Lucas's Blog

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Before you read on further

You might want to find a quiet spot

A spot under a tree, a comfy couch, or a spot in the sun

There is a lot to unpack in this

This blog will be different from some of my previous posts

It’s going to be a summary of my travels over the last 9 months in Latin America

I’ve written as a hybrid between a diary entry and a guide

With a lot of varying topics to discuss

Contending with the feelings of coming home

The people, the cultures

And some of my favorite places and activities along the way

I’ve also included a brief segment on each of the countries I visited while I was there too

For anyone wanting to visit the continent

I’ve also made a LATAM guide which you can access for the low price of…

I’m joking. Of course, it’s free.

You can access it (here)

It includes the places, experiences, and restaurants that I enjoyed the most

Some general advice for travelling in LATAM

Tips for each country, Getting around, ATM’s etc

It has a lot of good info in there

However, Travelling is an inherently personal excercise

And I encourage people to do their own research and find their own way

Because that is so much of the magic of traveling

fumbling your way through the dark

Meeting people along the way

But the guide should serve as a small flashlight if you aren’t sure

Feel free to jump around to any section of the blog you’ll find interesting

I’ve also included a highlights package style album of my entire trip you can look through (here)

It’s structured as follows

• Coming home
• Why I chose LATAM
• The continent
• The people
• Countries I visited
  – Brazil
  – Argentina
  – Chile
  – Bolivia
  – Peru
  – Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
  – Colombia
  – Nicaragua
  – El Salvador
  – Guatemala
  – Belize
  – Mexico
  – I visited Uruguay, Paraguay and Costa Rica too –
  But didn’t stay for more than 2 days
• Some close calls
• Closing comments

A special shoutout to the many great people I met on this trip

You know who you all are

You made this trip so much of what it was

If you know anyone who will be visiting the continent soon

Please share it with them

Enjoy.

Coming Home

“Anything to declare, mate?” the customs officer asked.

“Just dirty clothes and shoes,” I replied with a grin.

In truth, after nine months of travel,

Some of those clothes might have deserved a declaration of their own

Marinated in countless adventures, some over-worn, others barely touched, others unrecognizable

I breezed through customs, the final barrier between me and home

Avoiding the temptation of duty-free shopping

I weaved past the elderly tourists

Determined to make it out before they got stuck in a time warp trying to decode the E-gate passport control

You never really want to get stuck in a queue

Especially after a four-day journey across five time zones with a grand total of 10 hours of sleep to your name

A quick note to my fellow budget travelers before I continue

Saving $50 or $100 on a flight with a 4 AM departure or multiple layovers might seem like a win at checkout

but trust me

I hope these words ring in your ears as you start putting in your card details

It may not be worth the $100 saving

Your future self will curse you somewhere between layover number two and hour 30 of travel.

Next time I’m tempted by a bargain flight,

I hope I’ll remember this moment—the pure exhaustion

Rubbing my eyes as I glance at the flight board

Filled with envy at the direct flights heading straight to my destination

and choose sanity over savings

As I stepped into the arrivals hall at Melbourne Tullamarine

The familiar sights and smells washed over me

The crisp morning air carried the unmistakable melody of Australian accents,

Coffee machines frothing milk, Families embracing

Wrapping me in the familiarity blanket of being back home

Coming back to Australia after a long, exhilarating, and utterly transformative trip is…

It’s complicated

There’s that initial wave of relief, you’ve made it back in one piece

All the belongings I’ve carried around for months, somehow made it home

Seeing familiar streets, hearing voices you know by heart, visiting your favorite parks

You can start to feel the pull of your old routines that once shaped your days

But then it hits you, usually a week or so after your home

You’ve spent months in motion, diving headfirst into new cultures

Meeting so many interesting people, seeing new cultures and cuisines

Learning about new parts of yourself you didn’t even know existed

And now?

