprawled out on the beach around us.
The night passed with us wandering a good while. Meeting and greeting a heap of other people, watching scores of skinny dippers strutting their stuff and then, after Sam and Jo were told they could not enter the bars (the bouncer didn-t like their beach style of dress with jandals and shorts), and I found myself falling asleep in the next cirlce of people we came to, we all decided to hit the sand and steal a few winks.
And it was B U T Full! So warm. So refreshing. Keep in mind we are still covered in tomato. The locals hoses had done their best but behind our ears, down our backs and in all those other not so often seeing sun places, we were still nicely tomatoed.
Quick scrub, bit of a swim and we hit the beach for dinner. Tortilla, tomatoes, ice cream, and tinto de verrano.
As dusk settled upon us, we drank heartily from our 50c wine casks and lent back into the sand to enjoy the suns setting. We threw up the tent, bundled in our valuables, locked it up and wandered off to say hello to the other groups of wanderers lazily sprawled out on the beach around us.
The night passed with us wandering a good while. Meeting and greeting a heap of other people, watching scores of skinny dippers strutting their stuff and then, after Sam and Jo were told they could not enter the bars (the bouncer didn-t like their beach style of dress with jandals and shorts), and I found myself falling asleep in the next cirlce of people we came to, we all decided to hit the sand and steal a few winks.
La Tomatina!!!!!!
48 000 people
100 tonnes of tomatoes...
Woken by Germans
Pump up the tortoga
Wander in with German girls and Hawaiian guy
Get place by water / cold
Move to more tomatoes / less water
Greased pole / Each guy wants to be he man / never gotten
Crush at end as everyone chases final truck
Sandals, jandals, shoes lost, glasses, passports, wallets lost
End with locals washing with hoses
Head to Valencia to find german girls
Free kegs on way to train station
Crazy train with drunk kiwis and russians
reach beach, time to relax!
100 tonnes of tomatoes...
Woken by Germans
Pump up the tortoga
Wander in with German girls and Hawaiian guy
Get place by water / cold
Move to more tomatoes / less water
Greased pole / Each guy wants to be he man / never gotten
Crush at end as everyone chases final truck
Sandals, jandals, shoes lost, glasses, passports, wallets lost
End with locals washing with hoses
Head to Valencia to find german girls
Free kegs on way to train station
Crazy train with drunk kiwis and russians
reach beach, time to relax!
Bonyul
Jo turns up
meets us in town
crazy arm wrestle kids
buy some oregano
rides / bored looking girl / good laughs
tomorrow is fight
meets us in town
crazy arm wrestle kids
buy some oregano
rides / bored looking girl / good laughs
tomorrow is fight
Time to ditch and make a move to hitch
Hitch to Bonyol
Lift to edge of Portugal / one day
Lift the width of Spain / one day
Turn up, find park to eat, meet Ori, head to town, find camp place on way (sewage, figs, blackberry, orange, tomatoes), go to town, festival,
Lift to edge of Portugal / one day
Lift the width of Spain / one day
Turn up, find park to eat, meet Ori, head to town, find camp place on way (sewage, figs, blackberry, orange, tomatoes), go to town, festival,
Aug 22, 2008
Getting meh'd out...
S we've been here in Portugal a month almost on our big Surf holiday...
And we have surfed once. Once! To be honest, I am getting a bit over it. Will probbly ditch the whole idea soon and wait till Sth Am.
As for the wetsuit i bought? It's a keeper and will go with me to Sth Am.
As for the car i half bought? It's worth more than we paid for it so we should make profit from a sale.
As for the board... I never even managed one! Just borrowed Rich's (o:
Cool cool. Woofing is ok but wait until you are broke. It just isn't cricket. You are actually expected to work. And not get paid! What kind of break from a year holiday is that?!?
And we have surfed once. Once! To be honest, I am getting a bit over it. Will probbly ditch the whole idea soon and wait till Sth Am.
As for the wetsuit i bought? It's a keeper and will go with me to Sth Am.
As for the car i half bought? It's worth more than we paid for it so we should make profit from a sale.
As for the board... I never even managed one! Just borrowed Rich's (o:
Cool cool. Woofing is ok but wait until you are broke. It just isn't cricket. You are actually expected to work. And not get paid! What kind of break from a year holiday is that?!?
Aug 20, 2008
Beneficio
There were some guys from England, a group of mates of a unique calling. Termed 'alternatives' by their pairs and looked down on by the system as no hopers, they jumped aboard the newly opened benefit policies available to them at the completion of their university terms and headed off to see the world. Using this sudden easy to come by income they headed off to Portugal where it would not only last longer but would mean travelling in style. Here, with the old Peso, the Pound was strong as the BFG on spinach.
They travelled for a wee while as minstrels, living the nomadic life and taking it all pretty easily really. No worries, no pressure, no demands. They just used their benefit for the benefit of enjoyment and when it ran out, headed back to the home country for a top up. This looked like it could be their life. They had found the dream without trying.
Then while wandering in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, they came across a forested valley. Uninhabitated except for the odd woodland creature, it was a haven hidden from the world. A place to escape without havng to escape. Suddenly the travelling life, though great, seemed to have reached an end. And so they pooled their benefit money together and bought two small areas of it.
They built some huts, moved there stuff in (all 5 bags worth), and so began a decade (and now longer) of living it with nature. Located 50 or so kms from Granada, there is still access to town to grab essentials and over the years this place has grown into a big hippy commune. It has become a home at the end of many travellers travels. Kind of like a n expat travellers village. 3 more parts have been added, 2 on forestry land and one is kind of a squatters rights place now.
Everything I read about the place makes it sounds relaxing. I cannot wait to go. I won't be staying long but it will be cool to know it exists...
They travelled for a wee while as minstrels, living the nomadic life and taking it all pretty easily really. No worries, no pressure, no demands. They just used their benefit for the benefit of enjoyment and when it ran out, headed back to the home country for a top up. This looked like it could be their life. They had found the dream without trying.
Then while wandering in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, they came across a forested valley. Uninhabitated except for the odd woodland creature, it was a haven hidden from the world. A place to escape without havng to escape. Suddenly the travelling life, though great, seemed to have reached an end. And so they pooled their benefit money together and bought two small areas of it.
They built some huts, moved there stuff in (all 5 bags worth), and so began a decade (and now longer) of living it with nature. Located 50 or so kms from Granada, there is still access to town to grab essentials and over the years this place has grown into a big hippy commune. It has become a home at the end of many travellers travels. Kind of like a n expat travellers village. 3 more parts have been added, 2 on forestry land and one is kind of a squatters rights place now.
Everything I read about the place makes it sounds relaxing. I cannot wait to go. I won't be staying long but it will be cool to know it exists...
Making plans...
We have also biked into town twice already (and home) which is more exercise than we've been bothering with in a while too. So all god there. We've also been caving (was more of a walk in hole in the ground bout 20m deep) and swimming (in the giant bath).
Future plans include...
Biking round the mountains
Fishing (sea and in the nearby lake)
um...
I forget the rest (o:
Oh, except we have decided fo sho to head to La Tomotina in Spain. Where 30 000 like minded idiots throw as many kilos of ripe tomatoes at each other. Wicked! Jo will also re enter the scene here having finished his spree in Norway and the famille catch up in the Deutcshland. From there we will all head to a place called 'Beneficio' (see next entry for details) and we will then head back to Lanjaron to Ann's to help out for a few days with her daughters wedding (brides maids?). Then we will hitch back to Portugal and possibly stay with Laurie for a bit.
He's the guy with the Tippi houses who surfs too. He lives way closer to the beaches (saves petrol and helps avoid the police), has other woofers working there and he surfs too so it should be much the same as at Rich's anyway. Oh, and did I mention he hs a trained chef who does all the cooking? Cause he does!
Future plans include...
Biking round the mountains
Fishing (sea and in the nearby lake)
um...
I forget the rest (o:
Oh, except we have decided fo sho to head to La Tomotina in Spain. Where 30 000 like minded idiots throw as many kilos of ripe tomatoes at each other. Wicked! Jo will also re enter the scene here having finished his spree in Norway and the famille catch up in the Deutcshland. From there we will all head to a place called 'Beneficio' (see next entry for details) and we will then head back to Lanjaron to Ann's to help out for a few days with her daughters wedding (brides maids?). Then we will hitch back to Portugal and possibly stay with Laurie for a bit.
He's the guy with the Tippi houses who surfs too. He lives way closer to the beaches (saves petrol and helps avoid the police), has other woofers working there and he surfs too so it should be much the same as at Rich's anyway. Oh, and did I mention he hs a trained chef who does all the cooking? Cause he does!
