"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.