The Journey that is Machu Picchu

There are no roads to Machu Picchu. You either take the train from Cusco, or you take the 6 hour bus ride from Cusco to Hydros Electrica and then walk 2 hours more to get to Aguas Calientes (the town at the bottom of Machu Picchu). Of course we took the bus and the walk.

The smell of puke woke me up from my rough nap against the hard window of a small van. The girl sitting shotgun decided sitting in a fast moving van on a dirt road hitting sharp switchbacks with a cliff edge about 6 inches to our left was too much for her. I didn't even have to look back to know everyone was covering noses with hands and averting their gaze from the stream of puke slowly rolling across the side of the van. Honestly it was pretty comical and props to our driver for not even looking over at her, what a pro. He honks as he bombs the next blind corner and stops in the middle of the stream crossing. We all unload for some fresh air and he pulls out a broom to clean the side of his van. Apparently it isn't the first time this has happened. No surprise as this drive wasn't for the faint of heart.

 Impromptu car wash

After some of the most incredible views we arrived at Hydros Electrica. At this point everyone's like f*** this van and we spill out in a flurry. Not much to see here other than a ridiculously powerful river so we shoulder our packs and hit the way to Aguas Calientes!

 Hiking to Aguas Calientes

The walk was gorgeous as could be and thank goodness it wasn't raining. Stumbles kept true to her name as well ;) 

Gettin' there

And then, before you know it, we could see Aguas Calientes built off this massively roaring river ahead.

This river was goin' at it

In the middle of this hidden valley where there was absolutely nothing it was crazy to come upon this cute little town tucked into the hillside. We went straight up to the hostel to unload our packs, had a little trouble with the reservation, but then all got worked out. What do you think we spent the night doing then? Eating of course. 

(Cuy head)

We tried the Cuy (guinea pig) at the first happy hour we hit. You know in America how sometimes for happy hour it's buy one get one free? Well here it is buy one get 3 free and the drinks are only a dollar or two. We hit up some more alpaca and explored the city. Then the place we were staying at took us out for 3rd dinner and I'm pretty sure we followed up with a fourth somewhere, some trout ceviche I believe. Flip and I had some bonding while Stumbles drifted off to bed and then we both passed out too, ready for the early hike up to Machu Picchu in the morning. 

At 5am me and Stumbles set out for the "hour and a half" hike (only took 40 minutes). Flip had decided he's too old for that and took the bus up hah. Good choice Flip, 'cause it poured rain on us the whole way up. Torrential downpour. Me and Stumbles got to the top soaking wet, but pumped because we were about to see Machu Picchu! I mean we were about to see something that is undeniably wonders of the world status. It's like that moment when you know you're about to see something so mystically beautiful that the anticipation forces your heart to hover in your chest and you breath comes a little shallower with every step forward. Knowing that moment'll come when all of a sudden you just see it. You just see it and it just staggers you. 

...

.....

........

  In all its glory

All I can say is it was breathtaking. It is one of those sights you see and you'll never ever forget. Something so old and incredibly inspiring. How could you not travel thousands of miles to see this? How could thousands of miles ever be too far to go experience some ancient magic with two of your best friends? It couldn't be. It isn't. It never will be for me, this is how I do and this is what I do. This is my life.

 

Be happy, 

Beacon 

Peru, porque por qué no?

As many of my stories go, this one must also come with a disclaimer. I cannot fit all that has happened in one blog post. Probably not even in two. So just have patience with me and know that I'm lagging behind a bit because life comes first and blog sometime later. 

Stumbles and I were chilling at an airport bar in Rhode Island. We didn't really want to wait in line so we were just catching up a bit. I hadn't seen her since the last time I hitched across America so there was quite a bit to talk about. Only once we saw the last person walk through the gate to the plane we finally went over to board our flight to Atlanta. We were to meet Flip and all fly together to Lima, Peru from there.

 An announcement comes over the intercom as the plane's approaching the runway to take off.

"We're having some difficulties and we're going to have to go back to the gate for a bit."

Of course, it wouldn't be a Delta flgiht without some sort of delay. So we go back to the gate. Of course we're a little worried we'll miss our Peru flight, but we had a two hour layover in Atlanta and surely this wouldn't take two hours... 

Two hours later I was still looking at the same piece of tarmac as before. It was 14:30 before we finally were on our way. And our flight to Peru left Atlanta that day at 17:20. The flight was 3 hours long. If you're any sort of math wiz you can figure out that means we'd miss our connection flight in Atlanta. There was absolutely no way we'd make it and the worst part was we'd miss it by only 10 or 20 minutes. It was beginning to look like Flip would be going to Peru alone. 

Once we hit cruising altitude the intercom came on again.

"We're sorry about the delay, but everything is operational now. We're going to take as many shortcuts as air traffic control will allow and we're gonna put the pedal to the metal!" 

(He didn't actually say that last part, but I like to think he did). 

