Looks like the ruminations are going to have to wait until I get full access to a computer.
Please check the track my tour link as I update that daily
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Idaho pics
- cool shots of the river we road along
- a few riding pics with good scenery in the background
- beautiful sunset in Stanley
- the lost trail abandoned ski lodge where we stayed when it stormed ("bear-proofed" of course)
- chief Joseph pass, our highest
- second sunset is at the ski lodge (first in Stanley)
- cabins where we stayed in Stanley with the sawtooth mountains in the background
- a few riding pics with good scenery in the background
- beautiful sunset in Stanley
- the lost trail abandoned ski lodge where we stayed when it stormed ("bear-proofed" of course)
- chief Joseph pass, our highest
- second sunset is at the ski lodge (first in Stanley)
- cabins where we stayed in Stanley with the sawtooth mountains in the background
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
IDAHO
Idaho: More than just potatoes (note the "e" Dan Quayle)
Perfect example of east coast bias: I thought Idaho was little more than a flyover state of the west. Little did I know that it's a hidden treasure for those willing to put in the slightest bit of effort. Idaho boasts one of the largest percentages of public land per total land area, 3rd in the nation (just over 60%). It took us about a day to get through all the fluff and make it into the national forest, but from there we followed rivers and climbed mountains to our hearts's content.
Perfect example of east coast bias: I thought Idaho was little more than a flyover state of the west. Little did I know that it's a hidden treasure for those willing to put in the slightest bit of effort. Idaho boasts one of the largest percentages of public land per total land area, 3rd in the nation (just over 60%). It took us about a day to get through all the fluff and make it into the national forest, but from there we followed rivers and climbed mountains to our hearts's content.
Our highest summit yet: 7,200 ft. A man on a hike a few thousand feet down was so impressed he gaves us a couple of PBRs and told us we had to toast the top.
Our main destination is Idaho was Stanley, population: 63. This number only holds true during the winter months, during the summer it's an outdoorsman's paradise. After our massive climb we took it easy that night but I was up early for two breakfasts at the local bakery and must have seen at least 200 people role through there. We meant to do some stand-up paddleboarding down the Salmon river but let the day get away from us. The cabins where we were staying had a cycling group come through so we spent some time swapping good cycling stories, relaxed, and eventually made it to Red Lake (where we got to do a bit of paddle boarding). The lake was only about 7 miles from town but I REALLY didn't want to get on a bike, so we hitched.
Though I've picked up a hitchhiker before, I've never done it myself. Bradley told me to bring a collared shirt before I left because it made us look presentable. I laughed but did it, and am glad I did. Hitchhiking is tough. We only went a little over 5 miles each way but it involved 4 separate rides (one for each road, each way). We ran the gambit in terms of styles of cars and individuals and drank it all in, never once fearing for our safety (NOT an endorsement of hitchhiking, remember this is a town of 63!).
View from Red Fish Lake, well worth the effort!
BIKE FORREST, BIKE!
Connections can't help but be drawn between this adventure and Forrest Gump just taking off and running. I'm not sure how many times people brought this up in talking about it before I left, but I lost count at 20 (after the fingers and toes it's a struggle for me). I'm not exactly sure how to interpret this, but I generally take the optimistic side on this one. I figure at worst they're hinting that I'm a simpleton, and hell, I've been called much worse (probably in the past 1/2 hour).
All of this talk about this movie and it's main character really made me think a bit deeper about it. Though this cinematic great has a variety of entertaining elements: love, action, comedy, etc., I'd like to focus on one that's probably overlooked: fear.
Fear is a natural part of life and one we all deal with in different ways. Fear is natural and circumstantially beneficial. Fright or flight is an innate trait of the human condition, one that prepares the mind and body to respond in a way that hopefully maximizes the chances for survival. Unfortunately, this condition is somewhat antiquated in that we generally no longer being chased down by sabertooth tigers. Lacking such primal stimuli, our fear turns towards other things: fear of not acheiving what we want to acheive, fear of not being loved, fear of failure, (insert you greatest fears here). What currently intrigues me about Forrest Gump is that he showed no fear in overcoming all his adversity and acheiving so much. Rescueing comrades from a firestorm of gunfire? No problem. Underdog in the olympics? Stone face. Worst storm in the gulf in many years? Enjoy the ride. While most of us don't have the luxury of either not understanding or completely ignoring fear, I think this movie is exemplary is promoting what can be accomplished in the face of fear. (This may be a common theme so don't be suprised if there's another bit on this later).