Well Rich has upt and left for England. Or for 10 days at least. That's left me and Sam (poor English I know but it sounds so much better!) in charge! Time to run amok?
Course not! We're right sensible here. We have already got on top of the local watering situation. Whacked a few cd's up in the trees to protect our precious peaches and finished off (finally!) our stoe wall (Looks awesome too I might add).
In fact, apart from the wall, most of what we do is food orientated!
The food with Rich is good but fairly routine. Eggs on toast for lunch, rice with beans for dinner, store bought kebabs which do taste delish!) and so forth. Now with us it is time to get fancy!
First night we started simple. Home made tomato pasta sauce (all ingrediants from the garden) on pasta (go figure). But it was real good aye. Then melon for dessert (present from Casper the night before). Then last night we made these carrot cakes (like fritters) that blew us away! On top of that we made a yoghurt and cucumber sauce to go on top along with a salad (fresh from the garden of course) and stuffed courgette and peppers along side. But that was just for starters. The real deal meal was dessert. Good old Uncle Tom's Steamed Pudding! And it came out a treat. And what made it even better than perfect? The home made blackberry jam we topped it with made up the day before (o:
We will definitely be having a repeat of those cakes and pudd!
Tonight is Aubergine wraps with baby potatoes and a home made mint sauce (everything mentioned is going to be home made...). Then also a blackbean tomato relish and a double batch of ginger, sultana cookies!
Meanwhile it is pancakes for breaky and meals for steals the rest of the week! (No idea what that means but it rhymes so it's there?)
Oh, and we made a Frog Fried Rice the other day. And Rich and Julz went and bought pizza! But Sam and I dived right in and frog is still a wonderful dish. And skinning a frog? So eeeasy! The skin comes off in one piece like a single unit pj outfit.
Sam took some pics so we'll try and get them up asap.
Course not! We're right sensible here. We have already got on top of the local watering situation. Whacked a few cd's up in the trees to protect our precious peaches and finished off (finally!) our stoe wall (Looks awesome too I might add).
In fact, apart from the wall, most of what we do is food orientated!
The food with Rich is good but fairly routine. Eggs on toast for lunch, rice with beans for dinner, store bought kebabs which do taste delish!) and so forth. Now with us it is time to get fancy!
First night we started simple. Home made tomato pasta sauce (all ingrediants from the garden) on pasta (go figure). But it was real good aye. Then melon for dessert (present from Casper the night before). Then last night we made these carrot cakes (like fritters) that blew us away! On top of that we made a yoghurt and cucumber sauce to go on top along with a salad (fresh from the garden of course) and stuffed courgette and peppers along side. But that was just for starters. The real deal meal was dessert. Good old Uncle Tom's Steamed Pudding! And it came out a treat. And what made it even better than perfect? The home made blackberry jam we topped it with made up the day before (o:
We will definitely be having a repeat of those cakes and pudd!
Tonight is Aubergine wraps with baby potatoes and a home made mint sauce (everything mentioned is going to be home made...). Then also a blackbean tomato relish and a double batch of ginger, sultana cookies!
Meanwhile it is pancakes for breaky and meals for steals the rest of the week! (No idea what that means but it rhymes so it's there?)
Oh, and we made a Frog Fried Rice the other day. And Rich and Julz went and bought pizza! But Sam and I dived right in and frog is still a wonderful dish. And skinning a frog? So eeeasy! The skin comes off in one piece like a single unit pj outfit.
Sam took some pics so we'll try and get them up asap.
Aug 9, 2008
The Aljezur film festival
Plans were made for a night on the town. A friend of a friend was showing a movie so we decided to go along in support.
This began with a dopple of wine. After weeks of going teetotal (is that the word?) I was feeling it pretty quick. Then at the bars a cup (think full 250ml min) cost 1 euro. These were needed as the movie itself was 15 minutes of rubbish and cost almost a Euro a minute itself!
So not soon enough, we moved on. But the damage had been done. The wine consumed and the effects setting in.
We headed off to Rich's favourite bar and upon arrival Rich and I went to check it out. The other two (Sam and Julz) were in so state, haha. Rich and I had a beer and a quick glance around made me desire a wing man so fools could be made.
I headed out to the car to find Sam and Julz swapping saliva, a quick chuckle ensued that lasted me back to the dance floor and then for some reason known better to the cricket I squashed on the way back than to me, I found myself back at the car once more.
Julz was going to the toilet, Sam was vomiting down the side of her hired car, another chuckle was escaping from within and i soon found myself on the dance floor, Julz in hand, doing the Twist? Or was it the rhumba? Who knows!
What I do know is that we were spinning and twisting for all accounts and crashing into half the dance floor and its occupants. Some laughed and danced along with us and some tried to reduce the twists (this only seemed to result in even larger twists and swirls). And Julz kept getting me to spin her and drop her, meaning to catch her on the way down and pull her back up. Problem was, I was too drunk to pull her back up and every time she would slam into the floor, haha. She never minded though and bounced back up before I could feel the prat and we'd go through with it all again (o:
This began with a dopple of wine. After weeks of going teetotal (is that the word?) I was feeling it pretty quick. Then at the bars a cup (think full 250ml min) cost 1 euro. These were needed as the movie itself was 15 minutes of rubbish and cost almost a Euro a minute itself!
So not soon enough, we moved on. But the damage had been done. The wine consumed and the effects setting in.
We headed off to Rich's favourite bar and upon arrival Rich and I went to check it out. The other two (Sam and Julz) were in so state, haha. Rich and I had a beer and a quick glance around made me desire a wing man so fools could be made.
I headed out to the car to find Sam and Julz swapping saliva, a quick chuckle ensued that lasted me back to the dance floor and then for some reason known better to the cricket I squashed on the way back than to me, I found myself back at the car once more.
Julz was going to the toilet, Sam was vomiting down the side of her hired car, another chuckle was escaping from within and i soon found myself on the dance floor, Julz in hand, doing the Twist? Or was it the rhumba? Who knows!
What I do know is that we were spinning and twisting for all accounts and crashing into half the dance floor and its occupants. Some laughed and danced along with us and some tried to reduce the twists (this only seemed to result in even larger twists and swirls). And Julz kept getting me to spin her and drop her, meaning to catch her on the way down and pull her back up. Problem was, I was too drunk to pull her back up and every time she would slam into the floor, haha. She never minded though and bounced back up before I could feel the prat and we'd go through with it all again (o:
Aug 6, 2008
The gears
Rich also helps us out with our wetties. So we now have the car but are still in need of a board, a wetsuit, the wax and so on. Thankfully, Rich knows a guy who sells wetties from his home, a mate named Casper.
So we cruise around to his place and he throws us in these spider man skins. Fully. They aren't suits like you dive in. They aren't even suits like you bobsled in. These things put licra to shame! They are our second skins. And as said, we look like Spider man when we wear them, or venom at least (o:
Very cool.
Next we needed baords. So the following day we set off to town to see what is around. There are a few boards on offer at the size we are after (7.2" or 7.4") but they cost like 450 Euro - the same price as our car!
So we cruise around to his place and he throws us in these spider man skins. Fully. They aren't suits like you dive in. They aren't even suits like you bobsled in. These things put licra to shame! They are our second skins. And as said, we look like Spider man when we wear them, or venom at least (o:
Very cool.
Next we needed baords. So the following day we set off to town to see what is around. There are a few boards on offer at the size we are after (7.2" or 7.4") but they cost like 450 Euro - the same price as our car!
Jul 16, 2008
Plans
we've decided to surf travel. go on surf tour
buy board, wetsuits, go for it big time. become surfers. not just a go or two. get into it!
hit up portugal next if surf camp is cool with it (woofing)
otherwise Norway, Sweden and Finland before it gets too cold
then ireland, surf some more and hang out, then scotland, england, isle of man
then back spain or so to surf or work some and then head to Sth Am
buy board, wetsuits, go for it big time. become surfers. not just a go or two. get into it!
hit up portugal next if surf camp is cool with it (woofing)
otherwise Norway, Sweden and Finland before it gets too cold
then ireland, surf some more and hang out, then scotland, england, isle of man
then back spain or so to surf or work some and then head to Sth Am
beach party
We had not been up to much really during the nights. We would often just throw on the ipod and have some sounds blaring from the awesome computer speakers we had nabbed. But tonight there was a party going down on beach and we were invited
We rocked up with a couple of bottles of wine and some fizzle to mix through it. We'd polished one back before we left and were feeling just nice on arrival. There were an English couple (20's) and some kids and a few adults hanging out and so we settled down for a bit of a picnic.