Aight, so there's a chance. We can do this. We've got this Stumbles!

It's 30 minutes until our plane leaves Atlanta and we're still in the air. The decent has begun but who knows when we'll actually touch down and how long the taxi'll be. Plus our flight to Peru leaves from about the farthest possible terminal from where we arrive. Stumbles and I take our packs and move up to the closest empty seats to the front of the plane. And then we land. With only 20 minutes until our flight leaves. I text Flip to make a ruckus at the gate so they can't leave us. During the longest taxi of my life, lasting only a mere 5 minutes, me and Stumbles prepared for the race. I looked at Stumbles, she looked at me, and we f'n ran.

Flip!!!! We see him waving us over to the ticket kiosk as we are running down the mile long hallway to our departure gate. Jesus Christ was that closer than I've ever made it in my life. We were 5 minutes from take off, the last on, but we're on the plane! We made it! 

We arrived en Lima at one in the morning. Me and Stumbles carried our bags on, so we're waiting for Flips bag when we here a "Christopher" being shouted in a rough accent. What'd you do Flip..? Turns out Delta fouled us again and they hadn't gotten Flips bag on the plane (he'd had a really close connection as well). Good thing we are all chill people and we casually moved on with it all. They said they'd send it to meet us In Cuzco (where we were flying to in a short 6 horas). With no other reason to be in the airport we took a taxi to Stumble's hotel (she's a  manager for a hotel chain) then passed out hard. We flew to Cuzco the next morning and spent the whole day there. An amazing place if you ask me. Also, ask me how I met Charlie via FB if you're interested because all my stories aren't always quite appropriate for the blog. 

But what to say about that day in Cuzco (o Cusco?). Well first there is the food. I have had a lot of food in my life. The best food award used to belong to Turkey (the country, not the bird), but Peru has taken it to a whole new level. The sauces they have, and the spices! The ceviche and the alpaca! Seriously the best foods I have ever had and it's all cheap as can be. We spent that whole day eating and drinking traditional Peruvian food and drink while overlooking the 11,000 foot high city. We had some challenges, but it was a damn good way to start Peru I think. 

Well I know this wasn't the most exciting thing you've read, but it only takes you one day into Peru. The next couple posts will be about Machu Picchu and the real pieces of travel! Promise!

Be happy :), 

Beacon 

Song Series Part II

The Way You Look Tonight: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9ZGKALMMuc

Prelude

100.9 miles. We'd made it to the fire tower atop Mt. Albert. I had just walked 100 miles. 100 MILES. Before doing it I wouldn't even have been able to comprehend what walking 100 miles means. Certainly the farthest I'd ever walked in my life and the snow had made it less than ideal conditions for most of that. I was at the top of this mountain with Mike, Jan, and Gator. We were celebrating our first 100 trying not to think about the 2,100 we still had to go. Somewhere in the merriment we all decided we go down to Franklin and rent a motel room together in order to hang out for the trail festival happening the next day. We busted out the last 7 miles and I thumbed us a minivan who cracked a beer for each of us and let us out at the Sapphire motel (or something to that effect). The festival wasn't until the next day so we mostly just chilled out. Found ourselves a free breakfast at a church doing trail magic for hikers. They serve breakfast every morning, they alter between having bacon and pancakes one day, and then pancakes and bacon the next. As much as you can eat and at that point in your hike you can already eat more than the average few people put together. Anyways, all this info isn't important to the story. What is important, and what this prelude is about is 2pack. I'd met 2pack before around the trail. She was rolling with Goatman and Headstand at the time. But me and 2pack really bonded at that Franklin trail days. She made such a large impression on my drunk self that night that I'd considered pink blazing (following a girl on trail) for her. She was incredible. The things she'd done, the attitude she had about life, all of it was flabbergasting to me. I just hadn't met that many amazing people at this point in my life and it was a little shocking at how cool she was. So long story short we hit it off really well that night. Really really well. But I hiked out the next day, and she stayed for another night. Like I said, I'd considered staying another night and hiking out with her, but I decided to move on instead hoping they would catch up to me in the days to come. 

                                         Bacon and pancakes, or pancakes and bacon

The actual story

Crazy Frogg!!! It's time to get going!! We gotta get started early, we've got a good little ways to go. 

