New Years and a new job; teaching?

January 2011

The days after christmas are about family gatherings, and eating far too much lovely food.

It's hard to stay so much indoors, and I get that old restlessness that I used to get before I left. Thought it was just a mental thing, but its apparently tied to the place. Every moment needs to be filled with productivity or well, Fun! Going for a walk, thinking or conversating just doesn't cut it here. But as the year began, I'm back to being busy busy busy, and I like it.

I spent my last days of 2010 with friends and family. We celebrated my dads birthday early. My mom bought them a trip to the Canary Islands in january, as a surprise she couldn't keep secret. This year, New Years eve was a smaller celebration than Sydney. A lot of friends had gone to Bjorli. I enjoyed a family dinner, and then playing shorthead with four girlfriends till five am.
At midnight, I was in a bliss, as usual, and stayed out to watch the rockets as the others scurried on inside. The ground was all water covered ice, and it didn't really surprise anyone that I was the first to go down.

So the best year of my life was over. With the exception of 2006, life has just gotten better and better, and I think it has to stop soon. I don't want to ask anymore now. If it gets better than this, I might not ever be able to join in the lines and become a civilized person!

These days have been a bit more interesting. I got a job at my first job interview and tought 7th graders in music and english. Its always strange for me to be "the grown up". The kids make me feel old. After a while, I felt more like a superhuman, as to them I was great at everything! Kids tell the truth, after all.

I'm pretty happy with the way things have turned out.

7. january 2011:

I was pretty exhausted today. The workday was tough, and I was already beat after sparring at boxing, the night before. I was reminded how I have to charge to even get close to a guy with long arms. I ran through the shower pretty much, to catch a ride to town. I met some friends for the Hoffmann Pub quiz, which is rediculously popular on thursdays, and way too crowded. I had never been at the quiz with a more intelligent team(I tell you, they're smart). We still lost pretty profoundly to a bunch of cheating goons, naturally, but had fun staying up a bit late.

9. january:

I got news that my bike is waiting for me in Arequipa, and has been coping well with the altitude of riding to Cusco and down again. Tornado has gone that way before, so I'm hoping he'll be able to manage fine in my rookie hands(I'm reading instructions and blogs online, plus watching youtube videos about bike maintenance). H

Surprise, Norway!

I was going mad.
What had I done? In Colombia I spent some time feeling homesick, and I decided to book a flight home for christmas; 1,5month. I'd work and save up some money, meet my friends and family for christmas, spend my birthday and new years. I'd recharge my batteries to fully appreciate how wonderful South America is, instead of getting used to it all, and I'd be thinking a lot about what to do in the future. Travel more? Study? Where, what?
Only my parents knew that I was coming. I was thrilled, but in the last weeks I had changed my mind(!) all wired on the joys of travel. I wanted to go to the jungle instead. Returning home, that long long way, I was thinking that I was out of my mind. I was missing my bike and SA already. This "perfect" world just didn't fit me, anymore. People saw me but they don't see what I was bearing with me. - Memories that now seem like lovely dreams. I saw that. I did that. In the beginning I would listen in on some conversations of ordinary people, living their ordinary lives, and I'd be screaming inside. I needed to be pulled back to earth, but I didn't want to. I'm so far from being ready to start school, get an apartment and a job, etc. But I was only back here for a short time, and I write my own future. No one can forcing me into an A4 life, even though I feel "the pull" like everyone else.

I paid 7000nok for a trip/return with Iberia and Tyrolean air(never heard of before). It took me more than 30 hours to reach Oslo. I killed time, getting to know a nice painter, coming from Kairo. Norwegians aren't that cold. It's just a matter of breaking the ice at first, and I've had some practice. I got to Gardemoen airport and shockingly realized that my credit card was missing. I only had the four that don't work. Pissed off at myself and a bitchy information receptionist that had snapped at me for using the stationary phone she had offered to me, for too long, trying to solve the problem of getting from downtown as I didn't have enough dollars for two bus tickets. (they don't Really take peruvian pesos)
The last bus had left at 1 am, and I was stuck. A taxi costs 800NOK, which was out of the question. I found a nice, fake fireplace at the airport and finished my book "on the road", and I was both travelling and starving together with the character. I couldn't afford food. I decided to check every Possible place in the bag, and discovered my credit card in the strap pocket, where I never put anything. I even made the receptionist cheer, as I was too thrilled to despise her.

