So... What next?

18/08/2010

I don't know what came over me today, but I started going through a bunch of my photos from Buenos Aires. I have some of the best memories of my life from that place. I miss the city, I miss my friends, I miss the dances, I miss the alfajores, I miss the graveyard of bottles in my kitchen. I spent 2 remarkable years in that city.

Here is small selection of the good times we had in the city of good winds...





































M.

03/02/2010

Three weeks in San Francisco and what did I do? Not much! I was actually very close to nothing! And how bad do I feel about that? NOT-AT-ALL!

Let's face it! I'm tired! I've lost the desire to explore and meet a gazillion new people. I just want to rest a bit. And San Francisco offered me the perfect opportunity for that. I had arranged to stay at the CouchSurfing basecamp (something like the headquarters let's say) where I would get to meet some people I have been in touch for a long time already and would also get some work done. What came with that arrangement? Not only was I constantly surrounded by awesome people, but I also finally had a bed to sleep in, a couch to relax on and a kitchen to drink water from while others are cooking (come on, which part of "tired" did you not get?)! And all that for more than just 3-4 days!! :D





So I took fully advantage of that and I became a couchpotato with an excuse. Not that I didn't go out at all though. I did have those weird brunch or cupcake outings, walking around the city without pants on, bike rides up the VERY steep hills, the obligatory visit to the golden gate bridge and the odd beer-enhanced nights, but I wouldn't exactly call myself "adventurous" based on these last few weeks.











After having relaxed for a few days though, and having seen a bit of San Francisco, I decided it's time to move on. South California? Nahh... Can't be bothered. Arizona? Bah, already been there.

You know what? I think I'll just drive back to Austin.... Yeah, that sounds like a great idea actually.

M.

29/11/2009

The following day I left D.C. and drove up north once again. Next stop: Niagara falls.

However, the way to the falls is a turning point, as I will be no longer traveling alone for a while. As pre-arranged, as made a quick stop at JFK airport, where my friend H. was gonna be arriving, in order for us to join forces and travel together.

We made it to Niagara, and Canada more specifically, where we stayed for a night with E., a friend through CouchSurfing that I had never before been lucky enough to meet in person.


Entering Canada...


I've been violated!

Going to Niagara falls has always been a dream of mine. However, I was never especially passionate about it. I wanted to go there, mainly because everyone would mention these falls every so often. They would be used as a metaphor to show great water flow, or as a form of exageration. Also, it would always be an attraction that would get mentioned whenever someone would talk about a holiday in the USA: "Oh yeah, and the Niagara falls. You have to see those...". Visiting the falls, I realised that Canada has an equal share (if not a better one) of the falls as the US do.


The bridge that connects the USA with Canada


Straddling the two countries


After a number of attempts, we gave up on the idea of trying to fit both of us AND the falls in the same photo

Now, being close to the moment that I would see them, I was prepared for dissapointment. I was not expecting to see anything breathtaking nor new. And indeed, I was not proven wrong.


Behind the falls




Yeap. Lots of water indeed...

Niagara falls itself, in my humble opinion, is nothing to write home about. The falls form the natural border between Canada and the USA and other than the fact that millions of gallons of water flow through that border on a daily basis, there isn't much more to say about them. There's nothing really spectacular about the scenery and especially after having seen the Iguazu falls in Argentina, this to me was nothing more than a running tap...


This was the most beautiful image I saw out there. Funny how no part of the falls is portrayed.


What kind of human visits the niagara falls to have their photo taken in front of a photo??

So, Niagara Falls: check. Back to the US of A now and specifically to Keego Harbor, Michigan.

M.

28/08/2009

3000 kilometers from Austin to Chico and they passed in no time. It was Charlie's first big test and he passed with flying colors.

It was a very long route, but incredibly comfortable and I ended up doing the whole thing in less than 48 hours. Charlie coped without a problem even with endless hours of non-stop driving and my seat is the most comfortable I have ever sat on.

The whole ride was really interesting, mainly due to the fact that it was so different than any other I have traveled on so far. Hundreds of kilometers through the deserts, where every now and then a gas station would show up along with a restaurant and a couple of hotels for the truckers and travelers like myself.






Took a few friends from Texas for a ride.