Crazy Frogg stirred somewhere deep down in her sleeping bag. We'd stayed the night at her friends mansion which was somehow really conveniently located right between 3 ridges and the Priest. It was an incredible place, but today was the day to go to the real trail days . The trail days in Damascus, Virginia. Her friends gave us a ride about half an hour to the highway that'd take us South and dropped us off there with farewell hugs. It didn't take long for me and her to get kicked out of that gas station for soliciting rides. So we walked across the highway to the gas station on the other side and started asking for rides. All we were getting were tons of nos, when a truck we'd already asked pulled back up in front of us. He said he'd thought about it and we could just sit in the back of the truck with all his luggage if we'd like. Well of course we didn't care so that's what we did. We rode in the back of his truck for 2-3 hours all the way down to our cutoff to Damascus. The whole while me and Crazy Frogg talked excitedly about all the old friends we were going to see at trail days. I mean that's the only reason we were going back was to see all the hikers we loved and missed. We weren't exactly sure who would be there but doubtless we would be seeing tons of people we'd met along the way. Especially since plenty of people were doing the same thing we were, they were all hitching back down to trail days from wherever they happened to be on trail. We finally hopped down out of the truck a little more sun burnt than when we'd gotten in. Snapped a quick photo with the guy who'd given us a ride and then we hit up the next gas station to get to Damascus. It took a total of 2 minutes before we found someone willing to give us a ride in the back of their truck all the way to Damascus. It was easy as that. This had been one of the easiest hitching days ever.

Coming back into Damascus was, I imagine, like being an actor at the Oscars. You're all famous and everyone knows each other. That's exactly how it was because everyone loves the hikers and we all knew each other. Or if we didn't know someone we'd heard about them somewhere on trail. Anyways, this is the place where all hikers come to unite once a year and it is a sight to see. I swear you will never ever see anything like it anytime in your life. It's crazy. Watching all the reunions with people who thought they'd never see each other again. Having all those reunions yourself. One of the first people I saw there was Stretch, a girl I'd met one of my first days of trail, but hadn't seen since. And that kept happening and happening and you'd just see people you never thought you'd see again over and over again. It was emotionally exhausting! So many greetings to friends you respect more than anyone in the world. It was an incredible feeling.

But let's get to the point about all this. Maybe one day I'll write about trail days and the thing that it is, but I am not ready to tackle that beast today. So let's just get to the point. Tent city is the place where all the hikers pitch their tents to stay for trail days. Half of it is a giant field and half of it is hidden in the woods. So me and Crazy Frogg arrived to tent city not knowing who we would find. One of the first people we see is Goatman and he convinces us to come over by them, I didn't know who them was though. Until I saw 2pack run clear across the parking lot and her jumping onto me in a furious hug. It was everything I'd needed. I'd thought I'd lost her, never to see her again when I left Franklin that morning and they didn't catch me in the next few days. I'd thought she was lost to memories, only to be remembered as a missed chance I should have taken. But then, then out of nowhere here she is wrapped around me laughing. I was so relieved I couldn't stop laughing either. That hug lasted so long and when she finally let me go she took my hand and pulled me behind her as she ran excitedly to show everyone else who she'd found.

                                         Truck hitching with Crazy Frogg

                                         2pack (in the pink), Obie, Animal, Mowgli, and Beetle Juice at trail days

Prologue

I hitched a ride back part of the way with 2pack and the tribe. They were at a different part of trail than I. The farewell was a sad one, but I had to keep hitching North and networked my way into going North with some of Headstands family. I stayed with them a night somewhere in Virginia and had a wonderful time with them. But the whole time I was thinking about 2pack. Not sad about leaving her again, but more reminiscing on the time we'd spent together at trail days. And I remember sitting there with Headstands family all sitting in the den when a little bit of background music floated it's way through the conversation and, 2pack,🎶 Some day, when I'm awfully low. When the world is cold. I will feel a glow just thinking of you, And the way you look tonight 🎶

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Ticks Flock (Tik Tok by Ke$ha)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs

I could feel the road up ahead. I couldn't see it yet, but I still knew it was coming. There is a way a trail gets near a road, it's not the same as the rest of the trail and you can just tell you're about to leave the wilderness. Yup, there it is, here's the road. I came out onto the road full stride, no falter as I took a left towards the direction I knew the gas station would be. My clothes were still drying from jumping into the river and I knew Frodo and Tempo were up ahead waiting for me. Lost'n'found wouldn't be far behind me and then we could be on our way to the destination for the night. Earlier that day I'd hitched into town at a road crossing for a sandwich with Tempo, the young girl who'd happened to pick us up invited us and our friends to stay at her house for the night. I was looking forward to having a real roof over my head and I think everyone else was too. I came around to the gas station to find Tempo and Frodo out front laughing hard. I suspected they'd been working on Frodo's parody. Frodo has an exceptionally clever wit and is really quite good at making up lyrics to silly songs. The parody of this song happened to be to Ke$ha's Tik Tok, but he was calling it Ticks Flock in reference to the amount of ticks on trail. I could hear them working out a line as I approached... and zip up my pack.... A burst of laughter, and then they see me rounding the corner and beckon me over to show all they've got so far. Frodo asks if I'm ready and I give him the go ahead as he starts to sing.

Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I lea----- HAHAHAHA

Lost'n'found comes up and burst out laughing at the sight of us all huddled around Mister Frodo singing a Ke$ha parody. We quickly calm her so that Frodo can continue.

Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I leave brush my teeth and zip up my pack 
'cause when I leave for the hike I ain't coming back

I'm talking about mud between our toes toes
Bugs flyin' up our nose nose
No service on our phones phones 

Pop squat comin' out looking like PB 
Usin' up all our TP 
Nora's gotten us queazy....

