Day No 107
So I woke up in the morning and packed all of my
stuff. I was leaving for Palomino in the morning. I still had several days of
my trip on my hands, a little too much for me in the beach, but where else
would I go right? So I was just having breakfast and reading a book when this
older couple comes out and tells me they are going to Minca for the day.
Minca.. That makes me thinking. I get my computer, check several things and ten
minutes later I am changing my mind. Yes man, I’m going to Minca as well. So I
re-pack my stuff, taking a day bag and leaving for Minca for several days.
I go to the market, find the same older couple and we
all get into the `collectivo` which is basically a really old car that calls
itself `taxi` and we move to Minca. After a little ride and a police check
[only of locals, not tourists] we come to the place. Swedish couple goes
straight to some pools with a little waterfall and I go to find myself a place
to stay.
From previous advises I am climbing up the hill for
the place that is `really cool and really worth the climb`. It’s a short climb
but since it’s day and it’s hot and sunny I can only hope it will be damn worth
it. I come up after some time and get myself a hammock for the night [two
nights to be exact]. I also find a book exchange, but on a very bad rate [two
for one and not to my favor of course], so instead of exchanging it, I am
taking `The Beach`, since I have seen the movie, but haven’t read a book and
people told me, I HAVE TO read it. So I decided to be nice and listen to people
one more time. I take it and get completely sucked in it.
So I spend half of the day just in a some sort of
hammocky looking chair reading The Beach. Which is good. People did not lie to
me this time. After some time I start feeling guilty of doing nothing for the
whole day so instead of keep on reading I am going out and taking a walk along
the river till `las piedras`, or in simpler manner – just rocks. Those rocks
are huge. Really big ones. I sit down there to have a little rest. And so does
a million or two of those damn sunflies that like me for some reason a lot.
Close to me there are two local kids, not more than 16 if my guess. But they
are looking at me as if they are ready to eat me. Whatever, I am pretending I
am seeing nothing. Then, out of nowhere one of them jumps down from one of
those rocks. I look in the whole with my big eyes and only partly waiting for
the kid to come out. It’s pretty shallow all around those rocks. But to my
surprise he comes out and in one piece, still breathing. After the jump I think
he feels a little braver and comes to talk to me. All I can think about `you
are no more than 16, what can you see in such an older women like me?`. Anyway,
they are not that brave to talk to me for long time and after I get enough of
those damn sunflies, I leave and they follow me with their eyes.
I get back to the hostel, get into the conversation
with a British guy and a Russian girl, then keep on reading my book and after
it’s decent time – I am going to my hammock to sleep. There – a surprise. First
of all – there is a blanket there to cover me up [and I forgot my sleeping bag
this time – how lucky am I?] and there is an old cigarette pack with some money
in it. That’s confusing. It’s a found money, since hammock does not belong to
anyone. In any case, I keep them on a side just in case someone comes back to
claim it. I like found money, I don’t like stolen money.
And I drift to sleep.
Day No 108
I wake up in the morning pretty early, since the sun
is up so you cannot sleep that long in the hammock and just in time to see the
Russian girl walking out to the same spot where I was going. Oh well, so I will
go by myself, no big deal, I actually prefer it this way.
I get out of the hammock and go to the table to make
myself some breakfast. A girl who is working or volunteering there asks me if I
need anything, coffee or tea maybe and I ask for mint tea. She brings me a
glass [very nice glass by the way] or fresh mint tea. Honestly – this is one of
the best teas I have ever had. I thank her for the tea and she wishes me good
luck and I leave.
What I leave for is the place called `Los Pinos`. It’s
supposed to be some panoramic view point where you can can find some pine trees
and some view. So I went. Do I need to mention I did not get there, since I
lost the way? Well, that happens more than often to me, right? Why would you
even be surprised. I’m taking that more normal as you could imagine anyways.
