Where the Sky is Bigger

It has been a handful of weeks since writing in this blog and for those who have taken time in the past to read my previous entries I apologize for lag between updates. Inspiration to write can at times feel as illusive as an intense game of hide and seek but today a big event is sparking a previously watered kindling for motivation. At this very moment I am standing in line with a group of other travelers at the Oakland International Airport waiting to receive a boarding pass to a place that for seven years used to be called home: Missoula, Montana.

Ten months ago a house was emptied, a place of employment was given its notice, a series of "goodbyes" was shared among friends, and a life that was developed for seven years within the majestic horizon of one the world's most beautiful landscapes was placed on hold for an undetermined length of separation. For the first time since moving up to Missoula in the summer of 2005 this particular departure did not guarantee the timetable for a return voyage and an epilogue of answers was overshadowed with dense proceeding chapters of uncertain questions. 

Standing behind a growing queue of future destination seekers only the sensation of excitement runs laps around my consciousness. Artsy First Fridays, Dead Hipster stage dancing, hungover corned beef & hash, never ending river trails, pizza done Biga, Saturday markets, the world's best beer, and the some of greatest friends anyone can ask for are what sit only a short plane ride away. Its difficult to say what will be different and what will still be the same since last setting foot there but to have lived in such a wonderful place is a true blessing that I feel fortunate to have experienced. The Last Best Place hasn't been my home since last August but it will forever reserve a dorm bed on the 2nd Floor of Aber Hall for my heart. See you guys soon :)

I Reminisce Over You

Note: Written yesterday

Today is Wednesday and at this very moment I am enjoying a day off from work by running a handful of errands and taking in some much needed California sun. The sky is spotless, the breeze that whispers behind me has subtle undertones of necessary warmth, and a jumble of sounds ranging from soft conversation to passing traffic surround my senses as I finish a burrito prepared by a local establishment named "Lucinda's". This particular restaurant has become engrained as a staple eatery from my youth and today is the first reunion that we have made since embarking on my trip down south over eight months ago.

The dining experience that has just unwrapped itself is exactly how it was since leaving and more importantly is feels like a pulsing case of deja-vu from the first introduction I made with this restaurant many years ago. The aroma is savory and eat bite feels like a newly opened chapter from my internal book of memories. One soft epologue of Mexican style goodness brings a flash of just finishing an intense lacrosse practice, a second page break brings an image of getting ready to see a Giants game in San Francisco, a third editor's note invades my vision with a notion of going to an out-of-touch friend's house, and the list goes onward until the meal runs short on words. As time continues to pass and a rotating wheel of orders being taken by the clerk behind me goes from the process of verbal questions to physical product in hand the pages of recollections continue to race directly in front of me until at last there sits an empty remnant of tin foil wrapping, a satisfied stomach, and a shutter of incompleteness. Goosebumps send a chill through my body because each chapter in my mind springs attention with a proper build up of plot, character development, and ocassional conflict resolution but very shortly the final sentence gets cut off before I can see what happens next.

At this point the restaurant is filled with customers and it is time for me to yield my seat so someone else can open up their newly acquired and steaming book of memories. To fill the sudden void that has engulfed my consciousness I decide to stand on my now sleepy feet and aimlessly search my pockets as if something more interesting besides a wallet and keys is sitting within their confines. The sun blinds my eyes as I hop back in my car and realize that everything inside "Lucinda's" was exactly the same as the last time I ate there, everything except me. Will the next meal here have as good of a story line? My phone soon begins vibrating to attention as I pull away from the parking lot and the image of "Lucinda's" yellow engraved street sign fades away into the oblivion of my rear-view mirror. It's time to add more chapters.

A New Focus

Today is Tuesday and currently I am spending some free time with my Dad buying groceries and enjoying some very pleasant sun near Sausalito, California. It has been nearly a month since writing in this blog, a page that was originally intended to be a form of documentation for a recent trip of exploration down in various locations throughout a vibrant oracle of complexity known as South America.

Here is a very short summary of the life events that have unfolded since the last posting and since settling home from the seven month tour: After two days of being home with family I was extremely fortunate to be hired as a server in a Sausalito based wine bar named Wellington's and am currently located in this establishment four nights a week. Also some great friends from high school and myself just returned from an epic road trip down in dusty Indio, California to take part in a weekend of schinanigans alternatively known as Coachella 2013 and for the first time in my career as a CouchSurfer I hosted a really cool girl from the UK named Kelly for a handful of days. Overall life is good and a return visit to Missoula, Montana (a very special place) is currently in the works.

