So, it was a busy last week in San Diego. On the one hand, the infamous San Diego restaurant week happened to take place, on the other I faced many good-bye parties. Further-on, I wanted to complete the construction of an online survey for my Ph.D. thesis (and I almost did :-).
I also wanted to train hard in order to receive my orange belt and to learn about some last cutting edge Soo-Bakh-Do grips. The last one proved to be a bit difficult since I successfully managed to twist my knee while performing a “jumping side-kick” on Monday. However, I bit on my lips and did whatever was possible. 
I could feel that Master Kenyon, my martial arts trainer, felt as pissed as I was, since he wanted to complete some more advanced forms with me. However, on Friday he generously ignored my inability to kick anything higher than one foot (about 30 centimetres) and after three months of a rather intensive training I gladly received the orange belt. I’m a martial artist!!
Friday evening I had two couch-surfers staying at my place – Charity and her brother Isaiah. Once again I felt that connection only travellers can feel among each others. We went on to the couch-surfing gathering in Pacific beach and… …faced some problems. Isaiah was not 21 years old yet. Hmm.
The brainless bouncer seemed not to like the faked ID he was presented and decided to keep it. Further on he was not happy with me showing only my ID (and some other 74 cards with my name and picture on it) and asked for my passport. This led to the deportation of Isaiah to my house (at least he had some DVDs and a Pizza).
However, when being back at the bar&grill and after having picked-up my passport, Charity and me were still the first couchsurfers being there. I was not too unhappy to have a candle-light dinner only with her... Later some more surfers turned up and it was a funny evening – this changed only for a moment when Charity jumped on my back expecting a world-traveller to have strong bones. Unfortunately my injured knee collapsed immediately and I winded myself in pain on the beach. At least the stars were shining brightly.
However, on the next morning I had a short good-bye with the Soo-Bakh-Do class and I honestly felt sad to leave this bunch of fine people. I had learnt a lot! Later Charity and Isaiah helped me with packing the Cruiser (thanks guys!!) and by 5pm I was on the road towards Mexico!
After some 3 hours I arrived in San Luis Rio Colorado where I was supposed to meet some “Cruzeros” – the guys I was off-roading with in the desert. They had expected me much earlier and since they wanted to hit the desert at 5am in the next morning, they were too tired to hang out long. What to do?
I decided to ameliorate my Spanish skills and entered a table-dance place (that’s basically what you do when you are alone in a small Mexican town). My teacher, Venecia, was nicely dressed in some swimsuit and extremely high high-heels and it turned out to be a funny evening with loads of Tequila. Now my Spanish skills, even though still limited, are back.h
After a long ride I made it to Hermesillio on the next day. I thought I would pick up David at the airport – but there was no David. I inquired with all airlines (all added up equals two) whether passajero Davide Lipmann had arrived. They told me that he would arrive on the next day since it was not the 15th yet. Aha? I realized that my laptop still is running on Swiss time – and therefore is nine hours and sometimes a whole day ahead. Well, well.
However, couchsurfer Begonia and her boy-friend picked me up at the airport. We went to her house and her mother and sister welcomed me warmly! Then we had a great dinner, some drink which was definitely harder than Tequila and on we went sightseeing in Hermesillio.
Actually, forget what you know about Mexico! It is NOT warm there! Not at all. It was freezing cold! Therefore and since both last nights had been short, I was more then happy when I hit the bed.
Well, and now I am a TV star. Begonia’s mother Marta, who is a really cool lady, asked me at breakfast (“desajuno”) whether I already had done interviews about my trip. I told her about the interview with CBS Radio Canada. She left the living room and came back five minutes later telling me that in half an hour a team of Canal Fox would turn up and that I should get prepared for a TV interview. Luckily, Begonia was translating most of what I had to say – I definitely would like to have her travelling with us!
Later we drove to the airport to pick up David – and this time he even was there!
So far the news from Mexico!