Onward to Morocco via Afgreciras and Gibraltor plus stayed in the Moroccan shit hole Tangiers 2 nights

( sorry still encountering shitty internet connection so cant upload pics; shit this is worse than when i was in Kenya and East Africa: so keep checking cus will upload as soon as i can)

Yeah so after leaving Granada I got to Afgreiras a city where I could catch a ferry to Morocco. But after a 3 hr bus ride from Granada thought shit may as well stay in Afgreiras for a night before catching the ferry to Morocco. But shit Afreiras was a bit of a shit hole as it’s a port city!

So I thought hell why not head over to Gibraltor and stay the night there instead.
Earlier I met 4 Canadian tourists in the bus station at Granada. They were from my old home town of Edmonton so had a lot to talk about. They had some interesting things to tell me about Morocco and Gilbraltor cus they were heading in the opposite direction and had just come from those places. It was nice to hear every if they also were travelling in a little higher price range than me. They were like staying in 3 to 4 star hotels as they had a bit more money as one woman was a doctor, another had her own stamp company which was really a great business. The 2 guys travelling with them seemed like kept guys as the one guy said the woman with the company was paying his way but hey that would work for me! But they were really nice people cus of course they came from my old home town in Canada as me. ha

So this taxi wanted to charge me like 25 E or $37 to go to Gibraltor from Afgreiras. But hell if I waited for 1 hr I could take a bus there for 2 E. So shit guess what I did but wait a hr and took a bus as have all the time in the world.

When I got to the end of the bus line at La Lineas we were right by Giblaltor and could walk across the border (if u want to call it that) into Gibraltor. So met this Japanese guy who was also going to Gibraltor too so we hung out for the evening. He was a real polite nice guy would probably wouldn’t say “Shit” if his mouth was full of it. But hell had him swearing and carrying on by the time the evening was over! Probably didn’t give him too good an impression of the people of Japanese descent living in Canada but like who gives a shit. The Japanese think people with tattoos are members of Yakuza which is the Japanese Mafia. So he told me when he first saw me he was scared of me. Then when he got to know me he realized that it was well justified! Ha ha.

The border crossing was like so simple they asked to see our passports and didn’t even bother to look inside. There are a lot of Spanish people working in shops in Gibraltor so there’s a lot of foot traffic back and forth across the border so we just walked into town. The funny part of the thing was we had to cross a live air strip used by Gibraltor. There are cops stopping traffic onto the Rock whenever a plane takes off or lands. So in other words the main entrance to the country (if I can call Gibraltor that) has a jet run way running across it so all traffic into and out of the places stops if a plane comes in or leaves.

Gibraltor isn’t cheap as it costs us 20 E for a dorm room so feel Spain is cheaper. But shit its all relative as don’t think Spain is cheap compared to Morocco. But then further into Africa the countries are cheaper than Morocco where I’m heading. The people running the hostel weren’t very friendly so wasn’t impressed but seemed there was only one hostel on the island so shit we were stuck. But heck it was only for one night.

We went to check out the place and noticed it’s very British & reminded me so much of England. I think Gibraltor is like Duty Free cus there seemed to be a lot of Designer clothes shops. So of course I stocked up on my shopping and bought an entire new wardrobe of Designer Clothes. Yeah, Fuck NO cus dislike shopping, and buying clothes of any kind and wouldn’t buy Designer Clothes unless they were given to me. There also seemed to be a lot of alcohol and tobacco shops plus a few electronic stores. The Japanese guy kept pricing the whiskey and rum, etc as he wanted to buy some liquor to take home. While to me buying alcohol was the last thing I or wanted to buy.

We wanted to get a bite to eat but all I could see were English places selling shit like meat pies and other bland English stuff. So didn’t especially want to eat tasteless meat pies. So we finally found a cool English pub where we got an awesome curry meal. So with a cool English beer and the best food found in England which is Chicken Curry that had a bit of a kick. Thank fuck the Indians made it to Mother England or we would have been eating some boring meat pies or some potatoes, carrots that had the shit boiled out it with some piece of meat or other shit like that. Sorry to my English friends but guys you do have to add a bit of spice to your food as it’s so boring! But that’s cool cus the people aren’t boring which is what counts.

But when we went into the bar I thought shit I’m back in jolly old England. There were 2 couples of stodgy (my def is people who think or wish the Old British Empire still existed) old English people. Of course they were politely eating their meal using the supposedly good etiquette of mashing all their frigging food on the back side of a fork to eat. Why the fuck that’s good etiquette is beyond me cus does smashing all the food in a mess make the food taste better or make yourself look better? Anyway each to their own but I can still comment (or ridicule) can’t I? I like English people as have a lot of friends there but hey they’re mostly travelers so they are more worldly and realize that there are social classes!! I’ve had a bit of experience working and living with a bunch of stodgy English Expats in places like the Sultanate of Oman, Saudi Arabia, etc. It seems there are English Expats living in all the former countries of the Empire and they still the Empire still exists. Sorry but got a thing about English who like to pretend they are a higher class or some shit like that. Sorry I got carried away but it’s bugged me for years when I see that shit all over the world in India, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Burma, Malaysia and fuck even in cities like Victoria in Canada. Sipping afternoon tea while watching cricket or lawn bowling, etc, blah. So guess I’ve opened myself up for some shit thrown at Canadians but we can handle it cus we’re a bit boring too and get shit on by the US all the time so we’re use to it.

