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Published: February 4th 2009
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Downtown New York (May2008)
A fleeting visit to New York with Kathryn and a one night stopover before continuing on to Cancun. February '09
It's just over a year since I completed the first stage of my South American travels. So, before I start round two, some reflections on the first trip may influence the way I tackle this forthcoming venture.
The script on the blog from my first trip encapsulated my first impressions rapidly typed up in a variety of internet cafes and enhanced with a selection of photographs which were often difficult to upload. The idiosyncrasies of the internet systems throughout the countries visited and their volatile reliability often resulted in frustration. However there were very few total failures and technology triumphed in the end.
I would be happy to revisit any of the countries travelled. I found a welcoming friendly atmosphere wherever I went and the hospitality I received was in many cases overwhelming. Apart from the generally helpful nature of many people, I was frequently invited to family barbeques and meals, taken on outings and tours and provided with free accommodation. Though each country had its own culture there were marked similarities as well as differences. Throughout the countries the family plays a big part in the lives of the people, much more so than in the
The Rainforest in Puerto Rico
'Travelled into the interior of the island and up the mountains into the rainforest - beautiful! UK. There is an affinity and bonding which was evident everywhere, from the poorest to the richest. The role of the parents, not just while their chldren were young, but also through to adulthood, was evidently very strong. Meal times were always social occasions for the family to sit together round a table and chat. The positive attitude of parents towards and interactions with their offspring were particularly evident in Brazil where I don't remember ever hearing a baby cry. The inhabitants I met in all of the countries had a great national pride. They had a strong sense of identity with a clear understanding of and belief in their own culture. Though many complained about their governments even the poorest were proud of their country and culture. The only exception to this, from my stance, seemed to that of Uruguay; though the people there were proud of their heritage many, particularly the youth, did not see a future for themselves there and were keen to start a new life elsewhere. The deterioration in the economy, the increase in unemployment, and the evident dilapidation of public buildings, plazas and monuments all contributed to the malaise of the people's negative psyche.
The Sports Car
'Treated myself to an Audi TT thinking I would be able to enjoy it through the summer. as it was we had one of the wettest summers for years. This was my personal impression and was not felt in the other countries.
My command of Spanish was not sufficient to enter into long discussions, but my limited vocabulary was enough to initiate conversations. In many cases their English proved more fluent than my Spanish and they welcomed the opportunity to practise speaking in English. It was a shock when I found that most Brazilians were reluctant to speak any Spanish, so while there I resorted to a Portugese phrase book and dictionary. Sign and body language also played a part in much of my communication!
I was aware before setting off on the trip of the pros and cons of travelling solo. With hindsight, the advantages of being alone outweigh the disadvantages. The biggest plus for me was the ease with which I was accepted by those I met in all of the countries. There were, however, times when I did feel vulnerable being on my own, particularly in some of the slum areas of the cities.
Accommodation varied throughout the trip. A comfortable bed at the end of tiresome coach/train trip or an arduous hike was always welcome. It became rapidly clear that the 1/2
The New Patio
During the summer 'put in a patio and retaining wall around the conservatory. star hotels favoured at the beginning of the trip were by far inferior to the wide choice of hostels available. The use of the Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide series in choosing a hostel which had a good write-up and booking ahead made life a lot easier for me. I was also fortunate in being offered some free accommodation by friends and relatives of people I know here in the UK. Meeting up with fellow-travellers in the hostels was a great boon. We shared stories of places we had been to, giving advice on what to see and what to avoid; we swapped maps and guide books and provided tips on accommodation. Cooking facilities were generally of a good standard in the hostels and sharing meals with fellow-travellers was common practice in some. Those who managed and ran the hostels had, without exception, a caring attitude towards their patrons; they were also a mine of information about the local area, transport arangements and timetables, and knowledge of local events/festivals plus where the best night life was.
Much of what I've written so far has revolved around the peoples of the countries visited. The landscape annd scenery was also
The Pond and Rockery
Also built during the summer, the water is pumped to the top of the rockery and flows back into it. Our pond is now a home for 9 fish (still surviving, to date!) outstanding. The beauty and wonder of nature from the tropical rainforests of Brazil to the frozen landscape of Patagonia, from the salt deserts of Bolivia to the dizzy heights of the Andes. The variety which nature provided was often breathtaking and made the venture well worth while. The contrasts of the hair-raising drives in the sand buggy over the giant sand-dunes of the Brazilian coastline, to waiting for the beautiful sunset near Uyuni (Bolivia); from walking among the myriad of brilliantly blue large-winged butterflies of the rainforest to watching awe-struck at the roaring water as it plunges down the mighty Iguazu Falls; from listening to the cracking ice as it breaks off from the Perito Moreno Glacier to wondering at the site of the ancient civilization at Machu Picchu. I could continue to wax lyrically about the volcanic, river and off-shore island scenery, about the optical illusions of the salt deserts and the majesty of the mountain scenery, but I wouldn't wish to take from the enjoyment I had among the indigenous peoples of each country, their outgoing hospitable nature and their love for festivals, socialising and fun.
Having waited a year to put my reflections on paper, I
Robert & Jessica's Wedding
The highlight of the autumn was R&J's wedding in October - a great celebration for the whole family. was motivated by my current plans to make a second trip back to the Latin continent and visit the countries I missed out the first time round. I did intend to return sooner but some distractions made postponement necessary. At one stage I got into a domestic routine of redesigning the garden at the back of the house and installing a patio, pond rockery, waterfall and pergola; in between times I brushed up my tennis and golf. I did also find time to revisit florida on two occasions and use Kathryn's house as a springboard to make a fleeting visit to New York, a week in Mexico and another in Puerto Rico. Though I treated myself to a new sports car for the summer in the UK, the weather turned out to be a wash-out! The autumn was taken up with Robert's (my son)wedding followed closely by a hip replacement. Though I was somewhat apprehensive about the latter the recovery time was more rapid than I anticipated; routine visits to the gym helped. More recently I have managed to fit in some part-time work with the University of Winchester; it keeps me in touch and up-to-date with education, and provides
Winter Wonderland
The snow-covered landscape of the back garden today after the heaviest snowfall for 18 years. some finances towards my next venture.
Part two solo in South America will be a shorter time-scale version - just over a month. I plan to leave at the beginning of March, spend a few days in Florida and fly on from there to either Caracas (Venezuala) or Quito (Equador) - 'currently looking into the best option. Anyway, my intention is to visit Equador, Colombia and venezuala, and if time permits, also the Guianas. Similar to round one, I plan to keep a blog as I travel, but hope to get more off the beaten track than previously. So, keep an eye on the blog from March onwards and up-to-date with Solo in South America (Part 2).
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