Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Today is my last day in Mexico, it´s been an interesting two weeks. A place so different to where i was living yet somehow i felt like i belonged to this city, i did not feel a tourist, i did not feel out of place. It was probably a good thing, security wise, that the people i have been staying and mixing with are not on the 'poor' end of the spectrum. I have enjoyed good accomodation, excellent food, good clubs, welcoming people and an insight into urban poverty in Mexico.

In this last week i've really noticed how much i dislike being in a big city though. A place where you can physically see the polluted air, you spend more time getting to the place you're going than the time you spend there, nothing is free, it's not uncommon for people to work 16 hour days, and perhaps worst of all, everyone seems to be a slave to a life they don't even want.

In Argentina i will be alone, just another hitch-hiker with some sketchy plans to simply head South. This is how i want it, as many have before said, there is something beautiful about being a stray, a voyager whose only home for the time being is the road. I've been waiting for this moment a long time, and finally i guess all those hours of working, thinking, and planning have paid off.

I will be leaving Buenos Aires just hours after i arrive, i don't want to hang around the cities for much longer, if i do, i will either go insane or get robbed. Either one is not good right now. Iguazu will be my first destination, i won't hitch this leg of the trip because i have no idea where the best place to hitch out of the capital is, and because it will probably be the most dangerous leg of the trip, probably best keeping to the security and comfort of a paid coach for that one.

From Iguazu i will eventually head west, towards the Andes mountains and begin to head southwards somewhere in the region of Salta. I am still undecided about whether crossing to Chile near Mendoza or continue south and visit Chile some other time. I guess it depends how easy it is to hitch rides around the area. I plan to arrive in a city called Bariloche which is as some of you may know surrounded by mountains. The plan is to stay there for a few weeks or months and climb a lot of mountains, some of which i already have in mind, others i will pick and choose as i see them.

The next step is to then hitch to the far south, Ushuaia and ultimately the end of the world. I´m not sure how easy this will be to do but i will soon find out.

I know hitch-hiking is not the safest of things to do, and more than one person have expressed their feelings against me doing this, but it is what i want to do and have wanted to do for a long time, much like climbing Everest, when i want to do something i don't - to a certain extent - get put off by the risks involved. We're only here once so why live in a cage?

I will do my best to regularly update this blog.
I' m off to truly enjoy life, hope you all can one day do the same.

I love you all,

Santiago.

'But you know he'll always keep moving
You know he's never gonna stop moving,
'cause he's rolling , he's the rolling stone.'

Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty.