Safely back home, we have spent the better part of the last week wondering if the trip was real. After weeks and months of planning, researching, preparing and talking about it, it's now over and done with. Impossible, but true. At times, the five weeks crawled at a snail's pace: Lima and the early days in Peru seem like a century ago. And at other time, the five weeks flew by in a blur. Did we actually go to all these places, or did we dream it all up?
One thing we can say for certain, though, is that a whole new world has opened up for us. Lou and I felt that we were already seasoned "world travellers" before this trip, that we'd seen a lot of the world and that nothing could possibly be new or wondrous for us. How wrong we were !! Typical, perhaps, of most Canadians, we had no concept of South America at all. For us, and I suspect for most of our countrymen, the world on our radars consists of Canada itself, and the United States. If we have European roots, then the country of our ancestry is probably in our consciousness. We often go south during the long Canadian winter, so many Caribbean islands are known: for Lou and me, it's Cuba, with a little Mexico thrown in for good measure. And, if we're really worldly, some exotic location we've visited on a previous "trip of a lifetime": for us, that would be Australia.
Based on this scant evidence, we'd thought that there was nothing new or of any real value left to discover. Our experiences began and ended in northern latitudes.
But this trip exposed us to an entire continent we'd only heard of or read about. Now, we know differently. Now, we have been given a small taste of a vast and diverse land, and we want more.
Canadians should get to know the people who live in South America. We share a massive hemisphere, and an outlook that is no longer European, and never really was African or Asian. Together, we have left the old world behind, and have created societies and civilizations that are truly "new world". If we continue to ignore South Americans, if we continue to live in our little northern cocoon, we will surely be depriving ourselves of some of the good things is life: culture, music, food, art, philosophy, and spirit. Conversely, we have many things to share with our southern neighbours. Greater understanding and greater empathy are the cornerstones for a better, more prosperous, more peaceful world.
So, we have decided that we need to see more of South America. We still have the luxury of good health, and the willingness to go further afield than we previously have done. There are many more countries in South America we would like to see. Also, we know that there are more places in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador to add to what we saw on this trip. If time and health permit, we shall see them, with eyes and ears wide open, and hearts and souls ready to take it all in.
Our only hope is that, when we travel again, we will have the great good fortune to travel with groups of people like those we travelled with on this trip. We were lucky to be in the company of like-minded people who were anxious to learn and experience new things, who were patient with each other, willing to share and help, and not inflicted with the arrogance of jaded travellers who often go abroad only to complain or criticize what they are experiencing. Our groups were ready to enjoy, have fun, and test themselves. We all liked to laugh and think and try. It was a rare experience, and for that, Lou and I would like to thank all of the people in our groups: it was a genuine pleasure to travel with all of you.
Also, we must say a huge thank-you to the many local guides and drivers. Your knowledge and skill kept us safe, on-time, and informed. We benefitted from your insight and learned so much.
And finally, a heart-felt thank-you to our tour leader, Pablo Gonzalez. Pablo is a true gentleman: friendly, knowledgeable, patient, kind, and caring. We put ourselves in Pablo's capable hands, and he came through with flying colours, always putting his own comfort and interests behind ours. One could say that he was merely doing his job, but we knew that Pablo did all this not just because it was his job, but because he was genuinely concerned for our safety, well-being, and, most importantly, our experience in journeying through these "brave new worlds". We all felt good about the trip, and Pablo was the main reason for this. Lou and I hope that, somehow, our paths will cross Pablo's path again. We miss him greatly and wish nothing but the best for him and his family.
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