Side note: Forrest Gump is the most interesting man in the world. Sorry Dos Equis guy, you put up one helluva fight and even a great PR campaign, but Forrest has you by a notch. On the surface, their fictional accomplishments are probably on par. It's hard to compare olympic gold to summiting mountains, or national medals or honor to having a variety of things named after you, so we'll leave the subjectivity out of this. What seperates Forrest from doble-X is love. Every time you see the well-aged man sporting a brown or green bottle he has two beautiful ladies at his side. Good for him, but what straight male wouldn't want that? (especially one in his later years). What makes Forrest more interesting is his unconditional love for Jenny. Jenny is the only woman he's ever had eyes on and his love for her never fades, despite the fact that she continually pushes him away with a multitude of acts that seemingly contradict his values. What could motivate that? How does it stay so strong? I completely understand the two beautiful women thing, but have no idea how to answer these questions, which makes in my book makes Forrest more interesting.
My beard is almost that long :)
Monday, July 23, 2012
OREGON
WE RIDE AT FIRST LIGHT
Well, not exactly. We probably adopted more of the Steve Coogan approach to our adventure.
As prepared as I felt leading up to this trip, the start of our journey was not exacted with the precision that I am used to. There are several reasons for this, most of which I won't bore you with, but the most important one is this: this shit is hard! There's a fine balance between weight, luxury, efficiency, and necessity and it's one we are constantly refining. Packing everything that we need to essentially live off of for the next two months is a daunting task, and making it fit onto the back of a bicycle is even harder.
After a week on the road we've pretty much got it down to the essentials (or what we've learned to live with), but still seem to have trouble getting it together in the morning. Part of this is due to the fact that we finish our rides dead tired, rip open our bags to get what we need, and clean up the disaster FEMA-style the following morning. Another large part is that we don't want to rush. This is our time and we get to spend it how we please. That said, some of this time could probably be better spent elsewhere. Breakfast, for example, is something we take very seriously, and we usually leave ourselves a half hour or so to digest. Eating right when we get up would give us time to digest, however, while we pack up our stuff. It's little refinements like this that will allow us to maximize our efficiency without spending too much time figuring out how to maximize efficiency (that's what jobs are for).
ZIN AND THE ART OF BICYCLE MAINTENANCE
Like most major endeavors in life, this trip is about doing the best you can with the resources you have. We could have done this ride supported, or carried front bags, or spent thousands of dollars in reducing effort on the road. Self-sufficiency is something we pride ourselves on, however, so we pinpointed some of the major items and figured we'd leave the overspending to those who get more enjoyment out of it. The top three transportation concerns are: bicycle, seat/saddle, and tires. For the bike we went with a Surly Long Haul Trucker, a solid name and good value. The saddle was Brooks, top of the line, but it's leather so anyone who's broken in a new pair of leather shoes can quite literally feel our pain. The tires I opted for were GatorSkin Ultra Puncture proof, a good choice but poor execution. Anyone following the Track My Tour knows about our tire travails. Mid-ride in 90 degree heat the third flat tire of the day causes me to get more than a little frustrated and angry, as evidenced by the pic Bradley snapped of me below.
It wasn't until my front tube popped in Burns that we realized I was given bad information. I was told to buy 23mm tires when in actuality I should have purchased 35mm. 1/3rd less surface area to absorb rocks and various other mario-cart type obstacles made for a rough ride in the most literal of senses. Finding this out was actually a bit of a relief as we thought we were going crazy with so many flats. We killed a day in Burns, OR (which I would never recommend), drove back to Bend (which I'd highly recommend), and had the bike shop set us up with the most durable of tires. We lost a day and a few hundred dollars, but have probably already saved a ton of time and increased enjoyment. I'll probably end up saving money in the end as alcohol has proven the best way for me to cope with mechanical issues (as it is with all of life's problems, right?). We've also enacted a rule that if you pop a flat, you have to take a shot that evening. This should serve as a good deterrent since neither of us are currently in a fraternity.