So I have started my walk very optimistically and
having different, but all happy thoughts in my head. It was not too hard, but
up-hill walk, so at some point I got a little tired. I was told in the hostel
that I should just follow that one rode and I will get to the place. Plus, I
was more than sure that there’s got to be some arrows directing you to the
place. Turns out – it was not the main road, just a little almost invisible
road and there are no arrows whatsoever. So I kept on following that main path
for as long as I could physically and emotionally. I had no map with me so I
wasn’t sure if I am on the right track. Also, I had no watch, so I wasn’t sure
if I am going too long already or still in time. On my way I met several crazy
– some dog who wanted to bit me, but only bit my pocket. Some guys who were
whistling and shouting that they love me and all the other of `macho` shit. At
some point I got tired of walking and everything, so I asked some older and
normally looking guy if this was the way back to Minca [I was supposed to do
the loop]. Oh no, he said, not here, this one goes far from Minca, you have to go
back. After he asked me how I got there and from there and since I told him I
came from Minca and on foot he looked at me if I was some kind of a stranger to
walk THAT far. I know, right? I thought of myself as a stranger too.
Anyways, I had no other choice but to turn back. I was
cursing and going back. Suddenly I started to love all the up-hill part I had
before, because this time it meant down-hill. Too bad, that I had a lot of
down-hill parts before as well. Well, you win some, you loose some. I have been
walking and I already got tired of walking. I have been walking the whole day
and I did a lot of kilometers, I have been walking through the forests, clouds
[literally], under the sun, hearing some crazy animals around and so on and so
forth.
As I was walking, I have been thinking – all of those
macho guys. They only whistle, make harassing comments, but none of them asks
me if I need a lift. And there two guys asked me if I needed a moto. Of course,
they meant as in a motor-taxi, but I only had a little money on me and all I
could dream about was beer after that long walk. So I said no to both of them.
Then, out of nowhere, some older guy stopped, asked me where I am going and
told me he is going to different place, but we have a little road together – so
I can hop on if I feel like it. I took it. I was so tired, I could hardly move
my body, so I said yes. It wasn’t a very long ride, but at least something, so
I was extremely grateful for a guy. And he did not even ask for money or
anything. He was just doing it because he was a nice guy. Got to love some of
those people.
Once he dropped me off, I still have maybe 1.5 hours
if not more of walk. I picked up a second stick [I had to throw away the first
one when I was getting on a bike] and kept on entertaining my already boring
walk down-hill with doing stupid things with the stick. That was until I hurt
myself. Well, shitty-handed as I am, it’s not really surprising. Once I reach
the village, I was so happy I could shit rainbows. I went to the shop, bought
two beers and got up back to the hostel. There I met the Russian girl who
explained me where I was supposed to go, but that the view was nothing special
really and I went on reading my book with beer. Cold beer after cold shower was
the best reward together with a nice sunset there.
And then I went to my hammock.
Day No 109
Once again, I woke up in the morning pretty early and
kept on reading the book. I wasn’t allowed to take The Beach out of the hostel,
so I needed to finish it. And I did. Now I keep on thinking how did that
happened in the movie, since I don’t recall half of the things from the book.
But I guess it’s true once again – book is always better than a movie.
After I was done with the book Russian girl came back,
decided to go to Santa Marta with me, so I was packing and waiting for her to
finish. Here some guy, who was staying at the hostel asked me if I was an
accountant. Well that gave me a shock. I answered positively, but still could
not believe he would guess. How? But seriously – how? His friend gave me a
hint, that this is because of my Ernst&Young string on my neck. The mystery
was solved. We said goodbyes and went to Santa Marta.
Pick up dropped us off at the market so we walked to
the same old good Noctambulo hostel, took beds and settled there. I saw that
the same Swedish guy who ditched me in Taganga was also in the room. Well,
that’s interesting.
I went to the shop, bought some stuff and got back to
the hostel to do a little cooking. There I met the Swedish guy. I said hello
only because it is polite thing to do, but him seeing me was a complete shock.
I kept on ignoring him for the rest of the time being there. Well, he was an
asshole, I can be one too. No skills required for that kind of a job.
With a Russian girl we went for a walk, saw the sunset
and got back to the hostel for the usual – tea, book, internet.
Day No 110
The next day I woke up pretty early, got myself packed
and ready, said goodbye to the older Swedish couple, ignored Swedish guy once
again [yes, I have a high quality of a bitch attitude], said goodbye to the
Russian girl and went to the same market, so almost the same crossing to catch
a bus to finally Palomino. It worked. I just got there, found a bus, the driver
said it was going to the Palomino, so I got in an just read a book while going
there. They dropped me off on the street and from there I had to walk.