I'd had my fill and had decided no more alcohol was needed for me as the beach was good enough as it was. It was also funny to watch Sam get drunk and hit on this absolute Milf hanging out with us whose husband turned out to be sitting behind us the whole time!
The night passed as nights tend to do. A lot of drums were played. So much so by Sam that he awoke the next morning to find he had managed to cut his finger on his ring by thumping it so often.
Mmmm, bit of a kick around with a rugby ball. First in a while. And I am still no good, hahah.
We rocked up with a couple of bottles of wine and some fizzle to mix through it. We'd polished one back before we left and were feeling just nice on arrival. There were an English couple (20's) and some kids and a few adults hanging out and so we settled down for a bit of a picnic.
I'd had my fill and had decided no more alcohol was needed for me as the beach was good enough as it was. It was also funny to watch Sam get drunk and hit on this absolute Milf hanging out with us whose husband turned out to be sitting behind us the whole time!
The night passed as nights tend to do. A lot of drums were played. So much so by Sam that he awoke the next morning to find he had managed to cut his finger on his ring by thumping it so often.
Mmmm, bit of a kick around with a rugby ball. First in a while. And I am still no good, hahah.
Everybody's going surfing, surfing C.O.N.I.L
laura teacher
8ft fluffy boards (malibu's)
cobra
sam good but caught him
waves teeeeny
tried a 7'2 and waaaay better
surf couple of spots with them
buy boards?
8ft fluffy boards (malibu's)
cobra
sam good but caught him
waves teeeeny
tried a 7'2 and waaaay better
surf couple of spots with them
buy boards?
Casa Luz
casita
cats, kittens, dogs
work easy
food good
sam is here for now, couch surf a bit, back for another week
weeding, mulching, picking, trimming
cats, kittens, dogs
work easy
food good
sam is here for now, couch surf a bit, back for another week
weeding, mulching, picking, trimming
Beach boys
hosts not ready so 3 days of chillin on beach
buy paddle ball set
swim
build beach couch - twice
run, shower, eat sandwiches, drink wine of summer
hide gear in bamboo
find umbrella
nudists galore
buy paddle ball set
swim
build beach couch - twice
run, shower, eat sandwiches, drink wine of summer
hide gear in bamboo
find umbrella
nudists galore
Time for surf!
We want surf.
So we got up early with the sun and started to make a move south.
Our first lift was with a lovely lady who was taking her car to get fixed. Only after picking us up she decided the car would survive another day and upon hearing that we had failed to explore Seville to any great length she took it upon herself to show us around!
First stop was breakfast. Bread, meat, olive oil and a coffee. Tastes better than it sounds. I assure you. Especially after last nights quarter course meal and lack of food otherwise today. We then drove around Seville having the main sites pointed out to us as we shot past. I love some peoples impression of 'sightseeing'.
Our next lift found us with a musician who again began our journey by taking us for breakfast. He then drove us all the way down to Conil with a stop off half way to grab some lunch and beers and meet a friend of his who turned out to be a famous Spanish singer of old. She was a 70's sex icon in spain. We were even provided with a couple of her autobiographies but we didn't think to have them signed and so have passed them on.
He dropped us town centre and so we had arrived. Time for beach, time for surf, time for action!
So we got up early with the sun and started to make a move south.
Our first lift was with a lovely lady who was taking her car to get fixed. Only after picking us up she decided the car would survive another day and upon hearing that we had failed to explore Seville to any great length she took it upon herself to show us around!
First stop was breakfast. Bread, meat, olive oil and a coffee. Tastes better than it sounds. I assure you. Especially after last nights quarter course meal and lack of food otherwise today. We then drove around Seville having the main sites pointed out to us as we shot past. I love some peoples impression of 'sightseeing'.
Our next lift found us with a musician who again began our journey by taking us for breakfast. He then drove us all the way down to Conil with a stop off half way to grab some lunch and beers and meet a friend of his who turned out to be a famous Spanish singer of old. She was a 70's sex icon in spain. We were even provided with a couple of her autobiographies but we didn't think to have them signed and so have passed them on.
He dropped us town centre and so we had arrived. Time for beach, time for surf, time for action!
Sam
Meet sam at airport
too late to reach coast
sleep under trees next to road with dinner of boiled eggs and salted almonds
too late to reach coast
sleep under trees next to road with dinner of boiled eggs and salted almonds
Lajaron to Seville
Hitch easy
meet german dude - don't want to grow into him
get to airport at 3pm (sam arrives 9pm) and so sit down to wait
- use womans toilet! oops
realise money belt in lajaron
meet german dude - don't want to grow into him
get to airport at 3pm (sam arrives 9pm) and so sit down to wait
- use womans toilet! oops
realise money belt in lajaron
Time for a change?
Well I was going to make the move to Sarah's and learn some horsey stuff...
But instead I have decided to stay at Ann's as some accomodation has opened up. My own room with ensuite and kitchen and a view that makes you relax each evening as the sun literally sets on my doorstep.
The food is also hard to beat and so I will stay untill the 3rd and then head to Seville to surprise sam at airport. Or it probably won't be a surprise as no doubt I will tell him I am coming (o:
But instead I have decided to stay at Ann's as some accomodation has opened up. My own room with ensuite and kitchen and a view that makes you relax each evening as the sun literally sets on my doorstep.
The food is also hard to beat and so I will stay untill the 3rd and then head to Seville to surprise sam at airport. Or it probably won't be a surprise as no doubt I will tell him I am coming (o:
My day off...
Days off! Yay!
But being on my own, what was I going to do with it? I decided I would rather be kept busy.
The two german girls had offered to go work up at Sarah's with the horses for the day and so when one fell ill (bacterial infection) offered to take her place. Was a pretty sweet day. Got invited to stay on the spot (something I had tried for before) but I ended up declining as had just moved into La vista at Ann's (VERY nice) and the food was less that at Ann's too. Priorities you see (o:
Ended up spending the day babysitting their 3yr old kid son Charlie. Chasing 'Mr beasties' out of the caravan for a few hours, racing his little trike down a hill and feeding the horses. Then it was back to the luxury life for me...
But being on my own, what was I going to do with it? I decided I would rather be kept busy.
The two german girls had offered to go work up at Sarah's with the horses for the day and so when one fell ill (bacterial infection) offered to take her place. Was a pretty sweet day. Got invited to stay on the spot (something I had tried for before) but I ended up declining as had just moved into La vista at Ann's (VERY nice) and the food was less that at Ann's too. Priorities you see (o:
Ended up spending the day babysitting their 3yr old kid son Charlie. Chasing 'Mr beasties' out of the caravan for a few hours, racing his little trike down a hill and feeding the horses. Then it was back to the luxury life for me...
woofing Lajaron
german girls
- water fiesta
- belly dancing, horse racing,
aussie girls
- european soccer final
- water fiesta
- belly dancing, horse racing,
aussie girls
- european soccer final
woofing Lajaron
Boys work / girls work
bbq - not kitchen
building, trimming, digging, lifting...
pool time
bbq - not kitchen
building, trimming, digging, lifting...
pool time
Lajaron
When I woke up, it was with the sun. We entered the day together and both seemed to be in a corresponding mood. That early in the morning? Caught lift to Granada within minutes. I reckon they always feel sorry for ya, haha. They took me the 40 kms to Granada and from there I only had 40 more to go! Sweet!
3 hours later and that 40kms was beginning to look walkable. So figuring that my spot just wasn't cutting it, I started walking in what I hoped was the right general direction.
On my way, I past an old Spanish guy of around 70 who happened to have had a New Zealand english teacher when he was at school. We chatted for a bit as we wandered the streets and then he draw me a map in the sand of where to go and by jingo, he was right!
I was away in 20mins. Took maybe 3 lifts all up to reach Lajaron as as usual, this included highway lifts. Police don't seem to care though so that's a positive.
And to top it all off, I arrived in time for dinner (o;
3 hours later and that 40kms was beginning to look walkable. So figuring that my spot just wasn't cutting it, I started walking in what I hoped was the right general direction.
On my way, I past an old Spanish guy of around 70 who happened to have had a New Zealand english teacher when he was at school. We chatted for a bit as we wandered the streets and then he draw me a map in the sand of where to go and by jingo, he was right!
I was away in 20mins. Took maybe 3 lifts all up to reach Lajaron as as usual, this included highway lifts. Police don't seem to care though so that's a positive.
And to top it all off, I arrived in time for dinner (o;
Stay the night? Or sleep el fresco...
Did it work? Nope.
At 10:30 I figured, screw it, I would sleep the night in the olive orchard opposite me. Slipped over the fence, found a good sized tree, stripped off (it was friggin hot!) and then hopped in me sleeping bag and nestled down for some quality road side sleeping.
