Pichi Puente

I have my small rental car back which really helps me get around to some very remote areas… sort of.  It is a small hatchback that is the size of most peoples kitchen tables.  Small yet it fits all of my things quet comfortably.  It is not the 4×4 machine that I was hoping to find down here but at least it gets me to where I want to go and most importantly, I get to travel alone.  I have one CD that was given to me as a gift from the radio disc jockey from the small town of Futaleufu, Chile.  It helps the long road trips through vacant terrain with endless amounts of natural beauty.  I have been traveling alone now for 3 weeks and I have become comfortable with the silence that comes with it.  There is no one to enjoy the highs or the lows with me which adds a certain level of ‘did that really happen’.   I am happy to report that there are no lows on a journey of this magnitude so far.  I find myself reading a lot more, listening to the chatter of other travelers and learning from the small victories that have made my time so far so enjoyable.  I have nothing but time on my side and endless miles of rivers to explore.  The water in Patagonia is infinite.  It seems to come from every direction even the arid steppe of the eastern plains.  The best part, all the waterways are filled with trout from top to bottom.  Some more than others but each one holds just enough to keep me content and never bored.

Am I missing out on anything back home?  Probably not but maybe so.  I feel the trade off is worth it’s weight in memories.  I hope everyone in their lifetime is able to take time for themselves and enjoy the splendors of nature on their own.  Without the noise of other people the sounds of the outdoors seem to amplify exponentially.  Every rock  and tree seems to hold some secret thar remained muted but becomes only audible if there is an audience of one.

Always push the limit of what you believe you can accomplish.  Always find the time for yourself because without that time one can be quickly ambushed by the annoyances of “the real world”.  Maybe what I am experiencing is a surreal world?  Maybe this is a more real world and the one I have come to know as home.  It doesn’t really matter now.  For I am here and you are too and my eyes are wide open.

Man on the Moon

It’s getting bigger!