distances

One of the biggest mistakes I can make is to underestimate the distance between two places. I mean, Riga is not very far away from Tallinn, roughly 300 km. I was super sure that I was going to make it quite easy. I didn't. Well, kind of.

It was super hard to leave Tallinn behind. I wanted to leave at 7 so I could be at the (HHing) spot around 8. Nope! I started having breakfast around 8. I had all my shit packed and ready. I just didn't want to leave. Had one last cigarette with Liisa. I promise, I will improve my rolling skills so next time I will roll them in no time!

The hardest part about traveling is when you have to say "see you later" to the people you care about. Hard and I hate it! Why can't I take them with me? Why can't they just come with me? Sorry for the sudden burst of selfishness, it's maybe because I still haven't had my morning dose of caffeine.

Finally had the courage to leave. Manuel walked me to the bus stop. By the way, there were no controls, I was nervous the entire time! I was very anxious. A few times I've tried to hitch out of Tallinn but only once I was picked up. I had the help of hot blonde that time. This time is was the green haired, pierced and skinny me. A bit more than an hour later I was standing just before the turn off to Haapsalu. Finally! I succeeded, I managed to hitch out of Tallinn on my own! I was only 30 km away though. 

Another couple of hours and I was in Pärnu living my worst nightmare: getting dropped at the entrance of the city. About three hours later it was getting dark and I was already looking for a plan B in case I had to stay the night there. Thought about going back to Tallinn but doing that would mean only one thing: not leaving again. As tempting as it was I needed to keep going. The walk across town took two me hours. Half an hour later, Wojtek, a weed smoking polish truck driver was offering to take to 30 km past Białystok. Maybe he was just talkative, very talkative or maybe he was very high. Most likely the latter one. He had a gazillion stories to tell. He was in the middle of the storie when suddenly he stopped talking. "Wait, what was I telling you?". Are you fucking kidding me? You were telling me something 30 seconds ago and you already forgotten about it? he was funny as fuck though. At the beginning it was funny but then he kept smoking and we got to a point that it was not funny anymore, in fact it was scary.

Six hours later, a bit of salad and goulash I was in Kaunas.

I was more than sure that I was not going to make it to Kaunas in one day. I was even starting to doubt that I was going to make it Riga! Contrary to my own "rule" about starting early, this time I started late. I was still at less than halfway by the time I could had be in my destination if I had started earlier. But then in a turn of events, when everything seemed lost, when I almost had lost the hope of even leaving Pärnu, when I was thinking of logging into CS as ask for an emergency couch, everything changed. Not only I found a ride but that ride would take me to Kaunas, almost 600 km south.

To round up things, I'm staying in Kaunas with a wonderful host. In a few days I will hitchhike to Poland. I will not do it alone. I'm hitchhiking with a guy from Vilnius. Let's see how it goes.

weather

Sometimes happens to me that when I don't have anything else to talk about with the person I'm with I start (or the other person) to talk about the weather. 

I figured I could apply this to my writing: I don't have anything else to write so I will write about the weather.  Actually it's not a bad thing to write about the weather. It's autumn. Summer is long gone... if it in fact we had summer...

It's amazing how you can adapt to the environment. Not only humans can do this, during the Industrial Revolution, an species of butterfly changed color adapting to the new environment. Like that butterfly I too adapted to the environment. I think I knew it all along that I was going to end up in Estonia because the first time I came to Europe was winter and I chose Norway... fucking cold and fucking dark!

I'm going to fast forward from Norway to Czech. I'm living in lovely Prahaha (not a typo error) and from what I heard it was one of the coldest winters in many years. Average temperature was between -15ºC and -10ºC with some days a bit colder. Felt colder due the fact that I had to stand completely naked in front of art students drawing my boney body. Poland was also fucking cold but I had a lot of sex making it alright.

I was back in Europe and left Estonia in the beginning of autumn. I was now leaving in Berlin. I've gotten used to the weather so well that in november I was still wearing havaianas outside. Early november at least.

So I said I can adapt. The other night I went for a walk and I thought the weather was "chilly". It was -2ºC. What the hell happened to me!? That was the first negative so far and it will only get colder (and darker).  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm just pointing out that I'm used to this kind a weather.

The reason why I don't gain weight is because I have a fast metabolism...

happy place!

