Oaxaca changes everything!

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So we have started 2009 with positivity and good changes to our trip. Good-bye to the lazy mornings waking up when the sun heated up the tent too much (ok, that was just kat), going for a swim and having a leisurely breakfast before setting off. Not only does Oaxaca mark the beginning of central America and a shift into a different cultural context, but it marks a big shift for our journey. Now we are waking up early to the alarm (but just until we get used to it and wake naturally), packing up and leaving after sunrise, riding about 60km by lunchtime. So we are going farther and faster, our routine and rhythm is more streamlined and smooth and to make it all even more brilliantly productive and inspiring, we entered into what we decided is the best state of Mexico we have seen thus far.

And we mean best in all ways: there is practically no trash on the side of the road to knock us out with it´s rotting stench, the beaches are amazing, great snorkeling, and really nice people. And now we can find to eat those cute little red bananas! We´ve had some bizarre experiences with unfriendly locals in other states but not here. An example: we had stopped in a small town to refill our water bottles when an old, haggard man limped over to us asking about where we are going on our bikes. We told him our story (short version) then he reached into his plastic bag that was full of what we thought was kindling wood and broke off some pieces of what he said was "palo tinto" - a medicinal wood that would be good for strength, endurance, the immune system, prostate problems (for swen) - and put a few pieces into our water bottles and wished us luck.

We spent 4 days relaxing (lazing around) in a beautiful hippy beach town, made some nice friends, and then headed north for the first time on our trip towards Oaxaca city. The ride was so beautiful through moist jungly type areas with loudly singing birds, then climbing higher into more dry, piney forest. The road was quiet, not much traffic at all and very well maintained. There were actually people picking up trash from the side of the road and separating organics, plastics, metals, etc.

The first night we found a wonderful river to camp by, the first fresh water we have been through since France! The rest of the ride to Oaxaca was a bit of a blur - Kat started feeling sick so part way we hitchhiked. We got one ride from a man with whom we shared great stories about different Mexican towns and regions, then rode into the city with a man who took us directly to his herbalife health store where his 10 year old daughter made us some aloe vera detox drinks and soy yogurt shakes with granola before he took us to a nice hostel. Unfortunately both of us were hit hard by some horrible intestinal bug and we spent the next 2 days completely wiped out but were able to spend the next 2 exploring the wonderfully interesting city and visiting the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban.

Tomorrow morning we head off for Chiapas. We will pass through the narrowest point of the isthmus and through some matriarchal villages and arrive in about a week in San Cristobal de las Casas. We´ll see what this next state will bring!