Barrels, Baguettes, and Aloha

A train from Barcelona up to San Sebastian, a walk to the bus station, a chat with an unfriendly Aussie surf chick, and a short bus ride across the border and, after a week in Spain, I was off to France.  Again, I had no confirmed plans for accomodation and a loose plan to meet up with a friend (Hayley in fact who was now in Biarritz) but no sure form of communication other than the previous days email messages sent from some internet cafe.  I crossed my fingers we'd find each other easily enough.  That wasn't case. 

Biarritz is not very big but, now in France - another new language, not easy to deciphere when you aren't sure where you are going!?!  I had been to Tahiti (aka French Polynesia) in 2008 but my French was limited.  Other than the typical greeting of "Bonjour" not much had stuck and I was certain the words 'rendevous', 'chalet', or 'pierre' wheren't gonna get me anywhere either.  I had a place written down to meet up with Hayley but, when I arrived, it was closed and no one was around (later I would learn I had missed her my less than 5 minutes). Dang!

I wondered around the coast of the city and zigged & zagged thru a bunch of the streets kind of hoping to stumble across a hostel or a street name that matched what I had written.  A few inquiries with some locals yielded confused looks on the address and it was hot.  I was sweaty and out of water and was frustrated that our meeting up didnt work out as magically as others.  Just below me was the beach and the surf was reeling and the ocean enticing.  All I wanted to do was throw off my pack, put on some trunks, steal a surfboard, and catch some waves to wash off the days travel.  I figured I was on my own and decided to take a trail down to the beach and see if I couldn't do just that.  The waves were even better than they looked from above.  Then I saw someone I knew!

Yuuto is from Japan but I know him as a beachbum surfer that I surf with often in Hanalei Bay back on Kauai.  Standing just next to him was a shaved headed blonde haired women and laying beyond them both was non other than my friend Hayley - relaxingly soaking up some rays!  "We found you" one of them exclaimed.... "No, no, no... I found you!" I said.  I was relieved to see Hayley, glad to meet Nora (with her cool hairdue), and curious to find out what Yuuto was doing in France.

Turns out Nora lived beach front in the condos clinging to cliffside above us and had arranged a room for Hayley which I was welcomed to crash in on.  Nora also had a surfboard I could borrow.  Score!  I got to get rid of my pack, throw on some trunks, "steal" a surfboard, and ride some waves.  All was good in the world.  And, I found out Yuuto was in Biarritz after being questioned by police while playing guitar in a subway, caught overstaying his 3 month travelers Visa in Europe, getting detained in a jail, and talking his way out because he was a "surfer from Hawaii!" Turns out he was brought to the airport to leave but ran into Hayley (who was re-routed because of a train debocle) and decided to come to Biarritz and stay in Europe longer!  Wild. 



The apartment was awesome and the sunset "awesomer"!  Perched on the cliffs to the right of the surf beaches in Biarritz is a residental castle... it makes for an enchanting view!

A couple days later and Hayley was heading just a few minutes up the coast to Hossegor (Europes surf capital) and I was planning on following her there.  She was going mainly to visit the Weinhold family whom shes known from years back (through Quiksilver) and I, mainly going to try and score some surf.  I, however, didn't have a place to stay.  Turns out there aren't many options in Hoss.  But the Weinholds welcomed me into their home as a friend of Hayleys, had heard about me from their in-laws in Portugal, and invited me to be their guest! 



Stephan, Zaza and their daughters Michka & Victoria showed me that the Aloha Spirit is alive in France!  Even after Hayley left on her way to Italy, they continued to allow me to be their guest, have access to their toys (Vespa, surfboards, wetsuits, food, etc.), and show me around Hossegor.  I felt like family and learned a lot from our conversations about their global perspective, philosophy on life, and hope for their daughters futures. 



Zaza even helped me figure out my travel plans to get to Paris (navigating the task of making train reservations in French which, without her, I would have been hopelessly lost) and set me up with a friend of hers for my first night stay!  To the Weinholds I said "a hui ho" (until we meet again) and continued on to Paris...

Phillipe is a longtime friend of Zaza's, with a "mysterious" past, and welcomed me into his home near midnite the night I arrived in Paris.  He was hosting a party with friends and I was, again, experiencing some great French hospitality complete with the costumary pastries.  Phillipe walked me around part of the city the next day and helped me lay out on a map what to see during my next couple days in what I consider now,  hands down, the most beautiful city in the world (at least of the ones I've been to)!   



¿Tú Hablo español?

