Mike from Hamburg, Germany
- What is your first name: Mike
- What city are you from: Hamburg
- What country are you from: Germany
- What do you do: Cook at the Point Hostel in Mancora, Peru
- If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why: Australia because it’s great and I love it.
- What’s your dream and why: “Find the right woman to love, settle down and God willing maybe have a few kids…wait that’s not what I really want. Really would love to find someone to write a book about me so I could get some money.” (This is a direct quote by-the-way)
FOGG Notes: The first time I met Mike was at the hostel in Mancora around 10am. He had just woken up, and was cursing about something while he walked to the bar to get a liter beer. That sums up Mike 10-fold! He’s been working at the hostel for a year and a half, and they’re not sure when he’ll leave. He’s 37 and has been traveling for 19 years (doing the math that makes him leaving the nest at 18) and has claimed to have taken every drug in the world, but quickly corrected himself on his statement and clarified “…well at least getting to it anyways.”
He is fluent in German, English, Spanish and knows enough French, Italian, Greek and Turkish to have a half-ass conversation. But what is really surprising is that before he left home, he was a qualified bank teller (cooking my food is one thing, handling my money is another!). Mike is always full of surprises and when you think you have him pegged he lets you in on a little something else. I have to admit though, Mike is one of the best cooks when it comes to BQQ and although it’s hard to understand him through the cursing, gibberish and slurring, he’s a fun guy to hang around when you’re wanting to get wasted. His favorite saying is “Ok everyone, now let’s all get pissed and f-off!”
More on this post at:
http://www.foggodyssey.com/2009/11/08/faces-of-peru-002/
Follow Up Note: Last I heard, Mike had been fired from the hostel in Mancora and was living in La Paz, Bolivia. He had somehow crossed the border illegally (on foot) from Peru to Bolivia, and was trying to work for some hard cash to finally go home to Germany. Only problem, though, was that he had entered the country illegally and then lost his passport, so he was doubled screwed! Every trip one makes, you will always find a guy like Mike somewhere.
About the Author:
T-roy is the author of 45 posts on Go Backpacking.
T-roy is taking an extended holiday from being responsible. Quitting his 6-figure salary job that was killing him with 12hr work days, he decided that this wasn't the life. He moved to Thailand and spent 3 months living a humble backpackers life and loved the experience so much he kept going. He now resides in Medellin, Colombia doing photography work while running his own travel blog: www.foggodyssey.com
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Categories: Features, Germany, Interviews, Photos
Post tags: blogsherpa, Europe, germany, hamburg, interview, Photos
3 Comments
Wow, what a great post! I totally wish someone would write a book about Mike, haha. Poor guy, hope he makes it back to Germany safe and sound. You don't want to get in trouble in Bolivia!!!
As far as I know he finally did make it back to Germany. I think it had been like 5-6 years since he had been home and I bet it will take all but a month and he'll be gone for another 5 or 6 more years. The dude seriously cracked me up and to think I could only understand him 1/2 the time! lol
As far as I know he finally did make it back to Germany. I think it had been like 5-6 years since he had been home and I bet it will take all but a month and he'll be gone for another 5 or 6 more years. The dude seriously cracked me up and to think I could only understand him 1/2 the time! lol