It was not a very long 10-15 minutes walk towards the
beach, but it was hard, since I had all of my stuff on my back and sun above my
head. I came to the place `La Casa de Rosa` - a very really truly basic place
where they do not even have electricity. I got a hammock and went for a beach.
I finally decided to give in and spend couple of day
doing completely nothing as a reward for myself for the end of the trip. So
this is what I did the whole day – swam in the sea, took walks, read book and
just enjoyed myself. Palomino can be called my next paradise. Yes, true, the
sand is not white and the water is not that clear plus wavy and when those big
black birds come it starts to stink really badly, but it’s still great because
there are coconut palms all along the beach and almost no people. Just several
ones just like me, but no tourist boom. It was a great doing nothing day.
Day No 111
The same doing
nothing continued on the next day. Although in the morning this guy, I have no
idea what his name was came to me and asked me to help him putting on some
leaves on his hands. I had no idea why, but after when I saw him climbing the
palm tree and taking some coconuts I understood that he did not want to hurt
himself. I called him a monkey-man. He was a really attractive strong looking
guy with an amazing smile. He asked me if I liked coco and after my positive
response he told me he would bring me some once he is done with it. I smiled
back.
So my day was just swimming, laying and reading. He
came with coco, so that made my day a little more interesting, but all the rest
– I did absolutely nothing. You need those days sometimes as well.
Day No 112
Waking up early in the morning became a part of my
schedule recently. I packed my stuff, went to put my feet in the water for the
last time, took a very basic shower with a bucket and left. I came to the same
street I got off the last time, found a bakery, bought myself some breakfast
and went to the other side of the street to wait for the bus. After about half
an hour later the bus came and I got in. I was going to Maicao, the border city
and then Venezuela.
Once in the bus I decided to check if I’ve got my
passport. Yes, I agree, very smart move to check it once I’m on a move. Even
smarter was realizing that I do not have my passport with me. It wasn’t in my
bag, it wasn’t in the pocket of my jacket. It was gone. I got a shock, a cold
sweat on my body and a little panic [ok, a huge panic to be exact]. I was going
like this trying to persuade me that it is alright after all. I could only
leave my passport in Santa Marta or in my big bag. And I could not leave it in
Santa Marta, because they would have found it and gave it back to me. But it
did not help me to relax, I was going there and feeling how I am going to miss
my flight, because I don’t already have time [or money for that matter] to go
back and pick it up. So it has to be in my big bag. It simply has to.
My panic and freaking out reaches the top once we stop
in Riochaca, where I try to get out and check it in my bag. One of the drivers
tell me that we have to go and I tell him I need to find my passport, so he
lets me to my bag. I check the main places where my passport could be and it’s
not there. I’m totally freaking out at that time already. He lets me to take my
bag inside the bus and I keep on looking. And then I find it. I feel like it is
Christmas and my birthday on the same day. I am so happy, I could kiss anyone
around. Good there is no one who could read my mind in there. Although the same
driver keeps on talking to me. He asks me if I have a boyfriend and I tell him
I have a husband [I have used my husband card for so many times here in S. America
that I don’t have a clue what is the number. But a lot, if you count that as a
number], but he still insists on wanting my phone number. Well that goes off
well, since I don’t even need to lie to tell him that my phone was stolen. But
anyway, how would you ask a phone number of a married woman? Then he tells me
he wants to give me his number and I am too lazy argue or make up lie why not,
so I let him write me down his number. He asks me to call him from Caracas and
I only tell, I will do my best. Which is only partly lie.
I finally get off the bus in Maicao, where some guy
gets to me with an offer of a taxi to Maracaibo in Venezuela [the only way to
get there by the way] and keeps on being on my side while I exchange money and
buy what I need. I finally get to the cab and need to wait for the rest of the
people to fill it in. some other drivers talk there to me telling me how
beautiful I am [oh no, really?], then cars, then my country, which, by the way,
almost all of them heard for the first time [that phrase I’ve heard so many
times also in this trip]. Finally we get more people to the car, so in the
front seat – driver me and a guy. On the back seat – pregnant woman with a kid
and another older woman with another kid. We start moving out of Colombia to
Venezuela.
