[11/12/27~12/01/04(D+125) Mexico] It is sad to meet somebody.

27th Dec 2011

Culiacan host’s brother is going to the south for a vacation, so I can get a ride from him. I am so sad to say goodbye to my Culiacan family. I can’t stop crying and it makes me so depressed. I can’t understand that I get a huge love, but why do I have to be sad? After I arrive in Mazatlan which is the next city, I can see the ocean and I feel a little bit better.

I am staying at Couchsurfing home for two nights. He shows me around the ocean.

Mazatlan has an unique taxi.

28th Dec 2011

I stayed in Culiacan for 8days and I spent Christmas with them. I left Culiacan 27th and I still feel so depressed. I miss them so much. But the sun rises and I have to start a new day without them. Anyway, I go to the downtown with a host.

It is a small market.

When we visit to church, somebody is getting married.

I meet other couch surfers and we have lunch together. I order shrimp tacos and it is good.

I like colorful things.

Mazatlan is popular to North American so that I can see a lot of American tourists.

The ocean is so pretty but I feel so empty and my heart is filled with sorrow.

The sunset..

Sometimes, I don’t like being in the sunset. It makes me sad without any reasons.

29th Dec 2011

When I try to start riding a bike in the morning, I find that a chain is bent. So I wait a repair shop for one hour to open. He fixes a chain with two wrenches and it is 5 pesos (USD 0.40 cents).

When I take a rest on uphill, I see aunts. They are carrying big things like me.

When I ride a bike on uphill, the police officers stop me. I don’t want to make any problem, so I answer my best. But later I find that why they stop me. They say to me that let’s drink a beer tonight at their town. hm… They call my Spanish name over two times with car AMP on my way. hm…

I meet other cyclist on the road. I am posting on ‘Crazy guy on a bike’ which is a famous website to cyclists and when I meet him at first, he call my name because he saw my posting on online. It is nice to meet him! He decide to stay the town where I take a picture of him and I decide to go a little bit more. We exchange e-mail with each other.

I can’t find a town after saying good-bye with him. I don’t want to regret and complain, so I do my best to ride a bike and I find one house. When I ask to them with body language, they say okay without hesitation. I sleep early because I am so tired.

30th Dec 2011

Again, it starts another day. I love riding a bike in the morning because it makes me relax and I feel more energy.

I find a very small town along the road.

It is a beautiful road today. But my feeling is still so lonely because I miss my Culiacan family. I still cry on the road.

I meet andy whom I met yesterday along the road. We ride a bike together. But I’ve had a stomachache since yesterday and when I go to a downhill I find that I can’t ride a bike anymore. I let him go after saying good-bye and I throw up on the road. I just sit on the road for a while. I miss Culican so much. It makes me so hard and even I have a stomachache. I try to hitchhike and  Angeles Verdes which helps people who is stuck on highway gives me a ride to the next town.

They let me set up my tent at their office. I am just so depressed and I can’t stop crying. My Culican friend says to me on online that please don’t cry, if you are sad, then I am sad, too. It makes me more sad. What can I do with myself right now? I sleep with turning on lights because sometimes I can’t sleep without lights.

31th Dec 2011

They opens the office in the morning. One of them gives me something to eat but I am afraid that it makes me worse. I still have a stomachache.

They are really angels!

I decide to spend new year in Guadalajara where is the next big town and it is over 200 km (125 mi). I can’t go there in one day and I have a stomachache. Fortunately, one of their cars is going to that direction. So, one of them gives me a ride over 150 km(93.75 mi)

I can see what they do while going together for 150 km (93.75 mi). When cars are stuck on the road, they fix for free because it is operated by government. It is good to see Mexico system.

Angeles Verdes drops me left 50 km (31.25 mi) to Guadalajara. I wait for 20 minutes and a big truck stops in front of me. But I can’t trust him, so I let him go with saying that I am okay. But after that nobody stops for one hour. It is getting dark and I am too nervous and I feel so sad, again. But I try not to cry anymore because it makes me weak. I have to keep saying to myself “Don’t cry, Don’t cry. Please.” When I wait over one and half hour, I can’t understand what’s going on. Why nobody stops? I just try to think positive things. When I wait over two hours, one car stops and I feel so excited. “Yeah!! I don’t need to spend new year on the road!” I talk so much to drivers because I feel like I make it. Above the picture is drivers who give me a ride.

My Culican family introduces me Guadalajara host. I am so happy to spend new year with them. I take a shower first and I join to a new year party! The picture is a chili with a shrimp.

I do love it. It is awesome delicious.

