Steady livin

Well hello all,

I've been in Italy for about two weeks now and the family that I've been spending time with is great. I've been visiting local places to eat an castles to see as well. This town is a costal town so there are a bunch of houses right by the bay. There isn't a bech to go to it's more like a place to dock boats. The weather has been great and living in a house is better than I remember after being on the road. 

My daily routine involves waking up around 9 and eating some biscuits with hot chocolate. Then I spend the next time reading, walking, or just relaxing. Then around 1pm I get Filippo from his school. We all eat dinner as a family around the table with Marino and Manuella. After we Finnish Filippo and I start reading and practicing English. Then we head to the park. I've made a bunch of friends at that park which is like 2 houses away. So me and these guys have gone around town whistling at girls and eatting focaccia which is a La Spezia special bread that's kinda salty. A couple times we head out to the clubs in the area. 

The coffee here is ritual served in a small shotglass sized coffee mug, it's super strong. The next thing I see is a lot of smoking, not old people or adults but 15 year old kids that go through packets of cigarets like candy. You couldn't be a non smoker here even if you want to. You'll just be a second hand smoker. But I love the closeness between the families here it's like no matter who you are the always want to take care of you. But other than that I've been taking it slow here and I'll most likely be leaving here by the end of next month and go to Central America. I'll be back in Cali around January 1st for all those missing me, because I sure am missing you guys. 

A treat

A treat to myself was remembering all my adventures so far through the words I've put down in this blog. It's as if I can enjoy every aspect of my journey all over again on comand. So I'll try again and again to write little stories in this journal of mine for myself as well as for everyone else. 

 

With my head held high and dressed without any regard to impress I walked from my quickly disposed bike almost as easily as walking away from a bad relationship. All she ever wanted from me was more effort and more of my time, I spent all day with her and barely made any progress, though her only great aspect was that she was so ugly and useless that nobody would take her from me. Our relationship ended when she was no use to me any longer we went through some rough spots and a few hills and right when we were so close to our goal she gave out on me the weight of our baggage was to much. She broke down and cried a terrible squealing cry an could barely continue straight I never knew I would be the one to break her so easily. She had to do it when other people were around they crowded and watched as I tried to make it work between us but I couldn't fix her I was the one to walk out of the relation ship because she just couldn't handle me I was too much.

I walked like a man with a purpose, but in truth I was in no rush I was happy listening to the French chatter and finding my way around. I arrived in a town and talked to some local guys trying to figure how to get to Paris the train was a few blocks away and with a few connections I was halfway there. I had a little layover in arras my favorite snack ended up being a doner or kebab depending on the country I was in, and here it was kebab. Finding my bus was like finding a grain of sand in the desert with my name on it and every body swears they saw it some where. I ended up at the right place looking as confused as possible when I guy asked where I was going, turns out he was headed the same way. The bus driver must have thought it was the end of the world because he drove the whole way without stoping and maneuvering the bus as though it was a go cart. I arrived at my destionation confused at how big the town was Beauvais was supposed to be a small town but ended up being more than I expected. I found the local park and began the routine, nervously because there was voices around I was genuinely confused it's 11pm and people are out in the park. I later discovered the next day I had come across a local refugee makeshift camping spot people running from war and family struggles were seeking asylum in this park. Their stories were all different but they had to sleep and wait for the day they got help from the French government, what I experienced for the past week were these guys reality forced upon them for the next couple months. I met with a guy named DePaul from Africa and he was explaining how he was waiting for his papers so he can work in France. In the morning he told me there's a place to go for a shower and I almost jumped with excitement, for the past three days I was riding my bike without showers so one sounded like heaven on earth. I agreed for him to take me there in the morning and set up my tent with the other refugees. Quite aware of the possibility of danger I was convinced no harm was present unless I appeared to have money wich they were convinced I wasn't and they scratched their heads in disbelief that an American was sleeping besides them. For everyone's dream seemed to be to go to America. There was chatter and laughing an singing till late on the night which is partly was attracted me to the crowd searching for what I missed back in the states. Family.

