Embracing the savage (Part 3)
Truth or Consequences. How's that for a dramatic introduction? Well, it's simply the name of the town where I stopped next. It used to be known as Hot Springs until 1950 when the town decided to rename itself for a radio show contest. I enjoy some Thai food (yes, again) there before indulging myself for a few hours in the nearby hot springs.
It's close to sunset by the time I find my way to a hostel in Santa Fe. Hostels are a great way to travel and right of passage for backpackers the world over. They provide affordable boarding and are perfect for solo travellers to meet each other. The neat thing about this particular one was that as a non-profit they receive left-over but perfectly good food from nearby restaurants. I have a good feeling about the place as I roll in. The staff are friendly and I immediately start bumping into people. The first is a Brazilian man who had also left his job recently and was on a road-trip. However, unlike me, he has a plan including a grand tour of South America with his wife. Travelling to see the world was one of the reasons he had left his job while travel is how I channel a curiosity to seek. A few of us hit the town to explore the local nightlife. It's a diverse group now including a Pakistani-American man and two French girls.
The Pakistani man runs a credit repair company he started, is well settled in LA and is also a seeker. This journey allows him to witness previously unimagined aspects of the human condition - something not even his meditation practice or myriad Tony Robbins books scratch the surface of. The French girls are more typical of the majority of travellers from the Global North, who take advantage of strong passports, purchasing power, the ability to work for a few months as waiters, etc. and then roam the world. Loose family ties and social-welfare systems in their home countries grant them access to a lifestyle that unfortunately is inextricably linked to their country's colonial past.
The next morning, I'm wearing a partially zipped-up hoodie with no t-shirt and reading a book on a bench outside. Totally relaxed and at-ease with my nothingness. The gang from the previous night are planning a visit to Meow Wolf. It turns out to be an interesting experience. Meow Wolf is a local artist collective that build immersive environments. This one is a family home that appears to have been the site of some kind of outer-dimensional event.
Another cool thing about the hostel is that the staff are all volunteers there. I learn that in exchange for a certain number of hours everyday and a six-month commitment, they offer free accommodation. It's less than a week since I hit the road and I've already found a place where I could see myself staying for a while. But I still have a lot to explore before I'm ready to settle down anywhere.
And the exploration continues with a scenic day-trip to the mountain town of Taos with the two girls. There are two routes to Taos from Santa Fe and we take the "High Road".
Taos is a little treasure. It is home to Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO world heritage site as it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. It's a truly magical feeling being in the village with fresh mountain air and spring water. However, it is tinged with sadness that this is one of the last remaining vestiges of First People's life and it has been reduced to being a tourist attraction. Apt, I suppose, that photos of the village I have are ones taken by accident as I tried to capture a canine.
We make our way to another hot springs and this time I alternate between freezing cold river water and the thermal pools. Taos, on the surface, seems to have everything as people flock there for its vibrant arts scene and adventure sports like skiing. Again, a little bit of perspective in that it lacks the diversity of Santa Fe and could be considered a playground for a certain strata of society.
The day ends with a return on the "low road" to Santa Fe.