My detour to the south of Portugal had worked... I got to see a part of the country I hadn't oringinally planned on and I was able to economically get across the border and into Spain!  My first stop was to the city of Seville (highly recommended to me as "the real Spain" by a girl named Elana whom I met on a bus during my ride from Cape Cod to Connecticut when I was on the East Coast of the US).  A new country, a new culture, and a new language... I was back on the road going somewhere I knew no one and it was time to brush up on my Spanish!

Due to my extended stay in Cascais, and couple days extra detour through the south of Portugal, my plans to see either Cordoba and/or Granada (in addition to Seville) while making my way through Spain were scrapped.  The train system didn't make it easy to go to either and I figured I'd rather spend more time in one place and get to know it a bit then try and race thru three.  I booked three nights at a hostel near the City Center of Seville and spent my days strolling around, getting lost, people watching, and finding my way back.  My fortune of good weather continued.  Staying in my room was a Spanish university student named David that was spending a few days in Seville looking for a flat to rent.  We struck up a friendship and he gave me a list of sights to see.  He also had a friend from Seville named Clara and we all went out one night for some drinks, a meal, and socializing.  We ended up having a great conversation about world politics. 



Churros con chocolate for breakfast, siestas in the afternoon, and a great tapas style of eating... I was liking Spain. 

If there was one thing about the culture of Seville that really struck me it was the eating habits of the people.  Siestas are no joke.  Some time around 3pm everything shuts down.  If you dont plan your meals right you're S.O.L. till "dinner" which, ísn't typically served until 9pm.  It is not uncommon for families to start eating dinner at 10pm or to see children running around in the parks or city center till midnite (even on a school night)!  Imagine that at home.

Next on my list was the modern Spanish city of Barcelona.  I had a friend-of-a-friend there (her name is Rakel and she knows my friend Blenda... they are both from Peru... Blenda is married to my good buddy Raymond and they live on westside of Kauai) and was looking forward to meeting her and spending a long weekend checking out all that Barce has to offer with someone who knew their way around.  Well, kind of knew her way around!

With no phone I had prearranged to meet Rakel at a metro stop in the city.  I was a few minutes late (operating on Hawaiian/Portugese/Spanish time) but we managed to find each other and she greeted me with a warm smile :)  For the next few days we met up, walked around the city, saw sites, had fun, enjoyed the company of her friends, attended her church on Sunday, and went to the beach.  There was lots to see and, like every city, distances to walk to see them.  Rakel was an expert at pointing out something of importance and saying "See that... its really important for some reason but I don't know why... but, it's 'REALLY NICE!'"  That will be a running joke between us for a long time :)  We had a great time.



After enjoying a long weekend and eyeing a swell on the horizon slated to hit the nothern coast of Spain/France, I packed up my pack and, again, hit the road for my next stop - Biarritz, France.

PS
Occasionally when traveling abroad you come across comical cultural/language plays on words.  My favorite in Spain was regarding the upcoming tour of the rock group U2.  In Spain they call them "You dos"!  I think its hilarious. 

Where's the bean soup?

It has been a couple weeks since I've had the opportunity to sit down at a computer and properly update you all on my travels... and boy, do I have so catching up to do! 

After my time traveling up the UK from London to the Scottish Highlands, I decided I was ready for a change of scenery and, though I enjoyed pleasant weather during my time under the UKs notoriously overcast skies, somewhere warmer.  I had planned my RTW ticket to land in the the northwestern most hub of Europe (London) with the intention to move, generally speaking, from North-to-South and West-to-East across Europe; both in an effort to be cost effective by not back-tracking and, to chase the tail end of the warm summer/beginning of autumn while traveling during the lesser crowded "sholder"season.  Though I orinigally had hoped to visit Ireland, I decided my time and money would be better put towards migrating across the English Channel and catching some surf with my relatives in Portugal!

My last post explained I found the surf, sun, and rest I needed but, left out everything in between...

Upon my arrival to Lisboa (Lisbon) I had a short train ride to catch to get up the coast and rendevous with a friend-of-a-friend in the seaside town of Cascais.  I was now in Portugal... my first non-english speaking international destination... and, I knew little or no Portugese!  With no computer, internet access, or phone, it wasn't simple but I had little doubt, one way or another, I would find my way to where I needed to go; be some cirmstances more frustrating than others as the method of finding ones way unfolds (FYI - this will be a recurring theme). 