Everything at home feels eerily similar

It’s disorienting

Like stepping into a time capsule where nothing changed, except you

The person walking through the door isn’t the same one who left

You come back with countless stories, flavors, and experiences etched into your being

While your old life

Friends, family, and the city you know so well

Welcomes you with a familiarity that feels untouched by the transformation you’ve undergone

Home, it turns out, is a mirror

It reflects not just what’s familiar, but also how much you’ve changed

The question quickly reveals itself

Can you reconcile the person you’ve become with the life you left behind?

OR

Is home the next stop in an ongoing journey of figuring that out?

I’ve wrestled with this feeling more than once

Always on the tail end of some grand international escapade.

It sneaks up on me at the same moment, every time

There I am, crossing Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge

The city’s skyline stretches out in all its familiar beauty, and suddenly it hits me

The entire journey

Every sight, every flavor, every fleeting conversation

Condenses into one vivid, breathtaking memory

And in that moment, the same thought always slips into my mind: “I’m back.”

Not in the sense that I’ve returned, but as if I never left.

Like time folded in on itself, and here I am again

Back in a place that shaped so much of who I am

Only now, I’ve been shaped by places much different from home

This feeling?

That confused state of feeling lost in a place so familiar

It isn’t mine alone

It’s not unique to me or my travels

Coming home after time away is a universal moment for reflection

A chance to look at where you’ve been and what you’ve become

Because travel, no matter how it unfolds, is deeply personal

You can share the same itinerary, the same meals, even the same conversations,

but no two people will ever live on the same trip

It’s in the details—the way a stranger’s laugh lingers in your mind

The scent of a city’s streets at dawn

Or the way a meal tasted just a little better because of who you shared it with

These are the moments that change you in ways you don’t even realise

Until you’re walking into your favorite home restaurant once again

Feeling like both a stranger and a local all at once

And that’s the beauty of it

Travel doesn’t just show you the world; it shows you a little bit more of yourself

Each return is a reckoning, a reminder that home is never quite the same

Not because it’s changed, but because you have

Why I chose LATAM

Latin America had been silently whispering in my ear for years

This vague, restless pull toward a continent so far from home

A place I’d only seen in movies

Heard about in late-night conversations with friends who had been and swore it was unlike anywhere else

The chaos, the football, the food, the music, the kind of parties that stretch until sunrise

The landscapes that make you feel small in the best possible way

It was all there, simmering in the back of my mind since 2021, waiting for the right moment

I wanted to see it all firsthand

The madness of a South American football match where the stadium shakes under the weight of thousands of screaming fans

The street food that locals swear by

The warmth of a culture where strangers treat you like family

I wanted the unpredictable, the absurd

The kind of stories that only happen when you throw yourself headfirst into the unknown

And the only way to do that was to stop thinking about it and just go

This romance started back in 2021. I was fresh off a loop around half of Australia

From Melbourne to Darwin and across to cairns, making way down most of the east coast

If you are Australian, this trip was also superb

Nothing quite like seeing your own backyard

Broke but content, my bank account was stripped bare by red dirt roads and coastal sunsets

Reality had been waiting for me when I got back, though, tapping its watch impatiently

It was time to officially close the chapter on my carefree years and take my first reluctant steps into the adult world

What’s more adult than creating a LinkedIn account?

The unofficial signing away of your teenage innocence

The digital handshake of modern ambition, the online equivalent of wearing a suit you secretly hate

I polished my resume

Brushed up on vocabulary on words like shareholder value and KPIs

And dove headfirst into the corporate world

For a few years, I played the part

First, a marketing desk job, deadlines, and emails marked urgent that never really were

I dare say this was an unhappy year

The feeling of deep unsatisfaction felt by many in careers they don’t have ambition for

Many nights spent gazing into the horizon on my commute home from the office

Wondering if this is what a career was all about

The paychecks kept coming

The weekends were mine, and I learned a thing or two about navigating office politics

The second job—a sales role in the heart of Melbourne

Was a glorious change of pace

I remember taking the train into the CBD on my first day

Looking up at the towering glass buildings like I was seeing the city for the first time

It felt like my first day as a trader on Wall Street

With all the world’s opportunities in front of me

This corporate side of Melbourne, polished and bustling

It was a world I’d missed in all the years I’d lived there

The job?