At 6 am I rang on the apartment complex, telling my sister that I was one of her friends, Kirsti, and that she had to let me in because it was very important. Terrified what terrible event had happened for her to come all this way in the middle of the night, seeing me was a surprising relief. I love these things...

We spent the next day shopping with her friends, and I met my friend, Linn, in a cafe. I also went home to my hometown, that night, after a cheap shop. I met several friends at the airport, and shared the sighes of our plane not being able to land because of the snow, so that we had to land in Molde; 1,45min away by bus, without our luggage, which they left behind to be able to land in Ålesund... again, we were starving. If you're delayed by more than 1,5hour, you can really demand the airline to pay for a meal.

My brother, unaware that I was coming, had called my sister earlier saying that my parents had gone crazy for trying to make him come all the way to the airport to meet her, when they had seen each other only a week ago!
He was even more puzzled when she said he coouuld come, and not that he shouldn't bother. Luckily, he didn't. He picked us up at the bus station at 2am instead. It took him more than ten seconds to realize who was skipping towards him in the snow. He had been thinking that Hanne looked very much like me, and with a tilted head, he didn't understand until I spoke. That very slow reaction is the one I've been receiving most often. Also from my friends and grandpa, who I suspect is reading this :) I'm pretty impressed and proud to have a grandfather of 92 that uses a laptop. It was really great to see you again!

After some family time, me and my brother went out for kicks with some friends and ended up staying out all night, acting more retarded than drunk people, and having a blast. I went with him in the morning to watch him box at a gathering. He won silver in the nationals for kickboxing a few weeks ago, so its very fun to watch. In the evening, I surprised some more friends at a floor-party(new apartment, no furniture, many girls). This is my first time to have a little break and write, as I enjoy the access of Spotify and the sun setting beautifully behind the snowcapped mountainrange. I was worried that it wouldn't anymore, but it does still leave me in awe. I don't know about the future. But I know I'm happy again. And Man, I love having a fridge and cabinet full of food! Especially at christmas, when one eats rediculous amounts.

(decorating the gingerbread house and hearts)

I had a few enjoyable days with friends and family. I went boxing, where I had my brother and the trainer coaching me. I haven't boxed for a year, almost..

The day before christmas, my sister came home. She said hello to everyone, and I appeared in the door, pretending like nothing was up. This time, my whole family got to whitness the shock.

The days were traditional as always: eating, decorating my grandfather's house, the big gingerbread hearts we put up in the windows, the gingerbread house, the christmas tree. And on christmas day, the 24th, we watched the czech cinderella(like every norwegian on the 24th), went to church, had christmas dinner, dessert, and when I was really full, even more candy and cake, after opening the presents. I got clothes, money and the monthly gym membership.

The following day, the whole family went cross country skiing in a two hour long sunset, before turkey time. (Christmas porridge)

Here are some reasons why I went home: (the photos are worth watching. I looked at them all)

http://www.vg.no/protokoll/?pid=838

The 26th is the biggest party night of all year, here, and everyone goes out. This isn't a big city, so you can meet almost everyone you know. It was a great night! At 00.00, my birthday began, and I was carried around in the air, on the crowded dancefloor, dancing to "Barbara Streisand". I also got everything for free! Today, I get spoiled some more. We're making taco-tapas tonight and I'm going out to a bar called Vega to watch a band play, where I know one of the guys.

(me and my sister, Hanne)

when we went cross country skiing

Lima

13. des. 2010

(San Bartolo)

We did get going, after salsa dancing like crazy in an empty bar. The ride was flawless apart from some patches of roadwork, where we were allowed through the blockage to mind the big trucks. I found myself in a pretty deep ditch, and trying to get out the bike slipped and I once again! screwed up my knee, which is huge again. So it was Back on penicillin! I enjoyed riding with the couple, who were great people that gave me something new to investigate: conflictology. Something that allows them a freelance, well paid, challenging, varied job that theres always a need for.

