I'm not gonna lie; coming back to Arequipa was wierd...a lot weirder then I expected. Weird enough to make me question if coming back had been the right decision.
I figured I was ready to come back...it had been gone three months, three incredible months of fresh air, fresh people and fresh thoughts. Me and a couple of guys even headed to Mancora for some beach time.
Leo was pretty funny. I pretty much have everything you could need, considering my backpack is the size of a house. "Max, Emmie is our mum, she has everything." So when we crossed the border and were filing out our forms all these backpackers needed pens - I have like 7 in my bag - so I handed them out. Leo's response "Get your own mum!" Haha too cute.
I was like a kid at Christmas, I was so excited to be back at the beach. I jumped in the pool first thing and then ran to the beach to play in the waves. It felt so good, the water the sunshine...perdect way to spend a morning.
I randomly met a guy who had just finished working at the hostel in Arequipa. "You look familiar but we have met." It took us acouple minutes to realize we hadmutual friends on Facebook. Another friend from the hostel was working at a hostel a 10 mi ute walk up the beach so we all headed to see him. That was the begining of the end for me. The next thing I know its 4 am and we are taking a swim in the waves and then I wake up in a hammock at 6 am...the guys were still partying waiting to watch the sunrise.
The next day I was suppossed to head down to Mancora...but the furthest I could make it was to the hqmmock area where I spent my day curled up - in my brand new hammock. I didnt see the guys till early evening. I dont think I have ever had a hangover that bad, I literally couldnt function. The next dayI booked a bus and headed off on a 40 hour bus trip down to Arequipa.
It was my first solo bus ride, Max and Leo were heading out the next dayand planned to meet up in Arequipa in a couple weeks. I was a little hesitant to go solo, I guess Im a bit paranoid after being robbed twice so I spent the extra money and went with a high end bus company and I figured 40 hours Imight as wellbe comfortable. Wifi, movies, two meals, full cama, leg room for days and a litrle woman beside me who gave me gum. PERFCT. My first 20 hours were going to be great and I slept like a baby until the little woman kept tapping me to turn off her tv screen or talk to me in Spanish at full speed.
I arrivedin Lima 20hours later only to grab another 17 hour bus. I was feeling horrible at this point, one crazy night and I end up with a throat infection and I had nothing for the pain, though I met two lovely bqckpackers whos mum had stocked her up on medication and sorted me out.
At this point Ijust wanted to get to Arequipa, even with all the luxuries it still is long and on my second bus the wifi didnt work and trustme 40 hours you want it, though I figured the next 17 I could watch the movies even thoughthey were the same as the previous bus.
I had a front row seat so I looked out the window a lot - the buses are two floors - which was great, but I swear at night when theyknow everyone is sleeping they speed up and cut corners a lot closer. I woke up at one point and didnt see any road and then felt a sharp tur,, I knew we were high up and that we were driving close to cliffs. I closed my eyes and begged myself to fall back asleep, its less painful if I sleep and we go over.
I got to the hostel at 730am, I was tired and my throat was so soar.
Like I said, it was weird to be back, in one second of being there it felt as though the past three months were a dream and that I had never left. The volunteer staff was difderent but everything else was the same, the overtired play list in the bar still played, the clinking of the dice rings theough the walls of the bar and it smelled the same. You know how your house has a smell - not a bad one of course - well so does the hostel and I noticed it as soon as I walked into the staff dorm - and I dont mean the stench that is gone - and thats when it all hit me. Everything came pouring back, like a damn had been lifted,. All the feelings that had drowned me before flooded my mind and my heart. Oh no, Maybe I had come back too soon? I thought I was ready, I was so excited, but maybe I had misjudged my how I was feeling and hadnt given myself enough time to come back to a place thay held so many memories. But I gave it a couple days and everything settled perfectly.
Its just as crazy as ever here, maybe crazier? It could be that Im not used to working in a party hostel anymore...but its good. Im running the events here which have been a blast and my outlook on things are different. Working at the Secret Garden I worked really closely with the guests which has helped me ease my way back into things here. Instead of getting myself wrapped up in a world only with the staff here I have really been merging myself with the guests which has been really important running the events.
I know coming back was the right decision, I am happy, I love being back behind the bar, Im with my Peruvian family and this is where I need to be right now, plus...I got a teaching job which I am super stoked about! Infact, I start today so I will leave you with that.