OREGON TRAIL
For those of you not of my generation, I'm terribly sorry you did not get a chance to experience one of the best video games ever. Perhaps you could find a 1985 macintosh and a floppy disk to re-live it, though odds are you'll have better luck finding a time machine and traveling back. I remember playing this game in school, though I can't quite remember what lesson it was supposed to teach us, other than that life back then was really damn hard. Nonetheless, the nearly universally known jokes that it has provided well into my adulthood have proven priceless. Not really sure if I can give context, or even if context would do any good, but somehow a few "fording river" and "dying of dysentery" jokes seem to come across my path each year.
Fortunately for us, life hasn't been so hard. Though in some parts of Oregon it seems like not much has changed since the days of Lewis and Clark. Western Oregon is absolutely amazing. I actually drove up the week before our launch: 24 hours of driving for 48 hours of play time. Totally worth it. Hell, I've drive up again just to drive around. The first few days took us through Eugene, Willamette National Forest, and Bend. The roads were great, people were friendly, weather was perfect for riding, and it seemed like anything we needed fell into our lap. As we inched closer to eastern Oregon, however, this magic began to fade (except the people, who have remained friendly throughout). Everyone we asked seemed to have little idea what was past Bend, but we figured more people would know as we got closer. We figured wrong. East of Bend are the Oregon Badlands, 260 miles of desert with little to nothing in the way of services and scenery. Fortunately there was usually a restaurant or gas station every 40/50 miles or so (never both) so we made it through, and even made the best of it.
Be sure to check out the quick pics link for pictures and the track my tour link for more detailed point to point comments and pics.
Well, not exactly. We probably adopted more of the Steve Coogan approach to our adventure.
the most amount of upper-body exercise we'll be getting for months
After a week on the road we've pretty much got it down to the essentials (or what we've learned to live with), but still seem to have trouble getting it together in the morning. Part of this is due to the fact that we finish our rides dead tired, rip open our bags to get what we need, and clean up the disaster FEMA-style the following morning. Another large part is that we don't want to rush. This is our time and we get to spend it how we please. That said, some of this time could probably be better spent elsewhere. Breakfast, for example, is something we take very seriously, and we usually leave ourselves a half hour or so to digest. Eating right when we get up would give us time to digest, however, while we pack up our stuff. It's little refinements like this that will allow us to maximize our efficiency without spending too much time figuring out how to maximize efficiency (that's what jobs are for).
ZIN AND THE ART OF BICYCLE MAINTENANCE
Like most major endeavors in life, this trip is about doing the best you can with the resources you have. We could have done this ride supported, or carried front bags, or spent thousands of dollars in reducing effort on the road. Self-sufficiency is something we pride ourselves on, however, so we pinpointed some of the major items and figured we'd leave the overspending to those who get more enjoyment out of it. The top three transportation concerns are: bicycle, seat/saddle, and tires. For the bike we went with a Surly Long Haul Trucker, a solid name and good value. The saddle was Brooks, top of the line, but it's leather so anyone who's broken in a new pair of leather shoes can quite literally feel our pain. The tires I opted for were GatorSkin Ultra Puncture proof, a good choice but poor execution. Anyone following the Track My Tour knows about our tire travails. Mid-ride in 90 degree heat the third flat tire of the day causes me to get more than a little frustrated and angry, as evidenced by the pic Bradley snapped of me below.
Cure for the common flat
OREGON TRAIL
For those of you not of my generation, I'm terribly sorry you did not get a chance to experience one of the best video games ever. Perhaps you could find a 1985 macintosh and a floppy disk to re-live it, though odds are you'll have better luck finding a time machine and traveling back. I remember playing this game in school, though I can't quite remember what lesson it was supposed to teach us, other than that life back then was really damn hard. Nonetheless, the nearly universally known jokes that it has provided well into my adulthood have proven priceless. Not really sure if I can give context, or even if context would do any good, but somehow a few "fording river" and "dying of dysentery" jokes seem to come across my path each year.
