A girl can change her mind...

So since I arrived in Peru, I have been pouring through my guidebook and looking on the internet, for my next leap. At some point i came across this awesome prospect of going to this town, Tarapoto, and then hopping on a cargo ship for 3 to 5 days to get to Iquitos. Iquitos is the worlds largest city that can only be reaced by plane or boat. Thats right, no road trips to good ole Iquitos.  I was excited to do it as soon as i found out about it.  The problem is that as soon as i got to Tarapoto, I wasn{t really having that great of a time.  The jungle wasnt really welcoming me with open arms.  I got to thinking? Do I really want to spend 3 to 5 days more in the sweltering jungle and another 3 or 4 days in Iquitos? ]When ive been in the jungle 2 days and im not really digging it. Why did this sound like such a good idea?  Was it just the thought of having this story under my belt that interested me?  I also felt strangely uneasy about it. A feeling that i rarely have when i travel, i might be nervous, but never uneasy.  So i tossed and turned about it the night before i left, i flipped coins, i made pros and cons lists (you know the normal way that everyone makes decisions).  I told everyone i was going, i felt obligated, then i realized the next morning. Its your journey, your vacation, go do what sounds like the most fun.   The joy of traveling on your own...you can do whatever you want! And you can change your mind about anything, at anytime!   So with that thought i caught an early morning rainy taxi to the TSP bus staition and bought a ticket for Piura.  I got to the station early with the intention of leaving again, but it was such a downpour, i wound up sitting their for...four hours or so. In the meantime i practiced my ukulele, relearning everyones favorite Jason Mraz song.  I also attracted unwanted attention of one of the bus terminal workers, Victor. He wasn{t so bad at first, but got increasingly worse. Making jokes about marrying me, ha ha...heard that in Peru before.  But it was when the bus came that things got creepy, he showed me to my seat, the Panorama seat i was so excited to have. Its on the top of a two story bus, so its like youre driving, withour all the driving.  He then sits next to me and tries to hold my hand asking me if i{m cold....ummmm...NO!  Then he makes gross kissy lips at me and i shove him away and say "Victor, POR FAVOR!" He leaves me alone thank god.  Then i begin to realize that my wonderful panorama window leaks and is dripping all over me and my stuff, grand. This bus is ancient and like many things in Peru, it smells like pee. Also like wet socks...gross....this is going to be an awesome 17 hour bus ride.  My neighbors get on and they are actually quite sweet and friendly to me, thats a plus.  But it all seemed to just add up to my conclusion that the jungle wasn{t for me this time.  I had a taste of the Amazon, and it tasted like pee and old socks.
         Hee hee, anyhow, wow panormic window! AKA see how scary close to death you are at everymoment going around hairpin turns all night long, but it was kinda fun. Any how....I made it to Piura and hopped a mototaxi to the Eppo bus station which took me to Mancora in 3 short hours.  I decided what would i like to do on my vacation? Sit on a beach for a week before my friend michael comes and were in a different place everyday for 2 weeks.  So Mancora is in the north of Peru on the Pacific coast, its Perus best beach, so they say. whoever they are, they arevery opinionated.  I met a really nice guy on this bus, whose family owns a restaurant in Mancora...the ocean always treats me well so it seems.  I find a sweet hostel called kokapelli and locate my dear ol irish rose Sarah, who is working at a nearby hostel.  her hostel is dang swanky. Like a beach resort, hostel style.  I spent the afternoon walking up and down the beach, swimming, and sunning, and reconnecting to my inner mermaid.  I love the sea! And it seems that i have made the right decision.  Jai! for the freedom to change your plans!  hey you know, keeping up with blogs is easier than trying to write an entire week all at once.  Love to you all, I will try to keep them coming!