It was good

A great team, people my age, good vibes after work that often carried into late nights

But for me, the corporate world was always a game I planned to play only while it served my purpose

Learn some skills, gain some experience,

And figure out how much of yourself you’re willing to trade for the paycheck

The trip to Europe and Latin America became the beacon at the end of that tunnel

I’d written it on a whiteboard in my room, scrawled alongside the weekly savings goals I needed to make it happen

It wasn’t just a trip

it was really what I wanted

The thing I focused on when the routine started to feel like a repeating loop

And one day, after all the saving and planning

I stopped hesitating and just did it

Scoot Airlines, one-way ticket to Berlin.

Cheap, uncomfortable, and utterly perfect

A fitting start to what would become the trip of a lifetime

Sometimes, despite the noise of other opinions

The responsibilities tugging at you,

And the fear of stepping off the path

You’ve just got to do what you want

At the end of the day, when you lie in bed staring at the ceiling

No one else knows what you want

Only you do

And you can only ignore it for so long before it starts to haunt you

The Continent

Latin America doesn’t invite you in politely

it grabs you by the hand, pulls you into its chaotic embrace, and says,

“This is life. Taste it.”

That’s how this trip began

A leap away from comfort, from routine, from the person I thought I was, straight into the unknown.

But the unknown had its way of humbling me right from the start.

Food poisoning on the flight from Rome to Rio—a cruel souvenir from a Madrid burrito

Left me sweating, nervous, and overwhelmed as I stepped off the plane onto a new continent.

My first hours in Latin America were a blur of nausea, adrenaline

And the sheer weight of realizing how far from home I was

Latin America isn’t a place you simply visit

it’s a place you experience deep in your bones

It’s loud, messy, beautiful, and raw

It grabs you with one hand and slaps you with the other

Leaving you breathless and, somehow, grateful for every second

The culture here doesn’t whisper, it yells

Unapologetic for what it is

It’s the sound of reggaeton slicing through the humid evening air on a Medellín street corner

The symphony of grilled meat crackling on a parilla in Buenos Aires

The smoky aroma curling into the night

It’s the Oaxacan abuela tossing more tacos onto a roadside hotplate

Her movements are effortless as you sit drooling on a plastic stool

knowing this meal will stay with you long after the taste is gone

It’s the chaos of street markets

Where colors, smells, and sounds collide into something bigger than themselves

It’s the music—always the music

That same reggaeton beat

The unofficial anthem of Latin America

pounding from a cheap, battered speaker on every street corner

This isn’t a place that gently takes your hand and guides you through its alleyways

It grabs you by the collar, shoves you into the madness, and forces you to keep up

Around every corner

Life is simmering, a spectrum of everything this world has to offer

Poverty and music

Crime and kindness

Amazing food and dancing

All tangled together in a raw, unapologetic stew of humanity

That hits you in waves and leaves you wanting more

The people & culture

This continent has endured conquest, dictatorships

Economic collapse, and struggles most of us will never fully understand

And yet, through it all

The people here have held onto something remarkable

An unwavering generosity, a contagious joy

And a sense that life, no matter how hard

Is meant to be lived to the fullest

It’s in the wide, beaming smiles of the Salvadoran people

A country haunted by decades of violence is now lighting up at the sight of tourists exploring their streets for the first time

It’s the raw energy of Colombians and Brazilians

Laughing, clinking beers, and dancing without restraint, as if every moment is a celebration waiting to unfold

And then there’s the passion

The kind that defies logic and borders.

