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.