On the way to the border there are several tanks on
the both sides of the road and army guys with machine guns that are no less
powerful than M-16s. Colombia became much more dangerous in my eyes right that
moment. Although passing through the border was a piece of cake. I got this
flirty guy on Colombian side. He asked me where I was from, if I spoke Spanish,
when did I arrive to Colombia, if I liked it, if I liked Colombian and finally
if I liked him. The guy is holding my passport, what else do you say to him
except for `of course`? he lets me go in several seconds. Venezuelan part is
also a piece of cake, except that the guy is clearly suffering from some sort
of `I’m hate my life or my work` thing. No hello, no goodbye, he just took my
passport, did what he had to do and threw it back to me. Welcome to Venezuela,
I thought to myself. But then of course, only to myself.
And then we kept on moving to Venezuela. The city we
were going to was Maracaibo, the second biggest city of Venezuela which is
around 100 kilometers away from the border. But the road is crappy almost all
of the time [and when I say crappy, I mean really crappy, not usual Bolivian
kind of crappy] and we hit at least 4 migration checks. Which is fine with me,
but the guy in front of me keeps on giving those police guys money. Bribe in
other words. I knew it is common to travel there Colombia-Venezuela without a
passport and giving money for people who checks it, but it was the first I have
seen. Apparently he had a passport, but his wife didn’t. the kid had some sort
of birth certificate. I wanted to ask why she would not have a passport, but
decided against it. He already seemed pretty pissed of because he had to deal
with those police guys all of the time and give them money. And his wife did
not seem a very talkative kind of a person. So that is still a question to me –
why would she have no passport? And where would she be from? Because from what
it looked like – she was going to give birth in Venezuela. Anyways, what I learned
there is that it is so easy to bribe those migration officers [only one showed
some resistance and I am pretty sure that was just an act] that passport is not
that important there as long as you have enough money [or if you are pregnant –
they tend to let you go with much less money and much shorter period of time].
Finally we come to the Maracaibo bus station and some
guys hops on me with his suggestion for Caracas bus. Of course. But he tells me
it costs 110 000 Bolivaros, which is around 11 EUR, which is a very cheap for
12 hours bus ride and I get interested. I do, however, go into the terminal,
ask in other companies, but since they have the same price and the guy was
nice, I go back to him.
I ask him what time is it and learn that it is already
6p.m. well, here goes my day. I took the bus at 6.30p.m. and had to ride it
overnight. I had a very front seat in the bus and a friend next to me. He was a
friendly looking nice local guy with whom we would look at each other when
something happened [like checking the tickets for 4th time in 3
minutes] and laughed. He also shared some bubble gum with me. And till we got
to Caracas we had 3 police checks, one full [passport, body and bags] and a
very big traffic jam once we entered Caracas. Instead of coming at 5a.m. we
arrived after 9a.m.
Day No 113
So I get off the bus and get a taxi driver offering me
his services. I politely say no to him and tell him I will try the metro, so
instead of going away, he explains me how to get there. Then another one comes
after him and offers taxi services which I again refuse and the first guy is
shaking his head telling me I should no go with this guy. Well, I am not going
with any of them. And then the bus boy is shaking his head as if saying `do not
listen to any of them`. That makes me smile and almost laugh. At the end the
bus boy comes to talk to me a little, but in a nice, not macho persistent kind
of a way, tells me that Caracas really is dangerous and I should be careful,
wishes me good luck and leaves.
I get to the station and head for the information.
There I get direction to the metro which is 2.5 blocks away. Ok, 2.5 blocks in
the day light in the streets full of people and policemen and statistics of 53
dead bodies per week and over 300 dead bodies over the long Christmas weekend
holding city I can handle. So I head off. All alone, but my backpacks I am
heading to the metro as a brave soldier. Somehow that is amusing. I guess I
haven’t had adrenalin for a while.
I get to the station and try to read the signs, since
`airport` is kind of an international thing and usually in every metro map is
signed with a little plane. Well, there’s nothing there. So I asks this lady
who buys a ticket if she could tell me where to go and how to get to airport.
She is not sure, but pretty certain and she takes her time to explain
everything to me and even consults another guy next to us, if she is giving me
right directions. Such a sweetheart. The only down side of the thing – I had to
take metro, then get out and take something else [that something else I did not
get, but I thought it’s going to be some airport shuttle or train or something].