So there wasn’t much happening in Gibraltor at night and really didn’t need or want to party. But did have a few cold beers before calling it a night.

So would I go to Gibraltor again? Well a big positive Shit No as bin dare dun dat once and now I don’t need to see it again. But hell the people were nice which was cool.

Next day paid 25 E for the ferry from Afgreiras to Tangiers in Morocco. A relaxing 2 hr trip over choppy water where many Moroccan women were sick (saw th e same shit on a ferry in East Africa on a ferry from the mainland to Zanzibar as the people eat all kinds of shit while on a swaying boat listening to the loud Arabic music so no wonder they’re sick).

Yeah the crossing to Morocco was uneventful but the customs check was different at least for me. The immigration entry is done on board the ferry. While the customs is performed like the screening at an airport except they only had one woman working there. So I didn’t think I had to put my bag on the conveyor belt to be x rayaed. Then noticd a woman searching bags after the x ray. So since I just walk thru the x ray with my pack on my bag well I just kept walking right out the door. The only think I had to hide was a couple pipes and some grass from Spain. But shit there’s so much hash in Morocco that they don’t care about a small bit that I was carrying for medicinal purposes. Cus didn’t even get out of the building before a guy was trying to sell me some good Moroccan hashish (his words not mine). But I restrained and just kept walking as knew getting people selling the shit was rampid all over the country!

The Moroccans get to be a pain in the ass as they walk you wanting to be your guide , sell u something and make some cash. Now I can appreciate their need for cash but when u get bombarded all the time with them it tends to be a nuisance.

Shit thought Afgreciras in Spain was a shit hole but Tangiers was like inside the shit hole. It may have had it’s glory days but now was just a tired old city in need of some repair. Found a 50 Dirhum sp room in the California hostal owned by a Moroccan living in Edmonton, Canada. Kind of like living in one shit hole in Morocco to another shit hole in Canada but not quite as bad. (Dirnhum is the Moroccan currency which is 1\10 of a Euro or 1 7 of a CAD sorry can’t find the correct special chars on my Spanish computer but hey Spanish keyboards are stills better than the French keyboards.

I paid only 50 DH (5 E or 7.50 CAD) cus my room was down in the danky smelly dark baseroom room. But hey it was OK for me for 2 nights as just wanted to chill before heating out to see the real Morocco. The odd thing was they had wireless internet so that kept me occupied fomar a while. I met this German guy who just graduated from Computer Science so we had something in common but he studied Artificial Intelligence. But I meet a lot of people who study and get degrees and then don’t want to work in the field but just travel!! This guy spent the last few years only studying so wanted to see the world and meet new people. He had no desire to see any sights so each to their own. He was actually volunteering at a school in Tangiers teaching some computer things.

So we hung out talking as not very many travelers or things to do in Tangiers. So after a day I caught a 2 DH bus to ChefChauoen which is a cool town/city in the mountains.

Ever have a chat with a Hooker? Well it's different but cool!

Boy but had an unusal experience the other night after having coffee with a friend of mine! I was going to the Astoria hotel that has Reggae night. So was walking down this street listening to my mp3 player when I stopped into MacDonald's for some fries. Then as I left this woman comes up and starts talking to me! Well I never gave it much thought when she says do u want to sit down on this bench around the corner! I'm so naive sometimes that I don't know a prostistute/hooker when I see one as she didn't look like what I think of as a hooker! Anyway this woman of course wanted to know if I wanted to pay her for sex which I didn't want cuz I've never paid or was looking for it! So we talked cuz never spent time talking to a hooker before. So she told me where she was from and where she lives, has schizophrenia, A.D.D. and was bipolar, etc but what the heck so I thought!

Then she asks if I do any Crack Cocaine? Well I've never tried it but have done some coc when I was travelling in Central & South America cuz it's cheap. But I thought what the heck that's something I haven't tried. So against my better judgment I gave her $10 & she ran across the street to this bar to get the stuff and she left her purse as collateral! But I didn't really give a care cuz to me "Life is an experience so shit I like to try anything once!" So she drags me further into the park by this staircase as it's by these high rise apt buildings. She says she has to pee and just pulls down her pants and does it right in front to which was a bit different! Then she says that she wanted to do a hit on her pipe first! So she heats up the stuff and does a hit! Then I thought her phone was ringing but she said it was an alarm clock in her purse! I wondered why she had an alarm clock in her purse or if she charges by time? So I asked if she goes digging through dumpsters to find stuff but no she didn't and doesn't charge by the hour! She was getting uptight as she started searching for it to stop the ringing. Like it was iratating but not enough to lose it so I tried helping her find the clock but she started to get so upset! She said she wanted to enjoy the high but was definitely right out of it as I couldn't even talk to her! So I thought shit this isn't the type of experience or need to try crack cocaine. Not if it put me into that state or makes a person gets uptight! Life is too short for that so I told her I was leaving as was heading to the Astoria to listen to some Reggae and wanted to get there soon.

And NO I don't hang around hookers but sometimes walk thru some places they may frequent cuz it's the shortest route! But I don't worry about sketchy places cuz maybe I'm just sketchy myself!!!