One month ago in my heart I felt that this blog had reached a climactic bridge and that it was time to hop back on shore towards life and leave the writing paddles nestled secretly under a watery sage brush. Since returning home, reconnecting with some very special people, and re-acclimating towards life in the working world I have come to the realization that writing in this blog was something that truly made me happy so to leave it stashed away in a spidery attic is something that would give me a sense of limitless shadowy guilt.

These points being said I have decided to continue updating this blog, perhaps not with the same degree of consistency as before, and write in it various experiences that seem like fun stories to share with the world. Since I am no longer traveling the future posts that will soon inhabit this site might not seem nearly as interesting as before (if they ever were) and there is by no means an obligation to read them. For everyone who has ever glanced at this blog in the past I sincerely thank you for your time and hope that the upcoming content will be something you enjoy! Have a great day and you look delightful :)

Dan

From 188 to Zero..

Writers Note: I meant to publish this yesterday but the Internet connection wasn't great sorry!!


Today is Tuesday and currently I am waiting to eat breakfast in a relaxed Bogota cafe named "El Gato Gris" which is located along the upper boundaries of the bohemian neighborhood of La Candelaria. The restaurant is completely empty except for myself, the rustling of activity of various chefs in the eateries' kitchen, a soft hum of Latin rock music that is emanating from a hidden stereo system, and an ocean of thoughts that are racing through my mind like a violent race of chariots.

At this very moment a pulsing sensation of vertigo is screaming like a faded trombone through my body because I can sense a cavernous cliff that is about to be jumped towards a destination that for the previous 188 days has felt like a land of unrealistic imagination. In three hours I will pack my belongings, hail a taxi to the Bogota International Airport, and board a flight towards quite possibly the most exotically foreign location that I have witnessed since seven months ago: Home.

For the majority of the trip it was easy to keep emotions about leaving South America stored away in the dusty attic of my conscious but with the scheduled time of departure creeping steadily closer its hard not to think about all of the impending changes that are about to commence. Alterations in scenery, perspectives, and culture will become a very relevant face once my first plane lands in Florida later in the afternoon to officially mark a touch down on North American soil. Seven months ago there was fear of the "unknown" and the idea of sinking into an ocean of uncertainty mixed with danger. At this very moment there there is fear mixed with heavy curiosity about returning to what once was "the known" and to see how seven months of hiatus effects relationships with friends and family. Despite this particular riddle that life will unfold I'm sure things will be alright.

The weekend leading up to today's exodus consisted primarily of reunions with a handful of very close friends whom I had met during various beginning stages of the trip. Dancing, restaurants, wandering, reconnecting with wonderful people and the exchanging of stories made the climactic days in Bogota a fantastically satisfying means of finishing the trip down South. Being here reminded me how lucky I have been to meet everyone who has entered my life since the original arrival in Bogota on August 21st and how friendship is one of life's treasures that should never be taken for granted.

As each ticking instant in Bogota fades away into the whirlpool of time the moment to bid a final farewell is walking down the driveway of life and about to press it's finger on the doorbell. As I descend towards home this blog will follow a similar trajectory but unlike me it will be eagerly waiting at the airport for the next grand adventure. I can't say when the next blog entry will be but it's bags are already packed and ready to see another corner of this wonderfully mysterious world.

For everyone who has ever glanced over this blog I want to sincerely thank you for taking time out of your day to read it. You might have read every entry since the page's donning, a single paragraph, or possibly just this exact sentence. However much or little you have read it doesn't matter because having the opportunity to write to you has been an honor and knowing that I have been graced with such wonderful people to share this experience with has been more important to me than the journey itself. I've been extremely fortunate to have experienced South America but even more blessed to have great people like you who have shown support just by clicking on the page. Thank you for being who you are and I sincerely hope that this blog was something you enjoyed reading because it was something that I truly loved writing.

