The absurdity of travel

I left Montevideo in the early morning. The flat sheen of water was pale blue beneath the smog of the city. The bay was peppered with marooned, rust stained ships and yards stacked high with orange and blue containers. Excited to be back on the road, it felt like the right time to leave. I had met some amazing people and enjoyed the atmosphere of Uruguay but I had other things to see. This was the first in a series of short stops on my journey down towards Chile and Patagonia. An anthropologist I met the following week suggested that the desire to travel is natural for humans. I can’t help but agree. Although I feel that I often leave pieces of my heart in places I have visited or lived, the excitement and potential of the unknown drives me forward.

How to entertain yourself whilst waiting for a flight

I had chosen to take a flight instead of one of my 24 hour bus rides for some semblance of normality. Unfortunately, I got to the airport, the staff of several airlines were on strike. Four hours and several poor translations later, I was on the flight to San Carlos de Bariloche. The flight provided me with my first incredible view of the Andes. Bariloche, famed for its views, lakes and chocolate was a delight to explore. But, predictably, it was soon time to leave.

Sitting on another bus discussing the downsides of travel with my latest companion, we suddenly heard a crash. One of the windows had shattered and glass rained down on the passengers. The driver, in his own compartment, was unaware until I banged on the door and shouted ‘la ventana!’ Their solution was essentially to close the curtains and continue driving! By this point in my travels, however, I wasn’t even surprised. It exemplifies perfectly the absurdity of the various delays that have punctuated my travels. I may have reached the destination a little later, but the journey was more eventful. And for travellers, it’s the journey that’s important.

#snow #explore #newplaces #writer #flight #travelwriting #wanderer #Argentina #leaving #wanderlust #travel #chile #SouthAmerica #discover #friends #ferry #travelbuddies #nature #traveller #adventure #towns #buenosaires #busses