This was the nicest immigration since the super-chill guys at the Mexico/ Belize border. These were the most impudently moneychangers I met. Somehow they program the pocket calculator that it shows a wrong amount. My brain still works well and fear does not appear while being surrounded by 5 guys. Though, their well trained order of events should work in many cases. As followed: Encircled by all these guys, one has the money, one the calculator, one another bag with money. They try to make pressure on you. Fast, fast, fast. So you don’t recognize the betray. As soon as I put out my phone with its interacted calculator, everyone, except of the guy with the new currency for me, disappeared. They try to screw you by more than 25%! The best and most astonishing fact is that he showed me what he put in the calculator. David Coperfield is a moneychanger at the ecuadorian border in his second career.

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“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.” 

- Joseph Addison

 

Well, I smiled and took my bike to cycle uphill to my first ecuadorian experiences in Tulcan. Then I found out it’s Sunday and everything has close. I gave up to camp since I am over 2000m latitude. Sleeping in white sheets makes it harder to wake up early and start cycling. While I searched my way out of town, my eyes got fixed on a mountain to my right. Snow capped; I closed my jacket consequentialy. What followed the awareness if snow was: 1.5h climbing, feeling the speed with 75km/h while passing by trucks and motorcycles on my way down on an extreme long descent, fighting the winds which slowed me down to almost zero, climbing up in rain for two hours before I coyld enjoy Shawarma and Shisha for the first time since months. Bottom line: you never know how a day will develop if you cycle for hours. I ended up sleeping like a child after 130km and spending the night before without sleeping in constant fear of dying as a result of the latitude and my bodily reaction of low breath. The fun ended as I had the next horrible experience at the following night. Google symptoms at 3am isn’t a highlight. But somehow I am always a lucky bastard. Out of time and exhausted by climbing the whole day in rain while being tired as a sloth, I stopped to eat a regional speziality called ‘Bizchochos‘ I had bought before. Surprisingly I recognized a sign pointing out that I just crossed the Equator about five meters. Ending up in a hostel 32m on the south hemisphere was a great feeling I would have missed by going with top speed directly to Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

 

Quote out of  my diary:

“I don’t know at what day the rainy season ends but the thunderstorms today didn’t look like it’ll be soon. After jumping plenty of times back and forth over the equator I needed my hot shower, promissed by the hostel owner. She allowed me use her new plastic heat station which began to sound like a defect V6 engine after warming me for a while. Shortly thereafter it sounded even stranger and pushed out hot air instead of water. As I tried to turn it off the smell of burbed plastic persecued my nostrils. My naked body welcomed two other guests walking by as I jumped out of the sauna. I welcomed them, took my clothes and walked over the backjard into my room, hopping to get some sleep without death fears. I impungn this was the welcome the couple expected at the middle of the world. I crossed the line twice.”

 

The next day started pretty well. My rack broke and I had to take a pickup truck for the last ten kilometers. Turned out to be a fortune. Quito isn’t just the highest capital in the world, its also huge and chaotic for a cyclist to enter. In the historical center are cycle lanes which makes it kind of charming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quito is the nicest capital while my travel in Latin America until now. Even if I don’t like to be in huge cities I have to admit that it is somehow charming. There are some things which attracted me. First and most important; I got my rest. After checking in a hostel full of US Americans (I am sorry for repeating this again and again but that’s what I am experiencing over the last months: loud and unrespectfulI) I regretted my choice but while I was enjoying the gorgeous view from the terrace I found nice company, french people made me smile again. Furthermore I met a friend I know from traveling in Mexico. She and her boyfriend stayed in another hostel. I visited them and on the next day I took my things and checked in their hostel. It felt like family. No explanations needed. No talk about the why, where, when questions. Nice days of relaxations followed and let me calm out after weeks of cycling.

 

 

Quote of the article: On the tenth anniversary of quitting by Paul Soum

“Yet, despite all that I had, I could sense a growing conflict within me. I often found myself staring at the next few decades of my life. Fast-paced career growth, long-weekend and ‘ten day’ holiday travels, a few long and short relationships, a possible marriage, a suburban house, couple of kids, perhaps a startup of my own one day. The various possibilities lay like pieces of lego, and it was up to me to permute and combine and create something unique out of it. A path that would be peaceful and harmonious, with ample riches and rewards, with a future that would make my parents proud.

Simultaneously, however, I would wonder about that other possibility. The ‘what if’ question. What if I did a startup in India and could use technology to solve a real human problem? What if I could explore the maze of factories in China and could witness the production lines up close? What if I could wander in the streets of Rio as a pilgrimage to the mecca of football? What if I could sleep under the stars in a beach in Asia, listening to the mesmerising sound of the breaking waves? What if I could find myself lost in the forests of South East Asia, rediscovering the world of Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness? What if I took up filmmaking as a profession? What if I documented the efforts of social entrepreneurs on the ground? What if…?

