Southward Bound (and back)

But you know the summer always brought in

That wild and reckless breeze

And in the backseats we just tried to find

Some room for our knees

And in the backseats we just tried to find

Some room to breathe

- The Gaslight Anthem

By the time I finished graduate school I was really looking forward to taking a break. After years of studying and doing laboratory research I hoped to leave everything behind. With many options in front of me I ultimately decided to travel to South America. Part of that decision was made based on its relative proximity and easy accessibility from any number of cities in the United States. Another part of my rationale was based on the sheer number of sights and attractions that abound in South America. The more I researched and read about each country there seemed to be more and more to see along with many areas of the map that were barely covered in the guidebooks.

The continent is by no means a stranger to tourism. World famous cities and places like Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Patagonia, and the Amazon Rainforest have been visited for ages. But as I discovered, merely seeing those famous places only scratches the surface. In between them there is a lot of distance to be covered and a wealth of places to explore; and even if they may not appear in any guidebook, these places tend to offer more insight into the social, political, and economic state of the region than anywhere else.

In many ways the region is ideal for tourism. There is a well-developed public transport network of buses and collectivos, or shared cars, to get you almost everywhere you would want to go, along with boats and ferries where applicable. One language, Spanish, is understood virtually throughout the continent, except in Brazil and the tiny nations in the northeast, where you could probably get by with it if forced. And with some exceptions it is readily affordable to traverse the great distances the continent presents.

This combination of favorable characteristics naturally draws many people for short visits to the main sights. Unfortunately, too many people do not stray from the well-established tourist trail that directly links the nearby main attractions. Setting off on this trip I certainly wanted to see the popular sights but I also wanted to experience life in the places in between, the places that were barely mentioned or were absent from the pages of the guidebooks. To me, those places were just as relevant and played just as important a role in defining the region.

In using public transport for the entirety of my journey I gained a more well-rounded perspective of the region and its people. Sharing roadside snacks and rest stop meals I met countless people and saw so much more than I had ever anticipated. It wasn't always easy traveling in cramped vehicles with seats seemingly designed for large children over poorly paved or rugged dirt roads, but it was always an adventure, and that was a main objective of this journey.

At the beginning I did not have a clear itinerary in mind, beyond the first two or three weeks, and that was one of the most exhilarating aspects of the journey. The idea that the adventure was unscripted and that each day I had to consciously decide where my next destination would be was something different, an unbridled freedom rarely experienced in the United States. The thought of having no keys in your pocket, nothing tying you down and limitless choices in front of you can be both invigorating and unsettling.

I made a lot of choices while on the road for eight months in South America, some of them good and some of them seemed good at the time. Looking back though, I am very glad that I chose South America as the destination for my first journey. Not only did it open my eyes to the diversity and warmth of the region but my great experiences throughout the course of the trip inspired my curiosity to continue exploring whenever possible.

   

Select an entry to view photos and stories from my journey:

 
,
San Diego

The Beginning

November 15, 2007

Panama City

Panama City

December 6, 2007

Portobelo

Portobelo

December 8, 2007

San Blas Islands

San Blas Islands

December 15, 2007

Cartagena

Cartagena

December 16, 2007

To Santa Marta

To Santa Marta

December 18, 2007

Ciudad Perdida

Ciudad Perdida

December 23, 2007

Sabana de Torres

Sabana de Torres

December 28, 2007

Bogota 1

Bogota 1

December 31, 2007

Bogota 2

Bogota 2

January 2, 2008

San Agustin

San Agustin

January 3, 2008

To Popayan

To Popayan

January 4, 2008

Popayan

Popayan

January 7, 2008

Pasto

Pasto

January 8, 2008

Ipiales

Ipiales

January 9, 2008

Otavalo 1

Otavalo 1

January 12, 2008

Otavalo 2

Otavalo 2

January 13, 2008

Quito

Quito

January 15, 2008

Latacunga

Latacunga

January 17, 2008

Banos

Banos

January 19, 2008

Riobamba

Riobamba

January 23, 2008

Cuenca

Cuenca

January 26, 2008

Vilcabamba

Vilcabamba

January 29, 2008

San Ignacio

San Ignacio

February 1, 2008

Bagua Grande

Bagua Grande

February 2, 2008

Tingo

Tingo

February 4, 2008

Celendin

Celendin

February 5, 2008

Cajamarca

Cajamarca

February 6, 2008

Tayabamba

Tayabamba

February 9, 2008

Huaraz

Huaraz

February 11, 2008

Cerro de Pasco

Cerro de Pasco

February 14, 2008

Andahuaylas

Andahuaylas

February 17, 2008

Cuzco

Cuzco

February 20, 2008

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

February 22, 2008

Chivay

Chivay

February 26, 2008

Arequipa

Arequipa

February 29, 2008

Arica

Arica

March 1, 2008

Parinacota

Parinacota

March 2, 2008

Iquique

Iquique

March 4, 2008

San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

March 9, 2008

Salta

Salta

March 10, 2008

Chilecito

Chilecito

March 12, 2008

Mendoza

Mendoza

March 14, 2008

Puente del Inca

Puente del Inca

March 18, 2008

Santiago

Santiago

March 20, 2008

Valparaiso

Valparaiso

March 24, 2008

Pucon

Pucon

March 28, 2008

Bariloche

Bariloche

March 29, 2008

Quellon

Quellon

April 4, 2008

Puerto Eden

Puerto Eden

April 10, 2008

Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine

April 14, 2008

Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

April 16, 2008

Puerto Williams

Puerto Williams

April 24, 2008

Ushuaia

Ushuaia

April 25, 2008

El Calafate

El Calafate

April 27, 2008

San Antonio del Oeste

San Antonio del Oeste

May 1, 2008

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

May 6, 2008

Colonia

Colonia

May 8, 2008

Montevideo

Montevideo

May 11, 2008

Punta del Diablo

Punta del Diablo

May 14, 2008

São Miguel das Missoes

São Miguel das Missoes

May 16, 2008

San Ignacio

San Ignacio

May 17, 2008

Puerto Iguazu

Puerto Iguazu

May 18, 2008

Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu

May 20, 2008

Ciudad del Este

Ciudad del Este

May 21, 2008

Asuncion

Asuncion

May 23, 2008

Villamontes

Villamontes

May 25, 2008

Tupiza

Tupiza

May 27, 2008

Uyuni

Uyuni

June 1, 2008

Potosi

Potosi

June 4, 2008

Sucre

Sucre

June 8, 2008

La Paz

La Paz

June 14, 2008

Rurrenabaque

Rurrenabaque

June 20, 2008

Porto Velho

Porto Velho

June 26, 2008

Manaus

Manaus

June 29, 2008

Annai

Annai

July 5, 2008

Santa Elena

Santa Elena

July 13, 2008

Canaima

Canaima

July 17, 2008

Cumana

Cumana

July 21, 2008

Merida

Merida

July 29, 2008

Cucuta

Cucuta

July 31, 2008

Bogota 3

Bogota 3

August 5, 2008

Pittsboro

The End

August 8, 2008