Was pretty good too but at around 2am the night air got tricky and I went from resembling a blubber wrapped seal in the fires of hell to making a fairly accurate impersonation of a penguin's beer straight out of his Antarctic cooled chilly bin!
At 10:30 I figured, screw it, I would sleep the night in the olive orchard opposite me. Slipped over the fence, found a good sized tree, stripped off (it was friggin hot!) and then hopped in me sleeping bag and nestled down for some quality road side sleeping.
Was pretty good too but at around 2am the night air got tricky and I went from resembling a blubber wrapped seal in the fires of hell to making a fairly accurate impersonation of a penguin's beer straight out of his Antarctic cooled chilly bin!
Tolva to Lajaron
From Tolva Paul drove me down to Lleida and dropped me at the exit ramp to the highway. 20 minutes later and i was away. Lift maybe 50km down the road followed by another 30kms and then 5km. Hey! Every Km counts! So far they were a Spanish couple, an old guy and then another couple.
I then got a lift with this awesome Spanish chick and her dog (who she then tried to pawn off of on to me when I mentioned I would one day wan one). She had driven past me and then changed her mind and come back! Always good to see. So anyway, I was with her for like 3.5 hours and we were chatting and getting on all good and so she invited me to stay the night at her place. But as it was only 2pm I figured I might just mae it to my woofing place that day and so I chose to push on. Gave me her number just in case I got nowhere.
As i was I only had to wait about 20 mins (police only questioned me the once) and then I had a lift with a Spanish bull fighting gymnist. Like instead of stabbing the bulls and so on, the guy would flip over it and stuff. Meant to be animal rights accepted or something. Nice guy anyway although he did drop me off on the highway...
Next lift though didn't take long and I was soon being offered more food, water and another place to stay the night. Dinner included. Seems the girl had thought I looked Polih and so had begged the other guy to pick me up. Haha. By now twas around 8pm and I was getting tempted by the idea of a shower and warm bed but I was also very close and so I again chose to push on to Lanjaron. I found myself once more desterted on te side of the highway with cars hurtling by at like 140kms but luck seemed to have chosen me for the day.
Another 10 minutes and a car arrived to take me all the way to Bazar - About 80km from my final stop. The guy was not happy ditching me side of the road and wanted to leave me outside a hotel but I told him all good and so after a quick stop in the nearby gas station restroom, I again whacked out the old thumb and at 10pm tried to catch a final ride to Lanjaron...
I then got a lift with this awesome Spanish chick and her dog (who she then tried to pawn off of on to me when I mentioned I would one day wan one). She had driven past me and then changed her mind and come back! Always good to see. So anyway, I was with her for like 3.5 hours and we were chatting and getting on all good and so she invited me to stay the night at her place. But as it was only 2pm I figured I might just mae it to my woofing place that day and so I chose to push on. Gave me her number just in case I got nowhere.
As i was I only had to wait about 20 mins (police only questioned me the once) and then I had a lift with a Spanish bull fighting gymnist. Like instead of stabbing the bulls and so on, the guy would flip over it and stuff. Meant to be animal rights accepted or something. Nice guy anyway although he did drop me off on the highway...
Next lift though didn't take long and I was soon being offered more food, water and another place to stay the night. Dinner included. Seems the girl had thought I looked Polih and so had begged the other guy to pick me up. Haha. By now twas around 8pm and I was getting tempted by the idea of a shower and warm bed but I was also very close and so I again chose to push on to Lanjaron. I found myself once more desterted on te side of the highway with cars hurtling by at like 140kms but luck seemed to have chosen me for the day.
Another 10 minutes and a car arrived to take me all the way to Bazar - About 80km from my final stop. The guy was not happy ditching me side of the road and wanted to leave me outside a hotel but I told him all good and so after a quick stop in the nearby gas station restroom, I again whacked out the old thumb and at 10pm tried to catch a final ride to Lanjaron...
Jun 18, 2008
Dangerous minds
When you choose, or lose the ability, to keep your most random thoughts on the inside, people and society deem you crazy. All have these thoughts. Hundreds if not thousands of pointless wonderings flit across the mind daily, but we keep them in, least someone we know well changes their opinion of us.
What's done is done
I have rock climbed with 10 other nationalities on a single wall
I have rock climbed over fathoms deep of water
I have floated down a river, drunk on beer, flipping on swings, knowing no fear
I have had the meaning to life shared with me on mushrooms
I have taught children whose smiles taught me even more
I have bathed with an elephant
I have sat in teaching with the Dalai lama
I have trekked the Himalayas
I have peed off the back of a moving train
I have seen out a day, watching the setting sun sinking below the horizon, lying on a beach
I have awoken on a different beach to see the sun rising around me
I have danced the night away… and danced in the next day
I have lived, marooned on a an island for 5 days
I have got drunk off 7c beers
I have been bitten by a snake
I have totaled a motorbike and walked away unhurt
I have snowboarded between countries
I have been robbed
I have gone 10days without talking
I have lived(yeah, will sort this post out later)
Who said it?
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!!
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!!
It’s the little things in life… (Lost post from March)
I stood today and caught snowflakes on my tongue. The sun shone down and a little old lady walked past and smiled at me.
I woke up this morning and sat for 10 minutes of meditation. When the others came for breakfast I was ready with a serving of smiles.
Lost post from Easter...
Easter has snuck up fast! We go tonight to buy chocolate eggs (describe to make it sound pointless) to help spread the spirit. Who remembers these days what it is all about? I had hoped and planned on spending my Easter in the Vatican City and listening to the Pope give his annual Easter speech (supposing he does) but it has caught me unawares and so I shall spend it instead, painting the skirting boards of a four stoy flat complex filled with German teachers, one german bum, one german artist and a german metal chemist. Ah well, life goes on and in two weeks i will be travelling once more (o:
Lost post from Feb...
On another note, how has everyone enjoyed the recent season? It must be getting into Autumn if you are in New Zealand? Here it is spring. Today is the day it turned. The cold embrace of winter has retracted for another year as the warmth of spring returns to thaw out toes sat on the door step in that little pocket of morning sun. Hedgehogs sniffing the air. Birds building new houses. The daffodils are out in the garden outside. People walk with a confused air about them, no doubt wondering about the inward happiness they are experiencing. And today it truly fitted as a change of season too.
Awakening to a clear blue sky, I found my breakfast shared with a welcome visitor. The early morning sun joined me in companionable silence. I bid goodbye as work began, casting a brief glance outdoors to capture one last glimpse of warmth to see me through the day. Instead, the glance found me the lone audience to a magical dance. Snowflakes, some drifted lazily to the ground as if trying to prolong their momentary span of existence, whilst others swirled high up in the air to land gently on the roof tops and highest branches of the tress, had come out to enjoy the sun too and were seemed unable to constain their happiness, their sparkling was so bright.
If not for the slightest of chills added to the air and the briefest of blemishes left upon the window panes, it could have been mistaken for a swirl of passing dust. But the sun, gladdened by the sight of so many old friends, returned in all its glory, setting off an orchestra of bird call and opening a sea of colour across the outside lawn. The proud yellow blooming of the daffodils outshone only by the clarity and majesty of the simple blue petals of their neighbouring pansies. Resplendent in their modest form.
Our morning tea break, set to sit in the midst of such happiness was instead interrupted by a volley of rude hail stones, pattering the roof top like a thousand ill timed birds on the march. The wind rose and the birds fell silent as the sky slowly darkened to a soft blue. But the flowers kept hope and eventually, the return of the sun’s rays signaled time for lunch.
Jun 17, 2008
Stuffs
To get to Tolva we hitched. Got a lift in a police car and when he dropped us off, he gave us his cell number and told us to call him if we ever had ANY problems. Sweeeeeet! Then next was something I have wanted for a while; a lift with a trucky! Nice Romanian guy. Rest were usual.
And today we went for a wander in some canyons and I was chased by a urethra fish! Lucky to get out of there with my urethra in tract! Maahahaha, what a pun (o:
And today we went for a wander in some canyons and I was chased by a urethra fish! Lucky to get out of there with my urethra in tract! Maahahaha, what a pun (o:
Very shitty work
Mike Fenton, our host met us in the town centre. Straight up he was obviously a very english sort of english chap and of the good sort. Took us back to the flat we are staying at in town until the castle, Masia de fals, is ready for habitation, fed us with home cooked meals! and then we slept, ready to see what the next day had for us.
It has now been two weeks since then. We have built stone walls, smashed lots of old stuff (troughs, walls etc) and shovelled tonnes, TONNES, of 500 year old goat poo.