I realised that I was staring at a fork in life — a choice between the somewhat Known and the completely Unknown. That was really what it came down to. The rational brain wanted to choose the former. And a seemingly irrational voice wanted the latter.”

 

These feeling is named in the following text as a bug, a travel bug which keeps you going on. The bug got me a long time ago and still tickles me. I wanted to go ahead, skip the next mountains until Lima, Peru and cycling alongside the coast. Hammock, schwimming, maybe surfing. Why not enjoying the warm coast for the last time till arriving at the very south of this continent? Because I felt lonely since I entered Colombia. All adventuring and fascinating nature, even the new characters I met, couldn’t vanish my wish of having persons around I love. This emotion became even more obvious after meeting my friend Magdalena in Quito, a city which already became a new starting point for the next lap until Ushuaia. I waited for Joanna who finally could catch up with me. We joined seven other cyclists in a Casa de Ciclistas. Seven other wonderful personalities, infected by the same travel bug as I am. A species I need around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joanna changed my plan. Originally I wanted to leave the mountain ranges, suddenly I was pushing my bike uphill on impassable dirtroads and cobblestones. The setup of my bike was horrible. My rack was already broken several times, the rear tire touched the frame, my brakes touched the rim and slowed me down. Having all the weight in the back gave my front tire no grip on the cobblestones. Logically it lifted and I had to push my bike long distances, the first time since I started. But at least the rainy season ended. How does it sound for you? It was wonderful! Climbing to the foot of Cotopaxi joint by two wonderful people became such a nice adventure. My rack broke totally with the setting of the sun, after passing cows which went wild to see us, jumping over the fences and steering at us in fear and anger. Sitting in a field while preparing the dinner, enjoying the company and going to sleep in my tent made me absolutely happy and the next day became even better. We finally could see the snow capped volcano in front of us and after hours of climbing we reached the plateau and cycled over flower covered fields towards this 5900m high witness of time and change. I couldn’t be happier these days. The warmth of our campfire in this night became a far distant memory as we cycled down the next morning. The fog gave us a visibility of fithteen meters and caused icelicles and cold hands. But not the nature surprised me, humanity made me wonder again. Totally frozen we stopped at the only place for getting a hot drink, hoping to get back a feeling in our fingers. I opened the door and instead of seeing a bored waitress sleeping on the desk I saw two dozens of pensioners in deep conversation about the misfortune of fog as they attempt to visit the sights of the natural park. I had my hot water and my package if cappuccino but I couldn’t bring both together as I had to answer some questions. My helmet frozen to my head while the water colds down is the last I wanted to be witness of. After these days of pure nature experiences I wanted to stay out there.

 

After climbin on cobblestones and camping withoput a view on Cotopaxi we could finally see the magestic snow capped volcano:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Panamericana divides the Cotopaxi district with the next sight, hidden in an even higher mountain range. We decided to take the bus and I couldn’t believe how beautiful the nature is which surrounds the Laguna Quilotoa. Dropping out of the bus to camp in front of a hostel at 3930m became a reasonable action. The Laguna is breathtaking but I decided to visit a neighbourhood village instead of hiking down into the crater. Prime time in this indigenous village. Every six months it becomes a crowded place. Parade, bull fighting, dance and indigenous streetlife overwhelmed me. We went out and celebrate with strange booze and lots of dance. Even firework over minutes brightened the sky and nearly flamed us as they run through the masses in Mexican behaviour, holding the firework uncintrolled in their hands. It was as a blast.

 