Fortunately for us, life hasn't been so hard. Though in some parts of Oregon it seems like not much has changed since the days of Lewis and Clark. Western Oregon is absolutely amazing. I actually drove up the week before our launch: 24 hours of driving for 48 hours of play time. Totally worth it. Hell, I've drive up again just to drive around. The first few days took us through Eugene, Willamette National Forest, and Bend. The roads were great, people were friendly, weather was perfect for riding, and it seemed like anything we needed fell into our lap. As we inched closer to eastern Oregon, however, this magic began to fade (except the people, who have remained friendly throughout). Everyone we asked seemed to have little idea what was past Bend, but we figured more people would know as we got closer. We figured wrong. East of Bend are the Oregon Badlands, 260 miles of desert with little to nothing in the way of services and scenery. Fortunately there was usually a restaurant or gas station every 40/50 miles or so (never both) so we made it through, and even made the best of it.
Rest stop bathroom - one of the higher quality sleeping establishments Eastern Oregon has to offer.
Be sure to check out the quick pics link for pictures and the track my tour link for more detailed point to point comments and pics.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Ready to Launch
Spent the night in Coos Bay, OR and most of the morning getting everything in order. About an hour from launching and only a minor wig out on the way up....as to be expected I guess. Generally posts will be more well written but figured it was best to notify everyone since I'll be starting the Track My Tour App today.
Only one thing left to do before we start...
Only one thing left to do before we start...
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
T Minus 5 Days
I’m not even sure where to begin. Of all the questions asked to me about this trip, “how?” almost seems to be the easiest one. “Get on your bike and ride” is what I tell myself each time I hear this question, though my outward answer is usually a bit more eloquent. Many have alluded to Forrest Gump (clearly), which isn’t too far from the truth. The idea originated as “do it just to do it,” but as the idea has progressed, it has become so much more. On the deeper side of things I would say it’s a chance to rediscover America and rediscover myself. On the lighter side, it will be full of challenges, adventures, misadventures, interesting people, and probably more than my fair share of discomfort where the sun don’t shine. I plan on drinking it all in and smiling from ear to ear throughout.
The lead up has actually been one of the more frustrating parts, though I have no one to blame but myself. Logistics are a bit tricky for this trip and no one will ever be 100% prepared, as a good deal will have to be figured out along the way. That said, I’ve left way too much for the eleventh hour. This is only compounded by the fact that I’m leaving my job and trying to squeeze in every last moment with those I care about most. The end result is a crappy diet, too much drinking, not enough sleep, and pretty much feeling like a sloth. I find quite a bit of humor in that the thing I’m looking forward to most about the first day of our ride (probably 90 miles) is actually being able to get some rest!
Under no pretense do I pretend that this trip is about anything other than me. I have found myself at a crossroads in my life and, lacking of better options, decided 80 miles per day on a bicycle sounded a lot better than 10 hours a day behind two computer screens. I find great comfort in continuous motion, which anyone who has ever met me can affirm. It brings clarity to my mind and solace to my heart, both of which I could use a bit more of right now. Even still, I hope to share this trip not only with those whose paths I cross, but also those who mean so much to me: my friends and family. They have shaped my life, given me the strength and courage to pursue non-traditional endeavors, and continually supported me throughout my wildest ideas.
This blog seems to be one of the better means of communication with the outside world, especially since I’m hoping to maintain a relative level of detachment throughout the trip. Technological advances have made it much easier to share much more, even without using the coveted Facebook. I hope to post my thoughts at least once a week (and probably pictures too) but should be updating the Track my Tour daily (see pics and track my tour links to the left). If ever I lose motivation, I need to look no further than a quick picture on my iPhone of my niece, whose parents are using this trip as a way to teach her US Geography this summer :)
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The lead up has actually been one of the more frustrating parts, though I have no one to blame but myself. Logistics are a bit tricky for this trip and no one will ever be 100% prepared, as a good deal will have to be figured out along the way. That said, I’ve left way too much for the eleventh hour. This is only compounded by the fact that I’m leaving my job and trying to squeeze in every last moment with those I care about most. The end result is a crappy diet, too much drinking, not enough sleep, and pretty much feeling like a sloth. I find quite a bit of humor in that the thing I’m looking forward to most about the first day of our ride (probably 90 miles) is actually being able to get some rest!