We work about 4 hours a day and they keep telling us not to overdo it and make sure we are enjoying it. It is easy as pie work really. No, easier! Making pie can't be that easy. More like easy as cheese on toast.
In between the drive us around all the local villages to sightsee, go out for dinner if Paul doesn't whip up some gourmet dinner himself like fresh cooked garlic prawns (delish!), wander the surrounding countryside (they live surrounded by protected land) and otherwise relax with a book or movie. We have been geo-caching, Jo made a pavlova (second actually as our first burnt) and there is again all the food we can eat. I put on three kilos in the first week!
There are golden eagles nesting across the valley the castle is on and we have a telescope to see them (visible to the naked eye too and they often fly over top as we work). They also have a chick.
Our hosts are two guys Mike and Paul. 50 50 share in this castle and house place. 96 hectares of land and a heap of ideas. Really relaxed guys too as i think i have said.
And now Sam is flying over from home in 2 weeks (1st July). I head off at the end of this week to southern Spain and will stay there through July at least working on a property with a daughter who runs a surf school! Needless to say, the surf is why I am going there...
It has now been two weeks since then. We have built stone walls, smashed lots of old stuff (troughs, walls etc) and shovelled tonnes, TONNES, of 500 year old goat poo.
We work about 4 hours a day and they keep telling us not to overdo it and make sure we are enjoying it. It is easy as pie work really. No, easier! Making pie can't be that easy. More like easy as cheese on toast.
In between the drive us around all the local villages to sightsee, go out for dinner if Paul doesn't whip up some gourmet dinner himself like fresh cooked garlic prawns (delish!), wander the surrounding countryside (they live surrounded by protected land) and otherwise relax with a book or movie. We have been geo-caching, Jo made a pavlova (second actually as our first burnt) and there is again all the food we can eat. I put on three kilos in the first week!
There are golden eagles nesting across the valley the castle is on and we have a telescope to see them (visible to the naked eye too and they often fly over top as we work). They also have a chick.
Our hosts are two guys Mike and Paul. 50 50 share in this castle and house place. 96 hectares of land and a heap of ideas. Really relaxed guys too as i think i have said.
And now Sam is flying over from home in 2 weeks (1st July). I head off at the end of this week to southern Spain and will stay there through July at least working on a property with a daughter who runs a surf school! Needless to say, the surf is why I am going there...
Jun 11, 2008
Woofing
Barcelona was good but I was in Spain to woof. Time to move on. I quickly photo shopped a photo of me to make me extra appealing to all of my potential hosts and then sent out my request...
Hola (insert name) (o:
My name is Mark and I am a 23 year old student from New Zealand. Along with a friend, I have been travelling the world for one year now and have just recently arrived in Spain. I am currently staying as a couch surfer in Barcelona but hope to soon move on into trying out woofing.
I left New Zealand after completing my university studies (Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Ecology and a Postgraduate diploma in Wildlife Management) and began to travel to experience new ways of living, see what else this world has to offer and most importantly, to enjoy myself along the way. When my travels are complete, i plan on returning to New Zealand to complete my masters in Wildlife Management.
I have recently joined wwoofing as it seems a great way to see a local culture first hand while also picking up some valuable lifestyle experiences. I would also love to learn Spanish as I hope to travel to South America next year.
Back home I live on a small farm where we graze horses and keep a few chickens, cows and sheep on a non commercial basis. As such, from woofing, it would be nice to have something to take back home when I finish my travels that could be put into use there.
Before leaving for travel, I worked for 3 months with an environmental consulting firm (Wildland Consultants) back in New Zealand and during my travels I have taught English on a volunteer basis for 2 weeks and worked as a builder in Germany for 2 months. I also helped a Thai friend restore and renovate a house in Thailand which he hopes to now put into use as a school for kids with fewer opportunities in life. In New Zealand, I have had numerous summer jobs labouring, painting, gardening, working in a petrol station and for our local government conservation group the Department of Conservation (DoC).
As a helper on your property, I promise to work hard and well. I am a quick learner and most importantly, I am keen. I am fit, smart and capable and am looking forward to doing something productive once more. Your farm sounded especially appealing to me as (insert favourable sounding reasons related to what they are offering).
I am available to work for (insert offered time frame). I have no time frame on this trip and so am easy to mould to whatever suits you. My friend I am travelling with can also help out if you would prefer a team of 2 people (he is 23, fit, studied Zoology and VERY capable with most things. He has worked as a builder on and off for years during university breaks and will join me in South America next year too).
I am sure you have questions you would like to ask me and I would love to answer them all so please don´t hesitate to ask!
I look forward to hearing from you, hope the weather is beautiful in (insert city),
Sincerely,
Mark A. Turner
a.k.a Kiwi!
Being told it usually takes one to two weeks before a reply was recieved and that you often had to call the people to get one, I was pleasently surprised to get a response from all three requests I had sent out within two days! And so now I am today heading off to Tolva where my first host Mike Fenton is.
Will he work us 12hrs a day slave labour?
Will we be in a hippy commune, eating raw turnips and composting trees with our own wastes?
Will the hosts be border line psycotics and have us fearing for our lives every second we are there?
Will we be treated like royalty and fattened up on the fruits of the gods?
Or will it just be plain old farm work?
Only one way to find out...
Hola (insert name) (o:
My name is Mark and I am a 23 year old student from New Zealand. Along with a friend, I have been travelling the world for one year now and have just recently arrived in Spain. I am currently staying as a couch surfer in Barcelona but hope to soon move on into trying out woofing.
I left New Zealand after completing my university studies (Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Ecology and a Postgraduate diploma in Wildlife Management) and began to travel to experience new ways of living, see what else this world has to offer and most importantly, to enjoy myself along the way. When my travels are complete, i plan on returning to New Zealand to complete my masters in Wildlife Management.
I have recently joined wwoofing as it seems a great way to see a local culture first hand while also picking up some valuable lifestyle experiences. I would also love to learn Spanish as I hope to travel to South America next year.
Back home I live on a small farm where we graze horses and keep a few chickens, cows and sheep on a non commercial basis. As such, from woofing, it would be nice to have something to take back home when I finish my travels that could be put into use there.
Before leaving for travel, I worked for 3 months with an environmental consulting firm (Wildland Consultants) back in New Zealand and during my travels I have taught English on a volunteer basis for 2 weeks and worked as a builder in Germany for 2 months. I also helped a Thai friend restore and renovate a house in Thailand which he hopes to now put into use as a school for kids with fewer opportunities in life. In New Zealand, I have had numerous summer jobs labouring, painting, gardening, working in a petrol station and for our local government conservation group the Department of Conservation (DoC).
As a helper on your property, I promise to work hard and well. I am a quick learner and most importantly, I am keen. I am fit, smart and capable and am looking forward to doing something productive once more. Your farm sounded especially appealing to me as (insert favourable sounding reasons related to what they are offering).
I am available to work for (insert offered time frame). I have no time frame on this trip and so am easy to mould to whatever suits you. My friend I am travelling with can also help out if you would prefer a team of 2 people (he is 23, fit, studied Zoology and VERY capable with most things. He has worked as a builder on and off for years during university breaks and will join me in South America next year too).
I am sure you have questions you would like to ask me and I would love to answer them all so please don´t hesitate to ask!
I look forward to hearing from you, hope the weather is beautiful in (insert city),
Sincerely,
Mark A. Turner
a.k.a Kiwi!
Being told it usually takes one to two weeks before a reply was recieved and that you often had to call the people to get one, I was pleasently surprised to get a response from all three requests I had sent out within two days! And so now I am today heading off to Tolva where my first host Mike Fenton is.
Will he work us 12hrs a day slave labour?
Will we be in a hippy commune, eating raw turnips and composting trees with our own wastes?
Will the hosts be border line psycotics and have us fearing for our lives every second we are there?
Will we be treated like royalty and fattened up on the fruits of the gods?
Or will it just be plain old farm work?
Only one way to find out...
Jun 5, 2008
Take 2... or maybe 3?
Wow we do well. Lets see if we can get another host in trouble (o:
Schetki already had a surfer Jess from America and she lives in a small flat with four other people so not a whole lot of room. But she agreed to take us in after I told her we were considering sleeping in the ATM room (it's where a lot of homeless people sleep in Barcelona and would have been fine!). But she didn't think it so good an idea and so took us home with her. And fed us (amazing chef!) and took us out at night and was all round wonderful!
In return, walking home that night she spotted a cupboard she liked outside a building (it was trash day and we were walking in a nice neighbourhood where they throw nice stuff out) and so Jo decided to offer that we would carry it back to her place for her! Now don't get me wrong, I was very thankful for all she had done and thought it a nice idea but this thing was big! VERY BIG!
