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Published: June 20th 2009
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Everything about this trip so far has been surreal. But even moreso since I left Caracas. In Caracas, I had Alejandro and his family so it was pretty familiar still, and the malls were almost like a slice of Americana (except for the whole Spanish thing, but even that´s not a stretch). Since I left Caracas, however, every waking minute is entirely different from anything I´ve ever experienced or dreamed.
I left Caracas on Tuesday night at 8 on the overnight bus to Maracaibo. It was a very nice double-decker bus and they played the movie "John Q" with Spanish subtitles, which was nice. We arrived in Maracaibo at 5:30 AM and I was able to get a taxi to a parking lot where "Por Puestos" (shared taxis) gathered. I use the term taxi loosely. Mine was an old Chevy Malibu that was completely falling apart. When the driver opened the truck, he had to use a screwdriver. When he changed the radio station, the radio fell out. There was a fire extinguisher in the front seat...just in case. On the way to the border, we drove through some of the poorest slums I´ve ever seen, right next to Lake
Maracaibo, which is where all of Venezuelas oil comes from. Makes you wonder where the money goes. About halfway there (1.5 hours or so), we stopped on the side of the road at a hut with 17 sleeping dogs and two guys sitting in the shade. One had an old water container like the one you probably have at work. It was filled with gas. He filled up our taxi with the jug and a hose by sucking the gas out and then letting it flow. That was the beginning of the really wierd stuff. On the way to the border, we were stopped probably 7 times by soldiers standing in the middle of the road checking passports. The 3 guys in the back (I was in front w the driver) were Venezuelan (I think) and every time we stopped, they showed a few pieces of paper instead of passports. Then I´d show my passport, they´d look at me suspicuosly, and then the driver would collect a few Bolivares from the gus in the back, get out, and pay the soldier behind the car. I don´t know if they were illegally leaving VZ or what, but they were definitely paying
those guys off for something. I guess that´s where the money goes.
After a bus from the border and a taxi from the station, I arrived in Santa Marta. Santa Marta is gorgeous. There´s a beautiful beach right next to the busiest part of town. It´s one of the most scenic views I´ve ever seen. There is an Island right in the middle of the bay with a huge lighthouse. The surrounding area is tranquil mountain scenery. There are vendors selling ice cream, exotic juices, amazing craftwork (I bout a flute that looks like a frog for 1000 Pesos, or $0.50) It´s simply gorgeous. I have SO many awesome pictures, but the internet cafe I´m in right now doesn´t allow USB use. I´ll get those up ASAP. The food is very good, cheap, and completely different than anything I´ve ever had. Yesterday I got a rather large lunch of grilled spicy steak with fried plantain, arepas (a type of flat cornbread), beans, salad, awesome fish soup and juice from a fruit I´ve never heard of...all for 5,000 pesos, which is about $2.50 US. They sell water in 300mL bags for 400 pesos ($0.20), but you can get a bottle
Statue of Simon Bolivar in East Park, Caracas
He is one of the most important figures in South American History. He liberated What is now Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela from Spanish rule. He is know as "El Libertador", The Liberator. if you want to pay 4x as much. Beer is 2,000 pesos, or $1, sometimes less. So far, I´ve made friends from all over the world, including two guys from France, a woman from Rome, a Chilean guy, lots of Colombians, and my roommate & diving partner for tomorrw is Jade from Holland. He´s been travelling for 9 months now. He´s been to all of Central America, most of South America, Antarctica (yes, that Antarctica) and he´s going to the East Coast of the US next week before going home. I´m surprised that he doesn´t speak more Spanish, but his English is excellent. The thing that I think is very interesting is the age of all the friends I´ve made. Contrary to what a lot of people who were against me taking this trip said, none of my fellow travellers are fresh out of College, nor are they retired. Jade is the youngest at 26 and Marianna, the Italian woman is the oldest at 36 (she´s been travelling for 2 years). None of them are very rich, and they all had regular jobs from social worker, to cook, to x-ray tech that they either quit, or worked out an arrangement
to leave for travel. (Apparently some employers in France are very approving and even supportive of long-term travel.) I´m starting to believe that this is the absolute best time of my life to travel. This is not a childish endeavor, nor is it something that I´d want or be able to do when I´m 65. I´m living life and seeing the World. I´m experiencing things that I didn´t know existed, learning a new language, and learning about other cultures. (Not just South America, either. I´ve learned a lot about Holland from Jade.) Of course, I miss my girlfriend and my dog (baby, I wish you guys could be here with me. I think about you constantly. I love you.) and at some point I´ll have to re-integrate myself into American society. But those things aside, taking this trip may turn out to be the best thing I´ve ever done. I´m less than a week into my 4 months, but already, I wouldn´t trade this experience for any amount of money.
I´m looking forward to Scuba Diving tomorrow. I´ll try to post loads of pics next time. Until then, live your life exactly how you want to. Viva la buena
vida. Ciao.
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Em
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Froggy flute =)
Hahaha I love the two guys sitting by the hut with 17 dogs and a jug of gas. Wow it all sounds so incredible. And of course this is the best time of your life to travel. You're young, but not too young that you have no money saved up and a load of student loans to pay off. Looking forward to hearing about your scuba diving adventures. I love you too.