Last year, in December I was writing about finding a state of mind (wonderland) and/or a nice physical place I like to refer to it as "my happy place".

I think I finally achieved that. Wonderland has finally reached my head and it will stay there!

I also think that I might have found my happy place. It's been under my nose for almost a year but it was not until a few months that I realized that Estonia might be indeed my happy place! it's funny because I always said that I never saw myself living here. Fuck, spend another winter in Tallinn? Alright, I wouldn't mind spending winter somewhere warm where I could swim naked in the ocean but I definitely don't mind staying here.

Estonia and Tallinn had become the country and city I've stayed the longer, surpassing the USA and Prague. I stayed in the US for 6 months and in Prague for 3 and a half. I have been in Estonia for 7 months in total and Tallinn for 5 and I'm looking forward for more!

Yesterday someone asked me how would I rate Tallinn in a scale from 1 to 10... I said 11. Why? Because I've met some wonderful people here. Because I keep meeting amazing people here.Because I've done some crazy shit here. Because Tallinn is one of the most beautiful cities I've been. Because I love the sound the snow makes when I'm walking. Because I love the long summer days. Because I love the autumn colors. Because I love to see a frozen Baltic Sea (and walk on it). Because Tallinn have a prison that held parties now and then. Because Estonia has beaches with pine trees instead of palm trees. BBecause the list could go on and on and on.

Wherever I go in the future, no matter how far I might end up, I will always come back to this place. Actually I've done it before. I was in the Southern Hemisphere last year, alright I was just a few hundreds kilometers South but still! now I'm 800 kilometers from the Artic Circle.

So here I am in Tallinn, Estonia a month short of being one year in Europe (this time) and about two of being 4 years on the road.

I'm actually really looking forward for the winter...

my mum always told that things happen for a reason

A year ago, I had to go back home to get everything stolen after having hitchhiking a lot. One warm evening in July I lost all my shit. All my material possessions were lost. I'm not the kind of person that is attached to material stuff but it's that I had some nice things given to me by friends, former lovers, family. It was today, a year ago.

One thing that I really didn't get the chance to fully enjoy was my travel hammock. After attempting to sleep in it with the girl I was traveling with after a few times I finally gave up and day dreamt about hanging it in my mum's garage and spend some quality time reading and sleeping. Never going to happen as it was inside my backpack and was lost forever.

My mum had always told me that things happens for a reason. Having all my shit stolen was maybe the beginning of the end. Or more like, halfway through the end. Now that I look back, it was for the better, way fucking better.

I am a magnet for crazy women. I've confirmed that. I was talking to this guy the other da and he told that actually I was very lucky with my previous relationships were with wackos. Why? I asked. Because everyday you have a new girl! This specially happened in South America. 

Maybe all that shit happened because some supernatural power wanted me back in Estonia. And God am I enjoying my time here! I really love this tiny country. Tiny? yup, it's about half the size of Guatemala. I don't what it is about it, maybe it's becoming my happy place? naaahhh... But what if it is? It's scary!

Like my mum told me, things happen for a reason. Things didn't work out last year, I had to come up with all my shit and came back to Europe. Came back to Estonia. At the beginning things weren't all that good so I moved back to Tallinn. Now things here couldn't be better. I'm happy. 

Someone is getting a post card soon because I'm fucking happy! 

mid-fucking-summer

Photo by Joxemi

This was supposed to be posted before the "weirdness" post but I completely forgot about it. Maybe it was exactly because of that, of my weird state of mine... that I still have.

Maybe I should've waited until my birthday celebrations/midsummer were over to write something about it.

I knew that in Scandinavia celebrate midsummer. I think I had an idea that also is celebrated in the Baltic States, what I didn't know was that it was a big celebration over here. I've never been to any Scandinavian country during this celebration, or in summertime for that matter. My first time in Estonia I was a couple of weeks too late. Another thing I didn't know was that is celebrated on my fucking birthday! What are the odds for that!?

But it was not all happiness. The few Estonian friends I know were going to celebrate the bonfire in the country side. I was going to stay in Tallinn. I've heard that Tallinn was going to be dead. That was far from being the truth. I mean, there was a bonfire on the beach on Patarei prison. It was a huge (at least for me) bonfire.

Photo by Joxemi

I think I've spent my best birthday so far. I've drank with people from many countries. I've met new people. New wonderful people.