And then we all lose and start laughing hysterically. It's too good for it's own good. So I call up the girl I met that morning and she says she's on her way to get us. While we're waiting we go in and grab some sandwiches from the gas station because, well, because hiker hunger is ravenous at this point of the hike. Maria is there before we know it and we spend the night with her and her parents playing instruments and eating food. It was exactly what we all needed at the time and it was such a nice and relaxing stay. Plus, I received the most interesting thing I have ever gotten while hitching. I got Questor, the dead dog.... But hey, that's a story for another time ;)

                                         Frodo, Lost'n'found, and I

                                                   Questor's house

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Defying Gravity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlMBcTGJ4YM

Sitting down to write this I realize I can't give this song the attention it needs in this blog post. The song in itself deserves 3 if not more posts by itself, not a fraction of a series. That's because listening to this song takes me back to the day Stumbles, Frodo, White Russian, and I summitted Mount Katahdin. I'll do some thinking on this one and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to sketch the edges of how it feels to reach Mount Katahdin after having hiked 2,185.9 miles to reach it... Maybe

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Wagon Wheel: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E

"Well what movie would you wa---"
"Wait, wait, wait! Shhhhhh. Sis, listen to this song, I swear I did everything in it when I hitched back to Texas from Maine this last time" Turns up the radio

Headed down south to the land of the pines

"That's what I was doing, headed South from Maine"

I'm thumbin' my way into North Caroline

"Yep I was thumbin' it"

Starin' up the road

"You're always looking for the next ride, that's exactly what it's like"

And pray to God I see headlights

"Headlights are like a beacon of hope"

I made it down the coast in seventeen hours

"I I think I did it a bit faster than that"

Pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flowers

"Dunno' what dogwood flowers are, but I certainly pick my fair share of things when I'm bored"

And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh

"I passed right by Raleigh when I was goin' through Virginia!"

I can see my baby tonight

"Not my baby, but I was trying to make it to Dragonfly's in Knoxville"

So rock me mama like a wagon wheel

"I don't actually know what to make of the chorus, but it's catchy"

Rock me mama anyway you feel

Hey mama rock me

Rock me mama like the wind and the rain

Rock me mama like a south-bound train

Hey mama rock me

Runnin' from the cold up in New England

"It was getting pretty cold up there at night"

I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time string band

"Maybe one day I'll learn an instrument"

My baby plays the guitar

"Wish I had a baby"

I pick a banjo now
"I touched a banjo once, up in New Hampshire"

Oh, the North country winters keep a gettin' me now

"Like I said, Winter is coming"

Lost my money playin' poker so I had to up and leave
"It'd of been funny if that'd of happened"

But I ain't a turnin' back

"Fuck no I wasn't headed back, it seriously was cold up there"

To livin' that old life no more

"Eh, maybe I didn't do this part exactly"

<Chorus>

"See! I've basically done everything in this song so far!!"

"No you haven't"

"Yes, I have! Whatever, shhhhhh"

Walkin' due south out of Roanoke

"I remember the exact trucker stop I was stuck at South of Roanoak, been stuck there a few times now actually"

I caught a trucker out of Philly

"His name was Bill, his wife was with him too. They were so nice"

Had a nice long toke

"Thanks for that one Billy"

But he's a headed west from the Cumberland Gap

"He dropped me off in Knoxville"

To Johnson City, Tennesse

"See, he was from Tennesse"

And I gotta get a move on before the sun

"You gotta' get an early start"

I hear my baby callin' my name

"Let's say 'baby' is a metaphor for 'home'"

And I know that she's the only one
"I'm coming for you home!"

And if I die in Raleigh
"I wasn't worried about that"

At least I will die free

"Hitching ain't actually dangerous, but if I get offed it's whatever"

<Chorus>

"See!!!! Everything in the song, this thing was basically about my life!!"

"Whatever Harry, now what movie did you want to see?" 

Song Series Part I

(The orginal date of this post was 1-15-15, I edited it slightly and it rocketed out of it's rightful place in choronological order to present day and time) This post is an introduction to what I'm going to call my song series. I was at a New Years party last night and a good friend of mine asked me a question. She asked me if there are any songs that remind me of certain things or take me back to certain places. Well, of course there are. That happens with everyone. Everyone has those songs that take them back to a particular day or back to some meaningful point in their past. So I decided these next few posts will be dedicated to those songs and where the hell they take me to. It'll probably end up being around 5-10 songs and two or three post leading in a semi-chronological order if I can keep it all straight in my mind. I'll put a link to each song at the end of the story for that particular song. I suggest that if you don't listen to the song listen to it before you read the post because it sets the mood of the writing. These post may not be in traditional form. I know I have written on one of the songs before back when I went to college and it was a poem. Some may be short and some may be long. And some may be a little more stream of consciousness than others.We'll see what I'm feelin'. So these may not ALL be quite what you're used to.

