11th to 16th of October, 2017.
What can you say about the people you see everyday on the streets? Do their clothes have an influence on your opinion about them? Their attitudes; their bags; what all of that stuff can say about them? When I was in Madrid, a few days ago, I had one hard day thinking about this and getting crazy while I was looking around. So I stopped. But of course a lot of things happened before I got to Madrid… Let’s talk about them.
Queralt was going to London on the 12th of October, and coming back just at 16th. To not leave me alone with the kids, since Pep would be in Saudi Arabia, they decided to give me two days off and the girls would stay with Pep’s parents.
At first, I decide go to south: Seville, Granada and Cordoba. I would have to find a way to go and come back (because hitchhiking would take too much time), a way to move between the cities and places to stay in the tree cities.
The cheapest way to go, including Blablacar, bus and train, it is by plane. Laugh. I would use Blablacar to travel between the cities and Couchsurfing to sleep. So the first thing I do is to send messages for nine people (three in each city), asking them to host me. The problem is I need to borrow a debit card to buy the plane tickets and to pay the Blablacar.
The truth is I keep waiting on Queralt and Pep, to say something about the travel, so I could ask for the card. Just a few days before the travel they talk about it, so the prices were already too high and I decide to completely change my plans and go to Madrid.
The next problem is: two days before the travel day, I have just one request remaining on Couchsurfing (you can send only 10 requests per week). I create a public trip but got no answer.
I decide to go by hitchhiking and come back by bus.
On the 12th October, most of the attractions in Madrid will be free because it is the day of Spain. For that reason, I leave Sant Vicenç on the 11th October to have a good edge of arrival and enjoy the free day attractions.
Pep gives me a ride until Manresa, dropping me off in a Service Station. After one hour waiting, with all the nice people saying not going that far and the not nice ones with hating looks emanating cancer rays; with two piece of shit: one asking me if I was a girl or a boy and inviting me for a coffee, and the other saying that was going to Sant Vicenç when he knew I was going to Madrid; a nice man offers to drive me until Igualada. He just must make a work stop and we would keep going. We have a nice talk, and he even teaches me a little of Italian. When we are one block before the place he would drop me off, we pass for some other hitchhikers but I did not see them, I just hear when the driver says: “Look! Your friends!”.
After a few minutes hitchhiking, the two of them came until the gas station to take some water. It is when I first meet Martinha, Clasber and Yoshi (a very cute and friendly dog).
They are going to Portugal: Martinha going back home and Clasber, from Denmark with a strong accent, is coming with her because they met in the middle of the way and after she had stayed with him in Denmark for a few months, now he would do the same in Portugal. Differently of me, they are here since yesterday. They tried for a few hours then decided to make camping for the night. At first, they were five but just they remained. Now it is almost midday and they are still there. So we decide to join forces and hitchhike all together.
I go to pee and when I come back a guy has stopped for us because he saw the two of them yesterday, and decided to drive us to the Service Station just a few kilometres from here. Such a nice guy! He even gives us twenty Euros to get some food. Of course I let they have all the money because, in the end, the guy stopped for them and not for me and clearly they needed more then me.
The place he dropped us off is very nice! It is a gas station with a big restaurant and a supermarket. After Martinha buys some stuff for sandwiches and they eat, Martinha and I start to talk with people, because Clasber does not speak Spanish. I know, I know, neither do I but at least I could be understood.
I finally get someone at the gas station and he is going all the way to Madrid! Edu just say that, if two of us fit in the back seat with with Zoe’s baby comfort (his daughter), than we are good. I forgot to talk about Yoshi but it is not a problem for him. We are so happy and almost cannot believe we would get to Madrid that night!
In the middle of the way, Martinha and Edu kind of get into a discussion about the independence of Catalunya and the violence of the police. I even thought Edu would stop the car and put us out! But later they say that this is the way that Spanish people “talk” about politics.
We get outside of Madrid in only four hours! Edu drives very fast but also very well. Now we just need to take a train to Madrid and from there another one to Julia’s house. Oh! Yeah, at this moment Martinha already told me that would be OK if I spend the night in her friend’s house. I did not have a place to stay so I just had some hostels names and addresses noted.
It is the first time I do not pay for a train. I see Martinha asking information to someone and then simply walking through the gates after the girl. I am choked! I just follow them, shaking. I am so nervous that I cannot even ask them what a hell was going on until we leave the last station and wait for Julia to collect us. They tell me that they do this all the time, and the only thing that happens if an agent sees them, it is to get a fee, but according to Martinha, they never arrived in her home. By the end of my trip in Madrid, including the two trains in the first night, I saved at least 20 Euros in public transport.
Julia is the sweetest girl ever and is very easy to like her. Nothing is a problem for her and she also is so cute with those big great dreadlock. When I tell her I am waiting for a Couchsurfing answer, she says I could do Couchsurfing there and stay for the next days.
We are all also fascinated by the incredible house they have. So beautifully decorated inside, with this old style and a lot of details and books and chairs and a piano… Amazing! And outside, gorgeous gardens with a lot of trees, plants, places to eat, nice lights for the night and even a big pool. Fascinating! And let’s not forget about Kora, the kindest German Shepard ever! Amazingly beautiful and sweet!
The first night, for dinner, we have a nice red rice by Julia and mushrooms with eggplant, in a great sauce, by Martinha. Then we talk a lot including our most crazy and different lifts by hitchhiking.
Next morning, after a nice breakfast and goodbyes, four of us leave to Madrid. I say goodbye to Martinha, Clasber and Yoshi inside the train because my station is two stops after them.
