Day 231:Mancora, Peru
I finally left Ecuador and took a night bus to Mancora, Peru. I’m always a bit sad when I leave a country; it feels like leaving a relationship. After the rain and chilly Ecuadorian air I thought Mancora’s summery weather would help me survive the blues of missing Cuenca.
I arrived at 5am on the side of the Pan American highway and thankfully a taxi driver was willing to overcharge me by taking my US dollar to drive me to a hostel. Without much sleep on the bus I counted on sleeping in but at 8am I woke up on cue as my internal clock kicked in and decided 3 hours was enough sleep.
I schlepped my way to the hostel pool to bask in the morning sun and as a break I walked across the street to the beach to watch the surfers.
But as my skin quickly darkened from the Peruvian sun, do did my mood.
Disdain
Mancora is like so many other surf towns, with its rows of seashell selling cabanas and beach side sunglasses sellers. The “surf all day and drink all night” crew suddenly annoyed me. On any holiday I’d consider this heaven but I had such negative thoughts running through my head as I walked by other gringos.
- Why do you need to go barefoot in town? locals don’t do it, does that tell you anything? the street is dirty and you’re probably going to get a fungal disease and pass in onto me in the shower
- In a restaurant, even in a hole in the wall, put on a t-shirt, I don’t need to smell your sun-baked body odor
- Why are all tourist clothes really pyjamas in disguise?
Loathing
Had I started to hate tourists and in return begun to hate myself? I’m no different than them…well I do wear shoes and a shirt so maybe I’m a bit different.
In the sulking I realized that arriving at 5am and only on three hours of sleep I needed to go to bed early and sleep off the self-loathing.
I woke up today feeling refreshed, Peru isn’t only a surfing town and it will get better. Besides those gaucho shorts they were selling at the tourist stand did look really comfortable and a big salad from a tourist restaurant kind of sounds nice.
I promise to keep my shoes on.
 |
I'm Ayngelina and in my mid-thirties. I left an amazing job, boyfriend, apartment and friends to find inspiration in Latin America. I'm creating a new life choosing what I want instead of what other people think I should do.
I hated Mancora too. of course, for a slightly different reason – it’s where we discovered we’d gotten about $150 in fake Peruvian soles, and where we had to lock up (ie chain) our belonging in our private room (our ecuadorian neighbours had their room broken into and all their valuables stolen). Overpriced, overrun and ugly. The beach and mojitos were nice but not nice enough to make us stay for more than two nights.
So the trick here is for anyone meeting up with you on your adventures is that they should join you on day two not day one….lol
appreciate your honesty here, my dear. And lots of wisdom in the loathing of others, at some point either becoming or indicating a loathing directed at ourselves =)
Margo recently posted..Raise Your Hand if You can Spell- Pronounce or Find Ljubljana
Ewwww… I hate the no-shoe tourists. I had this kind of day today in Chiang Mai — all the creepy old white dudes were making me annoyed. At least they were all wearing shoes or I would have lost it.
I have so been there and can totally relate to that distain and loathing. And as I get older, it seems to irritate me more, LOL.
Unfortunately, those tourists exist all over the world, especially in South East Asia. What really peeves me is that they are also the ones who always have a holier-than-thou attitude regarding the way they travel.
Kristina recently posted..The Neverending Boat Trip to Battambang
It is always better to have a good sleep- 3 hours is not near enough. This said sometimes I do hate reaching towns over populated with tourists…and about the shoes for some reason way too many people don’t use shoes in Australia when the weater is warm…even in big supermarkets!
Federico recently posted..My Favourite Airline in the World
I’ve had those days too and no doubt the sleep didn’t help, but so many times tourists just schelp around and it’s easy to get frustrated. I’m from Florida, so it’s home to the “shirts and shoes required signs” in just about every single establishment near the beach!
Weird, I felt exactly the same way about Mancora. I was really annoyed with the place and I got out of there realy quick.
In your bullet list about surfers, you forgot:
- Dreadlocks
- Shorts revealing tops of asscracks.
And Peru DEFINITELY gets better.
agree with you on all this — people, wear clothes. This also goes for walking around in the hostel. Jeez.