And so, without further adieu, here are the first four song stories.

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You'll Be In My Heart: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0FXsu82Bfo

It'd probably been 20 minutes since we'd even seen a car. No, more, probably half an hour. And the few cars we had seen all turned before they even made it to our part of the road. At first we were taking turns with our thumbs out. One would thumb while two sat on their packs in the grass off the shoulder. We quickly gave up that charade that a car would come along for us and we were all sitting on the side of the road picking apart the wild pomegranates with the sticky juice running down our fingers and faces. If it had been hard getting a ride before it would be nearly impossible now that it looked like we'd all just committed a bloody murder. Making it out of Sophia hadn't been a problem. Of course there were tons of people leaving, it was the fucking capital. But somehow from there we had picked an abandoned route to Serbia that landed us outside this nobody town. We were seeing NO ONE at all other than the one old man who had driven by us at least three times now. At least it was still early though. Thankfully Jake always made us wake up early so we could get a good start at the road.  It was noon and though it looked desolate out there we knew with enough time sitting here eventually the universe would throw a glance our way. And then finally, a slow noise growing. That thrumming or whatever noise it is that tires make on rough asphalt coming in from a distance. We could here it before we could see it so we were all on our feet waiting to see what was coming around the corner and it was... goddammit why does that old guy keep driving by us? What an assh.... wait, there is another car behind him! A white mini can. A brilliant white knight coming out of the darkness. All our hopes resting on his shoulders to get us out of the meager town we'd landed ourselves outside of. All four of us are up on our feet with our sticky fingers held out into the road... and they blow past us. We all sigh and turn around only to see brake lights! The universal sign that you just got some pity poured on you by the powers that be. Then it's a game of everyone hoist their packs and the odd shuffle run that comes with wearing a heavy pack by only one shoulder strap. The door opens before we get there and we all clamber in to find a middle aged man who speaks no English whatsoever. Whatever, we just go with him. We don't care where he's going just so long as it's away from here. Until he drops us in a spot more scant than the last. A crossroads with a chicken coop at it. And nothing else to be seen anywhere around. Nothing at all, even the chicken coop is abandoned. We kick ourselves silently only to be rewarded with the silent road watching our growing frustration. We didn't even know where we'd been trying to get to today. We were just going somewhere. I don't know where and neither did Jake or Jess. But disregarding that we still wanted to be going somewhere. Anywhere really, just not the middle of nowhere Bulgaria. Well here we were. I sauntered off to take a piss right before I heard a car coming around the lonely hillside behind us and thought better of it. I got back to the side of the road in time to have my thumb out with Jake and Jess for the little white car coming about. She must've been hauling ass because it took her forever to come to a halt waaay past us. We started to do the awkward one strap shuffle before we saw her reverse lights come on and we relaxed a little. She came even with us and told us she could take us up to the last town before the border. It wasn't further than an hour and she fed us chocolate biscuits the whole way before she sent us on our way. It didn't take long for people to notice us walking out of the little village. And then, before we knew it there were people taking photos of us. Nothing weird, but people were running home and grabbing whatever kind of camera they had and coming out to take photos of us walking out of town. As if we were celebrities, but I guess they probably don't have many people coming through this small border village between Serbia and Bulgaria. Whatever, we weren't worried about it and kept walking. Right when we made it to the edge of town a nice big Land rover pulled over onto the sidewalk for us and a good ol' English chap beckoned us into the car with him. He decided to drive us past his house and the 7 more miles up to the border. He was ecstatic to hear that we were all English (well Jake and Jess were, and I'd been around them enough to say a few things and not sound American (not that that would have been a bad thing)) and he gave us a short but enthusiastic run down of the area. We spilled out of this rover with many a thanks and waved goodbye as he turned around at the checkpoint. It wasn't so late still, only 3 or so. We were hoping to get across the border and find