Under no pretense do I pretend that this trip is about anything other than me. I have found myself at a crossroads in my life and, lacking of better options, decided 80 miles per day on a bicycle sounded a lot better than 10 hours a day behind two computer screens. I find great comfort in continuous motion, which anyone who has ever met me can affirm. It brings clarity to my mind and solace to my heart, both of which I could use a bit more of right now. Even still, I hope to share this trip not only with those whose paths I cross, but also those who mean so much to me: my friends and family. They have shaped my life, given me the strength and courage to pursue non-traditional endeavors, and continually supported me throughout my wildest ideas.
This blog seems to be one of the better means of communication with the outside world, especially since I’m hoping to maintain a relative level of detachment throughout the trip. Technological advances have made it much easier to share much more, even without using the coveted Facebook. I hope to post my thoughts at least once a week (and probably pictures too) but should be updating the Track my Tour daily (see pics and track my tour links to the left). If ever I lose motivation, I need to look no further than a quick picture on my iPhone of my niece, whose parents are using this trip as a way to teach her US Geography this summer :)
Let the adventure begin…
Monday, April 27, 2009
Venezuela
I often joke about how I'm going straight to hell, usually for an inappropriate joke I made or for something I did. I might have to change this tongue and cheek remark as Im starting to think Ive already been. I really cant say enough bad things about Venezuela, though I sure can try. It wasnt all negative, however, so lets start out with the positive.
Some highlights:
The hot dogs. Sounds weird, I know, but the way they dress them is an art form where the actual meet takes second stage. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and potato crisps are the standard topping, then you have about another 10-16 to choose from. I usually went with processed cheese and hot sauce, Julie took the former and some form of corn. Its funny how much this country loves its toppings, quite the contrast to argentina (pretty much no sauces, ever).
Our trip back to catch our flight was a little shakey. It was Easter weekend, which is pretty much the south american travel equivalent of thanksgiving in the US, except that you can only buy your bus tickets the day of. generally never a problem, but I went early to the station (about 15 hours before we wanted to leave) just in case. What I found looked more like the trading floor of the NYSE than a bus station, pure chaos with all the buses sold out. Our bus was sold out so we collected our things and returned, looking for a private car (much more expensive) but really just hoping to make it back so we could make our flight.
What we ended up finding was much better. It was a bus, one that was not altogether too comfy, but very clean. More important than the bus were the people inside it. Everyone seemed very nice and helpful and we actually ended up sitting next to some Law School students from Caracas. Although there was a language barrier at times, we managed to get along quite quite...the booze helped. They were having a time of it with Rum and Coke, but since I dont drink coke about every 15 minutes theyd offer up a cap full of rum. Julie wasnt as keen on the rum so one of the girls pulled out baileys. Although the never had enough to get intoxicated (they did), it proved a great social lubricant. Before I knew it our bus had turned into a variety show. People were getting up to tell jokes as we were stuck in traffic, one guy had a guitar and led horribly off key (but funny) sing alongs, etc. Julie and I actually became the center of attention as one of the students tried to convince some other individuals we were actually venezuelans posing as americans to trick them all. Babies then starting getting passed around to take pictures with us, we were giving samba dancing lessons while the bus was stuck in traffic, I really cant make this stuff up. Once we arrived the students then took us out for a traditional venezuelan type meal and even treated us! They called us a secure taxi that was half the price of our initial one from the airport and even offered up their place (we refused, had to draw the line somewhere). As tough of an experience as we had in Venezuela, it was so refreshing to experience such a random act of kindness and I will never forget it.
PLEASE NOTE: I would never recommend taking drinks from strangers or following the back to their place, especially not in Venezuela...this was a very special set of circumstances.
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Venezuelas' problems really stem from one main thing: Chavez. I have no doubt he is significantly better than the Caudillo's before him, but that gives him no right to run the country into the ground in hopes of boosting his own ego. From Chavez comes the currency problem. In order to curb growing inflation a few years back, the Venezuelan Bolivar was pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 2.15 to 1. Although inflation was somewhat tamed, its still high and the rate has become a farce. So much so, in fact, that just about anywhere you go there is a parallel (illegal but common) market for US dollars at a rate of around 5 to 1.