We fought our way through the crazy panamerican highway in Lima. We tried to avoid the traffic, but it wasn't possible because they were building a metro. It was hot, buzzing, dusty, and it was all for themselves, meanwhile we were trying to stick together. The couple was hit by another car, luckily without damage. They were however nearly hit in a quite high speed, but made a avoiding left turn just in time. In the middle of this madness, a local guy on his own motorbike with a flag on the back, told us that he was going to help us out. We staggered through rows of cars, drove up on sideblocks, asked and searched for another road with less traffic. In the end we made it through, back on the Panamerican highway, after taking some photos with our fantastic guide->, we were moving again. We passed by the beautiful beachtowns of Lurin, punta Hermosa, Santa Maria del mar, and then our destination: San Bartolo. I had missionary contacts there that knew of a safe hostel to leave my bike as I explored the Miraflores area in Lima.

We had a last coffee before they continued towards Ica, and I bargained down a nice hotel room for half price. I checked out Miraflores in the morning, which is a modern, urban and beautiful part of Lima. The streets are wide, clean and framed in tall buildings and international chains like Starbucks. Lima is not a popular city among travellers, with its 9 million citizens and thin, white fog, which makes everything look a bit dirty and colorless. But the sun wasn't that weak, as I took a nap on a stone fence that was shaped like waves, and to me: as a perfect leaning chair. I enjoyed the sun, breeze and the sound of big waves below the cliffs, where wetsuited surfers were riding, like I wish I was as well. But with a bad knee, there aint that much to do but be. That's what we do. We are being, and that's all we need to do.

I'm a sucker for ice cream samples, and I found the most amazing ice cream place next to the main park in Miraflores. facing the ocean, it's on the left side, at the corner of the park. I tried the famous chicharron sandwich(perfectly okay) that two of my friends had recommended, after walking around with a nice couple from Chicago, I had gotten to know, that was on a honeymoon. We were staying at the garden hostel(6dollars for a dorm w free breakfast), which is a cheaper and quiter option to the party hostels like Loki and Kokopelli. It is hard to spot, on the corner by the church, but its worth a little searching as its greatly located two blocks from a market with fruit and lots of good seafood lunches, in addition to being two houndred meters from the coastline. It was a shame that the birthdayparty got cancelled, but I had a good time and didn't mind the big city. I didn't go into the other parts like the historical center, which is UNESCO'ed, that probably would have been pretty neat.

Huancacho, Trujillo - Huarmey

9 december:

I liked Huancacho: the beach is looong, and along it, flows the worlds longest "left-sided" wave. It`s also where they have those famous strawboats for fishing and alternative surf-paddling, called . The men are too aggressive. Not just to tourists, but a local woman I was talking to while investigating a health club, told me that men were like that much more than in parts like Colombia. It is uncomfortable to be approached by men in their 40-50s, though I don`t let it bother me too much. The car honking is worse, as I get a bit jumpy. I wonder if they would`ve continued if they had known that I`m nineteen; Just a little niña.
As for the health club, if you`ve fallen in love with the town and the healthy lifestyle of eating fish and surfing, then its good to know that they have that little club of theirs with events, deals, treatments, etc. They were really nice and warm people as well. I met the husband of the manager, and the first thing he said to me was; - "So You`re the Jenny! I`m so glad I got to meet you! I heard so much talk about you today. The biker girl." I got to hear that a few times.
I had arrived the day before and already I was famous with the locals.
Later on, I investigated some more about hostels in the area. My hostel, My Friend, is cheap and okay. They have a good setlunch. Nicer hostels for 5 soles more are Naylamp and Lily`s. Also Hotel Suissa, but that`s more indoor-enjoyment. Hostel Muachaco is just as cheap as My Friend, but has a kitchen and a single room which is pretty dense.
I`ve been enjoying my stay, walking around and up to the little church, sunbathing, having ceviche, lots of strawberries: 2 soles for 1 kg of good strawberries. That`s not even a dollar! The waves have been bad again, and the water is pretty cold.