Yeah that was a totally different experience even for me! But hey made it to the Astoria abeit a little late! Had a good time and ran into this friend of mine who was born in Senegal but lived most of her life in Kenya. We get along good but she's a bit different as she still thinks like an Kenyan! I don't mean that in a bad way but even tho we are just friends she expected me to pick her up from home, go to a club, pay her way in and buy her drinks, etc. Well I don't mind doing it for a friend cuz hell it's only costs a little bit. But she also was getting to be too friendly like we were in a relationship so it was making me feel uncomfortable. Like I'm not opposed to being in a feel good situation like that if I was looking for it but I'm not now! So after a couple times I felt why am I doing this as we are only friends and I don't have money to do this! So I told her how I feel and we now understand each other! So when we met at the Astoria well we dance and still have fun! She doesn't drink much but seems to be stoned or drunk! But know she isn't as she just likes to enjoy herself like all Africans!

So just another day in the life of a Free Spirit who enjoys new experiences as long as it's not too dangerous or hurts anyone!

Hey was a witness for 2 Chicks from the US who came to Vancouver to get Married!

Like I wasn't looking to be a witness at any wedding cuz not big on them cuz bin dar dun dat! But do like to volunteer or help ppl out in my crazy way! So when checking for places & things online CL that I could possibly help. Well there were 2 chicks from Arizona who were driving up to Seattle for a vacation. So they decide to come to Canada to get married & they needed a witness at the ceremony to be official! But they didn't know anyone in Vancouver or was coming. So I thought heck this will be cool as they were paying $20 not that I wanted it!

Yeah who would think that I would be act as a witness to a Gay wedding! They were really nice ppl who were getting married cuz they loved each other! So why not help them out by attending. Actually there were the 2 girls, myself and a girl who's place they were couch surfing plus 2 of her friends and the lady performing the ceremony!

The wedding was being performed at the Rose Garden at Stanley Park which is basically in the center of Vancouver! http://www.squidoo.com/Vancouver--Stanley-Park So it was beautiful back drop and it turned out to be one of the nicer weddings I've attended. Probably cuz it was so informal and truly sincere without all the pomp and pageant of most weddings!

The wedding only lasted about 10 mins and then some pictures. One of the other ppl was taking pictures with one of the girl's camera. He also took pictures with my camera too so I have a number of them.

So after such a momentus occasion we all needed a beer! Then girls asked if we could show them a beach since they don't have any in Arizona. So one of the others suggest Wreck Beach which is a famous beach in Vancouver. http://www.wreckbeach.org/

So we picked up some snacks and went down to the Beach. Well Wreck Beach isn't only a Nudist Beach cuz u don't have to be nude to hang there! Cuz there are ppl there with swimsuits or shorts too! What I enjoyed was the fact that there were all kinds of ppl selling things. It was all wide open as ppl sold cold beer, weed, 'shrooms and other assorted stuff too!
So I was able to stock up while attending the girl's wedding reception so to speak! We hung and talked for a while and ate some snacks which was really cool as not too many weddings have that kind of reception! But of course couldn't take any pictures at the beach cuz it wouldn't be kosher!

I was suppose to be driving 8 hours to volunteer and enjoy the 2009 Shambhala Music Festival for a week. So had to leave at 8 pm for an all night drive cuz I attended the wedding. But hey thought it was all worth it and made some new friends! Cuz it was really all about having a new experience!!

A Donkey Story with a Moral!!

Donkey Parable

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a
well. The animal cried piteously for hours as
the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the
well needed to be covered up anyway;

it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and
help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began
to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the
donkey realized what was happening and cried
horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he
quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally
looked down the well. He was astonished at what
he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his
back, the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel
dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it
off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey
stepped up over t he edge of the well and
happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds
of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well
is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of
our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out
of the deepest wells just by not stopping,
never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less

NOW .......

Enough of that crap. The donkey later came back,

and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.

The gash from the bite got infected and

the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:
When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

If guys want a ride why does the person offering the ride have to bend over backwards for them to come in my car????

Posted an ad on Craigslist Rideshare


Offering ride Van to Edm - early morning of Tues July 7

Have room for 1 or 2 people for a ride to Edm or part way. Want to leave early so can get to Edm from Van in 1 day as it takes at least 12 hrs. Will be returning from Edm the following Tues but maybe stopping along the way to camp. Have 2 tents if you want ride back but need your own sleeping bag.
• Location: Van to Edm

So I got a bunch of Flaky ppl & strange requests from ppl responding which finally got to me so I decided to cancel going!
Hey what the hell is it with ppl these days? They want to go somewhere so they reply to me asking. Then they say I’ll get back to u about whether they can go or not! Chicks are good for this as they bail on u cuz maybe they’re worried about traveling with a guy! Shit I should be worried about a crazy chick too!
I had this same stuff when I had some rideshare to Shambhala Festival last year. Ppl said they’d come and then bailed at the last min. or said they’d go both ways with me. Then when it was time to come back they said they met friends and weren’t coming so I came back the 9 hrs alone.
Not saying all of the u below can’t make up ur minds or aren’t being honest but why do I keep running ppl who keep bailing on a ride.
I say why reply for a ride unless u have ur own things ready to go. Like I’m not doing this to make money and it’s saving u guys some money. Heck corresponding to all of u guys and arranging places to meet is time consuming and I have things going on in my life too. Like my computer broke down on Sat so have to get the pics and data out and try to get it repaired. But told u guys I’m leaving Tues!