Michael Hodson recently posted..Interview with Joel Ward of Freedonia Post- Lucky 13 Questions
You’re wearing flip flops in the shower, right???!!
I feel so out of the loop regarding beach towns. Shaun and I have only been to one beach destination and I luckily felt the need to wear clothes around.
I wonder how I will react to people like that.
Erica recently posted..Why Travel Now
I’ve had those days too! There was a girl who went barefoot in the Cape Town airport and her feet were black on the bottom. I’m all about people living they way they want to… but isn’t it a hygiene issue? Hope you are well rested and enjoying your latest adventure!
Lack of sleep can definitely put you into a funk, although all of the things that annoyed you are definitely loathable.
Marsha recently posted..Weekend Intelligence- December 11-12- 2010
My time in Mancora was a bit better thanks to staying in a tranquilo hotel, meeting some lovely Peruvians, and meeting up with a friend I made in Ecuador. Plus, I like to surf, or at least make attempts at surfing. I can at least relate to being sad when leaving a country. I just arrived in Puno and will be heading to Bolivia soon so I am about to experience it again.
Jeff recently posted..Travel Tips- Ecuador
The no shoe tourists drive me crazy too.
Dave and Deb recently posted..Weekend Fun at People’s Park in Chengdu
I had the same experience in Lagos, Portugal. Sometimes you just need a break when traveling to get over the little things that start to grind your gears. Great post. And, LOVE the photo!
DTravelsRound recently posted..On being home
Don’t blame it on the sleep, your rage is well earnt! Reminds me of when I used to go clubbing and all the big, beefy, overexuberant mong heads would insist on frugging about shirtless all night. I don’t wnat your sweat dripping down on me from the ceiling! Why’s that so hard to get?!
Jools Stone recently posted..Comment on 8 great sites for rail trips by Mat
I too hate tourists who don’t put their shirts on when they go into restaurants. Height of rudeness IMO.No manners.
Natalie – Turkish Travel Blog recently posted..Turkey’s Aegean Coast
Good post. I don’t like rudeness from tourists or locals. Never a good thing.
Glad you finally got some rest. Enjoy!
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Photo Highlight – In the Holiday Spirit
im going to break from the popular consensus and support no shoe wearing! michael franti is one of my all time favourite artists and probably one of the best guys in the world. hasnt worn shoes for a decade or so. if you dont know him check out his video “i know im not alone”. inspirational stuff.
i actually get more peeved at tourists that wear their full mt everest hiking kit, zip off pants included, when they leave their hotel to get a coffee down the road.
feet freedom!
jamie recently posted..Wikileaks – A Traveller’s Thoughts
@Jamie
I do know Michael Franti and have seen him in concert. I haven´t seen the video though, I´ll check it out.
Great honest post! I agree sometimes the tourists can get really annoying. The backpackers suddenly live in some kind of alternate universe where they are so cool that shoes aren’t required (I assume they think it makes them more attractive) and the others dress in the most hideous clothes they can!
But I think you made a good call putting the loathing off until you’ve had more sleep, maybe in the end you still felt the same but at least you know you gave it a chance!
It’s easy to get annoyed when you’ve been on the road so long or when you suddenly change places like that. Looking forward to hearing how day 2 went!
Annie recently posted..Ferie Day 6- Madrid- Spain
I’m sure it will get better. Lack of sleep kind of skews a lot of things. The no shirt thing is ugly though. In China this summer (and this was the locals) it was either no shirt, or the shirts were rolled up to the stomach. I guess it was “instant” a/c
Nancie recently posted..4 Hotels Under 25- Cheap- Yet So Amazing You Won’t Want to Leave!
I have a feeling I wouldn’t really like Mancora that much. Scott has been there for surfing and has said it’s a little too touristy for him. I’m sure you will find many places in Peru to love!
I second the flip flops in the shower. I never go without!
Christy – Ordinary Traveler recently posted..Welcome to Humboldt County! Here is your 420! 16
I feel a little bit like the bets on good behavior are off in beach towns. Don’t get me wrong, I share your frustration/disdain, but there is a sense of, yeah, you can dine in your beach towel and swimsuit and get away with it.
