Yo no soy marinero… soy capitan!
It is good to think of change as a new beginning rather than an end. As my friends leave for college (or elsewhere), it is difficult to think of how I am experiencing a new beginning, however. I will be here in Arlington until October 1st, and while everyone else is meeting new people and having adventures in college, i’ll be working at Bertucci’s, doing odd jobs, and stuck in some sort of suburban time warp. Not that I’m jealous of everyone else, but I am ready for a change.
To establish some momentum towards my trip, I decided that it would be a good time to start writing in what will become my online travel journal. So here we are. No big changes in my life, but at least something new has begun.
I originally decided to take this trip sometime last fall. It was a wonderful day. I was at crane’s beach, one of the most beautiful spots in the northeast, with Dan, Gaby, Hannah, and Farid. At one point, somebody mentioned the idea of driving to Chile to visit Dan’s sister. I had always dreamed of taking a grand journey, meeting people along the way and having an absolutely amazing time. In the fall, I was still struck by my incredible trip to Nicaragua last summer, and I was enthralled by the opportunity to return. At the same time, the beautiful beach and the cool breeze made school seem like a bad dream… i had absolutely no desire to return to school the next day, much less for another full year. Once the seed was planted, it wasn’t going away.
Plans changed. I am traveling by bus, and I am traveling alone. I’m not even going to Chile; I’ll fly from Peru to Brazil instead, and end up in Buenos Aires. I’ll be attending a Spanish school in Guanajuato, Mexico, for three weeks, then I’ll head to Mexico city for a couple of weeks.
I can’t even comprehend the scale of Mexico city. I hope that a couple of weeks will give me some sense, but I’m not even sure it will. A city of 20 million people is entirely beyond any scale I can imagine. A third-world city at that; Mexico is not a city of high rises, but of sprawl and slums and crowds and noise. I cant wait to see it.
After that, Ill head south. There are no specific plans, except that Ill be traveling though Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and finally Panama. I have no idea how long ill spend in each place, but i will have several months at least.
Then I have to fly from Panama to Colombia. The carnival in Barranquilla is regarded as the greatest in Colombia, and one of the best in all of Latin America, so that should be a ridiculously crazy time. Just imagine: back home it could be snowing in early february, and instead ill be dancing for four days and nights, nonstop, in one of the world’s largest parties.
Then its all south again, all the way to Peru. Ill fly to Brazil, where Ill make stops in Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paolo. Finally, Ill make my way to Buenos Aires, where I’ll stay for several weeks.
I wonder if I will make it to all the places I just listed. Now, they are all just names, simple words on a screen. When I come back, they will be words, but also memories, dreams, thoughts, and stories.
And here the story begins. I promise that it will get more entertaining. Once I leave, I expect everyone to post comments, considering that I’ll be traveling alone and this will be my principal way of getting in touch with people back home.
Dan
Tags: Bus Travel, Central America, Central America, South America, Travel
Neocoltrane
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:57 am
I’ll make sure to keep checking up on this. Sounds like quite a journey that you got planned out.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:02 pm
Bon voyage, my friend.
Hope this journey is as adventurous as the intinerary.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:07 pm
I wish I could partake in some of your adventures, sounds awesome man. Good luck with everything, and I can’t wait to read your stories.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:09 pm
Having traveled to Europe I know the exact same hunger you have to be moving, meeting and doing. It makes you sick to your stomach when you aren’t doing it and it seems that nothing can calm the urge to leave. Reading that makes me want to go with you. I can’t wait to read what you are doing. I’m even more excited to see you next summer to hear the stories!
September 4th, 2005 at 11:26 am
Hey guys, thanks for resonding. Ill be sure to update frequently, and keep you all informed of my adventures. I hope you all have some crazy times at college… I think we should all have plenty of stories to exchange next summer.
September 5th, 2005 at 3:46 pm
omg ur gona have the fuckin time of ur life… stories u’ll b able to tell ur friends and ur kids, and ur grankids, and ur greatgrankids… im so exited for u, u have no idea!
now that i read this and see how exited u r to leave, i’ll try not to tell u “i dont want u to go” ne more hehe! 😀
luv u tons!
Alix
September 6th, 2005 at 9:16 am
WOW!
I am so fucking jealous! I think that this will be the best time of your life. Sure, college is great, but it is nothing compared to what you are planning on doing.
Paz y amor, pace et amour, shalom v’ahava, peace and love,
Zach
September 6th, 2005 at 11:26 am
wow… when i first heard u saying that u going to some trip like this… i thought that u would end up giving up… but u made the right choice…. u going even by ur self… thats just gonna be the trip of ur life… u gonna have probably the best and the worse times… but its the good times that matters …. u gonna learn more than in college…
i hope to get together with u and hear the stories of ur life….
be safe
Alinson
September 7th, 2005 at 8:55 am
Hey Reedy, you don’t know how much respect I have for people who actually go through with their plans. I remember that very inspiring day at Crane’s Beach nearly 3/4 of a year ago and I know how much of that plan has been modified since then and how much preparation, planning, and dedication you put in. I also know how it feels when people don’t take you seriously and laugh in your face unknowingly when you tell them your plans. But you know what Reedy, instead of laughing at us, they’ll be wishing they were with us along the way. Doing your own thing is always better than hearing it from others. Singing “Piano Man” is always better than listening to it silently. Ride on into the west, Cowboy!
September 8th, 2005 at 10:51 pm
It is always better to sing to Piano Man than to listen silently, even if you can’t sing for shit. See, I don’t know much about history, dont know much biology, I dont know much about science books, dont know much about the french i took… But I DO know, I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave. Lets show the world what’s up…
September 26th, 2005 at 2:30 pm
DAN! I wish I could express in words how glad I am that I met you this past weekend. You seem to have been a mere passing cloud but now that I think about it, it’s what makes it all the more interesting. Those same passing clouds make the sky more lively.
Your trip is going to be amazing–I can only imagine! I am so excited for you. I hope all goes well and I am really looking forward to reading about your adventures.
October 10th, 2005 at 11:20 am
Hello Dan,
All I can say to you is that good lack. I am very proud of you and your move this year.
Ring