jprau
jordan peter rau Joined: March 1st 2008
Logged in: October 7th 2010
Logged in: October 7th 2010
Travel Blog Posts
Since I arrived to this country every conversation was as if read from a script. Whoever the person, no matter the circumstance, it was always based around similar questions with a similar flow and the point came where I studied specifically so I’d be prepared with a sufficient response. It went a little something like this……the obligatory “hello, hi, yep im fine thanks” was rapidly followed up by the “Do you like Mexico” question, whose answer was eagerly awaited and subsequently lead way for further conversation as the response was always positive. Then came the discussion on kangaroos and the shock horror I enjoyed invoking by describing how tasty it is to consume our national emblem at the dinner table, even though here everything that moves (and every part) finds its way into a taco some ... read more
Crazy bull man
Hey, yep im back so soon, i bet you cant contain your excitement! This time ill be delighting you with some tales from the last few weekends, giving a blurred in site into the magical world of mexican fiestas and traditional celebrations. For some of you, you may just want to read half...... Anyway i will begin with the sadness......now that grieving stage has progressed from denial to disappointment i shall fill you in on my grand final experience before the memory progresses to a repressed one. First i will set the scene (which looking back sounds a bit sad!!). After much research and welcomed nerd help i found my self an online channel broadcasting the game, stocked up on way to many coronas, a big bag of cashews and relaxed in my big recliner. Ill ... read more
Sign on entering a bar
Well some much needed catch up is needed on our last journey so hopefully i can complete our Guatemalan leg tonight! Now i have more free time as we finished our epic translating job.....epic because it was incredibly dull and long. The job was to translate a historical book based on local celebrations in the area.....sounded interesting until we discovered it was about repetitive post spanish intensely catholic 'parties'.....not exactly exciting....i learnt alot of things i have already thankfully forgotten and very glad to be finished. Anyway carrying on from last blog....we woke up bright and early and caught the collectivo to the border, was probably the slackest and easiest border crossing ive experienced and we were both full of excitement as this was the first place we had visited together that neither had previously experienced. ... read more
Lychees
After yet another epic bus ride of approx 12 hours we left the typically icy air of the bus and entered the equally chilly San Cristobal. A badly timed breakage of one of my thongs and the resulting puddle dodging meant the following search for a room was made that bit more challenging but added a few nice layers for my future summer shoes. After numerous inquires we found a nice little hostel in a great spot, from where we begun our exploration of this old colonial town that perhaps had more character and charm compared to most. Adding to this charm is the mayan families dressed very traditionally selling there goods and more often than not up for a chat. As with most towns the market was on my list of places to visit, which ... read more
Escondido point
Without running the risk of crapping on about something completely irrelevant ill cut to the chase. Im very far behind in writing and with bloggable events occurring daily i better hurry up! So on to the night bus it was, from Oaxaca to the famous escondido. Made sense, don't have to pay for accommodation, fall asleep, wake up and theres the beach....easy. Well Mexican speed control had something to say about that. In my entire time here i dont recall seeing a speed camera, the only cops ive seen hiding in the bushes on the side of the road were sleeping, and probably hiding from there boss, not trying to ambush a speeding 'hoon'. So they control speeding with the installation of speed bumps (more commonly known as topes) anywhere there is a house, shop, intersection ... read more
Oaxacan church by moon light
hey everyone, well finally 'home' after an epic bus mission involving 5 buses, one boat and a dodgy border crossings spanning a nerve testing 32 odd hours. But the first hot shower made it all worth it, and now after relaxing and eating for a day im already wanting to head off again! But ill have to settle for reminiscing about the past month and our travels. Well our last adventure began in the state and city of the same name of Oaxaca. Paulina has some contacts there so it was off to their house, right out in the burbs of the mountain ringed colonial city. And quite the hosts they turned out to be.....over the next 4 days/nights their local knowledge guided us where no lonely planet can hope to, granted most of the places ... read more
Chichen itza
mmm ok, time to begin part 2 i guess even though im completely lacking inspiration and motivation, perhaps a couple of glasses of mexican red will get the brain cells up and running and uniting together to compose something of readable value. I'm going to begin with a quick note on the present before i delve into the last week of the yucatan holiday, which is rapidly eroding from memory like a dream. Life here just got a hell of a lot better.....why you may ask,well because i now have a weekly AFL game to look forward to thanks to the good old www and my unknown savior in oz who 'steals' the games and takes the time to upload them everyweek. I didnt think i would miss it that much....but it turns out i did. ... read more
Sunrise and volcano from the plane
Hey valued readers, im back with some more long over due spam for your inbox and its looking like a long one so hopefully your boss is out today (or even better you are the boss). Well i have quite alot to fill you in on, hopefully the photos can do majority of the talking as each destination i explored deserves its own dedicated blog but i will try and keep it as brief as possible! This little adventure began with my last minute decision to buy a cheap return ticket to a town called Merida, on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. It would have to be the least researched holiday ive ever been on, i knew it was hot and well....thats about it. Once again im sorry but a slight, relatively painless history lesson must ... read more
Crystal clear blue waters in the natural pool
Hey all, hope all is well where ever you are.... Our next little adventure was up into the northern desert on another field trip with Pau's uni. This one had a slight difference in the fact there was no biology integrated into this trip, other than perhaps experimenting with the body's tolerance for marathon alcohol intake! We only went for a weekend so there is not much to talk about but the landscape allowed for some very photogenic scenery. Two full bus loads made the journey and we made the wrong choice.....leaving at midnight one may assume most people would sleep eventually. I feel like im getting old before my days and am luckily blessed with the ability to sleep in any situation, but the drinking began immediately and continued for the next 12 hours! The ... read more
A turtles view
Not sure about your thoughts, but in my mind biology field trips are not often affiliated with thoughts of excitement and fun (unless you are an overly eager biologist). I may be biased due to my past experiences with biology field trips. The first being to lakes at deakin (about a 2 minute walk from the class room) and the second to the anglesea bush (about 5 minutes from home) to measure and count trees.....neither aroused any slight feelings of excitement and both were far from fun. With that in mind i smiled and agreed with Paus suggestion to tag along on her next field trip and at the same time pushing back the thoughts in mind of how bored i will be watching people take soil samples and discussing various rocks in spanish. Well i ... read more
