Thursday, April 2, 2009

My Journey through Latin America

When I was a student at London University, my best friend, Tim was the son of the British Consul in Santiago. Tim spoke excellent Spanish. This fascinated me. Latin America was so far away and for a village boy from Hampshire, so exotic.

We made a plan that after we graduated we would spend a year travelling from Alaska to Cape Horn, hitchhiking. As Tim's Spanish was good, I concentrated on learning Portuguese. In the end Tim got cold feet or maybe he just had better things to do. He went to do research in Ethiopia, became one of the world's leading experts on the history of that country, and then died tragically young. I gave up on the idea. I met a girl and we went to live in Spain, where we had a little whitewashed house in a gypsy barrio and no money.

Well, last year, I decided to do the Latin American part of the trip (I'd seen quite a bit of Canada and the USA already.) I travelled overland, mostly using local buses, through twenty countries, from Mexico to Chile, in six months, and many times I felt that my best friend Tim was with me, and that I was doing it for both of us.

I wonder if you would like me to tell you the story of my journey?


16 comments:

  1. Travelling, ahhh those were the days.

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  2. wow!!! 100 countries..I wish you all the best.I also love travelling.My love for travelling has inspired me to know the people and geography of most of the countries...though, I have not travelled much.I will definitely try to follow your site.

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  3. Really cool, 100 countries and many interesting stories. Sounds great.

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  4. Hallo visiting you here..have a nice day.

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  5. I would love to read about your journey! I fact, I was wondering why you told us about your wonderful dream ( travel) and didn't share any of your experience.

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  6. are you still humming?

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  7. Your journey so far calls back many memories for me. thank you for sharing such wonders and clear thinking...your efforts are appreciated over here.

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  8. travelling looks so much fun. I don't have the time so this blog is great. I will save it and check back from time to time. I hope you do the same. Thanks!

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  9. hey Ian fantastic trips in this blog... Compliments...
    I read your comment on my site, you're right it is not properly a blog, the project is to create an archive of thousands different people in order to find great gift ideas for a similar person.
    I think I've just found the TRAVELLER!!!
    I'd like to feature some of your thoughts and your top ten gift list...
    Take care.
    Please contact me at luca [at] giftideascoach.com
    www.giftideascoach.com

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  10. i like travelling, but as a student, i don't have many chances.
    don't have enough money, don't have enough time~

    by the way , have you been to china?
    if not, i hope china will be the 95th~
    welcome to china :)

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  11. Thank you Jessie. Yes, I have been to China several times. I visited Beijing and Shanghai, and spent a few weeks working in Hong Kong. Once I even travelled by train from China to England. In the future, I hope to work in Urumqi and travel along the Silk Road.

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  12. yes! I want to hear about all your adventures.
    So sad about yout friend, Tim.

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  13. Hey Ian,

    Great blog! I would love to hear the stories of your Latin American journey. Especially the ones in Brazil as it's my home turf!

    Cheers,

    Paulo

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