I get to the place and get out at the station `Parque
central`. I walk all around the building and inside the building and find
nothing even close to what I am looking for. After getting a little
disappointed and tired I am heading to the security guy, an older black guy,
and ask where do I go, if I need to get to the airport. He asks me if I am
going to Guaria [or whatever] airport, I nod and tell him yes and says – here.
But he does not give me directions, he is actually going there with me. I try
to keep on a conversation, so I ask him if there are more airports in Caracas
and to my relief he says no. so I am definitely going to the one he told me.
Then I joke that it is complicated to get there [since we are going like
through some labyrinth in that building] and he tells me that it’s not
complicated, it’s just dangerous to go a white outstanding person like me
ESPECIALLY alone outside the building
and around it. Basically just in the place I have just been walking not 3
minutes ago. He guides me to the street, shows me the office on the other side,
waits for me to cross the street and after I thank him he goes away.
Unbelievably sweet guy.
I buy the ticket and wait for my bus. Not surprisingly
there are only locals and me in the bus. No tourist, no one who could say
`non-Venezuelan`. I start to wonder that maybe it is true and Caracas is
actually dangerous and people are afraid of being killed there. But then I do
not get, why all of the tourists would take taxis. I mean, if you are going by
taxi, those guys who want to attack you, they will find you, but they would
never think to look in the local airport shuttle bus for the `gringos`.
Anyways, on my way to the airport I have been thinking that I have done
everything people told me not to do in Venezuela or Caracas. I took an
overnight bus, which even my crazy fearless Swedish friend told me not to take
[and he’s been to Lebanon after 1 month after the war was ended]. I did not
take a taxi from the station to the airport, but instead I walked in the street
[which was strictly `forbidden`] and took a metro. And I also walked around in
the city [even if for a little bit] on my own with my bag that clearly marks me
as a tourist and I took a local public bus to the airport. Man, some of a
rules-breaker I am.
But I also could not help but feeling how I fell in
love with people from Caracas and how I will have to come back. Starting with
the bus boy, they were all very nice. this lady who explained me where to go in
the metro told me I can follow her to one part of my trip, since she is going
there anyways. Then once we were in the metro and it was the last stop [I did
not realize that because I miscalculated] some girl stopped and said `chica,
this is the last stop`. No one in Argentina told me that when I made this kind
of a stupid thing and did not get out of metro on the last station. The
security guy who guided me to the shuttle – I have simply no words, he took his
time and his own life into `danger` by guiding me to the bus I needed. I became
somewhat sentimental on my way to airport. I started realizing that I am
actually leaving South America with no return ticket and no return plan. Not
yet so far anyways.
Since I still had plenty of time at the airport, I
read a book, fell asleep and finally went to check-in. OF COURSE, I had to pay
some additional tax, how without some additional taxes in South America. The
only good thing – it wasn’t that big, so my Euros that I had were enough to
exchange. This left me with almost no cash for Europe, but hey, cards function
in Europe, right?
So after I paid my taxes and got into the waiting
lounge, I got a wi-fi password and went on-line to let Rick know I am still
coming in one piece [if nothing goes wrong in Madrid] and my mom that I am
still alive. Boarding was slow as always, but even slower if you can imagine. I
got first pissed, because they were putting girls and guys into different rows
and guys were going first. Well, that’s some discrimination some feminist
ladies would have to say something about, but later I learned that it was not
like that – there was yet another drug search and girls has to be searched by a
female officer. So once again, I got a full body check [it’s funny, since girls
are usually making their boobs look bigger by putting drugs in their bras, and
poor officer has to touch every single girls’ breasts] and a very flirty guy
who checked my bag. Of course, as always, he only checked half of it [probably
if you do not have several kilos of cocaine, you could get away. Although with
this guy – I was sure I could get away with a tone of anything I wanted. He
looked at me, asked me where I was from and kept on flirting with me. Well,
again, the guy is having my passport. You do flirt bag at best effort FOR SURE.
He asks me if I am alone here and asks me if I am single and gets really
surprised when I say yes. So he flirts a bit more forgetting about my things in
my bag and I am finally let to go to my seat.