I don't know what else to write. I have been in a weird state of mind that prevents me to write something worth reading. Not that I'm good at it but at least, I would like to think, that it doesn't suck that much.

another year gone by

Another year has gone by. Another birthday spend in another country. One year older.

Bochol, Germany. 2010

Four birthdays had gone by since I started traveling. Four (actually 6: 2011 "celebrations" started in Hungary, then on the Slovakian roads and finished in Austria)

This time I'm Estonia and actually my birthday is during this big holiday of midsummer. Although is mostly big in the country side and most people will be away from Tallinn, there are parties for people in the city. Lucky me!

I wish I could write something interesting but I can't. I don't feel inspired, at all. Things at the moment could be better. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not.

One thing is for sure, I'm going to have a beer (or eight) with good people. I will try not to fall asleep. Good luck with that. I'm going to a bonfire on the beach near the Patarei prison with my friends from the other hostels.

Cartagena, Colombia. 2012

The day it's not over yet so I maybe I can still have my birthday wishes come true. One is not happening unfortunately. I'm watching the Metallica Rock in Rio concert of 2011 and it saddens me that I'm not going to be able to see them play this year in Roskilde. Last year I missed it because I was in Colombia but this year being so close...

Roskilde is the perfect example why I don't like to plan. Although I had to in order to secure my spot in the Boenne crew. Every time I plan something, that plan falls apart. Shite.

alive!

Time flies.

I feel like yesterday when I was eating a baleada with Dario and his family. Or going out for one with Andre in Tulum. Or getting drunk with two beers with Wim, Katrien and other friends in Hasselt just coming out of the airport, jetlagged and exhausted. But fucking fun! This was last year, more than 6 months ago!

I survived the winter in Estonia. I survived the season I avoided successfully two years ago. When I left the first time I knew I was coming back. 

It's been two months since I moved to the country side. Doing almost a bit of everything. The thing I like the most is that I get to use some really cool machines. Well, at least they're cool to me as I never ever before used or even touched them! 

Living with Rauno & Anne's family has given me the chance to experience Estonia like never before. I went to Anne's mum's house once and ate grandmother's food! You know that grandma's food is the best! Not that I didn't like living in a hostel, I loved it by the way, except the snoring.

The other day we went to oil eggs of this aquatic bird. Its overpopulation is altering the ecosystem. What we did was cover the eggs with ink mixed with oil so the birds won't go back to the nest, alas controlling the birthrate. I have never seen so many nests in my entire life. Never seen so many birds at the same time before. Never seen a chick in the wild in my life before. I've never been soaking wet onboard a dinghy when it's 10C before. But it was worth it.

Actually getting to those two islands was quite an adventure. We didn't have any kind of navigation system. Ok, we had a GPS but I don't know if it worked Ok or not. I thought of myself I was onboard the Andrea Gail... hoping that we wouldn't end up like the Andrea Gail! I'm writing this so we didn't. Unlucky you, I will still write crap :-)

The long days of summer are finally here. Not the warm weather tho. It's supposed to be warm. Sometimes it's hot but it's windy. Sometimes it's not warm and it's raining... Spring, you're drunk! The other day I was looking outside the window and it was not dark nor bright. It was like when the sun is going down but also it was like when the sun is coming up. I began to think what was really happening: is the sun going down or coming up. Ron, you're drunk! No, I'm not! if I was drunk the sun would going around in circles over my head. Maybe the sun is going sideways... Sun, you're drunk! I know it's not the midnight sun but I'm not that North. I think I saw a glimpse of the midnight sun when I was in Iceland in 2010.  There is a movie that the main character is affected by the lack of darkness (can you say this: lack of darkness?) Ron, you're drunk! No, I'm not! I'm sleepy but I can't go to sleep because I don't know if the sun is going down or coming up! The sun is the one that is drunk, not me!

The movie I was thinking about is actually a Northamerican remake of a Norwegian movie. I would like to see both. The last Norwegian movie I saw was crap, I hope this won't be.

Ok, I better go to sleep and stop writing crap. I should get up early tomorrow... eeer, today. In a few hours. No, tomorrow! my friend Annika says that is "tomorrow" because you still haven't gone to bed. Ok, so I better go to sleep because tomorrow I have to wake up early.

