After 22 hours on a bus - albeit in relative comfort and having had much more sleep than in the previous several days (heating will do that for you) - I was amped to get out and off to my CS friend's house in Santiago. But first to check the internet for news on my flight home.
The volcanic ash in Chile had been making things difficult for me and a whole lot of other people, and I did not want another barrier preventing me from getting home. The whole ordeal with the borders in Bolivia had made me very keen indeed to get back to my family and friends, and feel the security of a 1st world country once again. I never thought I'd say this, but I missed home.
I was already at my wit's end... everything was tipping me over the edge. The poor English fella that was with me on the bus from Calama - Santiago had to deal with this. First stop, the internet cafe. Where I found out my flight was cancelled. 100%. Not flying. That was the first setback. I spent half an hour on hold with the flight company while a nice man tried to find me space on an alternative flight. With no luck. I was to call back later.
Then I called my CS friend, who said she would come to the bus station to pick me up. Finally, a stroke of good fortune! So me and M waited at the ticket area where we had arranged to meet, and grabbed a pretty friggin good burger to fill our famished bellies (there is only so much several 'snack packs' can do during a 22 hour bus ride). So we waited. And kept waiting. After some unsuccessful calls to O's phone, I started getting worried. Then we found out there were 2 bus terminals. Hmm.
Once at the OTHER bus terminal, me thoroughly sick of life, I tried to call from a public phone my CS friend, and eventually she ordered me a cab to her house. This meant I still had no address for her and just had to blindly wait on the street corner for someone to tap me on the shoulder and lead me to their car. Highly safe behaviour. There were already enuf freaky men staring at me. Which is funny because I thought such a civilised part of South America would warrant slightly more subtle behaviour from pervy men.
After waiting an extended period of time, I finally received the tap, and British M bid me farewell - I wonder if he also thought it strange to walk off with a random man to a random car destined for an unknown address? Well, if he did he didn't show it!
The ride to O's house was not entirely smooth sailing. He got us completely lost and when he eventually found the correct house, I was again on the verge of losing it. That's what made the welcome even warmer at O's... her Belgian BF Y took my bag straight away and ushered me into the kitchen, where they were all just finishing off burridos and beer. Oh, the comforts of a family home! I devoured a burrido and downed a beer, and some wine, and managed to only cry once in front of them. I was doing pretty good.
I tried the airline again, but it was constantly busy, so I headed to the shower instead... oh, sweet mercy that shower was good. I must have smelt something savage when I walked in the door, and to be able to wash my body... oh, just those simple things in life can be so rewarding when you are deprived of them... And then I crawled into bed, set my alarm for 5am to call the airline again, and fell promptly to sleep.
Showing posts with label CS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CS. Show all posts
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Tranqui en San Lorenzo
Given how much mula I had been spending in Salta, I really needed some out time...and what better place to do it than San Lorenzo. Framed by the mountains that make Salta famous, this suburb is one of the better off - I know this because most of the cars are European and, rather than a soccer pitch, they have rugby. Reminded me of home. Oh home... I`ll be seeing YOU sooner than later.
I slept the first night in the room of my new CS friends` 6 year old daughter, because she was sleeping with her parents. I slept and slept and slept... and when I woke the rest of the CSers had left and the family was out taking the daughter to school. So I found the spare key and took the bouncy, 1 year old Labrador with me to find some shops for food.
Turns out that wasn`t the brightest idea, as the dogs that were behind gates soon turned into dogs without gates, and when that happened, of course fights ensued... I had to rip the Labby off a poor little thing while a patio full of locals just sat there and stared (what is it with me and dog fights???). Yeah, thanks for the help there. It was their dog, after all.
So I turned back and locked the Labby in the front yard, and proceeded to walk blindly until I found some little collection of overpriced shops to buy some rice and tuna and a couple of pieces of fruit. Oh yes, how my diet suffers with no money. But hey, it could be worse. At least I obstained from empanadas this time.
Back at the house, the family had returned and so I had a chat with them while I made lunch for everyone (seems I bought more than I needed in the end!) before the daughter L dragged me into her room to play. Her parents were both dog tired so she had no one else to entertain her. Problem was, I was also still really tired so I wasn`t really in the mood to play. Then her mum came in and asked her to tidy her room for the millionth time, and got frustrated when she didn`t so just left.
