Exactly 6 months to day - March 23 -, at least here, since I said goodbye to my loving family, my adorable friends, and my dear comrades, I have traveled the Southern Cone of South America - Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. While it does not seem like that long ago since I left, upon closer reflection, I have seen, experienced, and learned a lot. But I am only half way through my odyssey, with the rest of Latin America still left to conquer.
My loving parents, whom I keep in frequent contact with since I left, had come to Chile for a 3 month holiday since late July. In late June they went to Arica, Northern Chile. Having previously arranged to meet them there I was, once again, set back by a few days by a mild stomach bug in Bolivia. But finally, after settling down in La Paz for 3 months, I departed from Bolivia, who I had fallen in love with, to reunite with my parents. It was a refreshing and exciting reunion with my family. We spent the short time we had together catching up and enjoying each others company. They were to return to Central Chile, as was I, only I was going through Argentina.
I had befriended an Argentinian in La Paz who had explained that his father was going to pick him, and his girlfriend up from the Argentine-Bolivian border for a road trip back to Buenos Aires, he offered me a ride, which was too delicious to decline. The idea was to meet up in Argentina and continue along the way to Buenos Aires.
It was a long, long 24 hour bus ride from Arica, to Salta, Argentina. After recuperating from the trip, I took the opportunity to explore the city. After two nights in Salta, and somewhat impatient to move on, I began to sense that my road trip wasn't coming. I had learned with other matters, and with the timeless Bolivian proverb - "everything is possible, nothing is certain" - to not rely on any one option. Having received no word from my potential ride, I decided it was a no show, and the following day bought a bus ticket on the "executive class" to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The underdevelopment of a railway system in Argentina has produced a network of efficient highways, and a plethora of luxurious, affordable bus companies that service them. With leather bound seats that recline to a bed, endless movies, and a service attendant that provided meals and beverages, the 20 hour bus ride was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Never had I slept straight through on a bus to wake up and practically be at my destination.
I was back where it all began: Buenos Aires! Martin Spada - who I had originally met through the couch surfing community and stayed with for a week on my first visit to Buenos Aires - and I had formed a warm friendship since I first arrived on his doorstep. He, and his caring sister Fabiana, had welcomed me back like a brother. Our friendship was as though I hadn't left.
Although it was a pleasure to see the Spada's, Buenos Aires, and other acquaintances, I had an alternate motive to visit Buenos Aires. Lately, and with more frequency, I began questioning what my plans are for when I finish traveling? - after all, this particular odyssey does have to end, but only for another one to begin. While in Australia, and when asked about my thoughts about life after traveling, I had always stated my intention to resume university studies. The history, culture and politics of Latin America have always attracted me. It would only be natural to study this here in Latin America. The University of Buenos Aires is recognised as one of the most prestigious and considered to be intellectually rich in culture. I had come to Buenos Aires to enquire about the possibility of studying sociology. The idea of undertaking this is beginning to manifest: orientating my travels to conclude at the beginning of the first semester of 2009, organising the necessary paper work, and beginning to see a future life in Buenos Aires.
After a few days in Buenos Aires, the time had come to move on, with my destination being Santiago de Chile. I took the overnight bus to Cordoba, where friends of the family were awaiting to greet me. I wasted no time (as I didn't have much time to waste) in traveling to Alta Gracia, where Ernesto 'Che' Guevara had lived for 11 years of his childhood. The Guevara family had moved there due to ease Ernestito's chronic asthma. His house converted to a museum, adorned with photos, writings, and replicas, is a testament to his revolutionary life, rather than to his childhood.
Staying only one night in Cordoba, I travelled on another overnight bus to the tranquil city of Mendoza. However, I only had half a day to explore the city before embarking on a minibus for a 6 hour trip to Santiago de Chile. Passing through the Andes mountain range was spectacular, I saw and touched (yes, touched!) snow for the first time. Going back for a ski trip would be something, perhaps one day.
The dash across Argentina was because I had always intended to be back in Santiago and commemorate "the other" September 11 - the day when Chile changed for the worst with the overthrow of the democratically elected president Salvador Allende in a military coup by Augusto Pinochet. That evening I made a brief note: "There is a past that I had never lived, but feel intimately linked with. I had never been in Chile to commemorate September 11. It is a sad day. Chile was callously crushed, and, until now, it has not fully recovered. I feel a sense of mourning for the past, disheartened by the present, but optimistic for the future. Although the "official" acts organized by the government in recent years to commemorate September 11 have been downsized, I wanted to participate, to make sure that this day isn't forgotten, that the victims and heroes of then live in the here and now". The unofficial rally took place that following Sunday, where the police, once again, repressed the crowd.
Currently, I am staying with my parents, who have a cabin in the Chilean countryside, near the port town of San Antonio. The rolling green hills give the impression that your in Scotland (even though I had never been). From the top of the hill where we frequently dawdle and chat, you can see the Pacific Ocean. It is a serene place, where you can sit down, be at peace and almost forget that there is another world out there.
I will be here for the next week or so, after which I will retake my travels through Peru, with my destination being Venezuela then Cuba. I am very enthusiastic about this next part of my odyssey and look forward to all that awaits. Until then I will appreciate and savor the short time I have left with my family, as I am not sure when I will be seeing them again.
Photos:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57798&l=deb90&id=732774973
Cities I have visited
Odyssey visits
