Thoughts

Thoughts on Change:
It is always interesting to talk with other travelers.  All of the people are strangers.  However, oftentimes the conversation moves quite quickly from the basic 'who, what, when, where' to the much deeper how.  On our long bus trip down Ruta 40 we were sitting next to a man from Italy.  He had showed us his high tech phone and the GPS showing us that we were on the road (Ruta 40) and that there wasn't much around of note.  We talked a little about Italy and then discussed where in Italy he was from.  He stated that he was from the town of L'Aquila.  Then it clicked with us about the earthquake that had destroyed the town and I was struck by his answers.  He was telling us that both his home and shop had been destroyed.  Since most of the town was 1000 years old it would take a long time to rebuild.  So instead of waiting around for things to be normal he was going to travel.  I began to wonder if I would have had the same reaction.  If all that I had was destroyed would I travel or would I wait?  It is never easy to see these types of life changes as an opportunity.
Last night we met a great couple from the UK who are going to bike (pedal) from Ushuaia to California.  I can't imagine planning such a journey but agree that it would be an amazing thing to accomplish.  We began to discuss how they had decided to do this.  It came up that one of them had their job removed from them and so it seemed as good of time as any to embark on the trip of a lifetime.  I realize in both cases the individuals had the ability to travel which not everyone is fortunate enough to have.  However, I hope I can recall these examples of optimism when my life does not go as 'planned.'  Perhaps that is the hardest part of this journey.  We do have a plan but it is not a rigid one.  We do know the general route we want to take but not the specifics.  So as we journey now into Chile I'm looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

~Suzanne

Thoughts on beer:
So on a lighter note, I have also been reflecting on the cultural origins of beer.  It seems to me that there are certain locations in the world where the conditions are perfect for beer making.  I know many people will probably disagree with me and these statements are purely based on observation.  If a person lives in an extreme location that is cold, wet, windy, but also has a beautiful landscape several people will decide that it is a good idea to make beer.  Skeptics may say that people make beer all over the world.  Whereas this is true there are some landscapes that encourage several people to think of making beer and then due to the larger number of home brew fanatics a few of them will actually be good.  The two most obvious examples of this are Colorado and Germany.  Some might say that it is the mountain water that makes these such good beer making locations.  However, I think that after a day of being outside and soaked to the core people are inclined to want beer.  A drink that makes them a bit warmer but not instantly ridiculous.  In warm, sunny, beautiful places the conditions are perfect for growing grapes to make wine.  People in these cultures can take the time to relax and enjoy it while basking in the sun in their courtyard.  In the more extreme places that boast beautiful landscapes but also days of cold, wet, and wind if they relax too much they might die.  Further examples of well known beer making locations that also have cold, wet, and windy days would be Boston and Dublin.  I believe that the real luck of the Irish was looking around on a cold, wet, and windy day at their gray stone buildings and contemplating how they could create their own real gold to make the day brighter.  I am not saying that these places are terrible places to live.  Places that are truly miserable will find a cultural solution to numb their pain with hard alcohol (Russia and Scandinavia).    Down here in South America I was not surprised that El Bolson had created a local brewery.  During our time there we saw beautiful sights but had also been chilled to the bone with rain and wind.  I was also not surprised when I heard a fellow traveler describe the best beer in all of South America.  He stated that it was made on the other side of the Andes in Chile.  We haven't been there yet but I'm sure when we arrive we'll find a town that can have extreme weather but also has an inspiring landscape that  draws you out into the elements again and again.  Against your better judgment you decide to do another hike or ski another trail knowing at the end of the day there will be beer.

~Suzanne