another couple rides before it'd be dark at 5. We walked up to the small one room building that was the border crossing and showed our passports. Jake's and Jess' went through fine as they are European, but mine, being American, needs to be scanned by the computer. Unfortunately for us the computer was down and wouldn't be working for an hour or so. Well shit. We didn't have anything else to do so we just waited. While we waited the guy in charge brought us out some hot chocolate and tried to make conversation with his little bit of English. He quickly gave up and went back inside, then came back out to beckon me over. They scanned my passport and we were golden. We'd made it out of Bulgaria! We walked the quarter mile to the Serbian side of the border taking note of the 0 cars that had come through the border while we'd been sitting there for an hour. We hit the Serbian side of the border expecting to just walk through and hoping we could be well on our way. Well, apparently there must've been something sketchy about us crossing because they decided to strip search us. Take note, I said strip search, not cavity search. I still to this day hold my anal virginity dear and hope it never changes. What can we do? They go through all our packs one by one and then strip search us all one by one. Of course we had nothing on us so we weren't worried about it really, but still, it was a nuisance at the least. Down right degrading if you ask a lot of folk. But when you're trying to walk across the border into Serbia in the middle of nowhere at sunset you gotta expect a little something to kink. They finally released us just as the sun was going down and we were free to walk down the road with the many cows doing the same. During all this time we still hadn't seen a car. Luckily there was a small "store" about a mile from the border where we were able to buy some bread. I don't remember how we got Teslas (the Serbian currency, I don't know what it's actually called but this is what we called it because it had a picture of Tesla on it), but somehow we had some. We bought some bread and were off on our way knowing Jake and Jess had some powder soup for their camp stove later on. About half a mile down the road we realized we had no lighter. I volunteered to run back to the store and buy one. So I did that while they waited with my pack. I returned out of breath, downed some of our water and we set to walking. We had no idea how long we'd walk for or what we'd be doin', but we just started walking into the night. We walked for hours until we finally reached a small village with a store where we bought 2 liters of orange soda and a few crisps bags. The lady at the store was trying to convince us not to leave in the dark and even ran to get someone who spoke English to tell us how dangerous it was in the dark. Us being us we ignored her and went on in the night. It was still only 6 or so even though it was pitch black out. So we kept walking hoping either someone would pick us up or we'd get somewhere we'd like to be. We just chatted it up and bonded for the long walk we had together and it was actually great. We'd take turns carrying the heavy soda or we'd take a break and everyone would tear of a chunk of bread to gnaw on while we kept on. It was a brisk night, I'd say 45 degrees and the stars above were bursting aflame despite the waxing moon. During this whole time only one car passed us and we eventually gave up hoping to get a car and just set ourselves to walking. Then, hours into this venture, we unanimously decided we were exhausted. We didn't want to keep doing and so we walked straight into the next field we found, dropped our heavy packs on the frosty grass, and dragged our sleeping bags out from the bottom of our packs. Then, only arms protruding, we cooked a nice big pot of soup and passed it around in a circle as we dipped bread into the hot liquid. It was cold out and burning your tongue on the heat felt good. It wasn't long before the soup was all gone, but we were't exactly sleepy. We talked a while and then I drudged the Ipad I'd brought with me this trip from deep in my pack. I only had two movies on the thing. One was Hercules, the animated one of course, and the other was Tarzan, also the animated version. The vote ended 3 out of 3 for Tarzan so we propped it up where we could all see and we could all hear, then we snuggle up in our sleeping bags and kicked back enjoying the sweet buzz our feet were feeling from being unused after so much use. It was actually kind of a perfect day, it wasn't the adventure we'd set out for, but it was the adventure we'd got and I am grateful for it to this day. I remember my eyelids drooping as a I struggled to make it to my favourtie part, the part where Tarzan slays the Jaguar after an epic battle. But the long walk and the longer day had gotten to me, and I soon found myself slipping into unconsciousness.... 🎶 Come stop your cryin', It'll be alright. Just take my hand, Hold it tight 🎶....