For tourists this is a problem because if you want to do venezuela on the cheap, you have to walk around with all the cash you are planning to spend for the entire vacation. Considering Venezuela is the most dangerous of South American countries, this isnt realy a good idea. For Venezuelans this is a problem because everything is sold at the parallel rate, making prices absurdly high. I can only presume that Chavez has used oil money to help appease the masses. Gas is priced at nearly free ($1 US to fill up your tank) and oil revenues are used to lower taxes and give money to those in need. This was all well and good when oil was $150 a barrel, but at one third of that Chavez is going to have to make some tough changes. My fears are as follows: currency gets depegged and collapses, chavez reduces social welfare programs and raises taxes thus becoming unpopular, refuses to give up control and becomes dictator type (by force if necessary).
OTHER TOURIST THINGS
You wont read much about Venezuela online, as most people either dont go there or those that do try to forget it. Its a shame really, cause a fair amount of the people seem good and helpful. They are, however, overshadowed by the massive amount of crime and the seedy underbelly. Id say Gotham City would be a good comparison, if the readers dont mind me summoning my inner comic book nerd. We spent most of our time in the Caribbean, on Margarita Islans and along the coast (palay colorada). Both are considered treasures but what we saw was trashed lined roads and beaches filled with litter. Some interesting security measures were instituting along our journey. To exchange what was about $7 US officially (before I knew of the black market) I not only had to give my name and passport number (plus a copy), but also my finger print. Addiditionally, on our way to the beach our bus would stop and everyone wuold have to get out for a luggage search and full scale pat down. Men with gun had all the males line up, hands on the bus, legs spread where they made sure you werent packing heat. Although there method could be described as quite thorough (or "all up in my junk") it actually made me feel less safe). Unless things change significantly in terms of politics, economics, and infrastructure, I really wouldnt recommend this country to anyone. Even these "beautiful places" that we were supposed to have seen were tarnished and hard to enjoy as we never felt comfortable.
Ill leave you with a comparison of costs to hammer to point home on just how expensive venezuela is.
Columbia: 6 nights, all in decent and comfortable hostels. Took taxis almost everywhere and ate a large majority of our meals in restaurants. Did laundray, stocked up on supplies (dry goods, shampoo, etc.) Saw sights, went to museums, and paid for excursions. Total cost per person per week: $200
Venezuela. 7 nights, 2 spent in a hilton hotel (free from points), another free as we slept in the airport. Two of the four night of paid lodging were in places visiting by working girls and johns, and the other two were spent in a commune type place where i slept in a hammock (or didnt sleep, rather). We are out once, breakfast. The rest of the meals werent realy even cooked, they were generally peanut butter sandwiches. Depleted supplies, no laundry, walked everywhere. Saw very few sights and paid no entrance fees (couldnt afford it). Total cost per person per week: $300.
Some highlights:
The hot dogs. Sounds weird, I know, but the way they dress them is an art form where the actual meet takes second stage. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and potato crisps are the standard topping, then you have about another 10-16 to choose from. I usually went with processed cheese and hot sauce, Julie took the former and some form of corn. Its funny how much this country loves its toppings, quite the contrast to argentina (pretty much no sauces, ever).
Our trip back to catch our flight was a little shakey. It was Easter weekend, which is pretty much the south american travel equivalent of thanksgiving in the US, except that you can only buy your bus tickets the day of. generally never a problem, but I went early to the station (about 15 hours before we wanted to leave) just in case. What I found looked more like the trading floor of the NYSE than a bus station, pure chaos with all the buses sold out. Our bus was sold out so we collected our things and returned, looking for a private car (much more expensive) but really just hoping to make it back so we could make our flight.