My birthday lands on midsummers. Even Estonia celebrates my birthday! Don't know what I'm going to do for it. Probably nothing. Or get drunk. Or try to get laid. Naah, most likely nothing. Or most likely I will get drunk and jump into the cold river and have my testicles up to my throat!

Now I should really go to bed. I'm writing nonsense. But I can't seem to stop. But I should. Should I? Yes, I should. 

Head ööd. Or tere hommikust. Whatever. Choose which ever you want. I don't care. Ta ta!

"My life has taken an interesting curve"

Indeed it has.

Having been born and raised in the tropics, when I think of a beach the first thing that comes to my mind are palm trees. Black sand beaches (Guatemala's Pacific coast is all made of volcanic origin black sand). The sound of the waves breaking up right in front of the beach. Watching the sun coming up from the water and at the end of the day watching it going deep into the mighty waters (this can happen given to Guatemala's particular coast line) and try to see the last (green I think) ray of light before the sun continues its path of warming up us earthlings. Wow... did I just had an homesick attack? no, probably not but it was nice to remember the sunset in Monterrico. At least the last time I saw was last summer.

Then I traveled abroad for the first time, I was 9 when I went for the first time to the States and for the first time I saw white sand. Later I found out that Guatemala has also white sand beaches in the Caribbean coast. For me palm trees are something that had been part of my life that I even found it funny when I was told by the person I was travelling with in Colombia that it was her first time looking (and touching) a palm tree. I just couldn't believe it, but it was true.

When I think about a sea (or ocean) I think about warm weather and warm (more or less) waters. Me wearing shorts and showing off my spaghetti legs.  Seagulls and pelicans and other aquatic birds flying around and shitting everywhere. First time I came to Europe I was in shock: I chose Norway in the winter! Sea level but no palm trees, no sand, snow everywhere and no warmth! It was strange for me to be at sea level and being that cold. One other thing that shocked me were the very short days: about 4-5 hours of sunlight! 

Now, I'm in different latitudes. I'm about 800 kilometers from the Arctic circle. Let me put it this way, a beach is different around here. Instead of palm trees there are pine trees! Instead coconuts you see birches. Instead of, ok not instead but aside from seagulls you see woodpeckers and herons. Instead of stray dogs if you're lucky you could see a bear or a deer!

"Life has taken an interesting curve" as I'm living a different life now. Healthier. I'm breathing the purest air. Every time I wake up I can hear the sound of hundreds birds singing but ok I could also hear them when I was in Panama City. I'm actually gaining weight for the first time since I lived with my auntie in early 2010 (not counting my time in mummy's house) which wasn't a lot. I thought about working out but then realized that all the work I was doing was worth the work out! I was asking myself today why I haven't gone to the beach and see the sunset, I've seen it from Linnahall twice, why not the beach near by away from everything and everybody? Maybe unconsciously I'm waiting for someone to go with...

In a few weeks I will move to Tallinn and live on board a boat but I'm coming back often to the country side. It's going to be nice, switching back and forth two completely different and opposite places.

I was walking the other day when I was in Tallinn and realized that it has been almost two years since I walked in its street without snow! It's very nice although I miss the sound the snow makes when you're walking over it. It's funny how accustomed to weather I am now, it's 14C and I working in shorts and a tshirt, which actually was the first time in more than half a year that I was able to wear shorts outside! The last time I did that was when I was in Mexico last year. The other day it was 9C and I was only wearing a polar. Ok, standing on the road when it's windy it's not very wise but in the city was fine.

My iPod was stolen the other night. Shit!

shocked!

I don't like to read or watch the news. I just don't like it. But sometimes in unavoidable, like when I found out that Chavez died: I was taking a break from the nightmare-ish hitchhiking day I was having. I was sitting inside the service station's restaurant when I looked at the TV and looked what was just happened.

I had this situation the other day, I was facebooking when I read two of my friend's statuses and I didn't even  read anything but I had an idea of what was it about. I knew some retired motherfucking general was being trialed back home in Guatemala. I wished it was a mistake but I went on the news website and to my frustration it was true.

There is a God and the annulment of the trial lasted only a few hours. Another judge overruled the annulment of the trial and it's back on track!