Wish me luck!
- My Beautiful Life -
I figured I was ready to come back...it had been gone three months, three incredible months of fresh air, fresh people and fresh thoughts. Me and a couple of guys even headed to Mancora for some beach time.
Leo was pretty funny. I pretty much have everything you could need, considering my backpack is the size of a house. "Max, Emmie is our mum, she has everything." So when we crossed the border and were filing out our forms all these backpackers needed pens - I have like 7 in my bag - so I handed them out. Leo's response "Get your own mum!" Haha too cute.
I was like a kid at Christmas, I was so excited to be back at the beach. I jumped in the pool first thing and then ran to the beach to play in the waves. It felt so good, the water the sunshine...perdect way to spend a morning.
I randomly met a guy who had just finished working at the hostel in Arequipa. "You look familiar but we have met." It took us acouple minutes to realize we hadmutual friends on Facebook. Another friend from the hostel was working at a hostel a 10 mi ute walk up the beach so we all headed to see him. That was the begining of the end for me. The next thing I know its 4 am and we are taking a swim in the waves and then I wake up in a hammock at 6 am...the guys were still partying waiting to watch the sunrise.
The next day I was suppossed to head down to Mancora...but the furthest I could make it was to the hqmmock area where I spent my day curled up - in my brand new hammock. I didnt see the guys till early evening. I dont think I have ever had a hangover that bad, I literally couldnt function. The next dayI booked a bus and headed off on a 40 hour bus trip down to Arequipa.
It was my first solo bus ride, Max and Leo were heading out the next dayand planned to meet up in Arequipa in a couple weeks. I was a little hesitant to go solo, I guess Im a bit paranoid after being robbed twice so I spent the extra money and went with a high end bus company and I figured 40 hours Imight as wellbe comfortable. Wifi, movies, two meals, full cama, leg room for days and a litrle woman beside me who gave me gum. PERFCT. My first 20 hours were going to be great and I slept like a baby until the little woman kept tapping me to turn off her tv screen or talk to me in Spanish at full speed.
I arrivedin Lima 20hours later only to grab another 17 hour bus. I was feeling horrible at this point, one crazy night and I end up with a throat infection and I had nothing for the pain, though I met two lovely bqckpackers whos mum had stocked her up on medication and sorted me out.
At this point Ijust wanted to get to Arequipa, even with all the luxuries it still is long and on my second bus the wifi didnt work and trustme 40 hours you want it, though I figured the next 17 I could watch the movies even thoughthey were the same as the previous bus.
I had a front row seat so I looked out the window a lot - the buses are two floors - which was great, but I swear at night when theyknow everyone is sleeping they speed up and cut corners a lot closer. I woke up at one point and didnt see any road and then felt a sharp tur,, I knew we were high up and that we were driving close to cliffs. I closed my eyes and begged myself to fall back asleep, its less painful if I sleep and we go over.
I got to the hostel at 730am, I was tired and my throat was so soar.
Like I said, it was weird to be back, in one second of being there it felt as though the past three months were a dream and that I had never left. The volunteer staff was difderent but everything else was the same, the overtired play list in the bar still played, the clinking of the dice rings theough the walls of the bar and it smelled the same. You know how your house has a smell - not a bad one of course - well so does the hostel and I noticed it as soon as I walked into the staff dorm - and I dont mean the stench that is gone - and thats when it all hit me. Everything came pouring back, like a damn had been lifted,. All the feelings that had drowned me before flooded my mind and my heart. Oh no, Maybe I had come back too soon? I thought I was ready, I was so excited, but maybe I had misjudged my how I was feeling and hadnt given myself enough time to come back to a place thay held so many memories. But I gave it a couple days and everything settled perfectly.
Its just as crazy as ever here, maybe crazier? It could be that Im not used to working in a party hostel anymore...but its good. Im running the events here which have been a blast and my outlook on things are different. Working at the Secret Garden I worked really closely with the guests which has helped me ease my way back into things here. Instead of getting myself wrapped up in a world only with the staff here I have really been merging myself with the guests which has been really important running the events.
I know coming back was the right decision, I am happy, I love being back behind the bar, Im with my Peruvian family and this is where I need to be right now, plus...I got a teaching job which I am super stoked about! Infact, I start today so I will leave you with that.
Wish me luck!
- My Beautiful Life -
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