And here comes the nightmare. I am excited and tired
and having a lot of strange feelings in my lungs and I cannot sleep. I want to,
but I can’t. so I watch a movie, then another movie, then I get some food and
some beer [damn I thought, I deserve a beer and maybe it would let me sleep
better], some more movie and finally drift to sleep a little.
The feeling that I am actually literally leaving South
America kicks in. I’m really going to miss it. Never would I have thought that
it would change my life so much and so rapidly. I still feel the effect.
Day No 114
The miserable day of just flying and waiting began in
the first plane, that was going to the direction of Madrid. I had `breakfast`
if you can call two little rolls a decent breakfast in the plane, watched some TV
series and finally got off the plane and was officially in Europe. Madrid. I
only had two hours of waiting in Madrid, so no possibility of going out and
exploring the city, so I just stayed the airport looking for the sockets to
plug in my computer and do something more exciting than just existing. Once in
the plane, I tried to sleep, but at some point I just gave up – there is
something happening with me and maybe I can call that insomnia. I am tired, but
I cannot sleep. So I gave up trying and was just waiting for my arrival to
Amsterdam.
My plane was late, so once I got out of it I was sure
Rick was already waiting for me and then, but of course I may add, the luggage
was taking ages to come to us. Well, could always be worse right, at least it
came. I grabbed my bag and went out. I have already seen Rick through the glass
wall, so I knew which direction to go. We met, we hugged and started walking
toward the trains. It’s amazing how we haven’t seen each other for more than a
year and still it did not feel awkward. Just as always or in e-mails we
laughed, made fun of each other and played some football with Pol’s ball [long
story]. Once we got to the train we waited several minutes and got an
announcement that there are no functioning trains between the city and airport.
Well, I just laughed, because I am used to that, but Rick was more serious. It
takes 6 minutes to go to his place with a train and he does not know which bus
to take and it will take much more time. Yet, we had no other choice, so we
went for the bus. Just like all of the people who wanted to take the train. We
got the number of the bus, waited for it, finally got on and kept on going.
That would seem like problems are solved right. But if
you are me, you know it is too soon to be satisfied. And it was. After going a
little round about the airport we got another announcement from the driver of
the bus. I do not recall the exact words, but the message was more or less this
`I’m very sorry, but I forgot that I have to go to the other direction. So now
I will go back to the airport and you all will have to get off the bus and take
another one`. Well, that made me laugh even more and Rick said he wasn’t sure
if he wants to laugh or to cry. Always laugh, I said and we got back to the
airport.
We waited some more and got into another bus. Still
full of people who wanted to take train and all not sure about the directions,
numbers and all of the rest of the things there. We do a lot of circling around
the airport but finally we get on some road and, what is according to Rick,
right direction. Finally. After maybe 20 minutes of riding a bus we come to the
stop connected with metro and change immediately. Apparently they have almost
perfect infrastructure in The Netherlands and Amsterdam but the buses, so much
better is the metro. We get on and finally we arrive to the place we needed.
Rick, as a normal person from this country, of course,
has a bike. I do not, but he does not want to cycle so slow so I can keep up
with him with my bag, so he `rents` the bike for me. Not sure how that works,
but I get this girly type of bike which only misses the basket in front and
flowers all around. Do I need to mention I am not sure how to handle those
bikes? I’m used to the different ones. But it’s not really a rocket science, so
we go to his place. It’s cold and freezing there especially for me after the
whole South America heat.
We get to his place in a nice neighborhood and very
nice apartment that he rents after 2.5 hours of traveling in spite of what
could have been 6 minutes in a train and 15 minutes more of cycling. Rick was
supposed to go to some party at 8p.m. and it was already 8.30 when we got in,
so I could only feel guilty for him not making to the party. We talk some more,
have a beer, take a shower and go out. We still wanted to make it to that
party.
We get to the place and there is a queue there. We
stand in line, meet his friend and when see a girl coming out of the party
place telling people that the place is full and so basically – you can get a
hell out of there, because you are not getting in. well, I’m really hard to get
shocked since I am so used to these things, but I really feel bad that Rick has
to be stuck with my `luck` or bad karma or anything that is dragging us in
Amsterdam not in the best possible way. We end up going to another place where
some other of his friends are, I meet some nice people, we have several beers,
but since Rick has a football game in the morning, we leave not too late to
catch some sleep.
