Everybody remembers their first time. My adrenaline was beyond limits. I’m not talking about that first time – this is not Elite Daily – but rather about when I first decided to travel solo. You may ask why I am bringing this up. I was 17 back then and very impressionable and listened closely to advice. However, I have since realised that people give fallacious advice about things they haven’t experienced or know little about. It may sound rude, but it’s true. And me venturing off to South America was no exception.
“When they learned I would be travelling to America Latina, people only shared horror stories.”
While I was getting very excited to explore all the places I had only read about in history books and travel guides, I was letting friends (and to a far lesser extent, family) instil fear in me. When they learned I would be travelling to America Latina, people only shared horror stories. They would say, “have you seen that movie?! You will be taken advantage of or, worse yet, mugged!” or the classic one, “there are a lot of thieves and drug wars in that area!” I heard the craziest things from people to which I laughed out loud. Although it may have made me more conscious of my surroundings, I definitely didn’t need that negative advice in the back of my mind. And so heading to South America and coming back in one piece, I can only truly sum up all that I’ve experienced and learned on my journey in just one phrase, “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.”
“…you haven’t really travelled until you’ve visited South America.”
Incredible India; Spiritual Asia; and Imperial Europe. There are so many beautiful regions around the globe but none are as unique as South America. Indeed, some (including myself) might argue that you haven’t really travelled until you’ve visited South America. The continent is home to astounding natural and cultural wonders, including the snow-capped peaks of the Andes; thousands of kilometres of magnificent white-sand beaches; captivating colonial towns and indigenous villages; and the Amazon rainforest, home to more plant and animal species than elsewhere on earth.
The challenge is deciding where to begin. My companions and I landed first in Buenos Aires (Argentina) and headed all the way up to Bogotá, Colombia. The scenery is just surreal: San Pedro De Atacama; Salar De Uyuni; and Machu Picchu are just some of the highlights I’ve witnessed. But it’s not just about breath-taking sights. The continent’s soundtrack, for instance, is sure to leave your feet a-tapping long after you’re back in the day job. Samba spices up the sandy streets of Brazilian beach towns; Argentine folklórica trickles out of truck radios in the pampas; and the jolting rhythm of Cumbia, making those Andean bus rides even more absurd.
“I have to admit, I’m not the same person I left.”
This is but just a teaser of what I experienced on my trip to South America. It is a continent that engulfs you and changes you – your state of mind, your outlook on life. I have to admit, I’m not the same person I left. And the best thing about all of it is that, as soon as you step foot on South American soil, the transformation begins.
So stay tuned as I’ll be documenting my 5 week journey to and through each country I’ve visited. But for now, I’ll let the photos do the talking.
Want to know more? Check out my personal blog: http://jjagius.wix.com/roamsweethome
