Saturday, November 29, 2008

Living in Hell

My season on the mountain has begun and I have just ranked bottom of the mountain employee housing. This means that I have to commute up and down the mountain to sleep and shower. This would be fine if the roads weren't constantly snow covered and icy, and I had no social life.

Right now I am staying in a hotel room that has no refrigerator, no means of cooking (minus the iron), and internet only if I put my computer in the windowsill. There are 2 beds, but I have the feeling that a roommate is to come. If that is the case, this could be a very short season for this guy.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

River Trail Detox

After a night that involve such things as this (Yes mine is apple juice) I needed a little detox of the system and Bob actually talked me into going for a jog.



I think most parties had a good time


and BOB unveiled his Zoolander Blue Steel look.



The trail was much needed. Yes I actually ran (a little bit)


Saturday, November 22, 2008

First Runs on the Mountain 08-09 - Video

Bob and I started out season today. Granted I was boarding in Chile just about 2 months ago, but it is great to be back on my board again.

Lewisburg Music Scene

Caught some local music last night downtown at the Wild Bean here in Lewisburg http://www.thewildbrew.com/

Here are some clips from the show.

Friday, November 21, 2008

What a difference a day makes.

Since returning home I have been lazy and sleeping most of my time away trying to recover from the 3 months of travel, but with some work on the horizon I decided it was time to come out of hibernation and clean up a bit. I opted to quit cutting my own hair and re-introduced my face to the razor

Some before and after shots




It was easier lose the wieght off my face than trying to lose the weight that I gained in South America.
Hopefully doing some snowboarding tomorrow... pics to come.





Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Shots of Work and Home

Now that I am back in the US I am getting ready to start work for the winter. Here are some shots of where I work and where I live.

New Camera Has Arrived

My trusty camera that started the adventure with me died on the last leg so I have replaced it with the Olympus Stylus 850 SW. It is supposed to be waterproof and shockproof so I am certain I will take advantage of that this snowboarding season. If it can't keep up with me I will be sure to let you know.


Sunday, November 16, 2008

Cusco Peru - Video

LIMA VIDEO

Videos to come

I have decided to make some videos from my collection of vids and pics from South America. First stop Lima to come soon.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Adios Lima, Hello Florida

Yesterday I said my goodbyes to South America... Of course I neglected my responsibilities to buy anyone presents from my travels, but I did manage to pick myself up a small collection of bootleg DVDs.

Last night at midnight I boarded my flight for Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The people boarding a discount airline all seem so lifeless as they get on because they know they can't complain about the service.

I arrived in Fort Lauderdale before 6am this morning and caught the train up to West Palm Beach where my mother was waiting to pcik me up.


Now I am relaxing at my Aunt's house for the night before starting on my trip home tomorrow. It has been a wild one.


Definitely a massive video to come in the future. I am thinking of making it an epic that takes 3+hours to watch, but for now I am going to go back to sleep.




Wednesday, November 12, 2008

On my way out of South America

Now that I am closing out this leg of my adventures in South America in Lima and doing such wonderful things such as talk down the price of bootlegged DVD down to under 70 cents American at the massive Polvos Azules *Similar to a black market... I am ready to go home.With my camera still down I will just boost some random pics and show some airport shots. I fly out of Lima's airport at Midnight tonight en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.



Six hours to go until American soil... wish me luck.

Then just the 12 hours or more in a car to be i West Virginia again.

Monday, November 10, 2008

BAD CAMERA

So my camera has finally shorted out on me. The one that I started the site with finally lost all picture on the viewfinder so I am without a camera. I might pick one up later on today for the rest of my journey. This one has survived a season at the mountain and almost the entire first leg of the adventure. Will have updates soon.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Lima - Futbol and Abandoning the Guitar

Now back in Lima and 7 months after hitting a tree snowboarding and shattering my leg I finally played a little futbol in South America. It was a game done through the Loki hostel here in Miraflores that I have spent so much time in over the past few months. The play was a little poor on my part, but in the end I walked off without assistance so all is good, just don't tell my doctor.


Also today I gifted my guitar to the hostel. I threw the website address on the bottom and put my email on it incase anyone gets some good bar pics with it. If I get any I will be sure to post them here on the blog.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Border Crossing Chaos...

