Tom's Travels

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After travelling a 7 hour bus trip from Oaxaca, I pulled into Puerto Angel and saw the ocean again for the first time in over a month. There is something about seeing the Pacific that made me feel very excited. I guess it feels more like home when the ocean is blue rather that turquoise. Since Puerto Angel I have been to three other beach towns and am now in Puerto Escondido for another day or two.

For the last week, I have been travelling, more or less, with the French girl, Vanessa (shorter girl in the picture with the tree from the last update). This girl is really quite funny. We speak in Spanish to each other and locals always look at us like we are insane: bad Spanish with an American accent vs. Spanish learned in Spain with a French accent. She didn´t bring a backpack like everyone else, but a rolling bag with a handle that keeps breaking off. Anyway, she has been a very good travel companion since San Cristobal.

There wasn´t a whole lot in Puerto Angel, but I went on a nice snorkeling trip. The next town, Zipolite was quite humorous. It is basically a giant nude beach with big, scary-looking waves. You never know quite who you will end up seeing naked or topless around here. In fact I met about two German twin sisters that were later topless right in front of the hotel. Germans love being naked. I spent a couple of days in Zipolite and didn´t do a whole lot but walk around on the beach and play in the waves. There were several guys from California (one from San Diego) that I met who were driving down along the coast to Panama on surf trips. If they were going the other way, I would probably join them for awhile.

The next town was Mazunte, which was basically a smaller version of Zipolite. For accommodations in all of these towns I payed around $8-$10 US for a private room on the beach. This might sound exotic, but these places are very hit or miss. The place in Zipolite had bed bugs I think and the place in Mazunte ran out of running water, and had to take a shower by splashing water on myself with a bucket. All this adventure is very fun, but I could probably have done without the cockroach in my Frosted Flakes (I shooed away the cockroach and ate them anyway.)

I have not worn shoes for about a week because I left my sandals in Oaxaca. Mexican roads can get really hot in the afternoon when you are running barefoot to catch a collectivo taxi. In Zipolite, my board shorts got stolen, so in beach pictures from now on, I have the white ones. Also, my Imperial hat blew away in Zipolite and I had to get a new hat. I really need to stop losing things.

I made it to Puerto Escondido a few days ago with intentions of surfing. They call this place the ¨Mexican Pipeline¨ and let me tell you, the waves are massively high, scarily thick, and close out in what looks like very shallow water. I am not going to surf here. There is an area by the point that looks a bit more reasonable, but the waves are about 12 feet high and I don´t think I have the shoulder strength right now to get past the break. Instead of surfing, I have most been snorkeling, playing Frisbee and learning to juggle from a tall German guy. The hostel I am in here has one of the best crowds I have met on the trip. At the same time the other day, I heard English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and German conversations. I had an hour conversation with an Israeli guy about Israel and Palestine and talked about why many Germans are not really very funny with Germans, Dutch and English people. Most nights I eat fish in diablo sauce. This place is almost ideal, but I am getting a bit bored because there really is not that much to do. I might try to go sky-diving tomorrow, or I might just get a night bus to Zihuatenejo with Adam from USD (see picture below.)

One more short story. I met a guy named Dominick from England who is on the coolest trip I have ever heard of. He is riding a tandem bicycle from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. He is making a documentary and along the way, he meets people and gives them rides and they help him with the ride. He gave me a ride across town and I told him I would try to meet him for a week or so in South America, if I make it there. You can check out his trip at www.takeaseat.org


So long and thanks for all the positive feedback from everyone. Next time from somewhere farther north.

Tom

The fishing village of Puerto Angel

Unknown beach near Puerto Angel (only reachable by boat)

Correction from the last update: This is actually the ugliest dog in Mexico

Cutest dog in Mexico

Naked guy on the beach in Zipolite

A Canadian guy drew this in 5 minutes in Zipolite (I think he ended up drawing everyone at the place)

It´s restaurant and internet cafe Marcosnet. Marcos is always running microstrip antenna simulations in here.

Backpacking the way it was meant to be in Mazunte

Handstands on the beach with Sebastian, the tall German guy

Anyone from USD remember this guy? It´s Adam and I bumped into him in Puerto Escondido. He is doing about the same thing I am, travelling back to SD by bus.

Me with Dominic (not Matt Dominick) and his tandem bike.

A beach vendor set down many giant Jesus crosses on this rock

According to David... Growing tired of the crowded and over priced Chicken Buses, Tom found new methods of transportation. The locals started playing their own game: baby, stuff, or Tom?