And so my arms were hurting like buggery by the time we made it back to her flat...
And during the day we ate enough fruit to give the whole of Whales the runs twice over. 1 euro got you a kilo of strawberrys or a kilo of grapes or cherries or or or... it was sooo cheap! We endup up with a kilo of each and were soon fill to bursting and regretting our greedy gorging. Kind of (o:
Schetki already had a surfer Jess from America and she lives in a small flat with four other people so not a whole lot of room. But she agreed to take us in after I told her we were considering sleeping in the ATM room (it's where a lot of homeless people sleep in Barcelona and would have been fine!). But she didn't think it so good an idea and so took us home with her. And fed us (amazing chef!) and took us out at night and was all round wonderful!
In return, walking home that night she spotted a cupboard she liked outside a building (it was trash day and we were walking in a nice neighbourhood where they throw nice stuff out) and so Jo decided to offer that we would carry it back to her place for her! Now don't get me wrong, I was very thankful for all she had done and thought it a nice idea but this thing was big! VERY BIG!
And so my arms were hurting like buggery by the time we made it back to her flat...
And during the day we ate enough fruit to give the whole of Whales the runs twice over. 1 euro got you a kilo of strawberrys or a kilo of grapes or cherries or or or... it was sooo cheap! We endup up with a kilo of each and were soon fill to bursting and regretting our greedy gorging. Kind of (o:
Stealth surfing...
Do has a room in a flat rented from a guy who rents the whole appartment and then rents it out for more than he pays and so lives for free. She is not allowed guests in this apartment. or not without A LOT of prior notice. We had given her all of a few hours and so we were not to let the landlord know we were there. So began 3 nights of torturous living.
We had to hide in her room if he was there. Need to use the toilet? Too bad! Need a drink? Too bad! Accidentaly sliced your right nipple off and need a doctor pronto? Too bad! Your aren't going anywhere!
Second night we actually had permission (though it was grudgingly given and required A LOT of persuassion). Only we stayed the next night too and he caught us...
So next morning seeing as we had overstayed a night, the landlord told Dö she had to move. We had got her kicked out of her flat!!! Shite!
But on the bright side, during the days we explored the city, visited Gaudy's buildings and picniked on the beach with some more of Dö's friends. At night we cooked with Dö local spanish styles (Tortillias (egg potato dish) and so on), went to live jam sessions and visited the non touristy places (I'll do them when Sam gets here).
But overhanging this was the knowledge that Do was out. So we freaked all day wondering what to do and knowing little could be done and i could write heaps here but suffice to know that in the end she talked her way back in and we buggered off right royally from stealth surfing there. Instead we stayed with one of Do's friends who also wasn't really allowed to host us either...
We had to hide in her room if he was there. Need to use the toilet? Too bad! Need a drink? Too bad! Accidentaly sliced your right nipple off and need a doctor pronto? Too bad! Your aren't going anywhere!
Second night we actually had permission (though it was grudgingly given and required A LOT of persuassion). Only we stayed the next night too and he caught us...
So next morning seeing as we had overstayed a night, the landlord told Dö she had to move. We had got her kicked out of her flat!!! Shite!
But on the bright side, during the days we explored the city, visited Gaudy's buildings and picniked on the beach with some more of Dö's friends. At night we cooked with Dö local spanish styles (Tortillias (egg potato dish) and so on), went to live jam sessions and visited the non touristy places (I'll do them when Sam gets here).
But overhanging this was the knowledge that Do was out. So we freaked all day wondering what to do and knowing little could be done and i could write heaps here but suffice to know that in the end she talked her way back in and we buggered off right royally from stealth surfing there. Instead we stayed with one of Do's friends who also wasn't really allowed to host us either...
Jun 2, 2008
Barcelona
We lift Bezier around midday. Our first lift was after maybe 2 minutes with two guys who couldn't speak English but were loving that we were going to Barcelona to chase girls and party. Um? Sure. Next lift took maybe 5 minutes from a toll paying higway place by a guy who had travelled heaps himself and wished he could join us in Barcelona but had a wife to return to and then another lift in about 3 mintues by a furniture guy who took us down to a better spot to get into Barcelona. Here we waited maybe an hour before finding a lift all the way in, offered drugs again and took the guy's number to meet up for a beer later (just realised we never made the appointment! Bugger)
But no offer of a place to stay. Bugger again. So we called up or friend Dö and she agreed to meet us for a drink. We met up and cruised to the beach for a picnic where we were joined by two other girls living in Spain, 3 American girls and a Spanish guy who also hosts. Nice food, the crazys went for a swim and the Dö decided we would stay the night with her. Awesome! Only we had to be sneaky...
But no offer of a place to stay. Bugger again. So we called up or friend Dö and she agreed to meet us for a drink. We met up and cruised to the beach for a picnic where we were joined by two other girls living in Spain, 3 American girls and a Spanish guy who also hosts. Nice food, the crazys went for a swim and the Dö decided we would stay the night with her. Awesome! Only we had to be sneaky...
Beziers
So with the realisation that trying to hitch a lift on a yaht in Antibes was probably not our most lucritive idea, I suggested to Jo it was time to move on to Spain. Never been so why not? Sam Feisst had also just suggested that when he arrives in Europe, him and me should try out some woofing in this part of the world. I figure why the heck not, I am doing so little else and need some new motivation until something crops us. So my plan now is to head to Spain to suss this woofing thing out for when Sam comes to join. If Jo wants to come, cool, if not, cool.
So our first stop on the way to Spain was a little French town called Beziers. Here we couch surfed a night, after having hitched up and then we hitched off early(ish)the next day so we didn't really see much. Must have arrived around 7pm to meet our host at 11pm and so we sat in and people watched till she got home from drum class. Got offered drugs a few times while we waited (must be the long hair?) and saw a guy get a speeding ticket but that was about it really.
Sleeping at the hosts was sleeping. Ate a little, had a glass of wine, a shower and then slept. Simple.
Leaving Antibes to get here sucked arse too as it rained as if a thousand drops of water were falling on us and cars kept driving too close to the curb, sending up sprays of dirty water like the water you find in the gutters on the side of a heavily trafficked road. We were left standing there in soggy clothing, like clothes left out on a washing line after it has rained, with our hair glistening like nose hair after a good sneeze, shoes squelching like when you step in a baby after a steam roller has driven over it, thumbs stuck out in poor imitations of the signal commonly used by hitch hikers and grins plastered to our faces like the Joker's after being made up by a bad make up artist in Batman knock off film.
But we did get picked up eventually and then again at the next stop fairly quickly as the rain had diminished and so with our raincoats off, we could hide the fact that when we got out of their car we would leave behind two big wet arse marks (o: Then we got another two lifts very quickly after that, one offering us their house for the night and the other taking us to our final destination. And so we arrived in Antibes.
Here we slept as mentioned and then left around midday the next day with not a clue as to where we were going to stay. Perhaps another lift would offer us their place? Or perhaps a girl Dö we had met at the Berlin beach camp would let us stay with her?
Only one way to find out...
But we did get picked up eventually and then again at the next stop fairly quickly as the rain had diminished and so with our raincoats off, we could hide the fact that when we got out of their car we would leave behind two big wet arse marks (o: Then we got another two lifts very quickly after that, one offering us their house for the night and the other taking us to our final destination. And so we arrived in Antibes.
Here we slept as mentioned and then left around midday the next day with not a clue as to where we were going to stay. Perhaps another lift would offer us their place? Or perhaps a girl Dö we had met at the Berlin beach camp would let us stay with her?
Only one way to find out...
May 28, 2008
The blue lady...
Full of tourists! When we arrived some girl came up to me and asked if I was American? Pointing out i was kiwi I asked if she was Canadian. Nope, she was American herself! We told her we were looking for another kiwi guy Oscar (we had quickly realised none of us knew what he looked like) and so she set off asking every person at the bar if they knew him!
Awesome! We sat down for a beer and let her go to work. Stunning too so it shouldn't be long. All the girls here look like they're out of magazines. In the end however it was Oscar who found us. And so began a night of dream shattering reality.
This is how life works in Antibes. You wake up at 6am to get to the port at 7:30am. Then you walk the docks asking each boat owner if they want some help. Cleaning, mending, whatever. 99% of the time they say no but sometimes, you get lucky. If not, you head off to the crew finding agencies to check on your contacts, update your CV and this usually keeps you busy from around 9am to midday. Then it is off to the Captain's building where you learn of what time the new boats are coming in the next day and then you do some more dock walking. Then it all starts again the next day.
