Time to Write Something

The people that you meet when you're traveling can teach you a lot. About what you do or don't want to be like, or what you want from your life. We discussed reasons for traveling the other night over some wine (drunken philosophy is the best kind), and we came up with a few reasons. The main one however was that people that travel are running from something. I bought my ticket six months before departure and in that time a lot changed. At the time that I purchased my ticket I would have been happy to drop everything and go but after six months I had a pretty good setup and felt a little silly for leaving.

Of course reasons for traveling can be anything.

Dan, a friend at my hostel, spent 8 years in a relationship and when it ended, when he was 28 years old, decided it was time for him to see the world. Having Chinese heritage, he decided to spend some time in China but they kicked him out for the olympics (Apparently visa renewals suddenly became difficult in '08!). So after a year in China he left for South America and after Peru and Bolivia has so far spent 6 months in Buenos Aires. He makes money by doing freelance writing jobs. Currently editing english articles from his laptop in the hostel rec room.

He tried the planned life approach (career, girlfriend, house... dog? I don't know) and got out just in time to see the world before he turned 30 (not that 30 is old). Good on him. Of course the lifestyle can worl for some people but I guess it's just not for everyone. And if you're in tune with your partner then you can always travel together.

Why am I traveling? Because I know I would regret it if I didn't.

I could get really deep here but instead I think I'll discuss some superficial things like:

I GOT A DRUM!

It's great... I think the skin is goat but I'm not entirely sure (was the man bleeting or baaing when he tried to describe it to me?). The guy that sold it to me showed me how to tighten the skin and all that which is cool. I just need to find somewhere to play it now... I think it'll be great in Bolivia and Peru when I'm waiting for buses or the rest of my stuff has been stolen.

Other things... I visited the Recoleta cemetery. An ex-president of Argentina died only 3 or 4 days ago and I saw his grave. It was with his family, as they all are. I also saw Eva 'Evita' Perons grave which was surprisingly small and hard to find.

So what can I add about Buenos Aires? Staying up til dawn isn't uncommon. It's pretty much party central here which is cool but expensive and not something that I can't do back home. I am however stuck here until my debit card arrives (I don't know if I wrote this but I lost my card in Mendoza). Buenos Aires looks spectacular in the morning! I find it easier to stay up til the morning than to go to bed, but the light really blows you away. The buildings and sky glow a fierce orange that I haven't seen before. The portenos, Buenos Aires locals, tend to be snobby or arrogant or both. They deserve to be though as they have a pretty good setup (apart from the poverty I guess) and have been through a lot of hardship in recent years. They have a lot of hand signals which took a while to figure out but I got ther with some help!

For anyone following UEFA, What happened to Liverpool? Thanks very much Guus.

For anyone following the AFL: Carn the Tigers! The Carlton game was stagefright and we were never going to beat Geelong. Look out Doggies!