Day No 115
Hearing the alarm clock in the morning makes me want
to rip my head off. I had two almost sleepless nights in the bus and plane
before and this one, consisted of 6 hours is way not enough to get myself some
strength. But apparently B&B @ Rick’s is offering coffee [strong real
espresso I haven’t had for over 8 months because the countries of coffee
apparently have no decent coffee] and breakfast in bed. Well that cheered me up
right away.
So in total I had three of those espresso and we got
on our bikes and went for football. Rick – to play, I to `cheer`. On the way to
the field I start having this strange ache in my stomach. It took me a while to
understand that it was probably because of those espressos. Damn, that hurt
pretty badly. But we managed to get to the place, I met some more of Rick’s
friends and they started to play. Yes, that amazing game where 20 guys are
running after one ball for 90 minutes and at the end you have this 0:0 result. Who
could not find it absolutely amazing?
The first half was just like that and ended up with
0:0. It was also cold, cloudy and windy, so for me, after all heat from
S.America it was freezingly cold in there. But at least the second half was
more exciting. 7 goals in total, 5 of `my` team. Well, Rick’s team, but I was
cheering for it. Guys from the team were very pleased that I was there. They said
I brought them good luck and they won and since they usually have no people to
cheer, they asked me if I am coming to other games as well. Of course, I am, if
they are willing to fly me into Amsterdam every single time they are having a
match.
Rick went for some more football or something and I got
on the bike and moved towards the center. The BIG date was there because I was
meeting Inga. After more than a year of a break. There were million things to
discuss, plenty of things to gossip and .. well, some perfection was definitely
waiting for me.
I came to the station with no troubles at all, came to
the meeting point – Starbucks and there she was. My girl. Fast `hi’s`, a few
hug, meeting another friend of Inga’s and we hit Amsterdam streets. I can tell
you for now that even though I haven’t explored this city properly and all, I can
already say – I liked it. It’s very nice, old nice looking houses, a lot of
canals and, well, basically I could easily imagine myself living there. Maybe one
day I will. Who knows.
So we walked those little streets with not straight
houses for two hours talking non-stop [actually I was talking almost non-stop]
and when ended up in one of the popular meeting points in Amsterdam to meet
Vaida. Once again – quick hi’s and we went for some meal. We got into one
`self-service` kind of the place and had amazing food there. All included –
soup, second, dessert. It was like a fantasy to come true. Even though Vaida
and Inga do not know each other it was going pretty smoothly. Well, maybe there
is no surprise in there, they are both awesome, so it’s easy to get along. While
we were there Rick came to join us as well [a Dutch guy and three Lithuanian accountants
– fun] and quickly enough wee decided to go to some nice beer place that our
local guide knows.
It was a very basic, but very cozy place. We stayed
there for couple of hours just talking and laughing and enjoying different
beers. It was really fun day. It was me and three people that I know from
different places, but we all talked as if we knew each other for ages. Fun fun
fun.
Before we knew it became late already, so we took
Vaida to the train station, put her to the train and since Inga still had
several hours before her train we got into another cozy little nice beer place
and had some more beers. But that time passed quickly as well, so we got back
to the station, put Inga on a train after saying all of the goodbyes and hit
the road with Rick. We ended up in some bar close to his place for the last
what he said `they have good white beer here` pint and ended up back at his
place after midnight already.
That could only have meant that I am not going to have
too much sleep after all AGAIN. My early flight was way too early.
Day No 116
Alarm clock was killing both of us in the morning. I was
already suffering from lack of sleep from before and Rick is actually pretty
good with sleeping, especially on Sundays. And I ruined that for him this time.
For one last [or almost last] time – pack, wake him
up, getting on the bike and going to the station. It was still cold, but very
nice and quiet morning – no people in the streets. Well of course, who would be
stupid enough to get up that early?
We got to the station, Rick was not going to make sure
I get into the right plane [who can blame him?], so we goodbye each other in
front of the train and I was left alone again. Getting on a plane again. Going to
another place again, getting closer to the country where I grew up.
Once at the airport, I got checked-in with no
problems, had some breakfast, waited a bit for the plane and got in. This ride
was a complete reminder how I do not miss people from my side of the world. We are
landing in Tallinn and the plane is on the ground, but still going pretty fast.