2 days ago I woke up early in the morning in Arica, Chile and began my journey into Tacna, Peru. It is one of the structured border crossings in and out of the country and I had done it in reverse already on my way out of Peru a couple of months ago. Needless to day the situation has change a little since then.

The crossing was easy enough

Then things got a little rocky... literally. Hundreds of people had relocated thousands of rocks into the street to keep cars from entering and also threw rocks at the cars that might have tried to go around.


My taxi drived turned through the median and drove back a little bit before dropping us off miles outside of town. I then had to walk through the town of protesters hoping that they didn't turn on me.


I walked for over 2 hours and found out that the bus station was closed indefinitely and that I would be stuck in Tacna if I couldn't find a flight out.

They also had large demonstrations in the main square.


(I apologize for the lack of quality pics, but I didn't want to get stoned for taking pictures. You never know what could set somebody off)

Luckily for me I had a friend. One of the people in my taxi extended his hospitality to me and accompanied me to the bus station. When it was found to be closed he then took me into his home and helped me find a way out and made sure I was well fed. Needless to say I hope to have found a friend for life.

This is my friend Christian and his family. Without them I am certain that Tacna could have become the worst part of my trip, but now I consider to be one of my best days.


His hospitality extended far and beyond any common courtesy. It is something that I have found abundantly during my time in Peru and that is why I consider Peru as one of my favorite places in the world.

I do think I started a guitar player on her way while I was there, and afterwards I managed to catch a cab that snuck me to the airport and I flew into Lima. No more buses for this guy.

Please excuse my horrible Spanish

Para Christian y la familia,

Gracias por la hospitalidad. Usted es verdad un gran amigo. Recordaré siempre su ayuda y esperanza de permanecer en tacto.

Su amigo,

jonny walker

Monday, November 3, 2008

Arica - South of the Border

I am now in the middle of the longest day of my travels thus far. Luckily it is in a beach town. I arrived in Arica, Chile this morning at 6am after 36 hours straight on buses and somehow I am still awake. I have floated the entire day in an odd state of subconsciousness caused by lack of sleep and massive changes of altitudes.

Here are some shots of the town.


I did find some water, but no beach at first

Later I allocated the beach



Here is a shot of the view without my massive head in the way

The town itself seems to be very nice although I am not sure I will entire grasp it all in my current state. I really want to go surfing, but still feel uncertain of the effect it will have on my leg so I might just save up for sandboarding on my way through Peru and then maybe some surfing in Lima.


Tomorrow I plan to make the border crossing, but have heard from a taxi driver that there are issues with it. I will know more tomorrow and find out if I need to fly north instead.

BUS RIDES ARE AWESOME!!!

Resistencia, Argentina to Arica, Chile is a blast by bus. I headed out Saturday at 6:00 PM and made it to Arica at 6:00am Monday morning. It started with a 11.5 hour bus from Resistencia to Salta, Argentina. I then purchased a ticket with a connection from Salta to Calamas, Chile with a 2 hour layover and then another bus from Calamas to Arica.

I apologize if none of that made sense but I have spent about 36 hours straight on 3 different buses. Needless to say, I am taking a night off before starting up again.

I have purchased a ticket back to the US from Lima Peru on the 12th of November and I am working my way there via bus.

Now I am in Arica Chile and hoping to take in a beach day

here are some pics from the road.



Salty Desert

Boarder Crossing

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Iguazu Unkut - VID

At the end of my time at Iguazu Falls I had to say goodbye to yet another family member. Amy (AKA Yams) headed toward Brazil. With any luck she will be traveling until April of next year, and with a little more luck I will get here to send me some updates from her travel as my "traveling correspondent".


After Iguazu I took the second leg of my journey to Lima to a little place called Resistencia Argentina. Yaaay for 12 more hours on a bus


Amy and I got in late at night and didn't stay in the best place the first night. Come to find out the town is very charming and filled with statues.


Typical Skyline shot.


Today is another rough day because Amy is departing as well. She has traveled for a year now and has to return to Buenos Aires to fly out the 4th of November. With any luck I will be seeing her and Yams again in a few months when jonnywalkeradventures attempts to conquer Europe.


It has been Mucho Funno