Go forth, pilgrim, the open road beckons...

02/08/10-02/20/10

San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara to Los Angeles to Santa Monica....Whew!

Picking up where we left off...after the best camping trip ever, hitched from Big Sur. Didn't take very long to get a ride, seeing as how Big Sur is just generally filled with nice folks!

The people who gave me a ride were fellow travelers, kind souls, and they even took me a few extra miles just to ensure that I got where I needed to be, safely. The world abounds with good people, and ever am I grateful to them for their kindness. My first stop in SLO was Thai Classic, where I found my good friend, Lek. She's always the first to know when I'm in town. She so graciously provided me lunch, and I have to say that even after curry in almost every state, this is still the best. :) This was a pretty short portion of my trip. Stayed with my friends, David, Zeb and Anthony, woke up, went to Linnaea's, met up with my friend Michael,

(this is him)

and we decided to skip town.

We took a bus to Santa Maria, having no idea if we'd even be able to get to Santa Barbara from there. We didn't really care. San Luis had lost its charm, in reality many years ago, for both of us. As it turned out, there really was no way to get to SB except the greyhound, and hitching here was indeed a dire prospect. The greyhound station itself, as was expected, was a bit scary. But we managed. I fell asleep on the bus and upon arriving we immediately got coffee, because we considered just walking around all night. We decided, though, to stay at the hostel, because Michael had never been to one before. The rain found me again. I left Portland, partly because of being tired of the month long saturation I endured, only for it follow me everywhere. I was really excited so I didn't sleep a whole lot. We quickly met some awesome travelers and they offered me a ride to LA. Michael and I left the hostel at about 9:30 and it was already pouring. Not what we were expecting for our getaway, but. What can you do! Enjoy the day!

we had cupcakes!

And saw the mission!

And downtown!

There's an electric buzz in the air, and garbage everywhere. The "river" actually has water in it right now, because of all the rain, and it rushes by, brown and full of shit. Can you guess where I am? I guess I already said I was going to L.A. I was lucky enough to join the lesbian convoy from Santa Barbara on down, and got into the city in good time. I really wasn't in a rush to get there, but I was excited to see Jeremy, an old friend from SLO. yay! Jeremy!

One very happy sparrow woke me up the couple days I stayed at his place. I fully utilized the back balcony that hung from my room with a leisurely breakfast and a long sit thinking of nothing in particular. If only day could be so perfect. Oh. It is!

the lights are on in the daytime!

Grafitti!

A nice hike into the hills brought me to this view of the city

Kitty!

One last breakfast on the balcony, and I began my first day of the trek. This was technically backtracking, as I went from L.A. to Santa Monica, the opposite direction of our ultimate destination. I hit the road and started walking, walking, walking, walking.....Until I got to Santa Monica!

On the way, I saw a great many people and things, naturally. It was about a 16 mile walk, and beautiful weather. not to mention,

Scientology!!

Passed through Beverly Hills as well. Lots of strange stares my way passing through here. Probably because I'm a hobo.

And this grove of cacti and strange trees.

Then I got there! And had my first glimpse of the beautiful Pacific in 6 months. For me, having grownup on the Westest of the West Coast, that was a LONG time.

I spent quite a number of days in Santa Monica, far longer than I anticipated. I find myself putting off writing each day I don't move forward. I hate to say I'm uninspired, because, as George points out, inspiration comes from within. I half believe this, as there's a clear and distinct discrepancy between the feelings within me and those who are, well, inspired, by the profundity I perceive in San Francisco. Nonetheless, there have been sparkling moments that have stirred my restless soul to wonder. Just the other afternoon, in fact, I started reading "The Art of Pilgrimage," whose title is pretty self explanatory. I find in myself a calling to pursue experiences of whose merit I often find difficult to make concrete to others. For the most part I am met with encouragement for my undertakings, and only rarely with snide amusement or bewilderment. Anyhow, to read a perfect articulation of thoughts I've long harbored undeciphered is reminder to go forward with senses open to the joys of the day. Wake up, Shay, and see the things you picked up and left to see!

Lying on the beach, I was graced by the universe to see the bellies of a hundred ladybugs as they hovered above my sand-speckled body, on some unknown pilgrimage themselves. In that moment, as the land's end brought forth thoughts of the end of things, life had, again, just begun. Look, I found parrots!

And downtown, I found good coffee and this awesome mural

I was met with the most beautiful sunset I've seen in far too long.

I finally met up with George, my partner in crime, or rather, walking across the whole damn country. For now, this is all the introduction you're going to get, because I'm tired. But. After I've gotten a chance to get to know him better, I'll write more. For now, though, he's awesome!

Over the last few days I've had the opportunity to connect with several worthwhile people, admittedly after much digging. The first two, couchsurfing hosts, were just lucky finds. Joshua struck me as a particularly cool dude when he responded to my request with "I love veggies, I'm a vegan!" And it struck me as even cooler when he cooked up some stir-fry for us. Over the next couple of days I caught up on the intellectual stimulation that solo travel sometimes stifles. Dan, my initial prospect for couchsurfing, invited me to a gathering with his friends and I thoroughly jogged the memory of my inspiration and purpose during these travels. Having good people flock in interest with good questions surely rekindles the ambitions to get moving! Amidst the usual logistical inquiries, "why are you doing this?" snags my attention, reminding me it's been awhile I've asked this of myself....More on that later...

Dan ended up hosting me Sunday night, since George got in rather late. If this gives you any indication of how nice he is (in addition to the fact that he hosted me on rather short notice) he bought me fake chicken nuggets after my raving about how good they are and how I'd been trying all day to resist my craving. He was compelled by my excitement over them. Little things like that make my day.

A couple nights before we took off, I had an epic night of dumpster diving with a newfound friend, Kat. Since we had all the time in the world on our hands and nowhere in the world to be, we prowled the streets, hungry for garbage. After a discouraging 4 or so dumpsters, and feeling quite dejected, we hit the jackpot of cupcakes at Whole Foods. Seriously, who throws away 100 cupcakes AND a tub of frosting? Sleep deprivation and sugar high delirium prompted a sidewalk sit, and inspired many a night-lurking stranger to inquire about our happenstance. We shared our cupcakes and our stories, but the "chips" dance remained an inside joke. And I guess it still does...

It was definitely time to go when it was time to go.

So we left. Walking walking walking.....

More on that also, later.

Love, Shay

There are more photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/FakePlasticShay The blog, which is just a running accumulation of these emails and journalings, is here: http://fakeplasticshay.blogspot.com/ _____________________________________________________________________________________ I am not traveling for profit. I seek to live as minimally as possible while traveling, and in life in general. However, any help along the way is appreciated, as food and shelter are of the utmost uncertainty on this trip. if you would like to make a small contribution for food you may do so by clicking here: https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=marketing_us/send_money click the "personal" tab, send it to Fakeplasticshay@gmail.com, specify your own amount as a gift, and help me get one day and one city further! As always, anything helps and is so very much appreciated! ___________________________________________________________________________ So! Onward! I am an adventure traveler. I am not a tourist seeking a distraction from my discomforts and worries. I am a lover of life seeking to submerge myself in the world outside myself. The nature and quality of my experience are based on some questions: -What do I want from the road? -Why will I travel? I want to see amazing things I want to meet amazing people I want to do a lot of walking I want freedom I want stories I want to see and try new things And I want all of these things at the expense of taking risks and encountering uncertainty.

Love, Shay