Hey Tom,
Thanks for being so great about getting back to me. Something has just come up for me with my sister, and I am not sure I can leave so early tomorrow. Your ride would be perfect, so I hope my sister can arrange other plans. I will let you know by 10pm tonight if thats ok. If I am coming I will be at the pick up spot before 8am...

sorry for any inconvenience! i will let you know asap, by 10pm the latest.
cheers,
galya

Hello this is Jason, i am emailing in regards to the ad you had posted on craigslist.I really need a ride to Edmonton for work related reasons
Then Jason calls and then he tells me he has no money cuz he thought I was offering a ride to Edm. Give me a break. But thought I’ll help this dude get to Edm as he said he’d work at a temp job and bring the money to me. But he’d leave his cell phone with me as collateral, like got a phone already. But what ehte hell I’m stupid (boy am I ever) so I’d give him a ride.

Some people who replied to my ad or called but weren’t sure if she can make it but will let me know.

Check out this girl who also wanted a place to stay as coming from Victoria.

OK. I'll need to get the ferry the day before, then. The earliest ferry arrives after 9:30 am in Vancouver. Are you open to having me stay at your place on the night before driving to Edmonton? We can speak on the phone and find out a little more about each other, if this is a possibility. I ask because I don't want to pay for a hostel if I don't have to. My cousin lives in Vancouver, so I may be able to stay with her, but the last I heard she is in Edmonton right now. Kate.


Rodney Dickinson

Hey, thanks for the offer! I have to cancel, though, as I just broke my collarbone. Have a good trip!

- Rod

Terri who hasn’t committed cuz going to Edmonton not Calgary
Hey,

I have to get out to Calgary is it
possible i can catch a ride with you?

Thanks

Terri

Why is everyone such a big flake nowadays?

Not just in friendship, but in everything:
- someone promises to come by at a certain hour to pick up an item, they never show up
- a long term friend says they will call you for a specific plan you talked about before, but you never hear from them
- someone gives you their number for a specific purpose - you call them at the specified time. They don't answer the phone (or respond to your voice mail)
- people say "strictly platonic", as soon as they see your face first thing they want to find out is if you're taken. Also the opposite where they want to associate with someone they consider is hot!
There are dozens of variations to these scenarios but you get the idea. True, emergencies can arise, people can get busy - but what happened to common sense and courtesy to let the other person know that your plans have changed?
What cracks me up the most are people who vehemently deny being a flake - Oh I'm not like that! I'm not like others. I am unique... Yet they turn out to be exactly the same as any other flake you met before.
I just laugh. I see a lot of humor in dealing with flakes. So I laugh and move on.
As funny a bunch as flakes can be, they don't change one conviction I have: Only misanthropists can survive this city.
So are you a misanthropist? Or just another flake?
Why don't you write to me and tell me how you're not like others? ;) decision.

Yeah I totally agree with this person as I'm tired of the phoney, uncaring ppl living here who are only out for themselves . But heck is it actually different in any other place? Probably not but I just need to get away to maybe appreciate this place. I do know there's no other city I'd want to live in Canada.

Check my blog about my experience ridesharing to Shambhala last year

http://free-spirit-guy.blogspot.com/2008/08/made-it-to-few-festivals-this-summer.html

I don’t know why I even bother contacting ppl anymore on Rideshare cuz this Is the replies I’ve gotten

So what the heck is with ppl today as I’m supplying the car and u guys expect to pay part of gas which should be expected. But if the car had a flat tire, etc would u guys share probably not cuz it’s my car but I’ should pay part of the gas.

I’m not a jerk but a regular guy who has ride shared to San Francisco and did what he wanted to get a ride there. I’ve traveled for 8 months thru Central and South America so know about traveling and paying my way and being on time
.
So I’m kind of leaning towards saying the heck with the hassle of ride share ppl and go on my own. Cuz I can leave when I want and yes it’ll cost me more $ but been thru travelling with unreliable ppl. If I go on my own then I can camp along the way check out friends cuz not in a big rush to get there as have all the time in the world as I did when I traveled in the past year.
So now may go on Wed or Thurs and take 2 days to go and camp along the way and smoke a joint & have a beer. It’ll cost me more $ but sometimes saving $ is not worth the hassle! Hell 1 pax is cool enough for me to break the boredom but also have 16 gb of music on my mp3 player.
When I've tried to get rideshare ppl it's like I have to bend over to help them like the tail wagging the dog! Well no more cuz think I've learned my lesson.

Wow some ppl are weird so be careful of ppl on Rideshare as got the attached msg So definitely NOT using Rideshare any more!!!!!

I sent this email to the guys who were going to come with me on Rideshare as still concerned even tho I cancelled taking them after some weird requests and emails.

Hey guys,
I know we'll never communicate or rideshare but want to relate an email I received from this Jason guy. So even tho I wasn't a happy camper I still want to say be careful who u ride with on Rideshare cuz ppl can be weird like this one dude that contacted me. What turned me off this rideshare were ppl who had sketchy msgs or were a bit over the wall with demands so decided the heck with taking Pax's to Edm. Now I may be at fault too so excuses but not using rideshare anymore cuz learned my lesson. The only person who I'd say was on the level and nice was Terri who emailed me back understanding what happened. Sorry u others may be too but have to assume that u only cared about yourselves and not others!
So after I sent that email last night this Jason guy who had no money to even pay his share of gas called me. He asked so are we still going tomorrow? I wasn't in a good mood & it was late so told him didn't u read the email and understand it cuz if u didn't maybe u should go back to school! Hit the wrong nerve with him and shouldn't have said that cuz he hung up on me! Then this morning he sends me the following msg which was really gross so I chg'd the words! Not sure why he sent that except he was pissed but it's still weird.

