8/29/2010 - Antigua, GT: Ramble On

After my bi-monthly shave and my first hot shower in over a week, I can definitely say that I’m happy to be in Antigua, Guatemala.  It’s been a while since I did my last post and there’s a very good excuse: I’m an idiot.  Well long story short, trying to be adventurous, and find a new path to the next beach I stepped in what seemed to be sand in the moonlight.  Turns out boggy water and sand look very similar in Mexico, and before I knew it I was waste deep with my iPhone.  That sucked.  I could really care less about looking like a jackass (happens all the time), but losing my portable computer was a tough blow.  I turned it off right away, and have hopes of reviving it after some careful internet research.  Right now, it’s in a bag of rice drying.  So, for now I’m going to be living in the Stone Age, and keep a handwritten journal (gasp!), which I’ll transfer to blog form.  Ugh, what a douche.  Next time I’ll try to be more careful.

Anywho! A ton of crazy/fun/wierd stuff has happened since I last posted something about the hated speed bumps.  To start, I’ve visited some really great places: Oaxaca and Mazunte were incredible.  Oaxaca, is the capital city of the state of Oaxaca.  It’s pronounced wa-hoc-a, which really throws me off, because in Spanish there are supposed to be rules.  Like every thing should be read exactly like it’s written.  I guess not the case for this city, so after some silly confusion on my part, BJ and I make it to the city.  It’s wonderful: the market smells great, the people at our hostel are super friendly, and it looks like there’s a ton of stuff to do just outside the city.  The next day, we jump on the bike and see some amazing petrified waterfalls.  It’s really incredible how lost you can get in time, when just a few little springs of water can create something so grand with only time and minerals.  Of course thinking the springs were hot springs BJ and I came prepared with our board shorts hoping to relax in a spa.  Definitely not the case. The water wasn’t icy, so after deciding I’ll probably never get another chance to jump into a spring like this again.  I form a big cannonball and enjoy the swim.  In retrospect it was quite nice. Also in Oaxaca, the worlds biggest tree measured by trunk diameter.  Let me tell you something about that tree: it’s a big fucking tree.  Definitely worth the 15 minute drive.

After Oaxaca, I was ready to hang on a beach and be a bum for a few days.  It’s supposed to be my extended vacation right? Beach it is.  After riding up and over a mountain that topped out at 9,000 ft, I finally made it back to see level and looked for a small surfer town called Mazunte.  What a ride to get there, it rained all day in the mountains, and when we got to the coast we found out the damage was much worse there.  Lucky for us, we’re armed with some kick ass motorcycles that can go almost anywhere.  There’s a few roads washed out, which look to me like a raging river, but local police say that underneath was once a road.  Oh well, for the first river, there was a pedestrian bridge so on our big ass bikes we crossed, literally having people move aside while try and manage.  Boom, success, I’m almost to the mythical Mazunte.  One last river, and Mazunte should only be a few miles away.  We’re told by some random woman that there’s a way around the paved road using some dirt roads.  Okay, no problem I get “go straight and turn right”.  Easy enough.  Too bad they were awful directions, and while heading the wrong way up a steep muddy hill, I get caught on the upper side of a two foot rivet.  FYI, trying to put your foot down into nothing may throw you into a huge soupy bowl of mud.  After realizing I was ok from my fall, BJ and I had to get my bike out.  Not an easy task by any means, but after about a half hour it’s free and we’ve both conquered the hill.  Too bad it was the wrong way.  It really is funny how shit works out like that sometime.  Eventually we go back down the same hill (much easier) and get correct directions.  We find a hostel with a cold shower and pizza.  I fall asleep happy to have finally made our destination.

In the morning I felt a little different.  My insect friends decided to snack on my legs once again during the night.  This is the last time that’s going to happen, if a whole crap load of deet, high powered fans, and wearing extra clothing and blankets don’t work.  It’s doctors’ recommendation time.  I get my B12 shot and google about a dozen different websites about dosages and how to take the shot.  Too much B12 acts like cyanide, hence why you need a prescription in the States.  Armed with a big ass bottle and a needle, I’m ready to start my hardcore street drug taking career.  I guess the correct dosage (just over half a mL?), fill up the needle and I’m ready.  Now I’m going to sound like a pussy, but giving yourself a shot is not as easy as the old youtube nurse lady makes it seem.  But after psyching myself up and puncturing my leg about five times (they were test holes to make sure I could handle it, ok?) I finally succeed.  Now time to take the drugs the easy way for the next month, orally.  Thank goodness.  I am now pleased to report that my bug bites have decreased dramatically, and I still hate BJ because he’s gotten a total of about five mosquito bites this whole trip with no preventative measure.

On to the next modest topic: BJ and I being heroes.  Ha.  I can’t even type that with a straight face, but really we did help out an Austrian friend of ours that got robbed.  Her backpack was stolen from her hostel (open window), and inside was her passport, money, cell phone, and bank cards.  Oops.  I make a mental note to store my valuables away from windows.  Anyhow, BJ and her spend most the next day getting a police report, so she at least something to take back to her Embassy so that she can get home without a passport.  By crazy coincidence, as we’re heading out on our bikes to say goodbye, her hostel owner flags us down and gives us all her stuff back (except the cash of course), but by that time they had left to catch a bus back to Mexico City.  We’re about 15 minutes behind them at this point, so with their stuff we’re determined to catch them before they head out.  A half our later, we get to city where the bus station is and randomly see them walking on the street.  Awesome! She’s ecstatic to have her passport back and very thankful.  She got pretty lucky because we caught her only about five minutes before her bus left.  It’s wonderful how sometimes with a little luck things can turn out for the better.  Like I said: we’re heroes. 

It hadn’t even been a couple hours since I’d left Mexico, and I remember saying to myself that I already missed it.  The border crossing in Guatemala was a hassle to say the least, and just entering a new country with different signs, road maintenance, gas station and people, kind of puts things into perspective.  Mexico was a beautiful country with wonderful people.  Mexicans were sincerely interested in our travels, and weren’t afraid to lend a helping hand.  When BJ’s bike fell over at a gas station, not less than three attendants ran over to help him lift it up.  My favorite example of Mexican hospitality came from Sofia’s family.  Instantly, two goofy white kids were accepted.  Sofia’s Uncle Mike refused our answer of “we’re not hungry”, and took us out to eat some authentic food anyway.  Then about two hours later he took us to his house and fed us again! How awesome is that.  What an amazing bunch of people.  I was pretty lucky in meeting such great Couchsurfers and residents.  Oh, and luckily my parents never received a package containing my ear or finger with a ransom note.  What a nice surprise.  Anyhow, one of my favorite memories that I’ll take from Mexico is this: while riding I got stuck behind a small pickup truck packed with about five young children.  They’re all sitting with their backs on the cab, and as I ride up their faces light up and they all vigorously wave hello.  Then as I pass they all wave goodbye, I return their friendly wave and continue south. 

Maybe, I should reward people who actually read this thing.  I mean really this entry is already at 1,600 words.  I don’t want to ramble on, but since I’m a firm believer in technology; I’m writing these personal thoughts and insights so they can be forever stored on the internet.  Maybe my kids will get a kick out reading these silly entries when they’re old enough.  I just love knowing that that is the future.  Even though I may be a cheesy, vulgar, and sometimes way too colloquial writer; it encourages me that one day in maybe 50 years I can reflect on what a crazy adventure I went on.  Sounds better than losing a dusty old journal in an attic, so thanks for reading and enjoy!