                                         The view in the morning

P.S. The next day when we left we did a lot more walking, along with three short rides, before the border guard who'd strip searched us picked us up and took us to the next major city

"This is the first time I've hitched with someone who has seen me naked" - Jake
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Fairytale Of New York:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8

A mad sprint from the Balkans to Cornwall in England for Christmas. A lot of days standing in the rain trying to get up to Slovenia. A lot of days standing out in the cold thumbin' it West towards France. It didn't take long to get there. A week exploring castles and farm animals. A birthday only 3 can know about. A short plane ride and then a short train ride and we're walking into Jake's kitchen at 5am on his birthday. They didn't know we were coming so they were all surprised to see us especially since it was Jake's birthday. And then we celebrate. It's Jake's birthday, mine just passed, and Christmas is coming. We celebrate and have a good time and I stay with them for nearly a month. And the whole while 🎶 The boys of the NYPD choir Still singing "Galway Bay" And the bells were ringing out For Christmas day 🎶

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I'm Like a Bird:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roPQ_M3yJTA

"Harrison, someone is here for you,"

I didn't look up from sweeping the floor when he said that. I just kept on until I finished the job. I don't know the name of the man who'd come to tell me that. I just knew that he wears leather bound sandals with socks. He sits three spots forward and one to the right of me in meditation. It's strange being somewhere for 10 days and never talking to the people you're there with. It's strange not talking at all for three days. No talking, no reading, and no writing. You can't make eye contact, use gestures, or touch in anyway. It was strange having a roommate for that long, not being able to talk about what temperature to set the room at or any of those sorts of things. It was the 11th day. We could speak again. Some people went to it like a fish to water, but the silence still held dearly to a few. Those 10 days had seemed like so much more. Not just how they'd effected us, but 10 days of nothing but meditation? I feel like I spent a year there in rural Southern Georgia. So when sandals and socks had come to tell me that someone was here for me I knew it was no one else but my mother. She had happened to be in Georgia the same time I was. I was excited, incredibly excited, but I didn't let the usual giddiness that comes with that show. I wasn't quite in real world mode yet and Vipassana always hits me hard. I slowly finished sweeping methodically then put the broom and dustpan away and walked out the door. Across the little courtyard and into my room where I grab my already packed pack. Then I walk out and see my mother standing there. I don't say anything. In those short 10 days I'd been conditioned to keep my silence. It felt like a big step looking at her in the face and making eye contact. She asked all the normal questions and I responded distantly with a yes or a no as my mind was still lost in itself a little bit. Once we clambered into the car it started to become more and more real. I was done with the 10 day sit. I couldn't believe it actually, I'd made it through. I'd made it through the entire silent 10 days. When Kate had told me this was the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life I hadn't believed her. But now I did. Holy shit, how I believed her now. And I still believe her, this had been the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. Even looking back now that is still the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Harder than walking the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail, harder than hitchhiking all around America alone, and harder than working on the fishing boats in Alaska. It wasn't just hard, it fell on the brink of sending me into that chasm that is insanity. But somehow I'd managed to save my mind through the whole thing and come out much better than I had come in. Sitting in the car with the Georgia pines flying by outside, my mom chatting pleasantly about her trip, I started to feel the emotion building up inside of me. I said a word. Then two. And my face burst into the biggest grin and I had no way of controlling it this time. I was talking. Out loud, and someone could hear me and respond. Somehow this made me ecstatic. I needed to talk to people. To hug people, to tell them, actually speak out loud and tell them, how much they mean to me. I could call anyone I wanted now, I had a phone again. I could eat meat again. Meat! The first place we find is Taco Bell and I go in for the biggest, meatiest burrito they have. As I walk in I'm sure the culture shock is palpable on my face. But not because of the people, it was because of the music. It was just some music playing in a restaurant, no biggie. But to me, to me it was more. To me it was angels ringing bells and the way a long lost sailor feels when he sees land again. It was ecstasy, pure, flawless ecstasy. My whole body burst into vibration feeling the sound set it moving 🎶 I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away. I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is 🎶....

                                         My meditation group

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Old Pine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8ccDb6n5Wg

Crazy Frogg

Do you remember listening to Old Pine in hot springs after we came back for that second

​night?

Hiking into Hot Springs two days before was ludicrous,

but we both knew that didn’t we? It still feels like that day because my knees still cry out

and my ankles still tremble when I walk. Dragging our feet

up to the Laughing Hart looking every bit as weary as we felt. That stranger

giving us each a beer as congratulations. You and I believed ourselves immortal.

Taking the next day off was bliss. But then,

how painful it was climbing the cliffs to get out of town. Climbing those sandy rocks 

by the river with the mountain laurel waiting to bloom. Getting lost 

at Lovers Leap before meeting Hammer and Little Wing. I convinced you

to go back to Hot Springs with me, just one more night. And so we found ourselves

out by the river, two days after hiking into town, sneaking into a camp bathroom

to charge our phones. You said it would rain, but I wanted to cowboy

and laid down my ground cloth. We shared dinner, tortillas and cheese, while listening 

to Old Pine. Something about that song then and there hit us both 

hard. I’d only known you for three days really, but we could both feel that song,

hurting us deep down in our hearts respectively. And we laid down to sleep

with our white breath puffing out of sleeping bags and our hearts still aching 

from miss and loss,

when a star ripped through the night sky, cutting

like a shark fin above the surface

and you said, “I don’t think that’s a coincidence.” 

A litle bit more of Europe and coming home

I suppose we can start in Bordeaux. What can I say about Bordeaux? It's an amazing city, seriously. I loved my time there and ended up staying so long that I forfeited the rest of time in Europe just to stay there. I'd been meaning to go to Spain and Portugal still, but when you're having that much fun in a place there is absolutely no reason to leave at all! No rush and no worries, I'll get around to Spain and Portugal eventually. It's not the most important thing in the world that I follow the plans I set down for myself because I know that's never going to happen!

I'd found a couple couchsurfers in Bordeaux and last minute decided to stay with Melina and her friend. They were two German girls studying anthropology there in Bordeaux for a term or so. All I can say is they are amazing. Absolutely incredible. So was their French roommate Arthur. I had a ton of fun going out with them and meeting all the friends they'd made here in Bordeaux. I drank immense amounts wine and holy hell was it incredible. I don't drink wine, but this wine was the best I have ever had. It was so good. It was so good that one night I decided to just stay in and I drank three bottles by myself. Started with white, then blush, and finished off with a red. It was a night well spent. Plus a good bottle is only three euro! Who could refuse such a golden opportunity? Other nights were spent staying in or going out with them. Some were spent goin' off exploring and I spent one night out with some people I'd just met in town. Melina drove me out to a giant sand dune that's famous around there where I was reunited with the ocean. I spent over a week in Bordeaux including my birthday. Bordeaux is clas, such a good city and I'm sure I'll stop back by sometime.