I met a couple I`ve been running into in every country so far, and I met another couple that`s also travelling by motorcycle(on one). I rode with the guy down to Trujillo to meet up with Ocean for dinner. We rode around the city, exploring. It was great. Truly interesting! It`s all new brands, food, people, places, colonial architecture, weird stuff and dead ends that are made into volleyball courts with the net hanging from one building to the other. I love how SA can never be boring.
He let me drive the bike for a bit. It was fun but pretty horrible, and getting on my own bike the next day was a true delight. We rode in the orange sunset around the dusty market-areas, that looked like something taken out of Cape Town, before he dropped me off at Ocean`s nice hotel: hostal Colonial. We spent the night, digging Trujillo. The city is strange in some ways. There are so many ice cream bars, casinoes, but it`s so hard to find shops and restaurants! We located the tiny food area two blocks to the right of the Plaza de Arma, if you`re facing the big church. Go to the packed chinese place next to San Julio. We stuffed ourselves there, and then some more, on one of the good ice cream bars. It was a good night and a good impression of a city that most people don`t like.





I hit the Pa-panamericana in the afternoon today. It was an enjoyable and thereapeutic ride. The deserts still changed. Some places there would be green fields with sand Mountains, framing the view. Other places, the desert would go straight into the big, diamond Pacific. I stopped for some fish in the largest fish harbour, called Chimbote. I could smell that I was approaching. The waitor was extatic to get to speak english. It`s not a pretty city, and a receptionist in the nice town of Casma, where I asked for advice about the next town, told me that it can be dangerous. Casma was pretty, but I had some more kilometres in me, and I continued to a place I had never heard about: Huarmey.

I arrived around 5, and got a recommendation for a hotel called Venus, and I was really pleased by the nice welcome I got from the people there. They`re a great bunch. It felt more like a home than a hotel. After a chat, I went for a walk and ended up playing volleyball with some locals who invited me for a new game tomorrow night. I decided that I really do like this town! I hadn`t seen any gringos yet, but I was spotted by two guys from czech, while I was relaxing in the park. They invited me to their hostel, Crazy Jaimes hostel, where I am now. I feel a bit bad as they`ve already given me coffee, tea and a local dish for free, even though I don`t stay here. I want to recommend that place, as its the only sociable hostel in Huarmey. It has a tv, free pushbikes, a kitchen, nice staff, parking, a guitar, free breakfast, a computer, and all for 15 soles. I really like the other place too. You get a lot more for your money in less travelled areas(not always). There`s also this other guy who`s travelling by push bike, and an italian who`s cooking for us tomorrow night! Where was he when I was in poorly fed in Colombia and Ecuador? Typical to meet him now that there`s actually good and cheap food. We`re all going to the beach, Tuqillo, tomorrow. I`m glad I went the extra miles.



(Plaza de Armas, Huarmey)



Victor had been less fortunate... His bike had broken down three times in the desert, and he has to go on a 15 hr bus back up north to where the bike is. And he was in a worse hurry than me... Two times sick and then that.

10 december:

Blogging in the middle of a tiny party, here. In the evening yesterday, I was introduced to a colombian and his ecuadorian girlfriend, who are travelling on a KLR 650, down past Lima. We decided to travel together. I spent that morning looking for the hostel, which I never found because I forgot the name, and I ended up returning to previous hotel with a tail between my legs. http://www.jaimecrazyperu.com/proyecto4/index7.html is the webpage.

On the way to the beach, my chain fell off again, so it was great that the colombian guy could help me out with tightening it. I really need to get it changed in Lima. The beach is 15 min from downtown and its b.eautifully turqouise. The water is however freezing!
My friends from the other hostel showed up too. I felt bad, as they had waited all morning for me to come around. After some good conversations about South American politics and society(in spanish), we teamed up on the bikes: 2 and 3. I was surprised that the police didn`t stop them as they were three people, but I guess they really just care for trailers and buses.
I went for my volleyball appointment, chilled out, all exhausted from sun and bad sleeping for a long time, before my friends picked me up to go here to the hostel for some cuy(hamster) and pisco sour. I never had cuy before. It`s good! Like a fatty chicken, I guess. The accessories were delicious. Can`t wait to try alpakka, which is supposed to be Really good. I was up for testing something new today. My diet is just fruit, ceviche, other fish and sublime, chocolate and almond ice cream. Still love the peruvian cuisine!
Now they`re all convincing themselves to stay another night to go to a disco here downtown. I`m still keen on hitting the road tomorrow, to go to San Bartolo and surrender my bike, before perhaps going to Lima. But it Is after all very cheap and nice here.. to be continued

