Ten things I learned in South America

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1. Things are often not what you would expect: seeing a kid pushing around a hub cap with his sister, gitty as can be, makes you wonder about the X-Box. Notice too that they are TALKING while playing.
2. Airline seats are not the most uncomfortable way to seat people on a vehicle, nor is airline food the worst food on the planet. BOLIVIAN airline food is.
3. Sleep is like swimming: you can wade around or get completely submerged, you can dive deep or stay on the surface, and you can always get pissed off when people cut it short.
4. You can learn a lot about the world from travelling with people from different parts from it. I say "football" instead of soccer now and have added about twenty hilarious bits of English slang to my vocabulary
5. Until you have eaten fifty-three steaks in sixty-five days you don't know just how fragile your heart really is.
6. Clothes really don't need to be washed that often. They just need to be dark coloured.
7. We are all very, very similar underneath it all. In the ways we are different it is usually much more satisfying to learn the differences as opposed to immediately rejecting them.
8. No, you do NOT want to know what that smell is.
9. Having peace of mind, heart, and spirit is not necessarily related to your material wealth and is much more important. I met many people on this trip who had a lot less material wealth but who did have a much more settled inner life
10. You just have to say yes; the rest will just take care of itself. Often when you are thinking about something intimidating you feel the reasons not to do it sneak up like a sneeze. Most of life-s mistakes are mistakes of ommission, not commission.

I am curious as to who reads my blog regularly. If you are one of those people would you please leave a comment on the end of this blog? It will only take a second and would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Photos

Crazy picture from La Paz
This is a mural painted on the back of a bus in La Paz, Bolivia. Yikes!

Comments

[Tom Greer]

well said
I've enjoyed; I've worried; I've envied but most of all I have been happy for you throughout this wonderful adventure. Now, make like a yogi and cleanse your body inside and out. While those smells are not important in the greater scheme of life, I'm sure they are unpleasant to you parents sensibilities. :)

[rene]

thank god you are home safely
I have been a faithful reader, and know that your 7-month adventure has been good for your mind, your heart and your soul -- what a wonderful launch to your adulthood. Welcome home!!

[Carol Cox]

Welcome back to Canada!
Your blogs were a gift to all of us back here who were keeping all crossable body parts crossed for your safety. The protectiveness that seeped into my bones as your Mom put your new born body into my arms 21+ years ago raced to the surface as I read your first few blogs with my eyes half shut in hopes that it would help my racing heart. Then later I had to squeeze them shut again to stop tears as they witnessed our Noel growing into the Philosopher he aspires to be. I also felt the envy of reading a young man saying “yes” to new experiences while all the time wishing it were me. Glad to have you back in Canada.

[Amanda & Adam]

So glad you are home!
We have read every single entry since you left, thank you for letting us experience South America with you, we only hope that one day we can see all of the amazing things that you have seen. Adam and I missed you very much! (We still have some wine left, so come on over!)

[Ryan Sim]

Journal
Your journal was inspirational...............and most of all eye opening. It opened my eyes to how crappy I feel sitting in this office as you were in south america living it up. Maybe one day I shall travel, and be free, until then............sigh........I'll just live through your entries.

[Karin]

travel bug
Your trip was so fun to follow Noel! You have some really great photos and a lot of crazy stories. Such a pleasure to get the travelblog email to distract me from work hehe. You have definately made me put travel as a higher prioty. Hope to see you soon! Karin.

[Christine B]

2nd time commentor, long time reader
Thanks for taking us with you Noel!!! haha. Your trip sounded amazing... makes me wish that I were either finished at mcgill... or taking some time off... but I'm too close now... I can taste that BSc. haha. Hope we get to see you in Montreal this year. Bisous, Bernier

[Pere]

Fun to Travel With
Noel, we traveled a little bit together within the city of Buenos Aires. You proved to be an eventful guy and a master of backgammon. I hope you lived the rest of your trip to the fullest extent possible. I can tell you that, I've been traveling in Africa for almost 2 months and I sure do miss the steak at Des Nival. Hope all it well.

[Carol Greer]

Enjoyed your blog
Your blog is hilarious. Keep up the great sense of humor!

[Jason Wilson]

Endless source of info and inspiration
I never did finish reading through all of your blog entries but finally read this one so I figured I'd comment to say that I did keep up to a certain extent. Now I come back to it for information as I plan future travels to where you have already been. Thanks man! Keep up the good work. :)