November 12, 2007

Up at 6:30, which seemed to be extremely early to the clerk from the night before, packed up and then walked a few blocks into the rising sun and onto the beach. It was beautiful and we both said that we wished we had another day to spend there. Taxi to the airport, we each got window seat boarding passes (Leslie for today, me for tomorrow). We parted at the security checkpoint, just as Leslie struck up a conversation with a young Spanish female travel companion. While drinking cafe con leche and eating a croissant, I let the fact that I was back on a solo part of my trip settle in. With no particular plan in mind, I was again reminded of a new Spanish verb I had learned; vascilar – to travel with an ultimate destination in mind, but no plans. I took the bus to Estation Autobuss, but stayed on the bus one stop too many. As I was walking back, I stopped in a market with fruit vendors and bought 2 bananas, 2 tangerines and a pomegranate. At the station I locked my pack in a locker (€3, it took 2 tries), then went to an Internet shop to search for a hostel, since I did not want to stay in the same hotel. Found one in the nearby town of Torremolinos. The only bus was leaving in 20 minutes (so much easier than Morocco!). Got the €1.5 ticket, my pack and soon was getting off at Torremolinos. Much more tourist stuff than I had seen and NO free tapas (bought a good sausage and bean one for €1.5). The €21 hostel was OK. For the 1st time, I needed my own towel (I had pitched the one I brought, back in Granada to make room in my pack). then kicked back on a nice sandy Mediterranean beach. It was overcast and cool at 16:00. Jogged a short distance in the sand/serf and collected a few shells. Saw an impressive sand sculpture as I left. Walked around the town looking for some ‘action’, nada. Estoy perdido otra vez. I met a dance instructor with bright red hair and her student. They were waiting in front of a studio for a dance lesson time, and had time to talk to me. We chatted for quite a while, she said, … ‘your legs are strong, but your mind is lazy, you have had plenty of time to learn Spanish’ … Ouch! They directed me to a train station. I got to the platform just in time to jump on board. As a result, I did not have time to buy a ticket, expecting to buy one on board. My stop was only 2 stops away. We passed through 2 tunnels, then I got off; so far so good. However, around the corner, a turnstile prevented my exit without a ticket. After watching all others comply, and not knowing what else to do, I leapt over the turnstile, just like in a B-grade movie! After my life of crime, I decided to reward myself with beer and food (Cuzocampo beer (yawn), ham and cheese sandwich, olives, tremocos (called altramuz in Spanish), then back to the hostel and free Internet. Added a page to this blog, sent e-mails to others to prove that I still had a heartbeat. Confirmed my 5:30 departure time with the young, Asian, female, Spanish speaking desk clerk (having no idea how important that would turn out to be!). Slept soundly on a ho-hum mattress with a body pillow, windows open.