On another note I did a bit of rural hitchhiking. At least the part to get to the highway from Pudisoo, I never thought it was going to be that easy! I found the second ride in a village called "Loo". I pictured myself having this conversation with a driver:
- tere
- tere
- something something in estonian
- I don't speak estonian
- where are you going?
- I'm going to the loo...

And last but not least, when I was standing on the highway, a taxi drove me to Tallinn! Never thought this would happened in Europe but I remember that it happened to me before when I left Lisboa.

Middle of Nowhere, Estonia

It's the day before my brother's birthday. It's (when I started to write) 16.00, I've just finished eating dinner and I'm exhausted. I was shoveling snow even before breakfast and of course I continued after. My back is aching. This is my first job involving manual labor... and I love it! Specially because I'm in the country side. I'm living in the small village of Pudisoo, some 50 km east of Tallinn within Lahemaa National Park limits. 30 min walk and I can witness an imposing frozen Baltic Sea. Air can't get any more fresh. The only times I've seen so many stars in the sky had been when I was in a secluded beach in Guatemala or Nicaragua or Ecuador or Colombia or when I was sailing to Colombia.

How the hell did I end up here? To answer that I have to go back to the summer of 2010. 

Imagine this scenario: second time hitchhiking alone in Europe. The distance wasn't that great, it was just over 300km but involved crossing the Baltic Sea and having someone to take on board the ferry, for free. Long story short: I spent 5 hours looking for a ride when shortly after 21.00 someone picked me up. Not only that he gave me a ride, he fed me that evening (and following morning), let me sleep inside his VW bus and took me 60 kms to the next town so I could catch the train to KBN.

A year later he gave me a job while I was volunteering in a hostel in Tallinn.

Now, he's my boss again. His name is Rauno and I'm working in his guesthouse and soon I will move on board the SV Blue Sirius and share my life between the countryside and the life at sea.

Having grown up in a city, moving to the countryside was something exciting! I have never lived in a place with so many trees before and with air this fresh! A frozen Baltic Sea is only a 30min walk away. By the way, I'm really glad I didn't go to Pirita before. The frozen beach I had the opportunity to see was completely deserted. Walking on a frozen sea was one of the most exciting things I have ever done. I've walked on frozen lakes or rivers but not a sea. Now I would like to walk on a frozen ocean!

Even though life here is good there are some things that (for me) are not: there are no pubs!  I can't have a beer, no well, actually I had a few beers so far. Four in week's time. I don't have anyone to get drunk with. But on the other hand, that's good, is it? The closest shop is 6kms away. I've heard about the existence of neighbours but I actually haven't seen them :-) Today when I was shoveling snow and moving some pieces of wood, the only living being around me was Lady the dog! I. Love. It!

Soon I'll move back to Tallinn and start moving back and forth sharing my time between two opposite places. Let's see what happens...

By the way, it's 20.10 when I finishing writing this post. And I'm publishing it the following day, on my brother's birthday.

Can't stay away from...

Poland.

I had this long draft ready to be published but I changed my mind and not going to do it. Just going to say that going back to Poland was nice, as always. I shared some great times with great people. Poland will always be in my top list and I will always keep going back. I felt like home when I stayed in my home for the spring of 2011, the Goodbye Lenin Pub & Garden. I would really recommend this hostel, as a super plus, they have their own pub and the receptionists are hot... makes me wonder why did I ever leave that place? Jokes aside, the staff is wonderful and the facilities are awesome. Special thanks to my former boss Paweł for let me crash for a couple of nights.

Will I ever get to see the Tatry, please tell someday I will dammit!

But I had to leave, a job was waiting for me in Tallinn. In the petrol station I found one of my rides there was an Estonian car tanking. I was not that lucky, the car was full. My aim was to make it to Kaunas. I surpassed that and luckily I made it to Riga BUT I was in the same petrol station I was stuck 2 years before for 12 hours. This time though there were several trucks including two with Estonian license plates. Long story short: I spent the night in the toilet and by 5.45 I was already on my way to Tartu. By 9 I was in Tartu but it was still early and I had the option of going to a town 50km from the Russian border so I went. The town's name is Johvi. From there it was easy to get to Tallinn.

 I took this photo before the ride mentioned above, it was before 5.00 in the morning. Before I walked inside the shop and drank two hot chocolates. I was shaking, I have no idea how cold it was but it felt like -20C!

The small white circle on the left it's the moon not a light post.