If anyone wants any information concerning various locations in South America or how to plan for such a trip I would love to help in any way possible so please feel free to contact me. This journey started out for me as a dream and merely a spark of an idea that kept igniting its way back into my life even after large quantities of doubt made it seem impossible to accomplish. I was very fortunate in achieving this personal quest and hopefully this blog will give you motivation to strive towards your personal odyssey or to provide some form of light towards something you are yearning for. One thing I've learned from this trip is that life is too short to not do what makes you happy and to not follow that fire that is burning bright inside your heart. Take good care of yourself and let's follow our next dreams together :)

Love,

Daniel Bond Catena

Ending Where It Started

Today is Saturday and currently I am slowly taking in the flavors of a warm coffee beverage in the Quito International Airport. The weather outside is charmingly sunny with scattered dots of white clouds freckling around the Ecuadorian horizon. In exactly one hour I will pick up my personal sized backpack, an item that has been my companion for many months now, stroll towards a brightly illuminated departure gate, and board a plane destined for Bogota, Colombia.

I'm sipping my drink as slowly as possible because it is the last item I will purchase during my duration in Ecuador. Once this miniature paper cup filled with refreshingly smooth espresso and water is entirely consumed I will have completed the very final cycle of experiences that have taken place in this wonderful country. Glaring into the soul of this drink I notice that the beverage's tint shares the appearance of how it feels to leave Quito and all of the fantastic people who I have been fortunate enough to encounter here: Dark. However at the same time the taste that remains in my mouth after every gradual sip reminds me of how it felt to have lived, gotten lost, and been rediscovered here: Simply fantastic. I want this drink to stay in my hand forever but like all things there has to be an end where there once was a beginning.

Between sharing beers, shopping for pants, watching movies, dancing, and a lot of laughing the short yet sweet second duration of stay here in Quito was a very satisfying close to a special chapter in my trip. Limitless memories and scattered remnants of a wide variety of experiences will forever be engrained within the concrete foundations of this Ecuadorian city but more importantly they will remain something that keeps me smiling for the rest of my life. Some of the most interesting, hilarious, and sincere people whom I have ever met were encountered during my time here and to have an opportunity to see some of them again was truly a blessing. It's hard to bid farewell to such great people but inside I know that we will meet again somewhere else in the world and that our friendships will continue in one form or another.

Once in Bogota I will try to meet a handful of other close friends who were met during the infant stages of this seven month journey and to be with them again will be amazing yet deeply surreal. The concept of returning is like a heavy case of Deja-Vu because the Colombian capital city was the very first destination visited in what feels like generations ago however at the same time revisiting the original set now faded footprints of this lengthy tale of wanderings will feel like proper closure to a relationship that is nearing its timely climax. In seventy-two hours a final kiss to South America will send me packing on one last flight to the United States and soon afterwards the echoes of "goodbye" will be replaced with "hello" because there will be highly anticipated and needed reunions between loved ones back home.

As I type the final words of this blog post I realize that the cup once filled with coffee is now completely empty and that it's original contents are now a facet of my recollections. Having finished this warm serving of brew I take one final glance at the relic that remains in the palm of my hand to question whether buying it was a good decision. Was the flavor what I had hoped for? Should I have ordered a Cappuccino instead? Should I have added some milk and sugar? Placing it with love inside a nearby waste disposal bin I realize I'm kidding myself. It was the best damn cup of coffee I've ever tasted.

Quelcome Back Quito

Today is Wednesday and currently I am back in Quito, Ecuador enjoying a warm coffee near Plaza Fauch which is nestled within the tourist friendly neighborhoods of Miraflores. I spent three weeks in Quito nearly six months ago when enrolled in a Spanish Language School named Simon Bolivar and during this second stint of time I am staying in the same hostel as before, Vibes Backpackers, to see some close friends who are still working/living there.

This particular city is known for providing its citizens with an unpredictably diverse menu of daily changes in climate and at the moment there is an inviting taste of familiarity. Early phases of the morning were greeted with light rain showers followed by refreshing bursts of piercing sunlight, and currently a horde of dark grey clouds are beginning to consume the Ecuadorian capital's skyline like an invading act of nature.

