Reality of Travel Adventure…brief reflection
I’ve traveled for decades. In the 80’s, the primary resource was travel guides. I read then that by the time information had been collected, written, edited, and published into a book, it was likely 2-3 years old! However, it was all we had! I left for my first trip with my backpack out of country with little idea of what I was going to do or how or when!?! I was full of eager anticipation!
My most useful source of information was people I met at the hostel or other places along the way. We, each us, traveling in different directions, had clues for good experiences whee we had been. And we learned what to look forward to where we were going.
I learned about a massage center outside Antigua, Guatemala that way. A couple of us walked to a village, asked around, and found a sauna and massage place. It cost $5 and included 40 minutes in a hot wood fired steam sauna, followed by a massage and then capped with a glass of fresh squeezed carrot juice.
It was very cold then and the heat felt great!
Once called for my massage, I stepped into the massage room. I opened the door and had about four steps down into the room which was filled with massage tables and men working on men. Simultaneously, the massage therapist looked up from their work. Seeing my size, they shook their head side to side suggesting, “not me, I’m not working on him”. It was funny. In the end, their teacher worked on me. I had an awesome massage!
Everyone traveled with flexibility, an ability to adapt, listen, learn and modify plans on the fly.
There are dozens of bus windows at the station. I walked over from the airport, a short five minute walk. Two police officers stood chatting. I asked if I was in the correct place?! It was huge and Google Maps was trying to send me somewhere else?
They asked what I wanted. Then, one of them assured me it was the right place and guided me from window to widow helping me find options!
While doing that, he showed me photos of his visit to Boston and New York last year! He visited a friend who is a police officer there. When he asked for help, in Spanish, no one would or could help him. It was a very different experience than being in Colombia!
Window to window, back again, more questions and learning!
We evolved out questions as we received repeated answers that there was NO bus in the afternoon to Salamina! I saw other names I recognized. Eventually, I found a window and asked a new question. “Do you go to “Aguadas” in the afternoon! Finally, a yes! By this time, my police friend, Oscar, had to go back to work. He gave me his phone number and asked me to call if I had any issues when I came back on Friday!
What showed up is a connection! It looked impossible to get to Salamina in the afternoon. I began exploring options! A bus to Jerico was available. That would require me to change directions. Several buses went to Salamanca in the morning beginning at 4:00 am! I wondered, should I just spent an extra night here and go in the morning?!?
And then I spotted a sign for Tamesis! I’ve read about this small place and another near it. Buses running to this tiny place peaked my attention!
And it triggered a thought: could I go to Aguadas in the afternoon!?!? It is 1 1/2 hours North of Salamanca. I’v read it is an interesting time to spend some time in. Good coffee, good food, interesting architecture and people!
I went back to a window we had been to before. The woman looked slightly annoyed that I was back. Speaking slowly and precisely, I asked if they had a bug doing to Aguadas?? YES! They do, at 3:00 pm. It takes between 3 and 4 hours, driving through the mountains as the sun is setting!
I was unable to find if I should buy a ticket now or wait? She was stuck on “today”. I now had an option that would work with my flight back from watching the whales and take me in the direction I wanted to go. And it sounds like an interesting town!
Back at the hostel, Brian, the day manager, asked me how my morning was? I told him I had been to the airport to check it out and to the bus station looking for options. I told him I was unable to find a way to Salamina but could to to Aguadas! He got very excited! That’s where his mother lives!! He told me about the town, the climate (it is in the mountains and cool). He assured me I can walk up to the window and buy a ticked on Friday. So cool how things fall together!
I know things will always come together but never have clarity on how that will happen!? If I needed to have every single detail ironed out before I left home on a trip, or, if not, would stay home, I’d not have these adventures!
Like life, things flow. Not everything can or should be controlled! Part of the inspiration in life is the little moments, the magic of a Manakin mating dance, watching 20 species share feeders together, a magical sunrise, the last of an amazing fresh mango or avocado….magic moments!