I thought it would be nice to have the little girl clean the room for her mum so I guilt-tripped her into doing it, with minimal help from me. It looked like a mountain of work to her, but I tried to make her see it wasn`t. I succeeded, more or less, to her mother`s delight and I got to read some of the Lonely Planet that I found at the house. Now I felt a little better versed with the country I was about to venture into... Bolivia.
That night, I had some nice chats with the couple and moved into the guest room which had a nice big double bed. The house is actually huge, but with minimal furniture because they had just moved in. But it is at the end of its road, and when you stand out on the patio you can see all the other houses around... massive! The one opposite even had a peacock in the yard... que al azar.
So that was one day down. Minimal money spent, plenty of relaxation time (I didn`t even walk into the forest because it looked a bit like rain and, well, I was feeling lazy) and some nice new friends. Bueno.
I slept the first night in the room of my new CS friends` 6 year old daughter, because she was sleeping with her parents. I slept and slept and slept... and when I woke the rest of the CSers had left and the family was out taking the daughter to school. So I found the spare key and took the bouncy, 1 year old Labrador with me to find some shops for food.
Turns out that wasn`t the brightest idea, as the dogs that were behind gates soon turned into dogs without gates, and when that happened, of course fights ensued... I had to rip the Labby off a poor little thing while a patio full of locals just sat there and stared (what is it with me and dog fights???). Yeah, thanks for the help there. It was their dog, after all.
So I turned back and locked the Labby in the front yard, and proceeded to walk blindly until I found some little collection of overpriced shops to buy some rice and tuna and a couple of pieces of fruit. Oh yes, how my diet suffers with no money. But hey, it could be worse. At least I obstained from empanadas this time.
Back at the house, the family had returned and so I had a chat with them while I made lunch for everyone (seems I bought more than I needed in the end!) before the daughter L dragged me into her room to play. Her parents were both dog tired so she had no one else to entertain her. Problem was, I was also still really tired so I wasn`t really in the mood to play. Then her mum came in and asked her to tidy her room for the millionth time, and got frustrated when she didn`t so just left.
I thought it would be nice to have the little girl clean the room for her mum so I guilt-tripped her into doing it, with minimal help from me. It looked like a mountain of work to her, but I tried to make her see it wasn`t. I succeeded, more or less, to her mother`s delight and I got to read some of the Lonely Planet that I found at the house. Now I felt a little better versed with the country I was about to venture into... Bolivia.
That night, I had some nice chats with the couple and moved into the guest room which had a nice big double bed. The house is actually huge, but with minimal furniture because they had just moved in. But it is at the end of its road, and when you stand out on the patio you can see all the other houses around... massive! The one opposite even had a peacock in the yard... que al azar.
So that was one day down. Minimal money spent, plenty of relaxation time (I didn`t even walk into the forest because it looked a bit like rain and, well, I was feeling lazy) and some nice new friends. Bueno.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Carnival day 1: Lost camera no. 2741
One day. That´s all it took to lose my camera in Carnival. Sigh.
I woke up this morning, in a hotel not far from my CS place - fully clothed, mind you - next to an Italian that I JUST partied with. Such a good girl. But even though I am CRAVING sex, I still have my preferences. What a good girl.
So where do I start?? Me and F went into Lapa, essentially the party place for Carnival, to a CS party that was apparently in a house far too small for the bulging guest list we had witnessed materialise online. The bouncer looked very official and the place was great, but we arrived too early and so were sent next door for a beer. Beer? No problemo. I`d had a few already with my meal at F`s (a DELICIOUS traditional Brazilian feast I ate way too much of) so I was in the mood to party.
F had said my tutu was too risque and he wouldn´t be able to protect me all night - I laughed it off... but then we were walking along the street (me sans tutu) and I noticed that actually people weren`t parading around in skimpy outfits, but quite normal, respectable party clothes. Then I saw a girl in a tutu smaller than mine and I excitedly pointed her out to F, who just said "she`s a prostitute". Fine. Point taken.
So... back to the story. We got into the party and a band started, with a bunch of people picking up drums and percussion instruments (we were told no... dammit) and we had a good boogie. Hot Argentinian and a few others from the first CS party I went to arrived, so I had a good crew. Including some cool English girls who had actually been on my flight from London. One of them kissed hot Argentinian... ahh well.
Made friends with an Italian who mentioned the word "coke"... henceforth we were besties, trawling the streets of Lapa for the magic powder. Wasn`t too hard to find, unsurprisingly. I have to admit, my memory stalls a little at this point.