From Jason Stevens

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

OFFERING BL**JOBS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR FREE.wILLING TO SUCK ANY OLD BIB HAIRY F*CKIN C*CK FOR NOTHING,REPLY

________________________________________
Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail

________________________________________
this message was remailed to you via: comm-6tm6d-1255235389@craigslist.org

I had offered to help him out by giving him a ride and he said he'd pay me when he works!! But I had planned to make sure he wasn't a homeless guy & don't know where he was living here but he did mention around Gas town but hat could also be E. Hastings too! Not that I'm prejudice against them but hey don't want some unwashed guy smelling up the car for 12 hrs. He was from back east but had hitchhiked out west to get some type of laboring job but couldn't find one here. So wanted to check out Edmonton but had no money so thought I'd help him out! But when I pressed the wrong button I guess he lost it. So maybe I shouldn't assume he was weird but just pissed at me!

Boy this stuff is not my thing cuz I'm just a fun loving Free Spirit who loves travelling and meeting ppl. So after finding out that ppl are so Flaky. Well it reinforces why I have to leave Vancouver and Canada to travel the world to get away from this society every so often. So have decided probably not going to drive my car but may fly. I had already planned to leave Canada again this fall to travel to North Africa and Middle East. Yeah I know ppl there are more weirder but at least I'm prepared for that cuz some of weirdness is their culture!

U probably thinK I'm too serious but I'm not as u may read in one of my blogs about my life's beliefs

http://free-spirit-guy.blogspot.com/2008/07/questions-things-that-keep-me-awake-at.html

http://free-spirit-guy.blogspot.com/2008/08/so-2-guys-messed-her-up-ai-who-do-i-get_26.html

Heck I blog all my experiences so I can relate or read them when I forget things like getting Rideshare pax's, etc. Hey I'm not saying that I'm not an idiot myself a lot of times too! But I try to be considerate as enjoy ppl and hopefully learn from my experiences!.

OK I've written enough about this Rideshare stuff so it's buried like MJ and hopefully like him forgotten as never cared for his music or lifestyle, etc. but liked his dancing!.

Good luck in your Rideshare but be careful & considerate!

Sitting here a bit Shit Faced and generally just enjoying myself

Yeah well have any of u sometimes thought boy I´m lucky to be alive? So I started thinking why am so lucky? Well I´m doing what I want to do which is absolutely nothing! Actually I guess I´m doing something I guess - I´m travelling. So I got thinking what other things am I thankful about. Well u know people make me happy! Well I have a great family and with out a doubt I've met up with some awesome people travelling. But I've just thought back to some of the cool & some crazy people I've also met in Canada like-

Sarita at the Africa Peace Festival and volunteered with her at the AfricanDey Festival and met some real cool nice people - especially Pilar and Nicki (who´s taken some time off to visit her ancestory home Greece) and others. Met Nicole who´s probably in South Africa! Heck Sarita and Pilar are from Belize and Peru where I'll be going to in a few months. So if the ppl there are like them well the ppl must be really cool and nice! Met Leslie at the AfricaDey Festival as she had a booth there.

Met Yucel´s who since moved back to his home coutnry of Turkey. I moved into his place for 2 months after his wife and family moved back to Turkey before him. Also met Yucel´s sister Meryem!

Room shared with Eve and Rachel in an apt for about 6 monrha and got along great. Then Rachel moved out when Mark returned back from his 6 months in Korea trying to become Korean from Caucascian! Then I was moving out for 8 months or so so I subleased my room to Cat & dog (with the dog) a Phd seeker from Kansas. I also met Jen a nurse at St Pauls´and we hit it off well maybe cuz she´s into travelling too - off to New Zealand!

Met Kelly and hung out a few times down at Ambleside Beach, 3rd Beach & Kits Beach always with a bottle wine and some 420. So usually got a bit shitfaced at least I was that time we went for a bike ride and smoked. Must have fallen and drove off the path a couple times as we rode from Sience World to Stanley Park on a Sun afternoon. Shit when I got to an intersection of bikes, ppl etc I could hardly figure out what was going on. Sorry that ur back in Ont recuping from your injury. Plus ur f*cking truck packed it in!

Met up with shit can´t remember your name Dan?? but u´r a cool dude who took me along as a ride share to San Francisco gratis when he was moving back there. boy talk a truck with all the toys even tho I´m anit SUV but I can be bought! I went there to meet up with Dave who I was suppose to drive to Costa Rica for 2 months. But Dave u f+ckin bailed on me. So I´m doing this trip now. But shit I´m glad I´m doing it this way! Cuz Dave went Born Again and I didn´t need that stuff! Can´t see myself staying off the beers, wine and smoke for 2 months. Shit may as well have stayed at home if I gave them up! It´s easier giving up women but hey I didn´t give them but they gave me up! Just kidding cuz shit women are beautiful and I love them all!

Went to Shambala and was going to drive so went to get rideshare.Met Olga a young Russian chick (only reason I mention this is like with a name Olga u have to be Russian).
Well she´s the only one of 4 ppl who were to come but bailed! Especially Olga´s girlfriend
with an equally Russian sounding name. Met a whole bunch of ppl there but can´t remember their names cuz the weekend was a blurr

Then went to the Bonfire Festival the poor man´s version of Shambala. It´had it´s faults but all in all got shitfaced and enjoyed myself. Met one of my coolest friends there Sher
which is short for a longer name. We didn´t hit it off that weekend cuz I was an ass. But we´ve since become friends and think she´s awesome.