After catching a bus from the airport to the train station, I took up a spot in the line waiting to purchase my train ticket.  The line was long.  And after making slow progress, a lady in the front of my line started yelling and arguing with the ticket clerk behind the window!  I was in no rush and looked on amusingly as the womens displeasure grew and a full on scene occured.  Fortuntely, the experience provided some entertainment and a way to break the ice with a smart looking gal in front of me.  Her name was Claudia and she turned out to be an english speaking German living in Portugal on her way up to Cascais for the day to soak up some rays on the beach.  We struck up a wonderful conversation that lasted through the line, on the train, and ended with her graciously allowing me to borrow her phone to call that friend-of-a-friend and let him know I had arrived!

The friend-of-a-friend was named Luis and I easily guessed it to be him when he rolled up to the station in a silver Audi station wagon stacked with surfboards on the roof, long bleached blonde hair, and a sporting a big smile from ear to ear.  Luis had been introduced to Becky (my close friend Noah's wife) and Bethany (Noah's sister) some time back during a surf contest trip to Portugal, and, Becky had put me in touch with him.  Turns out Luis oversees a "hostel" (more like a private villa with bunkbeds) and teaches surf lessons for a living in addition to many other surfing related ventures.  We quickly became friends and my whole week in and around Cascais was spent tagging along with Luis going surfing, being his photographer during a surf lesson, taking in some local grinds (food), and talking & sharing about life.  Luis and I will be good friends for a long time and I hope he comes to Kauai next winter so I can repay his hospitality and show him how the "Podugees" do it in Hawaii!

Towards the end of my visit to Portugal I caught up with my good friend (and newly married to my buddy Santo) Hayley who is on her own month long European holiday.  She happen to be staying real close to me with a family she was connected with through ties to the worldwide Quiksilver surf company.  In addition to being kind enough to bring along with her a couple items I needed (a Eurail pass included that I had not earlier puchased and are not able to be delivered within Europe) I was greatly looking forward to seeing a familiar face and congradulating her on the marriage I missed.  I just so happen to show up at the right place at the right time to partake in Saturday lunch with her host family and a group of guests.  Olivere and Shevon were super nice and welcomed we with open arms into their beautiful home located just on the beach in Cascais!  There was platters of delicious food and a dessert fruit tart that was "off-the-hook!"  It was a welcome break from my budget driven diet.

My awesome week in Portugal ended with a BBQ get together at the home of Marty and Carey Uhler (originally from Santa Barbara, California they have helped run Christian Surfers in Portugal and raised their kids there) along with visiting friends and family.  It was a great week but, is was time to move on.  Luis dropped me at the train station the next day, we said our "see you laters" and I boarded the train with the intention of hopping on a bus to Seville, Spain.  Although Luis assured me the bus woudnt be full (and there was no need to call ahead for a reservation) it in fact was, and I was stuck!  On a whim I decided to take an alternate route to the south of Portugal (The region known as The Algarve) and find my way to Seville from there.  I was again heading into the unknown with no connections or idea of precisely where I was going, where I was going to stay, and whether or not I could find a way to Spain.

Well, it worked out!  A nice women named Lucinda just happened to have a spare room in her apartment, be at the train station, and cross my path on her way home!  I had a clean place to stay, my own room, directions to a great resturant, and was just a stroll from the bus where I was able to hop aboard the next day and make the journey across the border... Traveling without a plan... maybe it wasn't as frustrating as I tought?  Maybe is was more a matter of getting used to and accepting whatever happens?  Or, maybe not...

Only one question remained- "I'm in Portugal... where was all the bean soup?"

¡Vámonos!

The surf has subsided and I am thoroughly and happily sunburned, surfed-out, and content.  My time here in Portugal is drawing to a close.  My travel batteries are charged and I feel like it is the proper time to vamonos to Spain for the next stage of my travels. 

It has been a great experience visiting Portugal and I am sure I will have plenty to write and share after some time to reflect on my time here.  Please allow me the freedom to absorb, digest, and soak in my travel experiences before your expectation of an update: remember... quality vs quantity!  I will try to regulalry udate this blog with my adventures as I move along although I am not sure what technology challeneges wait ahead. 

I'm doing my best to takes lots of pictures without living my travels looking through the view finder... If you have any specific questions for me about my travels so far please feel free to comment or email them and I will do my best to get to answering (on a rainy day if not sooner!).

Onward... enjoy the ride :) 

Maybe I should have been a spy?

