Notes from the road - a compilation

Throughout my travels, I have been blessed with meeting some amazing people. People from all over the world, from all walks of life, with all different stories to tell. Lawyers, doctors, students, freeloaders, surfers, artists, architects, computer techs, entrepreneurs, you name it. Some people are traveling for a month, some for a year. Some are finding themselves, others losing themselves. I have found inspiration and motivation from so many of these people and after each of my trips, as I return to the 9-5 computer screen desk life, I revel in the fact that I can continue to dream and travel vicariously through these new friends.

During my most recent trip to Brasil, the vast majority of people I met were continuing to travel for as little as 3 months and as long as a year. Upon my return, I made a point of continuing communication with these new friends in an effort to not only maintain and grow these new bonds, but also to hear of their continuing adventures. Here are some excerpts from emails of these various new friends and their continued wanderings.

"Nick and I had a rad time...everything was crazy. bolivia was soooo cheap
and good times. yes we did meet up with the aussie boys. killed it in la
paz. such a good time to see them again. we also met up with a crew we have
been with since buenos aires. did a jungle tour and biked the worlds most
dangerous road. I continued north of lima (peru) and did
some surfing there....yes i have extended my travels. I am in NZ right now
on the north island. it is amazing here but $$$$$$. we were going to go
skydiving today, but too windy so hopefully in the next town. also looking
forward to some surf here. I am travelling with two of the crew from buenos
aires and la paz...we are here for about another ten days then we are going
up to fiji!!!" - Colin from Vancouver

"i am still in holland since a month. Almost leaving again. Bought a car, A peugeot 206, dont know if you drive those cars overthere but this baby is gonna take me to southern europe. Monday i am driving my way down. Takes about 4 hours to reach France. After crossing holland, belgium and luxembourg, yes its a very handy small continent. Than it will take me 7 more hours to go to the south west of france where i am gonna pitch my tent and surf for 2 weeks before ill head to spain." Casper from Holland

"I´m in Columbia at the moment, soaking up the sunshine and the Carribean lifestyle. Things could be a lot worse." - Steve from Sydney

"Im staying here in Floripa now. I work here in a surfboard factory.
I have a little place on the beach. Surfing every day. Life is good." - Roy from Australia

"In early April we decided we needed to get out of La Paz! off to the jungle we went for an excursion of crocs, paranhas, and anacondas (though we didn't find any...after three hours in of hiking through a swamp in 40 degree weather, covered in mosquitos)." - Colin from Vancouver

I read these notes and stories and find my mind trailing off into visions of massive mountains and sandy beaches, thatched huts and muddy roads, rickety buses and cheap beer. They bring me back to memories of stories from my trips...the memories make me smile.

Traveling solo is what has afforded me the opportunity to receive these tales from the road...it forced me out of my comfort zone and into a place where I had the choice of making friends or being alone for the next week, two weeks, month. Sitting in the lobby or dining hall of a hostel is like sitting amongst old friends...you already have 10 things in common with everyone there. Conversations come easy, and lifelong friendships form quickly.

I open my email each day with the silent anticipation of another email detailing my international friends' "notes from the road". It keeps each day from seeming like just another Tuesday.