But the oddest weekend and nicest one was on the Aug long weekend and going to Van Island to explore the caves. Met Roberto and Caroline and a couple others but cançt remember their names. Caroline and I rideshared to Van Island and it was probably the funniest thing. Neither of us could decide whether to go or all the way up when our car was driving on to the ferry. But we hit it off great and enjoyed ourselves camping. But unfortunately can´t say as we didn´t get along so well after cuz probably something I said, not what I drank!

That was another time when a group of us ppl were meeting for the first time at this restuarant.Well made the mistake of initiating my new pipe and going there to meet the ppl. I got really shit faced and a lot of the ppl got really scared of me. Like Elena an Ukrainian chick organizing the meeting. Did a couple other things with them but guess I was too much of a free spirit for them.

Met up with Tim since I left Seattle. So what happens the night we to listen to this heavy metal band. I get like super shit faced and he said I blacked out. So this chick thinks I´ve OD and they call an ambulance and end up in St. Pauls. Shit all they did was hook an IV to me for a min and I´m like great!

Then another guy Theo from my Seattle day´s emails me that he´s coming to Vancouver to do the Grouse Grind on the Thanksgiving Sat. He wanted to know if I wanted to do it too. I´d love to but small deal I was a 1000 miles away in Mexico.

Oddest thing was trying to hook up Angela/Angel/Angelina or whatever with some 420. The dude didn´t have any so she gives me a call around midnight one Sun night. She asks if I want to go for a smoke but a small problem she doesn´t have any but could we smoke mine. So shit what the heck we go to this park and we have a smoke and I give her some of mine. Then funny lhing last week she sends me an email looking for some more. But another small problem on my end cuz I´m in Mexico. But I try to hook her up with a couple of ppl who may have some.

Yeah met Daryl and have steered a few ppl his way. Hey u were suppose to get me some mushrooms for Labor Day but u never came thru, plus I forgot.

Met Anna a nice English chick here for part of the summer who was an experienced kayaker who offerred to take me for a ride. But 1 month later after I had forgotten she emails to apologize.

Met Ali, Jasmine (Aussie) and Laura (American) for a beer once and they were cool. Jamine has gone back home but we went to a concert at the Stanley Park this summer and got a bit stoned. Boy I was right out of it.

Met Michelle as she was offering free info on how to travel and make money as she´s done it working on yachts and other things which I can´t remember.

Met Raven a young native chick who was suppose to ride share to Bumbershoot in Seattle. She was a great kid but we never made it to Bumbershoot but she made it there. I ended up going to a concert in Stanley Park.

I met up with 3 French chicks, one was Nadon who were going to drive down to the Grand Canyons and up the West Coast.

Noemie is a cool Swiss French chick I met on the beaches of Kenya and she was responsible for me losing my flip flops! But we have since become great buds and would like to visit Switzerland again and stop by to say hi!

Not sure where or if I even met Krista but for some reason I thought we did and she liked concerts. So checked if she wanted to check out the Beat Bash 2 as had an extra tkt.
But she told me she didn´t know me from Adam and think she may have been right cuz I didn´t remember.

Met Brian from Austin TX at the hostel in San Francisco and seemed to be a constant case of being stoned.

It´s funny cuz met an Argentinian guy here in this hostel. We had a lot in common and hit it off great. He likes to travel, drink, smoke, free spirited Latino who didn´t give a shit which hit close to home with me! So we hung out for 2 days and managed to get stoned. I guess we´re like 2 free spirits floating around travelling who have hung out for a few days getting shit faced and stoned! I think chicks might think heçs hot cuz he´s a tall good looking Latino so we make quite a pair as I´m like on the other end of the scale. But shit we have to play with the Hand we´re dealt so who cares! But Afonso and I think alike so he wanted me to come to Mexico City with him cuz he´s got friends there and a free place to stay. But been there before and I´m not in to spending time in a city with 2/3 the population of Canada. So he says maybe we´ll hook up in Buenos Aires his home.

It´s funny cuz the caretakers of the hostel are this Mexican guy and chick who don´t speak English and my Spanish is like shitty! But she´s always looks pissed while he likes to smoke. So I was feeding him tokes today while he was suppose to be working. I indicated to him that I wouldn´t tell the chick that he was smoking at work!

So I´ve been laying on this hammock in the back yard of this hostel drinking a $5 bottle of red wine and having a joint! I got to thinking man this must be the reason we were put on this earth! I´m not saying getting drunk or stoned is the best thing but it´s third to sexdoing whatever u want to and have no obligations. So tight now I just wanted to hang and get stoned and drunk at 1 pm so I did it!

Oh in case u wonder what the f*ck I´m talking about! Well I gave up the real world almost 2 years ago. So I just relax, work a bit, volunteer as I can and travel as much as my meager funds let me. So right now I´m travelling thru Mexico, Central America to South America. So yeah I´m just going with the flow and right now in Morelia Mexico a real cool city just a bit north of Mexico City.

So why am I here in this city (or this trip don´t know but sounded like a good idea) well they´re celebrating the Day of the Dead for 2 days here. So I´ve come here to check it out! Spending my time here with mostly Spanish speaking ppl even tho my Spanish is the shits!