I arrived in Quito yesterday afternoon to conclude a series of lengthy bus rides that originated in Chiclayo, Peru. After spending a little over a week visiting a very close friend in the northern Peruvian coastal city I hopped a bus to Tumbes on Monday afternoon then proceeded to cross the border into Ecuador at about three in the morning. The journey into Ecuador was extremely smooth despite the fact that it was extremely early and everyone was half-asleep. The gateway towards Quito was accomplished with a second bus from the massive port city of Guayaquil. Within minutes of exiting one bus I hastily boarded a second and finally 24 hours after departing Chiclayo my final destination was reached. This length of time might seem pretty harsh but in South America any bus trip that sits at less than 10 hours between locations feels like a warm Sunday morning brunch.

Quito is my second to last stop during this journey in South America and in three days I will return to the city where the foundations of the adventure took place:Bogota, Colombia. Returning to these locations feels very surreal because the person I was when I first arrived is definitely not who I am today. For one I now have a lot more experience in dealing with the various nuances of South American travel and additionally I have learned a great about myself plus about aspects of life in general. Living once again in Vibes feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone because the hostel is filled with entirely different faces and nearly every traveller in the facility is at the start of their Latin American adventure whereas I am on the cusp of returning home. Listening to people ask questions about various locations and express sensations of uncertainty towards future planning makes me feel like a weathered veteran waiting to finish a tour of duty while living in the barracks of freshly enlisted recruits.

It's exciting to see these people because it brings back memories of how life was only a short while ago and also because entirely new worlds are about to be opened for them and they don't even know it yet. It's also refreshing because I know in my heart it's time to come home, to see loved ones, to matriculate into the lifestyle that now feels like speedy flashes of once forgotten memories. Cheers to you newly arrived wanderers and treasure seekers, I've had my fun in this wonderfully enriching continent and now it's rightly time to pass you the torch :) Good night and good luck!

An Open Letter

Dear Peru,

You probably don't remember me but for the previous handful of months we have shared a very intimate relationship in a game of wanderer meets host country. I'm writing you this letter to say farewell and thank you for all of the memories that we have created together because within three days a bus will be boarded and our friendship will soon bare the harsh realities of long distances.

I came into your life on a pitch-black and brisk November evening after a strenuous border crossing through the desert tundras of southern Ecuador. A crowded collectivo van shuttled me from Tumbes to Mancora and within minutes of setting foot on your soil the vehicle sped off into the invisible abyss while still carrying my sleeping bag and a pair of hiking shoes still attached to its roof. These weren't the only items that your country has taken from me: Sandals got taken from boardwalk salsa bar in Mancora, a favorite shirt got ripped to shreds during an accident in Puno, a night of dancing led to a stolen hoodie then a sweater on two separate occasions in Cusco, and additionally a bank card got clumsily forgotten in a Lima ATM. Books ranging from Lonely Planets to children's literature in Spanish were left behind as tributes within your hostels, your busses, and your park benches with hopes that another wandering traveler would find a new use for them. Everything that was lost, stolen, or forgotten during the course o our friendship is all worth the experiences that we have shared together. They are my homage to your wonderful lands and your beautiful culture and for every item that has changed ownership there now sits in its place a memory that I will proudly remember for the rest of my life.

You have made me happy, sad, terrified, furious, curious, excited, shameful, shameless, and thankful over the past series of months, sometimes all in the span of minutes. Together we have seen sunsets along coastal paradises, stumbled home at sunrise after a night of dancing, fallen asleep when others were waking up. tasted the best and worst food of our lives, been crammed in a Cumbia blaring bus like fish ready for sale, wandered endless street corners in search of Internet cafes, trusted strangers with more than should be admitted, purchased delicious food from vibrantly colored markets, tasted dishes with confusing names, got introduced to future life-long friends, had a deep conversation that lasted only sixty seconds, had conversations about nothing that lasted for hours, played games of chicken with speeding taxis, pretended to understand lengthy conversations with fast-talking locals, been offered candy, offered drugs, offered rides, cut in lines, gotten completely lost, laughed with newly made friends, yelled at newly made opponents, cried in happiness, cried in sadness, but most of all we LIVED.

Thank you Peru for sharing your culture, people, and world with me it was a whirlwind ride and a complete honor getting to know you. I wouldn't trade a single instant of our relationship for anything and hopefully we are both better people from our time spent together. This farewell is not permanent, I will return maybe as a traveler but hopefully as a resident because no matter where we both are in the future you will always have a special place in my heart. Take really good care of yourself and please remember to brush your teeth after dinner :)

Love,

Danny Catena

P.S. Please import Goldfish crackers for the next time I visit your killing me...