I go to Prado’s Museum and Reina Sofia Museum, two of the most famous in the world! That one because of some very famous Goya’s pictures and this one because Gernica. However, while I am in there, I could only think in how I do not belong to the arts world. At least this kind of art. It really does not pleases me to keep looking all those paintings and most of them do not make any sense or are not beautiful at all for me. I mean, I am so sorry art lovers but I cannot see a difference between those pictures and “normal” ones done it buy regular nowadays people. I understand about the different styles; the concepts; and I get it. But I truly believe that society simply choose some people to become famous because I cannot believe that in this huge world, only a few selected painters can do this or that master piece. I believe that we have many other Picassos out there, just waiting for justice. Unfortunately, the capitalist world cannot let that happen.
I tried to go to the Library but it was closed so early. So after the Fountains and the Spain’s door, I go to the Real Palace. A long queue for not too much to see inside. Perhaps they might have reduced the number of exhibitions, and areas available for visiting due to the fact that it is a free entrance day…? I don’t know but to pay 13 Euros to see it is really not worth it.
This day brought up the topic at the beginning of this chapter. Everyone wearing so different styles and clothes: what was all that about? What does that mean to them? If you are thinking that this is a frivolous topic, answer me that. Is not just about the fabric: go deeper. Why do you pick and buy the clothes that you wear? Are you doing this because you like them, because you need or just to show up for the rest of the world? Do you need to tell the others who you are according to your clothes? Can you do that if you have just one change of clothes? So what my hole black outfit, basic pants and t-shirt, tell you about me?
It is almost nine o’clock when I leave the Palace and I start feeling the consequences for not eat properly the hole day. So I decide buy some French fries and a beer. Worse thing ever! My migraine that already had started, just became worse and worse, and I have the worst crises ever, since I have started my travels. Waiting over 30 minutes at the bus stop is a nightmare. I cry; I thought I would die; it is horrible. I am crying in the bus, feeling miserable, so when I com out, I even forgot to pay for the bus. I guess the driver was just feeling sorry for me, and didn’t say anything. And he should because at the moment I get out of the bus, through up.
When I get to Julia’s house, there are three friends of her there, and I could barely talk. I explain to her what happened and ask for them to forgive me but I could not enjoy their company that night. I take another pill before going to sleep, and the attempt to eat a little bit of apple it is not successful.
I wake up late in the morning but I wait for Julia to apologize again about last night, and explain what happened. But after 10.30 a.m. I decide to leave and l write her a note.
That day in Madrid is better. I enjoy it more, I am more relaxed. I even buy a second hand dress for Halloween! Eight Euros in one of the Humanas.
I eat the traditional Spanish dish Paella of vegetables in the San Miguel Market. Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, eating many different dishes, and spending a lot of money. Because the food is not that cheap, you know? And I even see a guy with four types of caviar! But I keep down to my very cheap Paella.
The last thing is waiting for the sunrise at the Temple of Debod. So many people! After that, I borrowed somebody’s phone and called Julia, asking if she needed anything for dinner. Unfortunately, the train got delayed, I get late (again) and the Supermarket is already closed! I feel very bad for arriving at home with empty hands but it was not my fault. Fortunately, there were a lot of friends of Julia there. Something around thirteen people. It is a kind of farewell party for Julia and another guy.
How it was with them? Well, I am pretty excited at the beginning, you know? I say hello to everybody, and I am ready to be very open and talkative. But just one of them it is really nice and talks to me. Sadly, I do not remember his name right now but he is from Portugal, so we talk a little bit in English and in Portuguese.
So I start to pay attention in everything, and (of course) reflect on it: most of them are Psychology students and have this “hipster” detachment style. But most of them have money, like Julia. They all are drinking and smoking and talking with each other. Nobody is given a shit to talk with the outside girl, the tourist. At one moment, one of the boys come and start talking with me but he is so drunk… After a while I realize that the best thing to do would be going to bed.
This time I get up early, leave another note to Julia, and go to the station. It is Saturday, and for some stupid reason, I decide take a bus to Barcelona. With a lot of luck, I spent about 50 Euros going and staying in Madrid those four days. If I had not taken the bus to come back and trying to hitchhike, it would’ve been twenty Euros. I totally should have hitch. Of course now everything is different…
About the relationships… I think that what I have to say is kind of harsh, but here it goes.. Even that most of the people I met those days were nice, I felt very judged. Like just because I was not miserable (yet) and had some money, I was not dignified of been called and looked as a traveller or a backpacker. Like as if I even should not hitchhiking. Or just because you speak more politely, you know, and your clothes are not a hippie style… I do not know how to explain better but I felt kind of bad. Of course I felt a lot worse for not being able to interact that much with Julia and helping out buying some food or drinks but the circumstances were completely against me! The migraine, getting lost, all her friends on the party… I just hope she have not got mad at me. I hope one day she understands.
But also, I felt they judged my 10 years travel plan and the way I want to do it. I mean, you should not judge or qualify what kind of people should or should not do a very cheap travel. I might have some money now but because I plan to spend a long time in Africa, without a way to get resources, so I needed to save. Also, I do not have a home, a family or someone to come back to it; or in a country nearby where I am travelling. If the money is finished, if I get in trouble, I cannot run away to my mammy or daddy: I have to figure out by my own. I just do not get it how those people that supposed to know all about this, and then be the most open minded people, are exactly the opposite.
10 Years Around the World 