We woke early and went to the place he had told me about. I attracted a lot of double takes and raised eyebrows. I took my spot in line and grabbed a hot chocolate quite content. After the shower one of the staff approached me and asked me to join him. I went to his office confused, and realized he thought I was in a situation and needed help. I corrected him and told him part of my story and resolved to help out around the place for the shower I received 

After looking around I found my place in the kitchen, get this, making burger patties for lunch. I was happy I could help and was busy washing and setting tables though I didn't feel comfortable eating with my friends I decided to swallow my inhibitions and join with a smile. The girl next to me complained in her native tougne about the food and I admit it was terrible they had to be reduced to this level of living for the time being but others made the most of it laughing and complaining in the same breath. 

After lunch I headed out into the city intent on trying to get to Paris by train with a return ticket that same day.

Every Day

So my last post should have been from Germany a couple days back. I was planning on catching a bus on the 27th straight to amsterdam. What ended up happening was on that morning, I packed up my tent and started to rush towards the nearest train station thinking that I was going to be running late. I missed the train just as I got to the platform so I had time to think of all the different ways to run to the bus station. 30 minuets later my train arrives and I get off at HBF the central for all trains. I'm ahead by 20 minuets and just a brisk walk in the early morning brushing past everyone else who had places to go and things to see. After a few blocks I slow down happy that I've got time to slow my pace, the huge backpack was a lot to carry down the streets. I get to the station take two walks around the place and wonder what on earth is wrong.. I see no bus or any indication that my bus is supposed to be there. I look back down at my ticket and inspect every detail looking for some kind of error, or typo in the address... Puzzled every thing seems to check out I look again at the date 27.10.2013 I had purchased my ticket a month in advance!! And I was all ready to leave munich tired of camping and walking around seeing the same old sights that I had seen for the past week. Plus the ticket was non refundable so I was at a standstill. 

Choosing to mull over my situation at breakfast I walk back into the city pretty bummed. As I'm walking the drunk guy looks up and asks if HBF is behind me I smile thinking no I'm headed to HBF now hahaha... So I tell the poor guy to follow me and I'll show him where it is. Along the way he tells me his story of how he left his friends in a cab after a night of drinking at a club and how he's been wondering around his own city for an hour lost. I show him to the station and he invites me I've to his house saying that I've been so helpful and I can crash on his couch. I accept happily knowing that a couh will be the best sleep I've gotten all week. He ends up cooking me some dinner an heads to bed and I stay up using the internet trying to figure out my next move.. After some deliberation I decide on a combination of ride sharing and hitch hiking. I leave a note on his table thanking him for the hospitality and head off to my ride share. For €30 this guy drops me some where in northern Germany and I figure I could try my hand at hitch hiking. It was 12 at night when he dropped me off so I was going to crash the night in my tent and try again in the morning to catch my ride to amsterdam. It's freezing cold mind you so after briskly finding a spot in the dark next to the freeway I fall asleep. Not more that an hour after going to sleep I am called awake by the sounds of officers saying Polizie Polizie hello.. Haha in German. Flashlights in my face groggy I wake up to the interrogation all I can muster to say is Nein spreken theDutch. One laughs and ask for my id while another searches through my bag and the third starts the questions again in English. Why am I here, where am I from, how long will I stay in Germany and after the questions he just says So this is like your euro trip eh.. Ok and they all walk off just as sudden as they came into the dark. The next morning I try my hand at hitch hiking I'm there for about 3 hours before I realize I'm on the wrong side of the freeway entrance to the direction I want to go. Head over to the other side and wait another 4 hrs.. I get bored with waiting and make my way into the city and find the train to Amsterdam.

. Most expensive way to get to amsterdam €42 missed bus, €30 ride share and, a €58 train ride. Once in amsterdam it's night time again so I end up crashing in the local park out of sight didn't pitch my tent but rather slept with my bag strapped to my pants just incase someone tried to make out with my bag... Such a big city not too many places to sleep with a tent.

After that terrible night I did all the local activities tried some fresh heniken, smoked in the coffee shops, played pool with travelers, browsed the red light district.

The streets the bikes... Everything I loved about this place just such a cool place to be.

The way that every body gets around and the love for bikes.. There is said to be twice the ammount of bikes as the ammount of people in amsterdam. 

That structure is filled with bikes by the way.

