Long, looooong time in Santa Cruz

Whatever will I do myself when I return to the real world of responsibility? I have grown accustomed to the traveling lifestyle, with change and novelties brought anew everyday. There is no time to be bored, to grow tired of things. More terrifying yet is the fact that I have stopped for about a month now in Santa Cruz, Bolivia to visit a friend I made in Brazil. Day to day life is very much slower. I have the same bed to sleep in every night (and it is comfortable!), I have routine, and I can rest. No squeaky dorm beds in loud dorm rooms, no rattling busses traveling through the long hours of the night. The rest and relaxation I have felt since arriving here justifies me calling this stop a vacation from my vacation. Not that I am complaining about traveling, just that all the moving around does make you pretty tired. But if indeed I am growing accustomed to traveling vacations, then taking vacation from that vacation, then what am I to do when I return to home and get a job? I have now been out of the country going on 10 months. 10 MONTHS!! That is insane. Babies are made and born within that time. I was originally planning on being gone a long 5 months. 10 months later I find myself in Bolivia, a hop, skip, and heck of a long way from home. And those 10 months have been filled with Brazilian weddings, Argentinean barbeques, Paraguayan terere, Uruguayan mate, samba nights, salsa nights, amazing (and sometimes not so amazing) food, trekking, stunning natural scenery, tall mountains, warm beaches, wine tasting, beer tasting, river rafting, horseback riding, volcano climbing, salt flat adventuring, playing soccer with 20 different nationalities in 5 different countries, being shocked by culture, and more incredible experiences (and how can I forget the unforgettable places I have found myself going to the bathroom in?). If I could go back and do it over again, I would have studied traveling as my major. Civil engineering was alright, aside from nearly killing me my last year, but I have a feeling concrete might not offer all the perks that come with having a guidebook, a backpack, and absolutely no idea where you are in the middle of some foreign city.

So what have I been up to? Here are some highlights:

Abercrombie & Fitch Salesman
My friend I am visiting here has his own shop selling A&F, Hollister, and some American Eagle clothing. At first I just started hanging out there, but soon I was giving out prices, selling clothes, giving discounts, and closing down the shop. Actually, the majority of the time I really just chill and listen to music and get some good reading in.


Cuban Night (more pictures)
The big daddies of cigars, Cubans are renowned for their quality. In reality, I have no idea what makes a good cigar and what doesn’t, but I do know that they are banned in the States so their appeal goes up just by that fact alone. So since I am in the whole traveling spirit of experiencing new things, I decided to check out the Cuban Night at a local café, where one can purchase real Cuban cigars and smoke them in candle light ambiance. The experience was fun and interesting, and while I wasn’t sick or hacking up a lung or anything, I don’t know that I will ever feel the need to smoke a cigar again. I have done it, with those world famous Cubans no less, so that is enough for me. The part of the night was dressing goofy and taking pictures like we were some kind of elite Cuban cigar smokers.

La Quinta (more pictures)
My friend’s sister has a country home that is absolutely spectacular. I spent three different weekends there, and it was amazing. What can be better than having a soccer pitch, pool, large barbeque (usually full of meat and sausage for you to eat), beautiful setting and view, and spacious chill out places to chill out in, all to yourself? Filling it with friends and enjoying it of course. We met some cool volunteers from all over the world, and since they were staying in the city as well and not moving around, we had some good times together. Whether it was my friend’s family, our friends, or whoever, it was always a good time at La Quinta.


Learning (Proper) English
Some of the volunteers I met in Santa Cruz were Brits, and it was quite interesting hanging out and conversing with them. We all seem to share the view that going home to real life will be bollocks and we quite fancy the traveling lifestyle. As it has turned out there has been quite a few adventures. Whether it is risking our lives by sitting in the boot of an overcrowded taxi, getting rat-arsed at theirs and waking up feeling knackered, venturing to mental football matches, searching for loo roll after Bolivian meals, or simply taking the piss out of each other while wrapping sarnies in cling film and eating spag bol, it has all been just lovely.


Pardon? You can’t understand anything I just wrote? Ok…I will switch back to American. =)

Football Matches
I was able to see a clasico game in Santa Cruz, which is when the two home teams play one another. It was another great soccer experience with crazed fans and a great game. In the first half 6 goals were scored in 26 minutes (unreal!), all of them quality. Singing, drumming, dancing, jumping, and especially cussing echoed in the stadium walls. Because both teams were at home, it was a good fifty-fifty split in fans, making for a very passionate game. At previous games there was apparently rioting and tear gas, but we managed to avoid that scene this time. Exciting event nonetheless.

Leaving is impossible
I was in Santa Cruz a long, long while. I tried to leave maybe 5 times then always ended up staying. First it was just the enjoyment of not having to pack up the bag and move again. Then I thought about taking off but that week was the Easter holy week, a week long celebration where everything basically shuts down. Then a friend I had met was going to leave the weekend after so we decided to travel together, but then there were 2 day road blocks starting the night we wanted to leave, so she flew to Argentina and I decided to stay another weekend to go to the birthday party of the guy whose house I am staying in. I was for sure going to leave that next Monday until two of my other friends convinced me to stay a few more days because they were going to La Paz as well. We aren't sure how we are going to get there, as there are more and more roadblocks occuring between here and La Paz. Will I ever leave?