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Published: March 25th 2006
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Quisco, Chile.
´´What did you just say about The Beatles?!´´ The time has come now to move on and leave Latin America, leave behind the sweet language, the warm people, the rolling landscapes, the culture, the music, the many friends, the life... But not forever. Of this I am sure.
Ten months of lucid memories I shall never forget. Ten months of noise and confusion. Ten months of ups, downs and travelling Euro-clowns. Ten months of vitality and jadedness. Ten months of breathtaking scenery and sprawling smog-laden cities. Ten months of plazas, the streets and latin beats. Ten months of drink, smoke, release and occasional detachment. Ten months of conversing with the same old questions from the same old faces. Ten months of enlightenment and song and admitting I was wrong. Ten months of backpacks, Gringos and staring out of rattling bus windows. Ten months of bunk beds and waking up with aching heads. Ten months under a baking sun with nowhere to run. Ten months of language education and absorbing the misinformation. Ten months of smiles, laughs and dissapointments. Ten months of warm souls and occasional cold attitudes. Ten months of new friends, open doors and goodbye hugs. Ten months of the highs and the lows. Ten
Liam Gallagher
Oasis in Chile, March 2006. I didn´t go because of my ear problems, but Jessy took the pictures for me. long months of
life and ten long months of
unshakable lasting experience.
All said and done, I have had a wonderful time here in Latin America that will stay with me forever. I have made friends I will never forget or lose touch with and will one day see again. I have witnessed extraordinary acts of generosity and kindness from the poorest of people; and acts of extreme selfishness and racist snobbery from the richest of people. I have seen the most gorgeous waterfalls, mountains, rivers, beaches and landscapes I thought imaginable. And seen drunks and bums pissing, fighting or unconscious on the street. I have been blessed with luck for my journey and insulted by drunks because of where I was born. I have eaten all sorts of weird, varied and wonderful food and been sick as a dog from eating undercooked junk. I have seen guns and robberies and been mugged at midnight in a Colombian plaza (don´t tell my mother). I have heard all sorts of opinions, facts and figures and obvious bullshit from all sorts of people. I have touched and held hands and faces, played so many guitars and looked in awe at
Cross
Mendoza, Argentina. the South American stars...
And here are some condensed ups and downs, facts and thoughts...To give you an idea of what went on down here...
Favourite country: Colombia. The friendliest and warmest people and the prettiest girls. It has an undescribable magic unseen and unmatched anywhere else. Brazil and Argentina eat your hearts out, you are not as good as you think you are, believe me.
Least favourite country: Venezuela. We recieved bad treatment on the northern coast from locals who obviously didn´t like us. Too many dissapointments and bad experiences. It's a pity because I was really looking forward to it.
Favourite quote: From a hyperactive, tall, smiley Dutch guy at my language school in Guatemala. I had just told him that I had previously spent a month in Peru and Bolivia the year before and that´s where I picked up some basic Spanish...His dead-pan serious reply was...
´´Ahhh, so you have been to Bolivia? Is there much gang-banging down there?´´ I just said I didn't know, I was trekking most of the time!
Most ridiculous quote: From an American girl after asking where I was from (I said I was Welsh)...
´´ So Jamie, tell me... Is Welsh a country or what?´´
Happiest moment: Too many to chose from. Overall, the time I spent with the Colombians, particularly in Medellin and Bogotá.
Lowest moment : Florianopolis, Brazil. I arrived there after an 18 hour bus journey. I had just spent a heavy-going week in Rio and was sick of it all, the unnecessary drinking, the travelling, the long buses, dull backpackers, the same old travelling conversations, the ubiquitous bullshit. I wanted to go home for Xmas, see my family and friends and feel the cold welsh rain on my scalp and the back of my neck.
Biggest myth: Colombia is incredibly dangerous for backpackers. Oh yes, and multi-pocketed cargo trousers are actually very useful and cool. My arse.
Biggest truth: The less they have got the more they will give. You realise after a while how spiteful, selfish, cold and mean us Westerners really are.
Most likeable thing: Latin people and their incredible energy, warmth, zest and lust for life.
Most detestable thing: Multi-pocketed cream-coloured cargo trousers and trekking boots. I don't know why but I just hated the very sight of these things after a while. You might as well write '' I am
Casa del Che
The house where Che Guevara grew up in Córdoba, Argentina. a very rich backpacker who pathetically pretends he's poor and living on a tight budget. Please rob me now.'' on your forehead.
Favourite individual place: There were two. Boquete in Panama (a gorgeous hillside town, lush green, valleys, sheep, incredibly pretty, surging rivers, huge volcanoes in the distance, few people, a lack of travellers, unpretentious) and La Paloma in Uruguay (relax, eat, relax, sleep, relax and surf).
Least favourite individual place: Caracas, capital of Venezuela. The most dangerous place I can remember. You really don't want to step outside the hotel door. Gangs, punks, filth and loud music.
Things I have missed most about home: (apart from family/friends) Watching the Swans, drinking the occasional Strongbow and eating rissole and chips from a chip shop.
Things I haven't missed about home: The culture. Or to be precise, the complete lack of it. Brits think getting hammered on a Saturday night and going for a curry is culture.
During the last ten months I have also kept a private diary, as most people do, and here is an excerpt of the very first entry I wrote the night before I was due to leave for this trip,
Quisco beach, Chile.
Me and Jessy on a nice beach on the coast of Chile. to give you an idea of my frame of mind at that time and why I wanted to get out of that shithole we call
Great Britain:
Monday May 23rd 2005
Why Go? Why not?
I am approaching thirty, though I never thought I´d get there.
I am now twenty seven and living in a nation I despise that little bit more as each day passes.
A nation of reality TV,
Vile football hooliganism,
Binge-drinking,
Hidden and open racism,
A growing BNP,
Political parties in it for the money - corporate money,
Everyday people who just don´t care,
Jobs with shit pay,
Crap music in the charts,
A national obsession with mobile-fucking-phones,
Glossy magazines that make women hate themselves,
Stupid and content people everywhere
And not a drop of revolution in the air.
That´s why. And I bet things haven't changed in the slightest, only gotten worse if anything. I am sure that when I get back in August I won't be hanging around too long.
It´s a been a trip, that´s for sure.
I shouldn´t be talking as if it´s all over because it´s not. I now head for New Zealand for a while with a
Palacio Leglislativa
Montevideo, Uruguay. work visa. Though to be truthful, I don´t plan on doing much travelling while I am there. I want to settle down somewhere for a while, continue studying spanish, eat, sleep, relax, and work and find a little stability instead of getting on twelve-hour buses every three days, like I have been doing here for the last ten months.
I honestly don't think I will be writing as many travelblogs in New Zealand as I have for Latin America. But we'll see, I hope the action continues...
Now it's time to leave Latin America I have mixed feelings of sadness (at leaving), happiness (that I was here), curiosity (at what I am going to do in the future) and hope (of a return one day).
Over the last ten months I have really enjoyed writing these travelblogs and I sincerely hope you all have enjoyed the story so far...
See you soon,
Wish you were all here,
Jamie Santiago
Chile.
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SITRACJAMES
non-member comment
TOTALLY AGREE BRO! ESPECIALLY, WHY GO.................... GOOD ON YA KID!