i had two options: run back with my tail between my legs or continue south. trapped in a shitty border town, completely fucking lost, relatively broke, knowing maybe three sentences in spanish...i was in way over my head. i chose the former. i decided to go back to the border and somehow tell the americans that i'd been in mexico for one day, traveled 300km to another border city and hope they'd detain me for only a couple hours. what's the worst thing they could do? fly me back to canada?

the problem was that it was past midnight and i hadn't a clue as to where border was. my solution was to find a place to crash and go back in the morning. i walked for miles along the main road, looking for an empty lot or a dilapidated house to sneak in when i found a (abandoned? it's hard to tell here...) soccer field. fuck yeah, i'd sleep there! i hoist myself over the cement wall with some difficulty and i find myself half over the field and half over the road when i hear a loud honk. i almost shit my pants. i look over and i see a black car, and i think of one thing. the police. i know i can't run. if i hop into the field there would be no way out, and it's not like i can outrun anyone with this backpack...i jump back to the road, completely resigned and ready to be thrown into mexican jail because there's no way i am surrendering my 200 pesos. the man says something in spanish and i say, just like every other retarded gringo tourist ever, NO HABLAS ESPANOL. where are you going man? asks the driver. to sleep, i say. no man, you need a ride? i'm going to caborca. come with?

it's easy to become superstitious when you're hitchhiking. i have not become superstitious at all, but let's say it: it's easy to briefly sink into that mode of thinking when you're living like this. caborca was around 350km away and a bit more outside of the border area that i hear is so bad for my health. a sign? yes, i will go with you! knowing that i have resigned myself to do what i set out to do: GO SOUTH.

tomorrow i leave hermosillo without a real destination other than punta arenas, chile. i know things will change more and more. i don't believe in luck, but if you feel so inclined wish me strength and valour and amazing language acquisition skills or some stupid dramatic shit like that.

peace