In Argentina, football isn’t just a sport; it’s a religion

If you asked an Argentine, god once walked the streets of Buenos Aires in the form of Diego Maradona

The chants from stadiums like Bombonera echo through the streets,

Even the kids kicking a tattered ball in an alley seem to carry the weight of a nation’s pride

But it’s not just about the big, bold moments

It’s in the quiet kindness of Mexicans, Guatemalans & Peruvians

Who, despite facing their own struggles, always greet you with open hearts and open doors

They’re hospitable in a way that feels real, rooted in respect, and an unshakable sense of community

Latin America’s people aren’t just part of the experience, they are the experience

Their warmth, their resilience, their zest for life despite their own situations

They remind you why you travel in the first place

The workers on the endless construction sites

The Tienda (small shops) attendants sitting there watching Tiktok at full volume

The Abuelo streetfood master chefs work into the early hours of the next morning

They all tell you a story of struggle & survival, one you can’t help but be inspired by

The Countries I Visited

Latin America is a continent that refuses to be put in a box

Every country, every region, and every city offers something entirely of its own

Different flavors, different rhythms, different ways of life

One moment, you’re staring out over the endless salt flats of Bolivia

The next, you’re weaving through the vibrant streets of Mexico City

Where street food vendors serve up tacos that make you question everything you thought you knew about flavors

The mountains in Peru

Towering, breath-stealing peaks stretching across the Andes,

Where hiking feels less like a hobby and more like a pilgrimage

Colombia is jungles and chaos

Thick, wild, and humidity

The mosquitoes won’t rest until your entire ankles have been ravaged

The sleepless cities of Medellin and Cartagena

Argentina is passion

La Bombonera shakes like an earthquake

Steaks the size of your head

and locals who speak with a fire that makes simple conversation feel like a heated debate

There’sEl Salvador

where black-sand beaches meet world-class waves, smiling locals

Or Guatemala

Volcanos that erupt every 10 minutes, Lakes that rival Como

Each country, completely unique

Each one with its own rhythm, its own struggles, its own beauty

Over the next few sections

I’ll go into more detail on them all

I’ve also included some personal highlights from each country too

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is exactly what you’d expect—and somehow, even more

It’s a city that pulses with life, where music & Brahma beers are being opened on every corner

The air is thick with the smell of churrasco, and the nights are as electric as the days

Rio doesn’t sleep, it doesn’t slow down, and it certainly doesn’t apologize for its chaos.

But beyond the samba-fueled street parties and golden beaches

There’s a deeper beauty to Rio—a kind of raw, unpolished charm that feels uniquely its own

It’s a city of contrasts

Sleek skyscrapers stand alongside sprawling favelas

And the natural world seems to creep into every inch of urban life

It’s chaotic and loud, but somehow, it works.

Rio doesn’t try to impress you; it grabs you by the collar, pulls you in, and makes you feel alive

Amidst the madness, there are moments of sheer chaos

Where the city reminds you just how spectacular it is

Brazil, initially for me was, overwhelming

Granted, I’d arrived fresh on the continent with a bout of Burrito induced food poisoning

Not speaking any Portuguese outside of Obrigado and was unable to find my hostel at 6 AM

I would be lying to you If I said it didn’t take some getting used to

But like the first 20 seconds in an ice bath

You take some deep breathes, look around, and let your surroundings envelop you

You can start to appreciate Rio in all its might

I stayed in an area called Lapa, a 15-minute Uber from Copacabana at a great hostel called Books

A Backpacker’s safe haven

The fellow travelers I met there, coupled with the staff (Shoutout to my Brazillian irmão, Andre) ultimately made my time here

Some of the personal highlights –

• Copacabana Beach – The beach vendors here are no joke, they sell everything from Bikinis to Barbecued cheese. Some even accept cards but cash is preferred. I’d advise never leaving your belongings unattended on the beach here
  
• Two Brothers Hike – A stunning sunrise/ sunset hike on a mountain overlooking the beach. You have to get dropped at the base of a favela from which you can take a moto taxi up to the drop-off point. I’d advise going here in a group. One of the most amazing sunrises I saw on the trip
  
• Watching football at the Maracanã Stadium – I’m an avid football enjoyer, so this had been on my list for some time. We organised a group ‘tour’ through Books hostel which I’m usually against for sporting matches. However, after attending, I quickly realized that South American football is on another level. Chaos to enter the ground with at least 6 security checkpoints & a sit wherever there’s room seating policy. We saw Flamengo play (They have 19 million followers on Instagram alone) and were lucky enough to see them secure the 4-0 win. Atmosphere on another level compared to Australian sport
  
• Christ the Redeemer – Yeah, yeah, I get it, I’m not the first person to visit the big guy on the hill. But, honestly, it is stunning. I was lucky enough to squeeze into someone else’s hire car for the day and we drove basically to the last car park before it. Blue skies and amazing views from the top.
  