I crossed Texas, passed through New Mexico, saw Arizona from east to west and finally California from south to north. At some point in the middle of nowhere in Arizona, I stopped on the side of the road and got out of the car to take some photos. Two minutes later, I turned around and saw a police car stopped right behind my car and the cop approaching me.

- Good afternoon. You taking photos?
- Yes.
- Ok. Well, I'm gonna ask you to get back in your car and drive off, because we are looking for someone and he is somewhere around here right now.

He didn't need to say it twice. I was already driving away with Charlie, thinking "Daaaaamn!"



Sunday morning I made it to D.'s place in Chico, a couchsurfing friend with whom I never had the chance to meet in person. In fact, I even had the chance to meet B., another couchsurfer I know the same way, with whom we have the same sense of humor and for three days we did not stop laughing and throwing sarcasm all over the place.
The three days that followed till we left for Burning Man, I didn't see much of Chico, as we had so much to do and be fully ready for two weeks in the middle of the desert. Needless to say, we were not short on laughters, wines, food and chats.








Preparing and protecting cameras for the burn.

And the grand day of departure towards Burning Man had finally arrived.



It's about 500 kilometers away, so we split the ride in two, spending a night in Reno, a casino filled city in the heart of Nevada.
28th of august and in a few hours I will be in Black Rock City, in Burning Man, the primary force that dragged me all the way to the USA. My excitement is undescribable! :D

M.

20/07/2009

The very same moment that I left Cartagena, the countdown also started. Medellin, Bogota and that's that with Colombia. And in the end, I realised that the best parts were already behind me. :(

I had heard only the best about Medellin, but personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Of course, with all the couchsurfers we had a great time. I even met a greek guy living them!



And the city itself is beautiful, taken well care of, clean, well organised but I feel it lacks character. It kept giving me the impression that everyone is so focused on maintaining their "perfect" image that the society dictates (in the clothing, their buildings, their external appearance -plastic surgery is a BIIIIG business here-, in their behavior) that they actually forget to "live" Kai even more so when we're referring to Colombians, the alleged ambassadors of being alive.









I spent a week in Medellin before setting off to Bogota and I can't think of anything fascinating to consider as memorable. Man, I really should not have left the beach!

Before reaching Bogota though, I just couldn't resist and made one more stop in Ibague for a day, to spend yet another crazy night with the nutters I met the first time round we passed through with L. And I certainly did not regret it! The guys gave their best selves and sent me off to Bogota with the warmest hugs I have ever received!


The Ibague group

M.

26/06/2009

A six hour trip ended up being completed after 3 overnight stays, 2 big parties and almost half the car repaired.

After leaving Armenia, we made a "short" stop at the thermal baths of Santa Rosa. Problem was, it was so damn enjoyable that we ended up staying in the waters until 11pm. Obviously though, that brought us in a position of needing a place to spend the night. In this case, A. came to the rescue, a couchsurfer from the neighboring city of Pereira. She had given me her phone number and had said she'd be able to host one or two people if I happened to need it. Poor girl ended up with five nutcases in her house.

The following day we continued our journey. We were determined to reach Bogota, but fate had other plans for us (dramatic DA-DA-DA-DAAAAAN style music). Just outside of Ibague, the car's gearbox gave up on us. Without many options to choose from, we drove to the center, left the car at a mechanic and in the meantime I put a post in the Ibague couchsurfing group explaining the situation and asking for anyone's hosting help. How did this end?
Half an hour later we were already at a couchsurfer's house.
Two hours later we were joined by 12 couchsurfers, spending a night to remember.

The day after the car had been fixed. But out of total coincidence, Ibague happened to have a huge festival those days. How could we possibly leave? So there we were, staying yet another night in Ibague, in a middle of one hell of a party, with incredibly friendly people all around us.













On thursday we finally made a move to get to Bogota, where I was planning to stay a few days and see a rock festival. But there comes L., planting the bomb: "We are going to a concert tonight and tomorrow we are going to a village 20 hours north where there is a traditional, big music festival. From there we will continue towards the beaches of the caribbean. Wanna Join?" Of course, it didn't take much to get me convinced...



Let's see where we'll end up with this. The music and dance of Colombia shows no mercy...

Μ.