When a new boat comes in, you are usually part of a group of 20 or more guys and girls bunched up at the boat's soon to be new berth with eager eyes all greedily wondering how to outdo their neighbour in geeting onto this new ship. It's like putting one beautiful girl in a room full of 20 single guys. Competition all the way. And to make it more similar, you'd have to make her having a boyfriend 90% of the time too!
And the morning dock walks, you are not alone. Oh no, there are A LOT of others doing it too. And not just in Antibes mind you, this is going on in every port in the near by region! Crazy! The whole bar we were in this night was full of people looking for work.
So what about Oscar you may be asking? Well, he is still looking for work too. Two months on! He has done a bit of deck hand work, no sailing mind, and tells us you can walk weeks up and down the docks without striking lucky. So no luck there with stealing his contacts...
So realising I have no experience, no skills and no CV and now no contacts, I am ready to face reality and stow away until we are far enough out that they have to keep me!
Awesome! We sat down for a beer and let her go to work. Stunning too so it shouldn't be long. All the girls here look like they're out of magazines. In the end however it was Oscar who found us. And so began a night of dream shattering reality.
This is how life works in Antibes. You wake up at 6am to get to the port at 7:30am. Then you walk the docks asking each boat owner if they want some help. Cleaning, mending, whatever. 99% of the time they say no but sometimes, you get lucky. If not, you head off to the crew finding agencies to check on your contacts, update your CV and this usually keeps you busy from around 9am to midday. Then it is off to the Captain's building where you learn of what time the new boats are coming in the next day and then you do some more dock walking. Then it all starts again the next day.
When a new boat comes in, you are usually part of a group of 20 or more guys and girls bunched up at the boat's soon to be new berth with eager eyes all greedily wondering how to outdo their neighbour in geeting onto this new ship. It's like putting one beautiful girl in a room full of 20 single guys. Competition all the way. And to make it more similar, you'd have to make her having a boyfriend 90% of the time too!
And the morning dock walks, you are not alone. Oh no, there are A LOT of others doing it too. And not just in Antibes mind you, this is going on in every port in the near by region! Crazy! The whole bar we were in this night was full of people looking for work.
So what about Oscar you may be asking? Well, he is still looking for work too. Two months on! He has done a bit of deck hand work, no sailing mind, and tells us you can walk weeks up and down the docks without striking lucky. So no luck there with stealing his contacts...
So realising I have no experience, no skills and no CV and now no contacts, I am ready to face reality and stow away until we are far enough out that they have to keep me!
Antibes
Antibes. Pronounced Un-teeb-a is rich people world. This place has money. Check out the yachts! Some are as big as our house!
Our host had mentioned there were some companies around the port whose job it was to set up crew with boats. So we decided to put our name down with a few of these. So at about 2pm (yeah, slept in a bit) we headed off to town.
When the day was drawing to a close, we had put our name down with no one but had seen a lot of other names around. A lot. And they had experience. And qualifications! Bugger (o:
But Jo had a friend Oscar from NZ, an old neighbour, who had been here 2 months. Surely he would have some contacts and maybe he could hook us up? So we got in touch and agreed to meet in the Blue Lady later that night with us secretly habouring plans of smoozing all his friends into giving us work...
Our host had mentioned there were some companies around the port whose job it was to set up crew with boats. So we decided to put our name down with a few of these. So at about 2pm (yeah, slept in a bit) we headed off to town.
When the day was drawing to a close, we had put our name down with no one but had seen a lot of other names around. A lot. And they had experience. And qualifications! Bugger (o:
But Jo had a friend Oscar from NZ, an old neighbour, who had been here 2 months. Surely he would have some contacts and maybe he could hook us up? So we got in touch and agreed to meet in the Blue Lady later that night with us secretly habouring plans of smoozing all his friends into giving us work...
Polizia
We began our stay in Italy by practicing all the Italian we knew; bolognese, pickio us upio (we figured putting an e-o sound on the end of words made them Italian), pasta, bonjourno and so on. Things were not looking too hot if actual conversation was required...
We waited for about an hour and a hlaf for the first lift. Ended up being a guy telling us our plan was stupid, Genova was aaages away from Milan and it would be hard to get there. He also said he couldn't take us but in the end he did drive us to a better spot where all roads led to Genova. Also taught us a little more Italian so that was all good.
So at this new spot we began again. High hopes. Then medium hopes. Then low hopes. Then no hopes.
When do seasoned hitch hikers find themselves dispairing? When the Italian police come and tell you they are going to arrest you. Hitch hiking is illegal in Italy they told us and so we had better catch a bus, then a metro and then a train over to France and try again there.
SUCK!
We carried on hitching for a bit but when they returned with 3 police cars and made things pretty clear they weren't happy with us, we headed off to Milan to catch a train.
So we got to the station only to find all trains had left till the next morning. So we decided to try some last minute couch surfing. And it worked! Called up a guy and he was sweet to let us stay for the night. One minutes warning. Now that is a generous guy!
Then next morning we caught a train to Antibes in southern France, met up with our new host Romain and it was time to begin looking for work on a yacht. Or not work, but just an opportunity to learn to sail...
We waited for about an hour and a hlaf for the first lift. Ended up being a guy telling us our plan was stupid, Genova was aaages away from Milan and it would be hard to get there. He also said he couldn't take us but in the end he did drive us to a better spot where all roads led to Genova. Also taught us a little more Italian so that was all good.
So at this new spot we began again. High hopes. Then medium hopes. Then low hopes. Then no hopes.
When do seasoned hitch hikers find themselves dispairing? When the Italian police come and tell you they are going to arrest you. Hitch hiking is illegal in Italy they told us and so we had better catch a bus, then a metro and then a train over to France and try again there.
SUCK!
We carried on hitching for a bit but when they returned with 3 police cars and made things pretty clear they weren't happy with us, we headed off to Milan to catch a train.
So we got to the station only to find all trains had left till the next morning. So we decided to try some last minute couch surfing. And it worked! Called up a guy and he was sweet to let us stay for the night. One minutes warning. Now that is a generous guy!
Then next morning we caught a train to Antibes in southern France, met up with our new host Romain and it was time to begin looking for work on a yacht. Or not work, but just an opportunity to learn to sail...
Leaving Switzerland
We decided to join Vince for CS meet at the swiss 'beach' in Aarau. Sounded like the Berlin beach camp all over again with fire, songs, chats etc. Awesome!
Was pretty cool too. Sausies on a stick over the kiwi made fire, skinny dipping in the adjacent swiss river, too much red wine and the usual great group of couch surfers making it a fun night all up.
Then, planning on heading on to France the next day, we decided to see if we could find a host living further south than Vince. So we got hooked up with a guy Flo and at the end of the night we headed off together. Or i headed off with Flo but Jo had disappeared somewheres. So I went to find Jo and got back, only to find I had now lost Flo! And so he stayed lost. We ended up sleeping the night at the train station (all 30mins of sleep that is) and then hitching off the next morning in fine spirits (o:
Hitching out of Swiss was easy too and we soon found ourselves over in Italy...
Was pretty cool too. Sausies on a stick over the kiwi made fire, skinny dipping in the adjacent swiss river, too much red wine and the usual great group of couch surfers making it a fun night all up.
Then, planning on heading on to France the next day, we decided to see if we could find a host living further south than Vince. So we got hooked up with a guy Flo and at the end of the night we headed off together. Or i headed off with Flo but Jo had disappeared somewheres. So I went to find Jo and got back, only to find I had now lost Flo! And so he stayed lost. We ended up sleeping the night at the train station (all 30mins of sleep that is) and then hitching off the next morning in fine spirits (o:
Hitching out of Swiss was easy too and we soon found ourselves over in Italy...
May 23, 2008
Vince's
So after yesterday's shocker of a hitch, which actually turned out quite sweet, today we have made it to Switzerland (21st May).
We got a lift with Nicole to the main autobahn and from here it was a one way route to Switzerland. From our drop off point, it took about 20mins to get picked up and this took us over the border and into cheese world. From there a lady who had bought a pond in Germany (much cheaper she assures us) took us into some town and from here we hitched into Gassaur where our CS host Vince came to collect us. Took maybe 2hrs! What the hell were we doing for 9hrs the day before?!? Have to ask Jo about the drivers who took us as they mainly spoke retarded swiss version of german and very little english so i didn't learn too much.
Day 1 - Vince began our time in Switzerland with a beer at a local aussie pub. Thankfully a local brew and not the piss the Aussie's bottle and sell as beer and which is widley known abroad as Fosters. Then it was off to his place to relax, watch a movie (he has over 800) and drink another beer. House rules stipulate we must not let his pet snakes out of the terririums without him being there but that we can help ourselves to all the beer we want. And there is a heap! And playing with his fully automatic machine gun is all good too, just no ammo without him.
