I'll be home in Vancouver in just over a week and it's a bit of a bittersweet prospect. I'm utterly excited to see all my friends back home, and yet I'll miss the randomness of meeting people in hostels. I'm too stoked to eat some proper Asian food as anyone whose spent more than 2 hours with me in the last month should know, however I'll miss the tasty pollo a la broaster that's simply everywhere, all the sketchy street food that may or may not give me the runs for a week, and most definitely the freshest fruit juices on this planet with a little yappa/extra served on the top. I'm honestly excited for the weather, for the snow, rain and cold. In all honesty while I sweat like a pig in this 30 degree sunny weather, I already know that I'm taking it for granted, but I seriously just miss wearing jeans, my winterjacket and a toque!
To say that this journey has changed me would be quite cliche and a huge understatement. It's broadened my perspectives, awoken new passions in my life, made me more open to constant change, and simply made me learn about myself and who Nathan Chan really is. I realized that you seriously don't need a ton of money to travel and that it's simply a luxury travelling with it. I found out that I'm quite in love with Scuba Diving and Photography, two things that I would seriously consider as a career in the potential future. Last minute change of plans? Waste a little bit of money to stay another night somewhere? Roads washed out so you need to figure out a new path somewhere? No worries anymore! I started this trip with set dates of when and where I wanted to be in places and as time went on and on, it slowly dawned on me little to late that sometimes, or most of the time, it just doesn't matter.
Todos es possible, nada es seguro/Everything is possible, nothing is certain.
Never say no just because you're scared or uncertain. I've ended up doing so many random and brilliant things that I hadn't thought of doing simply on other people's suggestions. Tango shows in Buenos Aires, going to Easter/Galapagos islands, horseback riding in Salento, trekking for 4 days in rainstorms and mud to the Lost City and countless other things. Looking back I would've actually had a somewhat boring trip had I stuck with "The Plan". At the start of the day you simply should just ask yourself - Por que no?/Why not? Push yourself to try something new and you'll constantly surprise yourself.
This was my first big trip alone. 6 months on my own except for a 3 week visit from my sis Ros. While I always say you're never really alone while you travel, a lot of the time you seriously are. Hundreds of hours of bussing and very little of that has been with a friend next to me to pass the hours away. Many days in different countries that I've had no one to talk to all day and explored on my own. An unfortunate amount of meals that I've sat on my own with just a book to keep my company. As sad as that all sounds there's quite definitelty a silver lining. If I want to go rafting this morning, I'm going to go rafting. If I want to make quinoa with asparagus, mushrooms and broccoli, well that's what I'll make. If I desire to fly off to Easter Island, I'm going to book a flight that night. It's awesome. How often do you really get to be THAT in control of your own life?? Think about it. Have a job? Why 5 days a week instead of 3? Go to school? Do you get to choose your exam dates? Have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Don't even get me started on picking a movie to watch.
New people. I've made the best of friends on several different continents and I simply want to visit you all. I want you all to come visit me so I can show off my beautiful city Vancouver! We've stared dumbstruck standing on top of Pico de Papaggaio in Brazil, grunted in pleasure over the first bite of an Argentine steak or struggled up and over Dead Woman's Pass, together. We've lounged on white sand beaches in Colombia, sat on 18 hour buses in Peru eating grapes and figs or simply bumped into each other in 5 different country, together. We've had countless birthday (everyday) meals that I've had the privilege (or not) to cook for all over the continent, built one giant pillowfort to share stories in at 5am in Milhouse and cycled down Death Road in Bolivia, together. We've done a lot, laughed a lot and I'll miss each and every single one of you dearly. Please keep in touch!
As for me? Well in a few hours I'll be boarding a flight to Miami from Cartagena where I'll be reunited with an old friend from Brazil and my family I´ll ultimately be putting an end to my South American adventures. I'll be trading dirty buses and 10 bed dorms for an awful week onboard a cruise bound for the Carribean, where every single one of my smallest whims will be catered to and cared for. All I get to do is workout, eat my weight in bacon, scuba dive Cozumel, explore Jamaica and run around Atlantis Waterpark for an entire stressful full week. After I have about two weeks home in Vancouver filled with snowboarding, eating at all my favourite restaurants and drinking pounds of coffee with various mates. Then I'm off on my next adventure! More on that soon enough. Life's hard ain't it?
Well obviously my final South American post in South America has to be completely scatterbrained and emotional. I'm not going to lie. I'm quite sad to leave this continent that I don't want to leave. Quite emotional to say my final goodbyes to people who I don't want to be away from. Quite disbelieving that my long long six months has finally now come to an end. I made a snappy jest about how it must be so, so sad to be closing in on the end directed at my British friend Vanessa weeks into my trip when her 9 month trip was coming to a close. She replied with "only people on the start of their trip say shit like that, you'll know exactly how it feels your times up as well." Well.. I know how it feels now, Time´s up eh. Hasta luego America del sul. Mucho gracias, muito obrigado por todos.
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| The Sun Sets Eventually |
Channy
Instagram - itsnathanchan
December 20th, Cartagena, the Final Stop
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