My last day in 2011 is so thankful. From the second left, my host family is Lorena, Manuel, Ximena and Manuel. Why do I write same name two times? It is one of the Mexican cultures that the oldest son is same name of father and the oldest daughter is same name of mother. Sometimes, they makes similar name. If father’s name is Roberto, then his oldest son’s name is Robertito.  It’s interesting.

It’s coming Happy New Year! The last day in 2011 is special and the first day in 2012 is so lovely. I eat grape after countdown to Happy New year. My host says when I eat grape, I can make a wish.

1st Jan 2012 00:00
You can guess what I wish. It’s very easy dream to guess if you know me.

Here are other Happy New Year cultures. If I go around the house with luggage, I can travel so much. (You know I don’t need to do it. haha) The other one is that if I sweep with a broom over 12 times in front of the door, I can prevent bad luck. It is totally Happy New Year with them.

1st Jan 2012

I look around the downtown with host. Guadalajara is a tourist place because of lots of historic building in the downtown.

There are so many vendors and people. I can’t collect myself.

The Mexico history looks so complicated. They were invaded by Spain 500 years ago and were under Spain colonical rule over 300 years. Also, after losing the war with the US in 1845 year, Mexico ceded the north land of the conqueror. I still don’t know Mexico history well and I want to know more about their history.

I visit to Lorena friend’s party. It is Pozole and similar to Korean food.

It is Tostadas.

Ximena with Lorena friend’s family.

2nd Jan 2012

The next day, Lorena brings me Chapala where is over 50 km (31 mi) from Guadalajara.

It’s the first time that host shows me out of their city by car. So, I am very excited.

Such cute boys.

It looks a cafe.

The Mexican people love Coca cola. I love Mexico. So, I am trying to drink Cola more. It is not a plastic but a glass. It is so interesting.

I have fun with my host family. We eat snack, talk, and look around together. It is so peaceful. I love Lake Chapala.

When we go back to Guadalajara, we have burrito. It reminds me of my childhood. I feel like that I’ve gone on a picnic with my family.

3th Jan 2012

The last day, Lorena cooks a tortilla fry. It is so delicious. They say to me that I can stay as long as I want. I thank to them for their kindness. But it’s time to ride a bike.

4th Jan 2012

Usually, Mexico school starts at 7am, so I say good bye to Manuel, father, and Ximena first. It is no problem. But when I say good bye to Lorena and Manuel, son, I feel so sad. I try not to cry. I cried a few times in the beginning of the trip because everything is so hard. But I am crying because it is so sad to say goodbye.

I am so depressed and I cry so much on my way after saying good bye with them. It makes worse. I miss Culican family and Guadalajara.  How can I stop crying?

Lorena gives me lots of food. When I take a rest, I try to eat something. And I cry, again.

I can hardly keep from tears in the afternoon and I can’t ride a bike anymore. So, I stop riding a bike and I just cry on the road.
I know more than anybody that the more I meet people, the more I have to say good bye. If I stop to say good-bye, then I can’t make more friends. I know well, but I can’t stop my sorrow at this moment. I almost cry over 30 minutes on the road and it makes me have a headache and exhausted. I don’t want to be stuck on the road, so I ride a bike against my will.

I arrive in Tototlan where is over 85 km (53 mi) from Guadalajara around 4pm.

I see a big church in a small town. It is weird.

When I am looking for a place to set up my tent, somebody tries to talk with me. His name is Pepe and he introduces me a church around his shop. He asks his friend to make a sandwich for me. The above picture is his friend. We talk more and he wants to let me stay at his house. He calls to his wife to permit. His wife doesn’t care about it and I can stay at his house.  Lucky!

The second from the right is Pepe. The right in the picture is Pepe’s wife. The left is his friend. The bread in the picture is one of Mexican culture.

Tequila is popular in Mexico. But it is my first time to drink and it is not bad.

Later, Pepe delivers Tacos. When you deliver pizza, he deliver Tacos! What a cool!

Pepe gives me a room which they don’t use anymore. It is really a warm place. Outside is so chilly but my sleeping is so sweet because I meet really nice people.

The next day, I take a picture of them. I usually give my picture which I take on the road unless I don’t forget it. But Pepe wants me to save pictures for later. Even he gives me some money. I say to him that no, no, no please. But he puts money on my bag.
They invites me in their house and share their culture. They are so kind people.

Actually, I was afraid to meet somebody after saying good bye to Culiacan family because I didn’t want to say good bye anymore.

I know more than anybody.
I am a traveler.
I can only meet someone after saying good-bye.

I left many people on the road, but I never left them in my mind. I am always with them on my mind.

Let’s go again!  Let’s meet more people. Let’s ride a bike!

============================================================
English is not my first language. I want to learn English more. If you find any mistakes (such as words being used out of context, grammar, syntax, etc), please let me know. Thanks
============================================================