• Sugarloaf Mountain – Another Rio staple, you catch the cable car over to the two different mountains overlooking the bay of Rio. Pro-tip – you can buy a child ticket and pay half the cable car fee. The views are sensational and you can buy various food and drinks at the top. If you are lucky enough to visit on a Friday night, they have a DJ playing for free overlooking the water.
  
• Iguazu Falls – This one is in the south of Brazil, right on the border of Argentina & Paraguay. I think it registers as one of the wonders of the world and rightly so. Towering waterfalls and some beautiful surroundings too. I only visited the Brazilian side as it was significantly cheaper than the Argentine side. Also when I visited the main attraction of the Argentine side (The Devil’s Throat) where you can go right up to the base was closed. But I’ve heard it’s quite spectacular if this part is open. Bonus tip, you can actually walk across the International Friendship Bridge from Brazil (Foz do Iguacu) and visit Paraguay. Admittedly, there isn’t much to this town other than cheap cigarettes and white goods that the locals take advantage of, but an interesting experience.

Argentina

Argentina pulled me in from the moment I heard my first Buenos Dias & Vosotros.

It’s a place that demands your full attention—loud, passionate, and unapologetically alive.

The first thing I noticed was the energy.

Buenos Aires felt like it was vibrating, with tango spilling out of old doorways,

Football chants echoing like choired songs,

The many cafés filled intertwined with their historical love affair with Italy

Are filled with locals debating everything from politics to where to find the best empanadas

The streets of the city make you feel like you’re in the streets of Paris, or Lisbon

Argentines aren’t people who do things in halves, they’re loud, passionate people

Who unapologetically, live life with everything they have

A country tortured by generations of Political mismanagement and Inflation

Yet, get on with their lives, making the best of what they have in the present moment

The steaks are massive, there is always wine, and the people greet you with big smiles like you were an old friend

Argentina isn’t subtle—it’s bold, intense, and full of contradictions

One minute you’re walking through the elegance of Recoleta and Palermo

The next you’re in the gritty, graffiti-covered streets of San Telmo or Boca, and it all feels right

What struck me most about Argentina was how much it made me feel

The passion, the chaos, the resilience—it’s all there, woven into the fabric of daily life

When I visited Argentina, the country was abuzz with news of Javier Millei’s recent election as president

Without diving too deeply into politics

It’s impossible to ignore what this nation has endured over the past century

And gives context to its people, the cities and everything in between

A hundred years ago, Argentina was a global powerhouse

So wealthy that people used to say, “As rich as an Argentine.”

But decades of corruption, mismanagement, and political instability have left a lasting scar

Inflation figures here aren’t a yearly statistic—it’s a monthly reality

For context, in countries like Australia, inflation of over 6% in a year would spark national panic

Most functioning economies aim to keep inflation between 2-3% annually

In 2024, Argentina’s inflation rate hit an eye-watering 229%

To grasp what this means, imagine this:

In 2020, a loaf of bread in Australia cost $3.

If Australia experienced Argentina’s inflation rates over the next five years, here’s what would happen:

• In 2020, with inflation at 42%, that loaf jumps to $4.26.
• By 2021, inflation at 47% pushes it to $6.26.
• In 2022, a 72% spike means it’s now $10.77.
• In 2023, an astonishing 133% inflation makes it $25.10.
• By 2024, with inflation at 229%, that same loaf costs $82.57.