In Ambato I could check my bike and saw that 35 of 36 spokes destroyed the rim which meant that one of the next descent could have been my last. Luckily I realized it before the rim could broke completely and changed it. New tires for the upcoming bad roadconditions of Peru and Bolivia, also. I began to sell selfmade cakes in the streets to finance all these parts. I preformed well. Let’s see how this will continue. The chosen road lead us into the Amazon. A big change of environment, from seeing snow we cycled into the rainforests. Lots of new creatures welcomed us. The following nights I finally camped again after spending four nights in a hostel in the touristy Baños. Somehow I feel better on the road, in my tent. Even if dancing in a bar was a nice relief I like it more to sleep in a firestation after playing soccer with the fireworkers, sleeping in a school while somebody walks around the whole night and steels our sleep. When the principal tells you on the next morning it was the ghost of young died ex-collegue it is so much funnier. I don’t want to miss these moments of uncertainty.The Amazon turned out to be a great choice as a route to ride through. With all the rain it still was hot and often sunny between crazy pouring rainfalls. We cycled in an amazing area full of noises. Uncountable new species every day. Finally I found some colored frogs and I wasn’t sure anymore if I really wanted to find them as I putted my camera in front of them, expecting them to jump on my skin with their poisoning surface. The road is somehow a huge graveyard for spiders, butterflies and snakes. Since a long time I looked what’s in my shoes before I put my feet in. Something poisoning sucking on my toe is nothing I want to experience. I rather enjoy my new morning culture. It’s called Breakfast. Joanna does it so I won’t sit around till she is ready. I jump in and get a bit of all. I can’t believe it but I think I gained some grams on my hips in Ecuador, despite of all the challenging cycling. Probably one factor is Joanna’s addiction to sweets which is almost like mine and boosts it through the roof. Just bought 1kg of caramel Bonbons to climb from the Amazon back into the Andes.

 

Quote from my diary:

“Howdy partner. Just came back from my first horse trekking. Couldn’t be more lucky. My horse was great and the trail went up on a steep way on a mountain to take a hard and cold shower under a waterfall before we headed back through this nice area. Galloping is so much fun but worse for my knees than biking. Got some cowboy-skills today.”

 

What is misfortune? If you have no spoon to put sugar in your coffee and the sugar went lumpy, consequently it falls all in your cup. What is luck? Because the sugar went lumpy it is not sweet at all, sticks to the ground and if you drink fast you still can enjoy your cup.What happens to me? The waitress wants a date and gives me a new cup to keep her chances up.

 

The uncertainty is a thrill I do not want to miss. Or in the words of the article about the motivating travel bug:

 

“Looking back, I realise that I got exactly what I asked for: uncertainty. Through the three different startups that I have been part of, the two films that I ended up making, my extensive travels through the nooks and crannies of Asia, parts of middle-east, Brazil, completely unpredictable personal life highs and lows, I somehow found myself in incredible situations meeting fantastic souls. I made deep life-changing relationships, and explored new worlds through the eyes of the other.

I realised through the last decade that exploration doesn’t necessarily imply travel. It simply means traversing new territories, and it can even be a journey within oneself. It can be through startups, or through projects. Through people, and through ideas. Through cultures and through cuisines.

The only constancy is a choice to never repeat, to attempt newness at every chance one gets.

Of course, the ten year ride has not been easy. But it has always been incredibly interesting. I never again made as much money as I was making back then. Neither did I ever again buy a car or even a music system. I continue to run away from acquiring anything ‘heavy’, one that I cannot move with. People in my life sometimes have a hard time dealing with my wanderlust, mostly due to their worries about my future. There have been times where I lost direction. Then again, new paths emerged from somewhere, showing me interesting new realities.

Yet, there has not been a single moment where I repented my choice. I learned skills that I would never have had, discovered my boundaries and tested my limits, lived in the moment without a care of the future. I went through a lot of the ‘what if’s, and I am glad that I did.

Most importantly, I saw life up close in ways that I would never have had.

I am 35 now, and I wonder what the next decade would bring. My thirst has only grown, that wanderer bug inside now all-encompasses my being, I truly see the world as my bedroom and living-room, the kindle as my library, the bags as my wardrobe, the macbook as my office, the internet as my life support system. Metaphorically speaking, anyway. Life, as an organic journey through various unknowns. While my meanderings till date have been wide-ranging, it would be interesting if I could spend the next decade in going deep. But, only time will tell. All I know is that my future remains unknown and uncertain.”

 

 

The whole article: 

 

 

 

The adrenalin of a descent

Have you ever cycled twenty minutes downhill? Going 50, 60, 70, 80 km/h and chase cars? Have you ever dropped into a hole in the road, feel every change in the road condition? Coming out of a curve and wind down on a ridge looking for a second to the canyons on both sides before taking the next curve in high-speed? Your body vibrates, every sense is used to its limit. A truck comes from the front, stones lay over your lane, you get through. A car passes by and people throw thumbs out of the windows. You scream cause your feelings overwhelm you. Kilometer for kilometer. You arrive at the bottom with a feeling of pure joy, fear and your concentration drops slowly off. You look back, see the mountain range you just left. Your eyes see the next mountain in front of you. Gear changing. A zip of water and you begin to climb uphill. Three hours to arrive at the peak and it begins once new.

 

 

 

We, Garret, Joanna and I, went towards to Peruian border. The vegatation changed and opened another chapter in this travel. What will happen? I will tell you in another post.

 

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.” 

- Mahatma Gandhi