Abajando por Puerto Ocopa

"Feet in the air and head on the ground," my imagination is fired and the world is opening wide as I complete my shoe repairs and head out of Satipo to descend to Puerto Ocopa on the Rio Tambo. Everything is new and the possibilities for travel and adventure seem endless. I anticipate an easy 70km day descending to Puerto Ocopa from Satipo and for the first 30km the road is even paved but I missed a turn - the turn for Puerto Ocopa. Silly me figured there would be a sign but sillier me did not have my map loaded on my camera and I did not dig it out to look. In my defense there was not much point in the map anyhow because it only has one road on it going to Puerto Ocopa . . . there it is my defense. But what is a 15km mistake in a 20,000km road trip anyhow? After the turn off I stop in a town where the road diverged to ask directions and discover my mistake. After asking a couple of folks and getting vague waves I stop and to chat with a couple drunk men that almost convinced me to have a beer but I know enough from experience now that it was best to keep moving. He did buy me a cold bottle of water and their directions were good. So I backtracked. But my easy day became a 100km of riding into the dark on the red dirt road past little Ashaninka communities. The valleys were planted with bananas and papaya. People looked at me like I was from outer space . . . or cheerfully waved - same thing really. There is no tourism here. Once again, asking about distance and time was pointless. I asked a road worker, if anyone should know the road, when less than 20k from Puerto Ocopa, and he said “ oh that is far!” He thought it may be as far as Satipo or at least I had hours to go. But I am getting savvy to Peruvians and pressed him a bit and he was not sure . . . he was a damn road worker – what the hell is up with that?! However, a friendly guy he just gave me a moment of worry as to how accurate my maps and perceptions may be. But the evening was fresca and beautiful- mid days are warm but not central america hell hot and bugs are minimal this time of year. I arrived in the Puerto Ocopa as the road faded to black and once again drew a curious crowd that kept me til dark. I continued 15 minutes or so to the port town to check into a hospedja and get food. The next morning was my birthday. I saw the boat I was going to sit in for two days and decided that was not how to spend my birthday. I moved to a quieter hospedeja with a view on the river. I drank a couple beers, sewed my cycling gloves, did some tire repair, and chatted with locals. People do not understand why I am traveling so far or don't have a family. I am continually told to get a Peruana and settle here . . . but I am not running away from anything or looking for anything. I was chatting with a fellow traveler, 3-4 weeks away from returning to London, but still has no revelation of what she wants to do with her life. I, too, expected some change, perhaps a moment of epiphany, but it has not happened and I expect no more. . . that is the revelation. Life is a passing like these travels . . . I feel blessed with friends and family, love where I live and the life I have there. Curiosity and adventure rocket me into the world. A good home is easy to leave and a joy to return . . . just not quite yet. I stood on a balcony porch waiting for a momentary hard rain to end and watched people scurry, then I grabbed my coca and went fishing until after dark.