Yes, $82.57 for a single loaf of bread

This is the daily reality for millions of Argentines

The country’s central bank has resorted to printing higher-denomination bills just to keep up

Every paycheck loses value before it can even be spent, forcing people to rethink how they save and survive

Many choose to spend their pesos as quickly as they get them, knowing the currency will lose value by week

For older generations, it’s a bitter pill

They’ve seen their life savings evaporate overnight

Dreams of retirement, security, and passing something down to their children

Gone in the blink of an eye

It’s a shared trauma, etched into the national psyche

The feeling of working tirelessly, only to have it all taken away by forces beyond their control

Those who want to save for a future pin their hopes on US dollars

Stashing them in shoeboxes at home

The unofficial savings account of the average Argentine

It’s their hedge against a currency that has betrayed them too many times to count

And yet, despite all this, there’s a flicker of hope

Javier Millei, an eccentric economist with radical ideas and a flair for theatrics

Has done what so many corrupt presidents before him failed to do

He’s brought inflation to its lowest level in years and achieved Argentina’s first fiscal surplus in over a century

It’s too early to say whether his presidency will bring lasting change, but for now, there’s cautious optimism

A sense that, maybe, just maybe, the tide could turn

When I was there, you could feel the tension in the air, so palpable on every street corner

Millei’s plan for future prosperity involved some upfront and honest rough waters

Inflation had ballooned to yet another extraordinary monthly figure

Manifestations—protests—became a near-daily occurrence

One Friday after my Spanish class, the National Guard was called in as riots erupted near the Obelisque

Cars burned, shops were looted, and civil unrest took hold of the streets.

The people are tired

Tired of uncertainty, tired of their hard work leading nowhere

And desperate for a new chapter

But just two years earlier, something extraordinary had happened on the same streets

The nation won the most coveted prize in global sport: the World Cup—or Copa del Mundo, as they call it

For a fleeting moment, the streets of Argentina weren’t filled with protests but with joy

People danced on car roofs, hugged strangers

And forgot

Just for a while

About the weight of their country’s struggles

Football here isn’t just a sport—it’s the heartbeat

It’s woven into the soul of the nation, a force greater than religion

Having not claimed a World Cup since the Maradona era in the ‘80s, the country was starving for redemption

This wasn’t just about lifting a trophy; it was about reaffirming Argentina’s place in the world

About cementing Lionel Messi as their prodigal son, the eternal G.O.A.T., alongside his godfather, Diego

This is what I experienced in Argentina—a country of contradictions, beauty, and chaos, struggle and joy

It’s a place that forced me to feel everything at once, and despite its hardships, it captivated me in its entirety

I watched an incredible documentary recently which perfectly sums up Argentina in this way

If you have a spare 40 minutes before bed, I implore you to watch it; even if you’re not a football fan

Read through the comments, wipe your tears away as I did & get a glimpse into the lives of this great nation

Anyway, that was necessarily long, a lot to unpack, but should give you some insight into Argentina.

While I was there, these were my highlights

• Watching Boca Juniors at La Bombonera – The famed fortress of Argentine football. No away fans are allowed. Six separate police checkpoints to enter the ground. It was the pinnacle of Football & the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at a sporting event. From having to buy tickets through a WhatsApp number to seeing Cavani score in the 80th minute. For me, it was the perfect evening. Getting to see it alongside friends I’d dragged along was the final touch. There was no sitting down for the entire match alongside flares, flags & streamers. It was a moment you dream of being involved in. One of the highlights of the entire trip.
  
• Eating Steak daily – Gaucho (Beef Ranchers) culture is woven into the fabric of everything Argentine. The national symbol of masculinity and the centerpiece of the country’s cuisine. I ate steak in Buenos Aires every day, whether it was from the supermarket, my favorite Parilla, or a street food Assada truck. Amazing quality and extremely affordable.
  
• Spanish School – My first Spanish school (Vamos) in LATAM. Learning the language shone so much light on the continent’s culture and allowed me to understand it on another level. I did walking tours, ate locally & learned to dance (admittedly very poorly) my first tango. Meeting other travelers here, trying my first matè, and eating empanadas for lunch every day was as good as you’d imagine.
  
