During the trip, some of the most commonly asked questions were: Where are you from? How long have you been traveling? How much longer? Where have you been? Where are you going? What was your favorite country, city or place? So, as you see, not that much different than what most of you would ask.
Now, that I am home, the common questions, are just slightly different: Where did you go? How many countries? What was your favorite country, city or place? What did you miss most? How much did the trip cost? And the deep philosophical enlightening question: How have you changed, or what have you learned?
The truth is, Yes I am sure I have changed and learned many life lessons, as anyone would over the course of 15 months, at any point in there life. Sure those specific 15 months, are and were beyond words and imagination, but to identify them, here and now would be an impossible task, as I will probably never fully realize the impact it had on me, but I am sure that I will notice those changes from time to time, for the rest of my life. But, in an effort to appease the curious:
Changes (but, not what you think), The road has made me stronger:
- Bathrooms, seriously if I ever had any issues with using a public restroom for either a #1 or #2, I am over it. It can’t ever be worse than a room with a hole, no windows and no light, where many other before you had missed.
- Bed, before moving back into my apartment next month, I have been splitting my time between, an air mattress, futon, and kid sized bed, all of which are just fine, when compared with a blanket over a sheet of plywood, and questionable bed covering and the constant fear of bed bugs. To be fair most of the hostels have respectable beds, but often it is a roll of the dice, when you first walk into the room to see the appearance of you bed and sheets.
- Questionable food, if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger. That saying has a whole new meaning, now.
- Patience, have to see how long this last. But, a ten hour ride, in a hard seat designed for some one less than 5′ 6″, or waiting in lines at the DMV, wouldn’t even phase me, just give me a book and/or my Ipod.
- Personal space, if you can’t get seven or eight passengers into a taxi, you are just wasting space.
Some random things, that I miss about the road or just doesn’t have the same meaning at home:
- Going to the corner of the street to buy a DVD of any current movie for the equivalent of a buck, for movie night at the hostel.
- All the family mini-markets up and down every street, where you can buy your snacks, for that walk to the next block to that next mini-market.
- Strange fact, all my friends on the road, are unemployed bums.
- High fives all around, when #2, came out solid.
- Having free internet is like free porn (remember that episode of Friends), it is hard to walk away from.
- Being able to trade for a book, you actually wanted to read.
- Open electrical outlets, available 24 hours a day, to recharge your Ipod and camera battery.
- Being able to take a leak any time and any where I want. What do you mean, I can’t just go around the corner, there is a perfectly good wall.
Pictures, of Bolivia:
Potosi:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.7sgi2bt7&x=0&y=d2k2jf&localeid=en_US
Sucre and Cochabamba:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.9vxo1auz&x=0&y=l3wpu9&localeid=en_US
Tiahuanaco (outside La Paz):
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.c1cui89n&x=0&y=-xcrikx&localeid=en_US
Death Road (outside La Paz)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.axp9t1zv&x=0&y=9fuy91&localeid=en_US
La Paz:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.4i416gwr&x=0&y=wwquj&localeid=en_US
Rurrenabaque:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.26nnpx0b&x=0&y=-ajpxoz&localeid=en_US
Copacabana and Isle del Sol:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=78ky293.62nv9jiz&x=0&y=667byy&localeid=en_US