Swiss. Neutral? Huh! Every guy here has a friggin arsenol under his bed! Craaaazy!
I don't think i have eaten a piece of fruit or veg since arriving either unless hops is a veg? Have to admit i am missing them slightly but after here i will go detox big time. But why do today what you can put off until tomorrow yeah?
Day 2 - visited local chocolate and cheese factories, had fondue for dinner and got drunk on champagne. The choc factory had a heap of free samples. Free Swiss samples. Not bad. Not bad at all. Cheese factory was... a cheese factory. But it did sell some cheese that tasted like old old old rotten dirty skody feet. Almost threw. Managed not to... just. and we got the cheese for Vince to make us a real Swiss fondue. Again, not bad at all (o:
Day 3 - went for a bike with Jo around the neighbouring villages. Nothing too exciting happened. Visited a town called egg and then Jo left to say hi to Claudine. I stayed behind, played with Vince's pet pythons and watched more moveis, haha. As for the snakes, Vince put one around my neck to begin with and i thought i would be all cool about it. Didn't scream or anything but i broke a sweat all right. Weird too. Wouldn't have expected it. Cool snakes too. Very beautiful. Ball pythons and corn snakes.
We got a lift with Nicole to the main autobahn and from here it was a one way route to Switzerland. From our drop off point, it took about 20mins to get picked up and this took us over the border and into cheese world. From there a lady who had bought a pond in Germany (much cheaper she assures us) took us into some town and from here we hitched into Gassaur where our CS host Vince came to collect us. Took maybe 2hrs! What the hell were we doing for 9hrs the day before?!? Have to ask Jo about the drivers who took us as they mainly spoke retarded swiss version of german and very little english so i didn't learn too much.
Day 1 - Vince began our time in Switzerland with a beer at a local aussie pub. Thankfully a local brew and not the piss the Aussie's bottle and sell as beer and which is widley known abroad as Fosters. Then it was off to his place to relax, watch a movie (he has over 800) and drink another beer. House rules stipulate we must not let his pet snakes out of the terririums without him being there but that we can help ourselves to all the beer we want. And there is a heap! And playing with his fully automatic machine gun is all good too, just no ammo without him.
Swiss. Neutral? Huh! Every guy here has a friggin arsenol under his bed! Craaaazy!
I don't think i have eaten a piece of fruit or veg since arriving either unless hops is a veg? Have to admit i am missing them slightly but after here i will go detox big time. But why do today what you can put off until tomorrow yeah?
Day 2 - visited local chocolate and cheese factories, had fondue for dinner and got drunk on champagne. The choc factory had a heap of free samples. Free Swiss samples. Not bad. Not bad at all. Cheese factory was... a cheese factory. But it did sell some cheese that tasted like old old old rotten dirty skody feet. Almost threw. Managed not to... just. and we got the cheese for Vince to make us a real Swiss fondue. Again, not bad at all (o:
Day 3 - went for a bike with Jo around the neighbouring villages. Nothing too exciting happened. Visited a town called egg and then Jo left to say hi to Claudine. I stayed behind, played with Vince's pet pythons and watched more moveis, haha. As for the snakes, Vince put one around my neck to begin with and i thought i would be all cool about it. Didn't scream or anything but i broke a sweat all right. Weird too. Wouldn't have expected it. Cool snakes too. Very beautiful. Ball pythons and corn snakes.
May 19, 2008
50km... 9hrs
We left with Steffen at around 12 as we weren't expected in Switzerland until around 7pm. That meant we had aaaaaaaaages to get there. I planned on snoozing road side if the sun got real nice. I mean, why rush?
9hrs later and where are we? 50km away! We made Stuttgart! First lift took us the wrong way and then it just kind of never took off after that. We had chocolate and signs declaring that Jesus himself would pick us up but no. Nothing.
When we did finally get a lift, he offered to take us further if we were willing to wait for a bit as he had a meeting he had to attend for no more than an hour in Stuttgart. We figured we'd risk it and we were hungry anyway and so would fill the time grabbing something to eat. His 1 hour tops turned into 2 hours and we were still waiting!
When he did return, realising he had been a bit longer than expected, he offered to let us stay at his place for the night; sweeeet! Exactly what i had been banking on (o:
delicious meal and a few cold beers later and we found ourselves asleep in a room of a house more like a hotel than anything i had stayed in previously. Or more of a Bed and Breakfast i guess, which is what it turned into. Christoph and Nicole were absolute perfect hosts. Superb.
And the host we were supposed to stay with? he was cool to wait another day. And surely we will make it there tomorrow?
9hrs later and where are we? 50km away! We made Stuttgart! First lift took us the wrong way and then it just kind of never took off after that. We had chocolate and signs declaring that Jesus himself would pick us up but no. Nothing.
When we did finally get a lift, he offered to take us further if we were willing to wait for a bit as he had a meeting he had to attend for no more than an hour in Stuttgart. We figured we'd risk it and we were hungry anyway and so would fill the time grabbing something to eat. His 1 hour tops turned into 2 hours and we were still waiting!
When he did return, realising he had been a bit longer than expected, he offered to let us stay at his place for the night; sweeeet! Exactly what i had been banking on (o:
delicious meal and a few cold beers later and we found ourselves asleep in a room of a house more like a hotel than anything i had stayed in previously. Or more of a Bed and Breakfast i guess, which is what it turned into. Christoph and Nicole were absolute perfect hosts. Superb.
And the host we were supposed to stay with? he was cool to wait another day. And surely we will make it there tomorrow?
May 14, 2008
Dusseldorf - flo's
I was to make my way back to find Jo.
I figured to do it in a day meant a rush. Why rush? So I organised to stop on the way with a fellow couch surfer Florian (Flo). Turned out he was having a party the night I arrived (o:
girls booze upstairs
BBQ's
Uni Free stuff
I figured to do it in a day meant a rush. Why rush? So I organised to stop on the way with a fellow couch surfer Florian (Flo). Turned out he was having a party the night I arrived (o:
girls booze upstairs
BBQ's
Uni Free stuff
Apr 20, 2008
Fast times in Tahoe
9am found me street side. Six hours has been a good wake up call. Sign up again and I was away. Only this time I truly wouldn't have minded another 6 hours. The sun was up, the sky was clear and my belly was full. Life was looking good and I was enjoying being back on the road once more.
It took half an hour for my first ride to appear. A couple heading my way told me hitch hikers were a dying breed and rarely seen in these parts any more. Hence they had picked me up. Not sure if it was for their benefit or mine but pick me up they did. Again, the lift came with free snacks and drinks. But I won't go into them for too long as this happened... (but they were really cool and the lift much appreciated!)
So thy dropped me off at a rest are next to the autobahn just on the outskirts of Holland. The autobahn was undergoing construction and so traffic had been reduced to a crawl and opened up the possibility of appealing to the entire road's worth. But first I figured I would try the rest stop stoppers for the first half hour or so.
I wandered to the end of the area and whipped out my sign. Sun was up and so was my smile and soon I think my smile was outshining the sun as a motorbike with sidecar cruised by. Didn't stop but neither did my dreaming. One day. How cool would that be! Next a Porsche 911 drove up and so I again signaled with a laugh and then I began hitching in ernest.
In my last lift they had asked if I ever caught lifts in trucks. I replied that I hadn't yet and neither had I caught a lift in a Ferrari or a stretch limo but that my life had along way to go yet and so did my travels and so one day, somewhere, I would try them all.
Bwaaaarp! Bwaaaarp!
Hmm? Vas ist das?
Woah!
The Porsche had pulled over and I was being offered a ride. This car was new. Show room new and I was left wondering how much sun this guy had been having?! And so begun my fast, very fast, lift into Holland with a famous singer from Kurdistan who you can check out on YouTube under Delil Dilanar. When nearing Amsterdam, we wondered on where it would be best to drop me off for a final lift into the city. Stopping at a gas station to ask advice, I approached a lady who helped us out and when she saw what I was 'hitchhiking' in, gave me a big thumbs up and a laugh I could hear for a long time coming. Good stuff.
So Delil dropped me off at the next gas station and from here I caught my final lift with a man no
less extraordinary. Or unique at least. Climbing into a van full of chickens I found myself soon engaged in a very interesting conversation about pigeon racing; the drivers main hobby. Quite cool. He even dropped me off town centre where I was to meet my next couch surfing host and so I found myself in Dam square, Amsterdam. Now to see what this place has to offer...
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