My entire life has been dedicated to the study of Asia. I love Asian history, culture, and philosophy. Everything about it excites me deeply! People often ask what the initial lure to Asia was for me. To be honest, I don’t really remember. I was so young at the time. However, I believe that part of my love for Asian culture has come from the unknown. To a western kid like me, Asia was so enigmatic! So cool! I loved learning new things about this mysterious land of wonder!
After spending so much time studying Asia, I have only fallen deeper in love with the cultures and people there. That being said, the one thing that I did miss, was a bit of that ‘unknown’.
South America packed heaps of “unknown” for me. I never really studied anything about South America! So I was elated to dive into these countries head first!
The experience changed me. Above all was the surprisingly warm nature of the people. Everywhere I went, people warned me about how dangerous it was…then they took me out to eat, introduced to their beautiful families, and made me feel like a long lost brother. The love they showed me far outweighed any times of “danger” I felt on the trip.
The single best part of South America was the people. They have amazing spirits, and I truly believe the whole world could learn something from these incredible people. They give even when they have nothing for themselves. That is pure love.
I filmed some blogs along the way, but the final video can be found here: https://youtu.be/2RjNdq4a1CQ
This was my South American adventure!
After spending so much time studying Asia, I have only fallen deeper in love with the cultures and people there. That being said, the one thing that I did miss, was a bit of that ‘unknown’.
South America packed heaps of “unknown” for me. I never really studied anything about South America! So I was elated to dive into these countries head first!
The experience changed me. Above all was the surprisingly warm nature of the people. Everywhere I went, people warned me about how dangerous it was…then they took me out to eat, introduced to their beautiful families, and made me feel like a long lost brother. The love they showed me far outweighed any times of “danger” I felt on the trip.
The single best part of South America was the people. They have amazing spirits, and I truly believe the whole world could learn something from these incredible people. They give even when they have nothing for themselves. That is pure love.
I filmed some blogs along the way, but the final video can be found here: https://youtu.be/2RjNdq4a1CQ
This was my South American adventure!
Argentina
I started my Argentinian voyage at the southern most tip of Argentina and worked my way up. I really enjoyed the diverse environment Argentina has to offer! From the beautiful mountains and glaciers in the south, to the unique small towns along the coast; And Buenos Aires! Buenos Aires is certainly a lively city as well! Iguazu Falls was a highlight of my journey through Argentina. The place, although quite touristic, is amazing. You can easily spend an entire day there, just viewing the falls and going on the hikes nearby. The food is also splendid. Argentinians enjoy the finer things in life. A little extra time for a more delicious meal is always worth it in Argentina! 
Chile
One of my best friends from college was from Chile. I was more excited to visit Chile than any other country in South America pre-departure. It was tough because my expectations were so high. Chile did not disappoint! The landscapes in Chile are as diverse as the people! From one of the driest deserts in the North, to the lush green paradise of the South, and even the island heaven: Rapa Nui, Chile is gorgeous. I almost did not go to Easter island. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to visit. It was so beautiful, and not just a highlight of my Chilean experience, but a true highlight of the entire journey through South America. 
Colombia
Colombia changed my life. I can’t say this about many places, but I can about Colombia. I would often come across travelers from around the world on my journey through South America. At bus stations, airports, or even just walking down random alleyways in the middle of nowhere; we stand out a bit. I liked to ask them which destination they liked the most in South America. Not once, did I meet someone who had been to Colombia that didn’t choose it as their favorite. And for good reason! Colombia is a small slice of heaven on earth. They have nearly everything there: incredible mountains to climb, ruins to explore, phenomenal beaches, and cities that are built on the foundation of art, salsa, and passion! However, that is not even what makes travelers love Colombia so much. The reason we love this place is because of Colombians. Colombians are incredible. They are the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met. Anywhere. I love Colombians. They have the biggest hearts, and I cannot say enough good things about them. The way they live and think about family truly touched my heart deeply. Every friend I met in Colombia invited me to stay with them. In their house, they treated me like I was a brother for 20 years. Nobody has ever done that for me before. They didn’t know a thing about me, but I was family for them. That feeling has been with me since I left. And their families are HUGE! I will never forget my time and the people I met in Colombia. I consider Colombia my home outside of Asia, and would gladly go back if I ever get such a fortunate opportunity. 