And now we arrive back at the wake-up in the hotel room. I do remember thinking I recognised the area as being close to F`s house but I asked how to get there anyway at reception. The lady didn`t speak English but started to say something about me staying overnight and not paying. I knew exactly what was going on, but I played dumb while they tried to figure out where I had stayed (had no idea what room it was, to be honest) and then eventually said, "OK, thanks, bye". Confused... But happy I got the hell outta there without paying!!! Maybe they thought I was a prostitute... I just can`t win with these people.
Thought I had awoken around my normal early morning time, but it seems I have managed to shake jetlag. It was about 2:45pm. And there goes the day... oops.
Have arranged to meet Italian guy again tonight then meet some CSers at a place in Lapa... CS is really saving me here!! It is so awesome to have a community of people also looking for people to party with. And they are mostly really nice... one guy even said he`d give me a job if I wanted to stay in Rio. Apparently he owns about 15 hotels. And teaches dance, which could be fun (except I think the kind of dance he wants to do with me is more horizontal). Hmmm... well, at least I have options.
I woke up this morning, in a hotel not far from my CS place - fully clothed, mind you - next to an Italian that I JUST partied with. Such a good girl. But even though I am CRAVING sex, I still have my preferences. What a good girl.
So where do I start?? Me and F went into Lapa, essentially the party place for Carnival, to a CS party that was apparently in a house far too small for the bulging guest list we had witnessed materialise online. The bouncer looked very official and the place was great, but we arrived too early and so were sent next door for a beer. Beer? No problemo. I`d had a few already with my meal at F`s (a DELICIOUS traditional Brazilian feast I ate way too much of) so I was in the mood to party.
F had said my tutu was too risque and he wouldn´t be able to protect me all night - I laughed it off... but then we were walking along the street (me sans tutu) and I noticed that actually people weren`t parading around in skimpy outfits, but quite normal, respectable party clothes. Then I saw a girl in a tutu smaller than mine and I excitedly pointed her out to F, who just said "she`s a prostitute". Fine. Point taken.
So... back to the story. We got into the party and a band started, with a bunch of people picking up drums and percussion instruments (we were told no... dammit) and we had a good boogie. Hot Argentinian and a few others from the first CS party I went to arrived, so I had a good crew. Including some cool English girls who had actually been on my flight from London. One of them kissed hot Argentinian... ahh well.
Made friends with an Italian who mentioned the word "coke"... henceforth we were besties, trawling the streets of Lapa for the magic powder. Wasn`t too hard to find, unsurprisingly. I have to admit, my memory stalls a little at this point.
And now we arrive back at the wake-up in the hotel room. I do remember thinking I recognised the area as being close to F`s house but I asked how to get there anyway at reception. The lady didn`t speak English but started to say something about me staying overnight and not paying. I knew exactly what was going on, but I played dumb while they tried to figure out where I had stayed (had no idea what room it was, to be honest) and then eventually said, "OK, thanks, bye". Confused... But happy I got the hell outta there without paying!!! Maybe they thought I was a prostitute... I just can`t win with these people.
Thought I had awoken around my normal early morning time, but it seems I have managed to shake jetlag. It was about 2:45pm. And there goes the day... oops.
Have arranged to meet Italian guy again tonight then meet some CSers at a place in Lapa... CS is really saving me here!! It is so awesome to have a community of people also looking for people to party with. And they are mostly really nice... one guy even said he`d give me a job if I wanted to stay in Rio. Apparently he owns about 15 hotels. And teaches dance, which could be fun (except I think the kind of dance he wants to do with me is more horizontal). Hmmm... well, at least I have options.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
A Brazilian... in Brazil???
Sitting in a central Rio apartment with the window open, a nice warm breeze blowing in while salsa softly plays in the background... Yep, I`m in Brazil...
After having to get up before the asscrack of dawn in Vienna yesterday to get a plane to Heathrow then getting another 12-hour plane to Rio, I was BUGGERED by the time I reached my hotel. And kinda drunk and disorientated. But more on that later.
I had little trouble with the early morning airport mission in Vienna, R gave me great instructions over a bottle of wine the night before (such a lovely girl!) and being so central in the city, it took hardly any time to get to the airport (and it was so cheap!!). Except for getting momentarily lost looking for the second train station. Mental note: drunks give shit directions.