Where in the world is Nathan now?  Well, since my last update, I've continuing my travels up through the island of Great Britain, made my way across the rolling green pastures of the northern English countryside, crossed the border over into the fabled land of William Wallace to Scotland, explored the Scottish Highlands, jumped over to the rugged Isle of Skye, hitched a ride back to the city of Dundee (not to be confused with the crocodile Australian variety), trained it to Edinburgh, and hoped on a flight to Portugal!  Sounds like a whirlwind and, in all honesty, it was!  Tiring in fact.  I think after nearly six weeks on the road (the last two and a half on foreign soil) I hit my first point of "travel fatigue."

Travel fatigue?  I know what you are thinking - "...come on Nathan... you are 'living the dream'... let's swap lives for a day and you'll know the real meaning of 'fatigue'... are you kidding me...?"  While, in theory, it is easy to imagine the idea of escaping our day-to-day routines and daydream about a magical place we visualize ourselves exploring or relaxing in, the reality is, we often over-romanticize such ideas.  It is easy enough to close your eyes and mentally journey to some exotic utopia... it is another thing all together facing the realities of getting from point A to B while on the road as a traveling nomad. 

Snapping out of the daydream, my eyes have opened to the realities of pouring over bus routes & timetables... train routes & timetables... bus-to-train-to-bus connections... the ritual of seeking out an Internet cafe... juggling windows in search of coordinating transportation with accommodation while weighing location and price... and all this while often translating foreign languages and knowing tomorrow you will be doing the same to get to destination C and beyond... be not fooled, traveling in such a way is no vacation! 

Ah, the challenge of traveling the world on a limited budget without the benefit of a personal comfort coordinator, laptop or phone!  In time you learn that overcoming the struggles is, in fact, part of the adventure, maybe one you didn't knowingly sign up for but, a challenge that yields itself to both daily defeats and victories.  But there is benefit in such challenge: There is beauty in the fact that while traveling alone, these daily battles are all your own, and, provide increasing measures of capability as you learn, adapt, and survive to face the next challenge awaiting down the road!  I travel looking forward to growing through personal challenges.  Word of advice - careful what you wish for!   

So now I am in Portugal.  Combating travel fatigue by staying put for a few days in the seaside resort town of Cascais up the coast from Lisbon.  It is great to be in a warmer locale, near the beach & surf, and exciting to be in the land of Teixeiras.  It seems as though, even in Portugal, my appearance baffles ("Are you Spanish?").  Maybe I should have been a spy?  Then again, maybe I am and you just haven't figured that out yet.... Hmm... 

Plaid Carpet

You know you are in Scotland when the carpet is plaid!  And it was in several eateries, hostels, and places I visited during my time in the land of Scotch whisky, long haired little dogs, and bagpipes.  Boarding a train in England I was welcomed to my second international desitination by arriving in Scotlands capital city of Edinburgh. 

Fortunate for me, I arrived in Edinburgh during the yearly "Fringe Festival" - a month long phenomenon that brings together people from around the UK, Europe and the globe for the worlds largest celebration of the performing arts (with a particular emphasis, strangely enough, on stand-up comedy).  I spent several days weaving through the hoards of people along the city streets taking in an array of live street performances, concerts, free comedy shows, live theater, and spoken word amidst the towering Edinburgh Castle perched prominently on the mountain top above the action along the "Royal Mile" (the name given to the main strip).

As previously mentioned, a few days in the city and it is off again to get lost in the countryside!  And, no visit to Scotland would be complete without a trip to the history rich highlands, a stroll along the shores of Loch Ness, or a trek on one of the beautiful western isles....

          

If theres anything I've learned from my time in the UK it is this:

• Call me ignorant but now I understand the difference:
• Great Britain is the name of the Island containing the countries of England, Wales, and Scotland
• The United Kingdom (UK) is the political association that adds Northern Ireland
• I like tea.  Thoroughly.  With cream in it - English style.
• The cuisine in the UK is horrible.  They lack anything traditional other than fried fish and chips.  And, fresh greens (in a sandwhich or for a salad) in the UK means no more than what we would be considered a garnish in other places.  I made due with finding ethnic food such as Indian take-aways and Kabob stands.  Still finding comfort (and a few extra pounds) in the great ice cream however!   
• The English, for whatever reason, have yet to adopt the invention of the single valve faucet.  Instead, they hold on to their duel hot water and cold water taps at their sink lavatories.  This makes for painful hand washing as you suffer the prospect of sticking your dirty fingers in the icey cold stream followed by the risky business, and sharp contrast, of moving to the steaming hot stream and back & forth in a frivolous effort to gather a handful of the desired moderately warm water.
• It is overcast 90% of the time.  Hence the "washed out" nature of many of the pictures from the region.
• The UK is the most expensive place in the world.  No joke.  Pounds are 1.6ish US Dollars.