Am Leaving on a Jet Plane & On the Road again!

So I'm finally going to be leaving to do some travelling again starting Oct 18!

http://whereisthefreespiritguy.blogspot.com/

which is the blog site I'll be updating while I'm travelling to Central and South America.

You know I've come to the conclusion that I don't really fit in the Canadian society lately! But I'm not upset or down about it cuz it's mostly my own fault! I'm just too unconventional and different than most ppl around here.

But I'm hoping a change of scenery for 8 months will make me come to appreciate Vanocuver again! Cuz right now I couldn't give a Rat's Ass about living here! I'm kind of thinking that living in the West End is a convenient place as I can walk or sky train most places. But the ppl living downtown and in Vancouver in general are not my type of ppl! There's too many flakes and a-holes that are too phoney for me in this city so need to get away.

So I'll be back in May or June and then depending on how I feel I may just hang out in town for a couple months in 2009 to do some personal things like my tax return, etc. I’d like to give my self enough time before the wet weather arrives cuz then I hope to head to the South Pacific and Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Bali and the Phillipines while the weather is cold in the Northern Hemisphere.

Then since I’ll be in Asia in the spring 2010, then I may head to China, Tibet, Mongolia, and on to the countries of the old Soviet Union like Kazakistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Russia and to the Eastern Europe countries of Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and over to Croatia, Serbia, etc for 5 or 6 months.

So then I'll have seen most of the countries on the 6 continents. So depending on my finances and what’s happening with my family I may head either home or over to Africa. But if I go to Africa I want to stay there for a few years and maybe hang out on this island I found on my last visit there.

I don’t mind being away from Canada for long periods as I can always come back! The only reason I keep returning is cuz of my family plus I always have the safety net of Canada. So I may miss it by then and appreciate things back in Canada. But right now I want to live where things are more basic and cheap to live. I figure with all the materialism & ppl’s priorities in Canada that I don’t fit in the life style anymore.

But hey those are only my dream plans and who knows what I’ll actually end my doing!

Well going to miss Halloween !

Yeah will be travelling down south so will miss Halloween this year. But if I didn't go I would have to decide on my costume.
I could dress up as Yoda


Also was thinking of maybe just being a bank robber!


Or a stereo typed Arab trouble maker (yeah I know it's unwarrant to think Arab ppl are terrorists cuz they aren't but it still makes for a good costume cuz I also have a Thobe from Saudi Arabia).


Or could dress up as a plain ordinary shit disturber

But don't think I'd wear the Arab trouble maker head piece if I was travelling thru the US. Cuz some radical idiot may fire a warning shot in my forehead before asking if it was a Halloween costume. I have to think that way when I read that a 75 year McCain supporter thinks Obama is an Arab! Maybe they think that cuz of his full name Barrack Hussein Obama! Now that would be an irony cuz Bush invade Iraq to get rid of Saddam Hussein and now they've got another Hussein but he's a good dude!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/opinion/12rich.html?hp

Some Soldiers could wear these Masks with their helmets and sunglasses to intimidate the Taliban. Then they'll blast out the following song when they roll out on a mission to get themselves all sync'd up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBBnOOA8pbA
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjmLKZgzMSs&feature=related

But since I'll be travelling I won't be dressing up for Halloween. But may take the mask and head pieces to wear if I make it to the Mardi Gras in Rio!

Went to Edmonton to see my family and rushed back to vote in the Fed Election!

Well I went to Edmonton to visit my family for the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend and of course see my Mom as will be travelling for the next 8 months! I like to see my Mom as she's a really sweet person that most ppl love when they meet her! They probably also wonder how such a nice person could have had a son like me! Well maybe there was a mix up in babies at the hospital or something! But I don't lose any sleep over it but just go with da flow!
So I had a good visit as may not make it there for quite a while! I like the ppl in Edmonton (but not some of the red necks) but not crazy about the city or the weather! What I'd like to do if I had a choice is move all the idiots from Vancouver to Edmonton and move all those ppl here! But in my dreams!

Yeah I spent 4 days there seeing family and friends (yeah I do know some ppl that consider me a friend)! It was also my ex mother in law's birthday and she lives 1 hr outside of Edmonton so drove out there to celebrate it with her! Caught a ride with my ex sisiter in law cuz I lost my driver's licence (will explain that later). I get along with her but she's really an ultra conservative! She calls me and says I hope u don't mind me but I hope ur aren't bringing any grass with u! I was floored like yeah I'm bringing a bunch of grass with me to smoke up with your elderly mother and u! I like smoking grass better than drinking liquor but that doesn't mean I take it everywhere! Hell I haven't smoked for about a month cuz haven't been in the mood as have been just focusing on leaving town to travel! Some ppl are so conservative that they've got this hang up about grass! But heck they think that drinking is OK. Well let me tell u I've never seen ppl fight or argue after smoking! Heck they get so laid back! But I know it's not for everyone and I'd never force or ask anyone to smoke as more for me! But that's one of the things I like about Vancouver is u can smoke it and no one really bats an eye!
Heck my late ex father in law was an alcoholic and could be an angry drunk at times. Shit he would have been so relaxed if he smoked but he just drank all the time cuz it was acceptable in society!