The plane ride to Rio was entertaining... can´t remember part of it because I got a little drunk - well I think I can´t remember it because suddenly the plane began to descend - but made lots of friends from Holland, Germany, Italy and England. Some tried to get me to have a drink at Rio airport but waved them off, promising to meet on Copacabana beach later on as my little Brazilian driver carried my bags away. Yep, that is indeed how I roll.
The airport transfer was a godsend. I would not have navigated the 40-odd minute journey into town very well in my state. Tried to speak Spanish a little bit with the driver, he understood a little a bit and returned in Portuguese... I also understand a little. Meh, better than nothing. At least I managed to ask him to crank some tunes on the way there to sing along to. Hey presto, Snoop Dogg, BOB et al...
Had to nip out to the local late-night food joint to get a burger of some description as I was FAMISHED. Came back to eat it at the hotel and it was a kaleidescope of meats... I guess that`s what you get when you point and shoot at the shop counter. Had to buy water as well, after staying in Austria for so long kinda got used to drinking the tap water. Tried it here. Mistake. Heavily chlorinated.
Confirmed to meet my new CS friend F the next morning (after breakfast of course) and rolled into bed about midnight, which equals to a few hours later Austrian time. Buggered. But also excited about the next couple of weeks. Still a bit scared about my money sitch, but I think I´ll manage to charm some poor sucker into giving me a job...
Rio is a bit grimey, as expected, but there is definitely a cool vibe here, and certainly plenty of skin to look at. The girls have brilliantly Brazilian asses, and tight clothes to show them off (I think I will fit in just fine here) and there have been more than a handful of hot guys to stroll past and pretend not to be staring out. But I saw them lookin at me... yeah that´s right.
My hotel - super sweet score from my travel agent fuck-up - is nicer than I thought it would be, the staff speak perfect English and there are lots of tourists wandering around I am sure to make friends with at some stage lounging out on the rooftop pool. Speaking of, I must jet to the beautician to sort myself out. So, in Brazil, is it really called a "Brazilian"???
After having to get up before the asscrack of dawn in Vienna yesterday to get a plane to Heathrow then getting another 12-hour plane to Rio, I was BUGGERED by the time I reached my hotel. And kinda drunk and disorientated. But more on that later.
I had little trouble with the early morning airport mission in Vienna, R gave me great instructions over a bottle of wine the night before (such a lovely girl!) and being so central in the city, it took hardly any time to get to the airport (and it was so cheap!!). Except for getting momentarily lost looking for the second train station. Mental note: drunks give shit directions.
The plane ride to Rio was entertaining... can´t remember part of it because I got a little drunk - well I think I can´t remember it because suddenly the plane began to descend - but made lots of friends from Holland, Germany, Italy and England. Some tried to get me to have a drink at Rio airport but waved them off, promising to meet on Copacabana beach later on as my little Brazilian driver carried my bags away. Yep, that is indeed how I roll.
The airport transfer was a godsend. I would not have navigated the 40-odd minute journey into town very well in my state. Tried to speak Spanish a little bit with the driver, he understood a little a bit and returned in Portuguese... I also understand a little. Meh, better than nothing. At least I managed to ask him to crank some tunes on the way there to sing along to. Hey presto, Snoop Dogg, BOB et al...
Had to nip out to the local late-night food joint to get a burger of some description as I was FAMISHED. Came back to eat it at the hotel and it was a kaleidescope of meats... I guess that`s what you get when you point and shoot at the shop counter. Had to buy water as well, after staying in Austria for so long kinda got used to drinking the tap water. Tried it here. Mistake. Heavily chlorinated.
Confirmed to meet my new CS friend F the next morning (after breakfast of course) and rolled into bed about midnight, which equals to a few hours later Austrian time. Buggered. But also excited about the next couple of weeks. Still a bit scared about my money sitch, but I think I´ll manage to charm some poor sucker into giving me a job...
Rio is a bit grimey, as expected, but there is definitely a cool vibe here, and certainly plenty of skin to look at. The girls have brilliantly Brazilian asses, and tight clothes to show them off (I think I will fit in just fine here) and there have been more than a handful of hot guys to stroll past and pretend not to be staring out. But I saw them lookin at me... yeah that´s right.
My hotel - super sweet score from my travel agent fuck-up - is nicer than I thought it would be, the staff speak perfect English and there are lots of tourists wandering around I am sure to make friends with at some stage lounging out on the rooftop pool. Speaking of, I must jet to the beautician to sort myself out. So, in Brazil, is it really called a "Brazilian"???
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