What we ended up finding was much better. It was a bus, one that was not altogether too comfy, but very clean. More important than the bus were the people inside it. Everyone seemed very nice and helpful and we actually ended up sitting next to some Law School students from Caracas. Although there was a language barrier at times, we managed to get along quite quite...the booze helped. They were having a time of it with Rum and Coke, but since I dont drink coke about every 15 minutes theyd offer up a cap full of rum. Julie wasnt as keen on the rum so one of the girls pulled out baileys. Although the never had enough to get intoxicated (they did), it proved a great social lubricant. Before I knew it our bus had turned into a variety show. People were getting up to tell jokes as we were stuck in traffic, one guy had a guitar and led horribly off key (but funny) sing alongs, etc. Julie and I actually became the center of attention as one of the students tried to convince some other individuals we were actually venezuelans posing as americans to trick them all. Babies then starting getting passed around to take pictures with us, we were giving samba dancing lessons while the bus was stuck in traffic, I really cant make this stuff up. Once we arrived the students then took us out for a traditional venezuelan type meal and even treated us! They called us a secure taxi that was half the price of our initial one from the airport and even offered up their place (we refused, had to draw the line somewhere). As tough of an experience as we had in Venezuela, it was so refreshing to experience such a random act of kindness and I will never forget it.
PLEASE NOTE: I would never recommend taking drinks from strangers or following the back to their place, especially not in Venezuela...this was a very special set of circumstances.
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Venezuelas' problems really stem from one main thing: Chavez. I have no doubt he is significantly better than the Caudillo's before him, but that gives him no right to run the country into the ground in hopes of boosting his own ego. From Chavez comes the currency problem. In order to curb growing inflation a few years back, the Venezuelan Bolivar was pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 2.15 to 1. Although inflation was somewhat tamed, its still high and the rate has become a farce. So much so, in fact, that just about anywhere you go there is a parallel (illegal but common) market for US dollars at a rate of around 5 to 1.
For tourists this is a problem because if you want to do venezuela on the cheap, you have to walk around with all the cash you are planning to spend for the entire vacation. Considering Venezuela is the most dangerous of South American countries, this isnt realy a good idea. For Venezuelans this is a problem because everything is sold at the parallel rate, making prices absurdly high. I can only presume that Chavez has used oil money to help appease the masses. Gas is priced at nearly free ($1 US to fill up your tank) and oil revenues are used to lower taxes and give money to those in need. This was all well and good when oil was $150 a barrel, but at one third of that Chavez is going to have to make some tough changes. My fears are as follows: currency gets depegged and collapses, chavez reduces social welfare programs and raises taxes thus becoming unpopular, refuses to give up control and becomes dictator type (by force if necessary).
OTHER TOURIST THINGS
You wont read much about Venezuela online, as most people either dont go there or those that do try to forget it. Its a shame really, cause a fair amount of the people seem good and helpful. They are, however, overshadowed by the massive amount of crime and the seedy underbelly. Id say Gotham City would be a good comparison, if the readers dont mind me summoning my inner comic book nerd. We spent most of our time in the Caribbean, on Margarita Islans and along the coast (palay colorada). Both are considered treasures but what we saw was trashed lined roads and beaches filled with litter. Some interesting security measures were instituting along our journey. To exchange what was about $7 US officially (before I knew of the black market) I not only had to give my name and passport number (plus a copy), but also my finger print. Addiditionally, on our way to the beach our bus would stop and everyone wuold have to get out for a luggage search and full scale pat down. Men with gun had all the males line up, hands on the bus, legs spread where they made sure you werent packing heat. Although there method could be described as quite thorough (or "all up in my junk") it actually made me feel less safe). Unless things change significantly in terms of politics, economics, and infrastructure, I really wouldnt recommend this country to anyone. Even these "beautiful places" that we were supposed to have seen were tarnished and hard to enjoy as we never felt comfortable.
Ill leave you with a comparison of costs to hammer to point home on just how expensive venezuela is.
Columbia: 6 nights, all in decent and comfortable hostels. Took taxis almost everywhere and ate a large majority of our meals in restaurants. Did laundray, stocked up on supplies (dry goods, shampoo, etc.) Saw sights, went to museums, and paid for excursions. Total cost per person per week: $200
Venezuela. 7 nights, 2 spent in a hilton hotel (free from points), another free as we slept in the airport. Two of the four night of paid lodging were in places visiting by working girls and johns, and the other two were spent in a commune type place where i slept in a hammock (or didnt sleep, rather). We are out once, breakfast. The rest of the meals werent realy even cooked, they were generally peanut butter sandwiches. Depleted supplies, no laundry, walked everywhere. Saw very few sights and paid no entrance fees (couldnt afford it). Total cost per person per week: $300.
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