So about my driver's licence well I lost it Thur before I flew to Edmonton. Yeah I actually lost my driver's licence and it wasn't for DUI or whatever! What happened was I hadn't voted ahead of time cuz I was too busy getting someone to sub lease my room, packing my stuff, getting things together, etc. So on Thur in my ignorance as I was going for a run I thought I'd go and vote ahead of time (like what made me thing that advance voting was 4 days before the election). So I grabbed my drivier's licence for id and went to the high school which I thought was the closest polling station. But of course it wasn't open so I ran home and fiound out that I've lost my driver's licence!

Well in Edmonton I couldn't borrow my brother's car cuz I didn't have a licence! So I had to run 5 miles to visit a friend as don't mind running. It may have been cold but not when I run and the rain made me feel at home! The problem having no driver's licence was when I went to buy some liquor as I couldn't use my ATM card cuz they needed a pic id and who carries their passport with them all the time!

But got to see the Oilers season opening hockey game which was nice cuz I haven't been to a hockey game for 10 years! It was a bit boring plus I'm not a big hockey fan tho I used to love playing it! I love watching and playing football more but what can u say when ur given a free ticket!

Also went for Dim Sum in Edmonton which is another another thing I hadn't done for a couple years. Strange went for Dim Sum in Edmonton given that I live in Hongcouver home of some of the best Dim Sum in Canada! But went with a bunch of friends so it was that more than the food that was enjoyable!

So yesterday was the Fed Election so had a flt back at 5 pm and my ex wife picked me up (her idea not mine cuz she's a real nice friend to me) and dropped me off so I could race to vote! Well I've only lived in the West End for 9 months so am not resgistered to vote or even know where to go to vote. But I headed to the local high school as thought that was where I vote! The West End is full of single and sort of transient ppl who are the same as me and have only lived there for 1 year or less! So like there were about 50 ppl in line outside the high school! Well heck it was organized like the government. I asked one of the ppl answering questions if this is the place and line for me to be in cuz I'm not registered to vote. Well they say of course it is so get in line. So I wait about 1/2 hr in line and get to the front of the line. Then they tell me No you have to be at this church on Burrard which is about 10 blocks away. By this time it's 630 pm and the polls close at 730pm. So I race over to the church and find that the line there is just as long! So I wait in line another 30 mins after trying to get some answers first. So when I get to the front of the line I find out that I have to fill out this form and go in this other line which has about 30 ppl! Well I didn't think of bring a pen as I just brought my passport and my car registration as proof of my residence (which I have sub leased but who'd know that and that I have no real residence at this time). So I get in this other line and fill out my form and wait as by now it's 715 pm. Well I haven't ate any dinner plus have to hit the bathroom. But I was scared to leave the line so I suffer there only to find out I can't vote as the polls closed before I get there! I would have liked to oust that Heddy Fry but never got to exercise my vote but did my frustration! So u ppl in the US and African countries pls understand that there can be problems in all countries when u go to exercise your democratic right to vote. So in the US they have a 75 year old women who gets it in her head that Barrack Obama is an Arab, like duh? Then in Kenya they have ethnic riots and killings after their election. While here in Canada we just have idiots like me that run around in ignorance and can't make it in time to vote.

Yeah I always have trouble with bureauaracy! About 3 weeks ago I realize that my passport only had 5 blank pages left. So even tho I have 3 years till it expires I decided to get a new one. Cuz I figure to go to maybe 15 countries and don't want to run out of pages and have to get a new passport in a foreign country! So at 7 3o am I head to the Passport office to be first in line. I have my completed 2 page renewal form and my 2 non smiling pics in hand. Well I still have to wait for enough clerks to arrivel Then I'm told to go downstairs to get my forms verified (for what?) but Ifollow the bureauracy. Then once I get my number called I figure I've got it made! But the clerk looks in the computer and says oh u got u'r passport renewed the last time in the US. So u have to fill out this 6 page new passport application and get someone who has a passport that u've known for 2 years to notarize ur pic! Well now I have to go fill out this form and go thru the same crap again. But worse I have to find someone who's known me for 2 years! So I rush over to my ex-wife's office to have her sign it for me. Cuz I wanted to apply that day as I only had 3 weeks to apply and get my new passport. Plus the clerk has already cut the corner of my old passport so it's invalid. This time I paid $5 more for 48 pages rather than the regular 24 pages. Also paid $10 so I could pick up the passport rather than having it couriered out. But haven't quite figured out why it cost to pick it up rather than have it couried!

But this morning I had to go get a new driver's licence. So I take my shiny never been used passport to the Motor Vehicles to get a new driver's licence. I show the clerk my new passport as ID plus my government issued Nexus card & car registration with my address of my sub leased place. But she tells me we can't issue a driver's licence with a pic unless u have a birth Certificate.
She says u can fill this form out to order a new birth certificate. I have a birth certificate but not on me. So I race home to get my birth certificate and finally get my new drivers licence but it's only a temporaty one as my real one will be delivered to me! Unfortunately I won't be around to get it plus have no mailing address. So I tell the clerk to mail it to my ex wife's place. So now I have this temp licence that expires in 2 months. But I doubt if I'll drive or rent a car in Central or South America but wanted it when I return to Canada.

Still trying to figure out why I needed to show my driver's licence as Id to get a new passport. But when I went to get a new driver's licence they didn't want my passport buy wanted my birth certificate. Must be cuz the passport is fed and driver's licence is provincial. So wonder what I need for ID to get a new birth certificate? My mother's id or maybe a baptismal certificate!!