But take that to religious sites. I blew a gasket at the Killing Fields memorial. Dude, this is essentially a graveyard, a funeral home, a place choked with ghosts and sadness. It is not the place to pose your smiling girlfriend in her stretchy pink microshorts in front of a pile of skulls of murdered Cambodians.
A-hem. Rant rant rant. I feel this.
pam recently posted..Passports with Purpose Builds a Global Village
maybe its just travelling fatigue…
It’s funny what lack of sleep will do. You had a good point, they should’ve been wearing a shirt & shoes, but exhaustion can exaggerate things & make them seem worse. I’ve definitely done that!
Ali recently posted..A Day in London
I love how you added in the ‘Loathing’ portion. It is funny how one can get that way after traveling long term. You begin to pick up on the local culture, or begin to become more ‘in-tune’ with the people around you. Those that truly set out to travel long term are looking for the culture, the experiences, the people. Those on holiday tend to ‘walk the streets barefoot’ and ‘surf all day, drink all night’. Glad to see you’re of the prior traveling type!
Kyle Morgan recently posted..Mad Dash Across States to The Airport
I got that same loathing/self loathing for tourists while we were in Europe — like PLEASE people, stop making fools of yourself, stop talking so loud and dressing so sloppily!!!
But I am one of them. Though I do try to dress a bit better, my (Chilean) husband constantly tells me how loud I talk. Six years of living outside the U.S. and nothing’s changed
not fear and loathing eh? just loathing X2! LOL. yeah lack of sleep and hunger represent rose tinted glasses for me too.. of the “Seeing red” sort!!
hope the trip turns out good for you:D
ciki/agentcikay recently posted..Riblee’s- Believe it or Not
I think it’s about respect. If the people who live there are not walking around 1/2 naked and unshod…then neither should you! I expect no less from people who come to visit my home country.
Sounds like it’s time to get out of there and explore the rest of Peru! Those surf towns can be pretty generic, and rude tourists are found just about everywhere!
Laura recently posted..A Short Break in Paraty
Hahaha. The trustafarians in clown pants. They drive me crazy even when I AM well rested.
My husband wrote a great post about them a couple of years ago here. I’m pretty sure it would speak to you today. You can being reading at Begin Rant.
Allison Suter recently posted..Is this really the end
Yes, I occasionally have these feelings. But I try hard not to let it get me a bad mood. You are right, there is no excuse for the no shirt/bare feet. You know everyone of these barefooters has flip flops/thongs back at the hostel. So why not just put them on?
Stephen recently posted..Botero in the Museo de Antioquia in Medellin
I totally get where you’re coming from… I ran into similar types in Mexico in the beach town of Mazunte. Beyond the pajamas or no clothing at all, my real distaste for the type you describe comes down to a lack of respect for/understanding of the local culture… a new kind of gringo takeover that often comes with a dash of self-proclaimed superiority over other visitors because of their oh-so carefree surfer hippie ways.
Ekua recently posted..Photo Essay- Plants- Landscapes- and Landmarks in Oaxaca
your loathings are funny. i have never though about those things like that
Hehe, great observations. I remember passing through this town on a bus a few years ago, but I can still recall a few of these same vivid images.
Migrationology recently posted..Photo Story- Sailing the Nile River on an Egyptian Felucca
I enjoyed Mancora; the lounging and relaxing on the beach. I do understand some of your frustrations however. I tried to not let it put me in a bad mood; often using the beach to escape and unwind. As someone mentioned above, Peru will get better!
Teresa recently posted..Three Delicious Foods from China Hao Chi 好吃
I also found much to disdain in Mancora. Never shall I return.
Claire (Travel Funny Travel Light) recently posted..Im a VirginEuropeanly Speaking
I love Mancora
Why are all tourist clothes really pyjamas in disguise?
lolzz^^ it’s true
there is a wondrful deserted nudist beach north of Mancora, few people know it; so much the better, if not it ould become crowded wih tourists. The sea ia wonderful, and lovemaking over a big towel with the warmbreeze all ver you, is HOT. Take with you a good sun blocl cream. Matt.