Then there's my bike and how I came to 'own' it. I was really in need of a bike after 4 days in Amsterdam and I wasn't seeing many new things on foot and everyone kept talking about how easy it is to get a bike from a street junkie. Well I wasn't having any luck so far and I really needed a bike. After coming out of a local bar hoping to score a job ( I did but didn't have the right legal paperwork) I was approached by this guy and he was like to man you need a bike.. I said yup and he gave me his bike for €20 no questions asked and that bike I later decide to ride all the way to France. Now when I was in Germany it was my plan to ride from Amsterdam to France to catch a flight in Beauvais to Pisa, Italy where I'm going to stay for two months. But I never thought for an instant that I would settle for a cruiser which weighs more than my backpack and only has 3 gears!!

But my cards were delt and this was the best deal for a bike that I could afford so I started my journey after leaving the wonderful comfort of my hostel call the flying pig (such a nice hostel, such helpful people) and I started to make my way down. The first two days were quite good  I was able to travel from Amsterdam to Breda in one day of 8hrs on my bike then Breda to Gent in another 9hr session and finally I'm now in Lille on the third day of 5hrs of riding. Now let me try to paint the picture of how slow I am going on this bike. Due to a couple set backs we have my legs being to big for the bike, both wheels are crooked, the weight of bike and bag, plus the terrible position of the upright riding posture. Made me the slowest bike on the road I had kids, women, old people, a kid with his mom on his back seat all going at least twice as fast as me. And my only competion even though he always stayed slightly ahead of me was this old guy in his electric chair.. I was literally crawling along this path. The miles I've traveled so far estimates to be 190miles.

There were a couple highlights on this while trip that I just need to point out.. One being this ferry no advertisement to this place what so ever but with my phone I managed to find one of the only ways across the river for like 40 miles in either direction. Then the next river problem was in Antwerpeen, Belgium I think.. It's in Belgium but there's this secret elevator just for bikes and pedestrians that lead to a tunnel under the river, I would never have found it unless I asked a local!! 

The number reads -31.. That was so cool i was trippin out the whole time that they took the time to make something like this just for bikers. The ammount of energy that the Netherlands and some of Belgium put out for all the bike roads is amazing you have so much space as a biker in these countries it's absolutely awesome. Well after that I ran into a hidden gem in Gent which turned out to be a wicked college town cool architecture 

And that is my summary up until today the 5th of October. Now for some reflection which really caused me to pick up writing today. The fact that every town I visit without plans on staying in a hotel and rather camping brings me to think if I am like a bum over seas. Seeing new things is really awesome but it's strange how in this position every night once I come to a town I look for the hidden place where nobody will disturb me as I set up my tent and I travel with only the things on my back as my comfort. It makes me appreciate the mundane life I used to have the 9-5 job and waiting in traffic. Not worrying about where I'll sleep and being close to all my family an friends. There's a certain comfort that these certainties have with us that I took for granted when I was back in the states. I sometimes wish for a boring job again to not have to come up with my plan for the next day or look for my next urban campsite. But I'm here and I will live it up!! This experience will probably only happen once I won't say that I'm not going to travel on a crap bike again, I'm just saying I'll try my best to avoid it happening hahaha. Love all my family!! And I miss you guys!! Still trying to figure out my plans for after Italy! I'm looking for places where I can build up some money before heading out again to travel. 

10/5/13

Lille, France

Ok so I went out the next day to try my hand at fate again on my bike and ended up drawing bad cards. All throughout France are the worst cobble stone roads which are really the most bumpy roads to use as streets and the weight of my backpack bouncing up and down on my already tormented bike turned out to be too much for it to bear.  Once I had gone about 10 miles outside the city she decided to break and by decide I mean 8 spokes on my back wheel were broken when the tire could no longer go straight. So I took my bag on my back and ditched the bike and headed on wards. I figure fixing the bike will cost more than I purchased the bike for and it will be redundant to move onwards. So I went and caught myself a train. For tracking purposes my bike broke in Carvin and I got a train in Libercourt. With this ill head to Paris by train and then get a way to my airport by Wednesday morning 9am. I decided to keep my lock from the bike chain.

10/6/13

On the train to Arras