Updates From Lima

Clearly it has been a while since my last entry. I have my reasons, none of which are important. Sometimes it is just the way of the road. Rather than bore you with a mound of details that simply weren’t worth dedicating full entries to, I will give you a quick overview of where I have been since my last correspondence.

From Puerto Lopez we went south to Montanita. This was a very lively surf town, with a great party scene. I did little partying, and no surfing. Most of my time was spent lounging in a hammock at our beach front hostel, listening to the waves crash up against the shoreline. We spent a few of the days spending time with a couple of local travellers on vacation from Quito. We played cards, shared stories, enjoyed some cocktails at night, and simply relaxed. At night the waves drowned out all other sound, and I slept peacefully with out a care in the world.

A three hour bus ride took us to Guayaquil next. We spent only three nights there. We met up with Dave, a friend we made back in Puerto Lopez, and some of his friends that lived in Guayaquil, Scott and Nicole. They were great hosts, inviting us to their home and taking us out to the best spots in town each night we were there. Quite frankly, there was not much to do in Guayaquil, but fun is measured by the company you keep. I was in great company, and had an awesome time there.

My time in Ecuador ended there. Next stop, Peru. Eight hours stood between Guayaquil and Mancora. The bus trip was very comfortable, and went off without a hitch. We arrived in Mancora at 3am, put our things in a hostel that would have been condemned in the US, and joined the party that was raging on the beach. This was a sign of things to come over the following two weeks.

The next morning we moved into the Loki del Mar. This hostel can be described as nothing less than a backpacker’s paradise. The main building looks like it belongs along a quiet beach in the Mediterranean. The structure is clean white stucco (or at least it appears to be), with curved balconies that give it the feel of a stream of perfect waves. The balconies overlook lounge chairs surrounding an odd-shaped pool that fits like no other would. Directly next to the pool is the bar, surrounded by a large open area, some tables, and a ping pong table. It is such a perfect set-up that my description really can’t do it justice. The best part of it all, it is sunny every day, without fail.

I won’t lie; this hostel is there for the sole purpose of partying and surfing. Since I have yet to learn the latter, you can guess what my time consisted of in Mancora. On Wednesday and Saturday nights they have theme parties that people get in full costume to enjoy. Fortunately, for me, I don’t think there are many pictures, but time will tell.

Many afternoons and nights were spent at that bar. To some that may seem counterproductive to travel, but quite honestly, in a place like Mancora, nights at the bar are the essence of travel. I met amazing people from all over the world. No one judged. There were no cliques. It was just one seamless group of friends with the common goal of sharing stories from the road, and having fun. Many nights ended on the beach for sunrise to watch the birds plummet into the ocean for their morning meal, and the surfers trying to catch some good early morning waves.

As amazing a place as the Loki Mancora was, at the advanced age of 23, my body can only take so much these days. So, after a twelve day stint in paradise, I made the decision to move south to Lima. Bobby decided that his time was not quite up however. He stayed up north to work behind the bar for a couple of extra weeks. He seemed to really love the place and I’m positive he is enjoying his time.

Eighteen hours later I found myself in Lima, Miraflores to be precise. I spent four nights in a hostel in the best part of the city, and today I moved into an apartment just a few blocks away. It is a house designed for students spending extended time in the city to study. Most of them speak limited English so it will help me greatly with my progression in Spanish. I also start formal classes this week. As my Spanish comprehension gets better, so will my experience in Latin America. The greater my language skills become, the more interaction I will be able to have with locals, and inevitably the more genuine my travel experiences will become.

I’m off now to go mingle with my new housemates. Don’t worry, I will have a new blog update very soon. Bye for now…