Guyana
Guyana was the next stop on my journey across South America. All three “Guyanas” are sooo different. While French Guyana is the most developed and has (by far) the best food, the Surinamese people were extremely kind and generous. Guyana has the most beautiful scenery. If you want to be stunned by natural beauty, please visit Guyana. It is truly superb. The highlight of my trip in Guyana was of course, Kaieteur Falls. I had two options: Bus/Hike or Fly. I made the mistake of flying. The problem with flying to Kaieteur Falls is that they force you to buy a round-trip ticket. The time you have at the falls is only about 2 hours. And I had heard that they shepherd you around like cattle. So, I purchased a round-trip ticket, went on the 2 hour tour, and “missed” my flight. They HIGHLY discourage this. You are suppose to tell the park before arriving, and there was no guarantee that another plane would come to take me back. But I took the risk! 
Peru
I was so nervous about Peru. I knew it would be tough filming at every location I went to in South America, but I thought Peru was going to be the hardest. It was certainly the most stressful for me. I started out in the North at the amazing site: ChanChan, and headed south stopping in the very cool capitol, Lima. I was actually more excited to visit the Nazca lines than Machu Picchu! And they were amazing! It was a lot of fun for me to see them from the flight they have in Nazca. When I finally got to Cusco, I felt so much pressure to get a good shot. I had heard from many people it is very difficult to get ANY good shots due to the amount of tourists there. Furthermore, Security is SUPER high, and there are stories of the guards forcing tourists to delete pictures off their cameras. Apparently, in recent years, it had become popular for tourists to do silly things like run across the grass naked, and try to go camping at the site after hours. Many stories. Long story short, I went, it was a challenge, but I got the shot, and enjoyed the view immensely. On a side note: If you are going to Machu Picchu, do not worry too much about the weather. I went for two days, and it was gorgeous the first day: clear blue sky. The second day it rained a bit mid afternoon, so most of the tourists left, and the site looked amazing! Anytime you go, it will be a great experience ^_^ 
Uruguay
I met many people traveling through South America, but some of the best friends I made were in Uruguay. I met an extremely talented musician in Buenos Aires, and she offered to host me in her home in Uruguay. She took care of many travels at here place, often hosting over 20 people at a time! When I was there, she had a guy from Spain (who became one of my best friends on the trip), two amazingly loving girls from Brazil, and a few US/Canadian folks. My host treated me like a brother. Introduced me to all her friends, and made me feel completely at home. She said this was the Uruguayan way. Uruguayans are the most chill, laid back, relaxed people I have met. Montevideo is a great city! The beach area at Cabo Polonio was really unique. If I ever get the chance to go back to South America, I will surely return to Uruguay. Top 3 places in South America for me. |
Bolivia
Lake Titicaca was a superb introduction to Bolivia. La Paz has a plethora of fun activities as well! I really enjoyed Valle de la Luna in particular. The star of Bolivia is, of course, Salar de Uyuni. The massive salt planes are actually the largest in the world at over 10,000 square kilometers! There were flamingos too! 
Brazil
Brazil! Order and Progress! Brazilians are some of the most interesting people in all of South America! They are loud, exciting, passionate people. They will bend over backwards to help you before you even ask. I started my journey in Brazil at the world famous Iguazu Falls. Although the park is much larger on the Argentinian side, I prefer the views on the Brazilian side. The whole timing of this trip was based on Carnival in Rio De Janeiro. I was beyond jubilant to final have the chance to go. My only regret was that I couldn’t see the city on a normal day. For me, Rio is Carnival. I wonder how different the streets and people are during the majority of the year. Filming at Christ the Redeemer was the hardest place (at least in terms of people) I have ever filmed. Loads of tourists were there. Thousands of people every day herd themselves through a tiny area about 5 meters across. It was a challenge, but it was the last places I was filming on the journey. That feeling of finishing a video is hard to explain. The last shot is such a powerful feeling. I’m thankful, sad, happy, and excited all balled into one. Brazil is an interesting place! I need more time there, and hope to go back one day. 
Ecuador
The beginning of my Ecuadorian journey was a little tough for me. Colombia was the best! I had such a beautiful experience there, and I was really sad to leave. BUT! I had a mission, and needed to press on! I was, however, excited to visit the Galapagos islands!! I think Ecuador is often overshadowed by it’s larger sister nations: Colombia and Peru. Many many people visit Peru for vacation, but actually, Ecuador has a lot to offer! The equator line was a fun side trip for me. They built a really nice park area there. The relaxing environment around Mt. Chimborazo was much needed, and Guayaquil is a pretty big, modern city. The Galapagos were really up in the air for me. I had heard that they were VERY expensive to visit, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it this time. But after a little research, I found a pretty inexpensive flight. I didn’t book a hotel, so when I arrived I negotiated with a few hotels, and got a decent place. Did a few boat tours, scuba diving, and simply enjoyed the wildlife there. It was a once in a life time experience for me. 
