(trying to) Hitchhike Through Spain
Snail gang on the road with our homes on our back and the sun on our side.
Spain is hard to hitchhike, especially with three people. We successfully accomplish it only once but we don’t mind we smile at the cars as they pass and laugh at each other acting so silly and eat bread and ham and cheese by the side of the road.
Salome busking for the first time with her Swiss Harmonica. This was when my camera was acting funny (I learned later it was because I bought bad batteries). Tenerife, Spain.
David in Cartagena. I bought a disposable camera because my camera wasn't working and started taking pictures again. We had met in Valencia and within a couple days had made it to the port city of Cartagena.
The patterns of the light and shadow on the wall. This city seemed empty to me outside of the touristic area. It has an eerie quality.
Salome at the port of Cartagena. I like taking pictures into the light because look at the way it frames her, surrounded by light. This is the quality of patience and kindness that Salome gives so effortlessly to the world. The night before I told her all my problems by the port and she held me as I cried.
David making me laugh. He's a silly sweetheart and a joy to travel with.
Outside of the hostel in Cartagena. The pastel streets are always empty but I can see people peaking from the windows sometimes. The light is getting warm and the shadows long.
We get a Blabla car to Granada, one of my favourites places in the world. Last year I was here and met very wonderful people, and this year I wouldn't realize the importance of coming back until later. I was feeling nostalgic. The river I remembered was filled with people but now it was empty, I was longing for the past while trying to enjoy a new present. Still, as I sat alone by the river I felt the shadow of sadness and loneliness pass over me.
On our way up to the hill underneath the church to watch the sunset in Granada
Walking with David and Salome and some other friends we'd met to watch the sunset up high. I love this picture, I think it's one of my favourites from this trip.
As Salome walks in front of me I notice the grid of shadows as she passes this window inside a gate, and ask her to stop and turn around. She's so wonderful she never gets tired of me telling her to stop
Yours truly. David took this picture on the walk up to the hill to watch the sunset
Every time I watch the sun set under the church in Granada I feel as though I'm on some island of misfit toys, watching the world as something outside of it. Nothing can touch me here, I move too fast and laugh too easy. Every sunset marks the end of a day and forgives it all in one breath. We drink wine and solve each others problems from this birds eye view. I do my best to make my friends laugh and love them fiercely.
David and Salome, I love them so much my little snail family.
Shining golden Salome
David speaking honestly and emotionally about what is bothering him, asking for advice or our opinions. I understand his pain, I feel it too, I share as best I can and mostly listen. Hearing his process is helping me so much.
Starting to hitchhike from Granada to Malaga, we made a little sign and everything.
We end up changing spots because this was a place where blabla cars were pulling up, but we're having so much fun and acting silly and making the drivers smile.
Success! This man drives us all the way to Malaga, right by the beach. He drives a Tesla and shows us how you can drive without touching the steering wheel if you clamp on little things to the wheel to make the car think your hands are on it. He speeds over 200 on the highway and I think its very fun.
Arriving at the beach in Malaga. We are all tired from the day on the road and happy to lie down and make sandwiches and feel the sun. Sometimes the light hits David's eye at such an angle where the blue shines nearly translucent.
Salome with her sandwhich and the beach and the ocean, relaxing after a day on the road. I love the way the wind blows her hair back so tenderly.
That night, we were couchsurfing in Malaga. Our host drove us further south that morning and let us off here. Salome was sorrowful because she received terrible news, and she played music to help her heart. I take her picture as she plays the Swiss harmonica outside the gas station before we start trying to hitch again.
Gang back at it trying to hitch our way further south. We laugh a lot and make a lot of people smile, but after a couple hours we give up in favour of the bus.
The bus takes us to another small town south along the coast and we are arriving in the golden hour. I feel limitations falling away, and our goal very close at hand. We are only two more busses away from Tarifa!
Waiting for the bus to come. Someone always stays with the stuff while the others are free to do other things. Salome and I had gotten a big road dinner for us to eat later, back now and organizing. I'm feeling so romantic at this moment, like this must be the best it ever gets? This is a thought that makes me both happy and sad at the same time. But these people I trust absolutely and love so much, exercising some exquisite freedom as the sun sets in southern Spain. It's all so beautiful to me I could cry.
Salome organizing her things and David relaxing. I trust them and love them so absolutely, I've only known them a couple weeks but it feels like years and they feel like family. I feel as though I'm exactly where I'm meant to be in the world. I'm so happy I could cry.
Almost at Tarifa! Only one more bus to go. We eat a massive road feast as we wait for the second bus. We got paella and bread and a full chicken and some sweets and we eat the whole thing. They're making me laugh so much I love this vagrant road life.