Desert riding to Huanchaco

I left behind 622km of desert road today. I didn`t calculate on how windy it would be. It was a tough ride, and it wasn`t possible to ride faster than 110km/h, even though the roads were long, vast and flat. Every time I would overtake or pass by a truck, the wind would shift to either pull or hit me. The landscape was new and interesting. Especially right south of Mancora, where you suddenly enter a beautiful oasis. You pass by different levels of desert: from vegetational desert, to yellow, to white, to desert with a mountanious horizon that like a norwegian mountain would have pockets of snow, have sand instead, because of the wind. It was the first time I`ve seen Real poverty and some landscape covered in colourful plastic bags that got stuck in bushes. The panoramic views were impressive, and the roads themselves are good. I was once again thinking about how good life is to me. Just because I was in the middle of nowhere on the 7th of december, and a bit because along the roads, people were spending their whole lives in what I think of as a nowhere, celebrating with a tree they will never see, I started playing different christmas songs in my head. Surprisingly enough, I actually got some christmas spirit! Have I ever done anything less related to christmas then motorcycling through peruvian desert, though?

I didn`t stop for much else than gas-filling. Gas is expensive in Peru. One stop was due to a bridge being shut off because of some riot or something. I saw a bunch of people being chased into a field by the police that were shooting rubber bullets. I will never know why.
Traffic in Trujillo is crazy, but I made it to Huanchaco. Thank God that I went all the way! It`s great here. I found a hostel called my friend, for 10 soles, met some nice people, had a big plate of ceviche for 7; a special deal from the owner that invited me for some beers. I walked along the big beach at sunset, met some people from Mancora, at when I bought my first Cola. Never craved it in my lief. I`m just tired after today... Feel Really bad for the one`s I`ve met who are travelling by push bike on that stretch!! I`ll break up my ride down to Lima into two days to be able to enjoy it enough. I`m halfway. Actually passed by Victor. Ocean is staying in Trujillo to get some writing done. We`re all meeting up for Frode`s birthday party in Lima on saturday. It`s nice to make some closer friends here and there. You get too tired if you only have lots of random aquaintences.

Just so good

Beach life is just so Good. The wind keeps it from being too hot to lie in the sun, and gives you a liittle bit of wave. I borrowed Victors board to try a little bit, and I really don`t have the muscles for it anymore. At least the water is nice. He`s become really sick, again, so I`m off to buy him some Ritz and oregano(oregano and hot water is supposed to be a remedy). The food is still good. Parihuela for instance. Just stay away from churrasco, as it`s fried and dry fish. Yesterday I was informed about a guitarplayer-singer that I should hook up with to play some songs, and we entertained in the resort for a bit.
I`m staying in another hotel now, as I found a place to bargain down 10 soles. I keep hanging out at Loki`s though, as all my friends stay there. I got to speak spanish with locals yesterday, but the locals here react differently to me, as they`re used to gringos getting wasted and not speaking to them. Such a shame.
I also visited the little fruit market and got a mango smoothie for one sol(that`s less than 5kr).

It was strange to leave Mancora, as it felt like I just got there. I never had time to get bored for a second. I entertained with another guitarist, as the bartender had assigned himself to become my manager, changed the oil, slept in the sun, walked the beach at sunset, cut Ocean, my californian friend`s hair, got a massage for payment, had some more ceviche, tried the best seafood restaurant in town(which is the lonely planet rec one), and had a goodbye dinner at La Sirena, which is very fancy cuisine. A lot of us are meeting up in Lima, so it was only goodbye to Mancora. For tips: there is also a very good heladeria that people don`t know about, to the left of Loki, on the beach. So I left Mancora at dawn, to stay at the next, a little bigger and less touristy beach: Huancacho.