French Guyana
French Guiana was the by far the most surprising place on my journey across South America. I loved my experience in there! There are 3 “Guyanas” in South America: 1 French (French Guiana), 1 British (Guyana), and 1 Dutch (Suriname). French Guiana is in the Northern part of South America. Most South Americans I spoke to on my trip had never even heard of the place! But to honest, that is what made it so great! French Guiana has not been spoiled by tourists. It is naturally beautiful. I didn’t meet a single tourist the entire time I was there. Even when I spoke to backpackers later on my trip, they had never been. I love this type of place. So much! There was so much to see and do in French Guiana! Imagine a Caribbean coast, with South American hospitality, and French food. Could you ask for ANYthing else in life? It was wonderful : ) 
Paraguay
Terere. Terere and Chipa. Need I say more? When I first started planning this journey, I was really excited about Brazil, Peru, and Chile. I had heard so many lovely things about those countries, and the views looked amazing! …And indeed, they were fantastic! I really liked them. However, I loved Paraguay. Everything about that country was magnificent to me. The people, the places, the food, the friends, the families: perfect. I cannot say enough good things about Paraguay. After visiting Colombia, I truly believed that it could not get any better. However, Paraguay was awesome, and easily one of my favorite places. I didn’t do as many touristic things in Paraguay on this trip. Mostly I spent time recovering, preparing for Brazil and Iguazu, and growing close to the family I was staying with at the time. Beautiful place! Lovely people. I would be very happy to live in Paraguay. 
Suriname
Suriname was my first stop on this incredible journey across South America! And what a beginning it was! Suriname, French Guiana, and Guyana are three of the least visited places in South America. In fact, people would often ask me where I began my journey, and when I said Suriname, they would just give me a blank stare. It didn't help when I said between French Guiana and Guyana either...haha...Even many South Americans don't know much about these three places. However, that is precisely one of the reason I enjoyed them so much! Suriname is beautiful. The south in particular is incredible! I enjoyed my stay in Suriname VERY much. Mentally, I prepared myself to hear a lot of Spanish on this adventure. However, My first few months were spent in a Dutch speaking country, French speaking country, and an I-don't-even-know what speaking country...haha~ BUT! A smile speaks every language, and I found the people in each of these countries to be simply amazing. 
Venezuela
Venezuela is one of the most naturally beautiful countries I have ever been to! I really enjoyed my time there! There were not so many tourists. I think people are scared to go to Venezuela, but the truth is, it is one of the most friendly, beautiful places I visited. Every place I went in South America, people warned me to be careful. That it is dangerous. People even told me not to walk alone in the street. The Venezuelan people would sit and tell me for hours how dangerous and bad Venezuelan people are…then they would take me to their homes, introduce me to their families, prepare for me amazing meals, and basically offer me anything they thought i might need for my journey. Venezuela is the perfect example of “Fortuna Audaces Iuvat” or ”Fortune favors the bold”. People who have courage and go after what they want are more likely to succeed than people who play it safe. Venezuela may seem dangerous to the outsider, but once you get inside the country, you will be greatly greatly rewarded. |
It took me:
399 hours of bus rides
68 hours on planes
29 hours on boats
15 hours of hitchhiking
4 hours on trains
and a copious amount of hours on foot
I shot 80 gigabytes worth of footage and took 17,847 pictures. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The hard times and the good! South Americans are some of the warmest, most friendly people in the world. I had incredibly warm welcomes to stay with local families along the way. Those times will be the ones I remember the most on my trip. Beautiful beautiful people.
Thank you South America ^_^
399 hours of bus rides
68 hours on planes
29 hours on boats
15 hours of hitchhiking
4 hours on trains
and a copious amount of hours on foot
I shot 80 gigabytes worth of footage and took 17,847 pictures. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The hard times and the good! South Americans are some of the warmest, most friendly people in the world. I had incredibly warm welcomes to stay with local families along the way. Those times will be the ones I remember the most on my trip. Beautiful beautiful people.
Thank you South America ^_^
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