One `new-russian` style blond Lithuanian chick get up to get her stuff out. Sure,
there is no way she could wait. Then, once she is seated by the crew, another Russian
chick get out of her seat without letting the plane to stop. And then a bunch
of Russians are following her lead. It’s like being in a farm of uncontrollable
animals. Welcome to eastern Europe.
I got out of the plane, went through the exit and
found Liina already waiting for me. A big huge hug and a lot of loud `aaaa..
que rico verte` from both of us and we got out of the airport. We went to some
mall that is close to it, went to some place to sit down, I took a beer, she
took cider and we talked and talked and talked. All in Spanish, all about all
of the things that have been happening in her and my life. It’s been awesome
several hours that passed as if it was just couple of minutes. We also went to
Rimi, I bought some good Estonian chocolate and she went to gym and I went back
to the airport, since I had to take my plane pretty soon.
Well, if it wasn’t me. I come to the board to see that
the only flight that’s been canceled is mine. I cursed a little in my head,
laughed out loud, because in such cases I am in no perspective to cry and go to
the desk to see what’s there. The lady there informs me that the flight has
been canceled and that I can get a seat in the next one, almost at midnight. I curse
some more in my head and laugh some more on my face, we talk a little and I take
that seat. She calls for my bag [I am still not sure I am going to get it
though in one piece] and lets me to check-in. she also lets me use computer in
her office so I can give Ieva `good` news and we agree that in spite that, she
will still come to pick me up. Yes, I DO have friends. Good ones indeed.
After that I sit down on the floor with my computer on
my laps and try to get internet. There is such a great thing here in Tallinn –
free wi-fi. That cheered me up right away. At least I will have something to do
and won’t asleep and won’t oversleep my plane. And while sitting there I look
up and see it’s snowing. Somebody must really love me that even with all of the
stuff they made me go through in here, they at least give me what I did not
expect once I’m back in Europe – snow.
The day No 116 is still technically not over yet, but I
will give it a try for my positive thinking and take it that my second flight
will not get canceled. I will go outside to enjoy snow for one last time, I will
go through security and hopefully they will not take my Kalev away. I will go
to some `restaurant` and will use two coupons for the snacks as if `sorry we
made you wait` and I will wait for my plane which will arrive, I will get into
it, hopefully I will get some sleep there and once someone will wake me up I will
be in Vilnius airport on time, not late, my bag will arrive fast and full, Ieva
will be there waiting for me, we will go to get some kebabs and some beers and
we will talk half of the night not caring about that we have to wake up early
in the morning and she will have to pretend to be accountant and I will have to
pretend to be alive. It will be an awesome reunion and great `welkommen
tilbakke`. See, Ieva, I did not forget all of the Danish.
Day No 116 – second shot.
Even if I had a positive attitude, I could not expect
my arrival to be that good. My plane took off a little late, but it still took
off, so I was more than happy. And I left Tallinn while it was still snowing in
there. Snow.. And I did not even expect any snow once I’m back. I thought
winter was over.
I came to Vilnius, came to pick up my bag, got out to
the arrivals hall and there was no one. I could not see Ieva and it wasn’t even
that many people there. Maybe she is waiting at the other side I thought, so I
moved to my left. To my surprise there she was. And not just her, together with
Jurga and Kristijonas, camera, a green balloon that makes your heart dance and
soap bubbles. We talked and laughed and they made fun of my tan, we hugged and
went out. Kristijonas was a driver there, so we got into his car and went
towards the city.
We went for kebab, kept on laughing like crazy people,
when went to Ieva’s place and ended the night eating kebabs, talking about all
of the things that’s been happening. It felt as if I almost never left. After a
little while Kristijonas went back home, then Jurga went home and it was just
me and Ieva at the very end at this amazing B&B @Ieva’s. And it started
snowing in there as well.
We woke up in the morning a little broken after only
couple of hours of sleep and the streets were covered in snow. I went to the
office with her, met other people, we talked about her trip, my trip, what’s
been happening in people’s lives. It really felt as if I never actually left.
Then a took a little walk through the center towards the train station, bought
a discounted ticket with my expired student ID [shhhh… don’t tell them I did
that] and got on to the train back to Kaunas. Me, my army style backpack and my
little green balloon. Going back to the place where I grew up.