Mancora, Peru

3. 12. 2010


I was sceptical to the idea of staying at a party hostel, but Loki has other qualities too.
http://www.lokihostel.com/en/mancora
Most hostels are expensive in Mancora, but here you get to stay at this big resort with a swimming pool, beachvolleyball court, pingpong, pooltable, a big bar, free computers, different events every day, hammocks, free coffee, tea and a pettish breakfast. There are so many people to meet and get to know here, and I also ran into a few that I knew from before. Like the swedish girl that I sent my bag with from Medellin to Quito, and her boyfriend. My british friend from Latacunga. Some friends from Baños and a couple from Vilcabamba, that are really staying at another hostel, but visit here. The first person I met when I came here was a good friend I made in Vilcabamba that was at one point considering riding down here with me. Considering the dry offroad I crossed, I`m pretty glad he didn`t. It would`ve been suicidal.

It was amazing to walk ten meters from the hostel and be right at the beautiful beach, and the sunset later on was terrificly pink. Suddenly it was like being back at Kuta beach, Bali, sitting down on the sand, hugging my knees with a smile on my face. And oh, the food! I love the ceviche. Its just the seafood, fruit and All of the other food too. So good and cheap! It`s more expensive here in Mancora, as it is touristy, but for what you get... wow. We have so many restaurants to check out, and I`m liking the thought of spending a week here. After dinner with my Vilcabamba friends: which involves a californian bloke(that I know is reading this), a finnish girl and her danish boyfriend, there was karaoke night at Loki`s. We all rocked it, and after singing "what a feeling", me and my finnish friend got a free drink. Wasn`t really drinking, but the word free is just irresistible to a sunnmoring. It was great fun!

I`m not too bothered by noice when going to sleep, but it can wake you up. That`s the price of staying at a hostel like this. Might move to the one next to this that`s a little bit cheaper, and rather hang out at Loki`s.
This morning, I was as usual the only one getting up at time, and went for a yoga session right by the beach(8 o clock), that fixed my exhausted back. The yoga session is run by a great american woman and you pay by donation. Then I went to go try if my credit card works here in Peru, and Hipp hipp hurray if it doesn`t! So good to have money again and be independent! No more blowing off money to Western Union.
I went straight to haggle and shop the missing swimwear and sunglasses before chilling out on the beach. It`s windy and nice. The water is just right, but it`s been flat for a while. Surfing was quite difficult, but the paddling was great excercise. Everyone`s waiting for the waves to pick up on sunday. It better! The beachvolleyball here isn`t much. - The only disappointment. I`m happy.

What a day

I snuk out of Cuenca in the dusk of day, and headed for the Peruvian border. I was slower than planned with morning routines, drove through the city and was sent in the wrong direction at one point(of course. 10 minutes gone). I realized at that point that "damn, I´m in a hurry". I didn´t want Victor to wait, as he stayed an extra night for me to meet up with him.
In the beginning, the roads were brilliant. Up in the highlands, there would be the "usual" rolling hills, farms with cows and colourful clothes hanging to dry on the wooden fences, and lots of children waiting for the schoolbus along the roads. I was also enjoying the sight of the traditional outfits that women wear here in Ecuador. Then I hit the descening roads that lead me to a big valley of morning sun, lighting up mountains curved and decorated no more logically than a little kids doodling. Still the roads were great.

Suddenly that changed as I rode upwards towards the rocky mountains. It turned to gravel. I mean Offroad gravel! In the beginning, I thought it would be short and good training for me to see how Tornado will perform on such terrain, which he is good for. Unfortunatly his chain is not good for it, and it fell of twice. There were roadworkers that helped me out in the terrible heat to put it back on and tighten it. I was so late. Reaching real roads again was divine, but I was Late, and it took me a long time to reach civilization with a phone so that I could call and tell Victor that I was late and that he should go ahead. He decided to wait. I rode fast on good roads. South of Machala, the roads are all flat and long, framed in mangrove palms. I made it before 11, and we went to Peru.. Oh, wait. The first time wasn´t legal!
The border is rediculously set up, and we had to go back to search for the different departments. I smiled to myself the third time I entered Ecuador, a country I know I´ll never go back too, even though it´s a great one. There was hardly traffic, but it all took us 1,5hour, before we could continue on along the desert(my first), and suddenly come across ocean after not seeing the ocean for 3 months!
Gorgeous! The little towns are very rural in the north. Always interesting to enter a new country. We were in Peru! Again.