Anyways, since I spent so much time there I'd knowingly skipped my flight from Portugal and instead got a different one flying out of Madrid. Since time was running out I got a rideshare and made it down for one night in Madrid. I didn't really do anything there but explore a little and I managed to stealth camp near the center. One day I'll come back and do Spain right. And then I was back in Ireland for a few days before I left for home.

Ah. Ireland. My new home away from home. My darlin' lover. My youth well spent. I hadn't realized how much I missed Ireland until I was back there. Wow did I miss it. I came back and immediately went to Galway because, well, because apparently all roads lead to Galway. And rightly so. I got to Galway and immediately met up with Shauna, we met up with the twins, and then we all met up with Rob and everyone else (All this is a loose sort of speculation because I'm not quite sure of everything that went down). And we all proceeded into a night of debauchery and shenanigans. We went good all night. All night and into the morning. And then all day. And then all night again. It was steady and true. It was bonding like the kind you can't find in America. As far as I can tell it was just pure Irish. I miss ye already Ireland....

And then it was all over and I was headed back to the airport skagged and hungover (neither of which left me for days). Met some awesome people on my flights back to America. Had a nice layover in Norway. Then arrived in NYC where I got to see Sierra and Lauren, two of my favourite people to visit while I'm out and about. It seems I only ever see them when I'm traveling. Had a grand time there and then it was back home to visit the fam and the dog. Which is where I am now. And ye know what? I miss it already. I miss it all. I miss the unknown and the adventure and people who don't know my language. I miss the food and the simple life of the vagabond. The generosity and the love of strangers and the bonds made while out traveling. I miss likeminded people, the likes of which are something of a rarity it seems. It's all just so liberating, it's all so satisfying. It puts you at peace in your soul and you're scratching that itch that never seems to go away. I do miss it, but it's still nice to be home for a little while. Nice to veg and play some video games and be a normal person for a short spell. See some friends I don't see very often, cuddle up with my dog, and maybe do a bit of running. It's refreshing because ye always gotta go recharge yer batteries for a bit before the next adventure. So you all know the nextadventure happens to be Peru and it starts Jan. 13th. So you can look forward to that at least, maybe I'll blog some of my life back home. But it's not always exactly PC so we'll see ;)

Keep being happy and have a good holiday season!

Beacon

Hows about some hitching?

I feel like I haven't given a good post about hitching very recently. So I'll dedicate this post to the generosity of the French and how culturally different hitching is here compared to America.

I was going to Boredeaux. I left Nantes really late (around noon) as the night before had more festivites than I'd planned for. There was no way I was going to make it today, Bordeaux was a good little bit away and it gets dark around 5 or 6 depending on how overcast it is. I had some applesauce tucked away in my pack for the inevitable night of camping somewhere in the French countryside. But I got to a fantastic spot outside of town and had two people stop in the first 10 minutes though they weren't going the right way. I wasn't too worried about getting out of town after that. 

While I was thumbin' it there a guy from Romania comes along also hitching down to Bordeaux and we join teams for a little while. Another car stops for us, but they aren't goin' the right way. The next car is a middle aged woman and her 10 year old son and they happily take us up to the next petrol station. Sometimes in America you'll get rides from people with kids, but not often. But it has happened so much over here it's shocking. But awesome, I think over here hitching is just not as looked down upon. 

So we're at the next petrol station for maybe 15 minutes before an older guy and his son give us a ride. They're going to an ultimate frisbee tournament and really just want to practice English. They drop the Romanian guy at a huge petrol station on the way to Bordeaux, but I decide to go on to La Rochelle with them. I always feel better when I'm by the ocean. We have a good ride and they drop me at the public bus stop to get me through town. I get a free tour for a euro and a half vis public bus and then I'm on the other side of town walking towards the highway I need with my thumb out.

I was just holding out my thumb while walking, not really expecting someone to pick me up as I was still in town when a car pulls over anyways. She's a young girl of 26 and headed about 50km up the road. She hardly speaks any English, but we do a really good job of talking regardless. I have to say she had the most gorgeous eyes and it was a good ride ending me up a good bit closer to easy hitching!

I had two choices of roads to go down at this point and kind of alternated between the two. I had 6 people pull over before I took a ride to Saintes. It was crazy, a car every 5 minutes!! The guy who picked me had a cat in his lap and he was on his way to drop it off at a shelter. He was really fun and dropped me where I presumed I would be camping for the night since it was nearly dark. But I wanted to try until the bitter end!

That's how I got a ride from a French fisherman who grows weed and scuba dives in his free time. He spoke less Engliah than anyone by far that day, but through pantomiming we talked for the full hour and half car ride. It was fantastic and he dropped me in the centre of Bordeaux. 

And there we have it, no problems whatsoever. The rides were awesome and so much fun. Simple as could be. I love hitching in France :)

Be happy,

Beacon