It would easy to rely on technology. However, in a country like this, where schedules change, an afternoon rain causes a landslide closing a rode, etc, technology can’t manage. There is no substitute for showing up, being present, listening, adapting and moving from that current moment! Be here now! Be one with what you are doing! Stay present, calm, alive and grounded in this moment. Move when inspired.
Frustrating until I feel!
Yes, it can be frustrating. Then, I stop planning, researching, trying to force something to happen, and feel! Where is the feeling of lightness and ease? What’s the path of least resistance? Let go of effecting and go with the flow!
I’ve heard this often recently: “There is no such thing as a happy ending to an unhappy journey”!
Translation: stop forcing. Let go. Listen. Feel for a sense of ease and flow.
I’ve been in Medellin for less than 24 hours and my what I great journey I’ve had already.
My general plan: leave tomorrow morning for Bahia Solano…unless flights are cancelled . They have been lately. Arrive and find a way to get to El Almejal beach! Go out whale watching and hope it is not raining continuously! It can be! Hope flights leave when I’m coming back. Get on a bus…if tickets and seats are available. Find a place to stay that night. Find some form of transportation the next day to Salamina. Continue, adapt, adjust, stay calm and present, adjust some more, enjoy my time, savor all the little things that magically show up to help me along on my way!
Yesterday, I got to the airport quickly. Things slowed down waiting for a wheel chair. There were a dozen people ahead of me waiting. Waiting some more! It took 25 minutes for someone to come to help me! Then the notification that my arriving flight was late so we would be late leaving. I’d asked abut the tight connection when I booked the ticket. They assured me it would be enough.
We finally boarded and left and made good time! Once on the ground in Houston, it looked like I had adequate time! Then, we stopped on the taxi way because there was no ground crew to guide us in! And we waited. And waited. Finally, we got to the gate. And waited and waited for the door to open.
When I got off, there were several people with wheel chairs. I could walk through IAH but it can be a very long walk. The three of them had a disagreement about who should take me and if I should go at all because my flight was already boarding. I had only 15 minutes to get there. Finally, a young man from Ethiopia loaded me up and took off! We rushed to the gate! Everyone was on but one lady.
I showed them my boarding pass. My seat had been given up because I was so late. On other trips, I’ve been told flights were notified that passenger had landed and were on their way. Apparently not this time.
They had one seat left. I got on the plane and found people sitting in different seats. Shuffling ensued. People moved and helped each other. I was offered an aisle seat so I could get up and stretch my knees! I had a great conversation with Noah, the man who was juggled and would up sitting beside me!
Then we waited! And waited! And waited…. They had a mechanical issue with a seat. It was repaired and one passenger had to get off the flight. If the flight had not been delayed, I don’t believe my pack would have made the transfer!
Once Medellin, off the plane, and on to immigration, I was surprised by how crowed and slow it was! Taking a breath and staying present, I knew I’d get through. This is part of travel. However, had I not decided to walk, giving up my wheelchair, I would have been swept around the chaos and through quickly. It was OK. People chatted and helped each other.
I found an ATM and got pesos. Heading outside, I was bombarded by men offering a “taxi”. Everywhere I looked, passengers were told to take only the official white taxi’s with regulated prices and safer regulation. I walked outside where a line of Combus’s were lined up. A man said yes but then proceeded to walk past the busses. I stopped, asked a driver, got on the right bus, and we left within 5 minutes. Buses were 20,000 pesos, taxi’s upward of 130,000! What a nice ride! We stopped near San Diego shopping center and for another 20,000 pesos, I was taken 10 minutes to my hostel.
At the hostel, I realized I had booked the wrong room by mistake!?? They had a room available today but not last night. I came back from breakfast around 10:00. People left early, my room was ready. King bed, air conditioning, nice view and comfortable space.
Somehow…things always fall into place!