• Visiting Uruguay (Montevideo) – Obviously this isn’t Argentina related. However, you can take a ferry from the Port of Buenos Aires across to Uruguay for a few days. Uruguay itself is a fascinating place. Almost like a mini Argentina, with nice streets, lots of matè and some good beaches. Montevideo is strangely expensive just for anyone who was planning on visiting while they were in the area. But definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately for me, after a long night celebrating the Boca victory. I was unpleasantly surprised to learn there was no ubers operating as a result of a public holiday. This meant I had to cart my belongings 5 km’s to the port, on foot within the hour or I would miss my ferry. Between my pulsating headache & back sweat, I managed to be the second-last person to be allowed on the ferry. Unfortunately, my traveling Conrad, Joe, wasn’t as lucky.
  
• Wine tasting tour in Mendoza – Mendoza is a superb part of Argentina. Much of the country’s wine, Olive oils, and other artisanal delights come from this area. There are a few options for seeing the sites in the local area. I opted for a half-day tour which I booked through my hostel Gorilla Hostel). But, another popular option is to rent a bike & ride to your desired number of wineries on a well-worn path. Admittedly, the riding probably gets a little more difficult after your 5 & 6th stop, nonetheless, I heard nothing but good reviews.

Chile

Chile is a country of extremes

Where sprawling deserts meet long and vast mountain ranges

The raw beauty of nature feels almost otherworldly

My time there was brief

much too brief to scratch the surface of what this quite literally Chilli-shaped nation has to offer

Due to time, I missed out on the wild, untamed landscapes of the south

Patagonia, Torres del Paine, and the fjords and islands that are there to be explored

and all going well, I’ll make a trip back there in the not-so-distant future

Santiago, the capital, is a city of contrasts

The Andes loom in the distance, sitting quietly like a watchful neighborhood abuela in the distance

While below the metropolitan buzzes with energy

It’s a place where the old meets the new—gritty street art and historic markets sit alongside modern skyscrapers and trendy cafés

Barrio Italia was a particularly charming area with bustling restaurants and Bars

And then there’s San Pedro de Atacama, a tiny desert town surrounded by the vast, alien beauty of the Atacama Desert

You walk around like you were on the surface of Mars

Nothing but you, the sand & the blaring desert sun

Even in these two places, I managed to visit, it was obvious: this country is a long, thin, masterpiece

Some Personal highlights

• Visiting the Santiago general cemetery – Cemeteries are always interesting to visit for me. They give you such a stark reminder that your time will evidently come one day. Your life is summarised by a few paragraphs mostly about who you were to your family and friends. Some of the passages are beautiful, some sad, some harrowing. But they’re always a constant reminder to me you should always do what you want in this life, not what everyone expects of you. You never know when your time on this server is up. The cemetery itself was nice, I’ve never seen memorials with 10 levels high of caskets before.
  
• San Cristobal Hill – The Mirador that overlooks the entire Santiago skyline. It has a great hike you can do up to the top which is free & allows you to the entire city. There are plenty of locals hiking, bike riding, and all the rest around here which made it nice to walk around. You can even ride around in the cable car across the city if your heart desires.
  
• Riding around the Atacama desert – San Pedro de Atacama is a very small town, you could walk around it in under 30 minutes. But that is kind of its charm, it feels like you’re on a cowboy’s ranch, on the moon. Hot, rock, and sand for as far as you can see in every direction. However, if you can find a bike to rent, like I did from the hostel, you can ride yourself to the various attractions outside of the town. There are different rock formations to see, some dried-up rivers, you get the idea. Pack your sunscreen & water for this, you are right in the center of a fairly barren landscape.
  
• Stargazing – I’ll admit, spending $50 AUD on something you can usually see for free by tilting your head back feels like a hard sell. Especially if you’re as tight with money on the road as I am. But in the Atacama Desert? It’s absolutely worth it. After a quick, broken English tour at a little showroom filled with meteorites and rocks that have landed in this part of the world over the years. You pile into a van and drive you 20 or 30 minutes out of town, far away from any light. The night sky out here is something else entirely. Stars so clear they look like they’ve been etched into the darkness. The Milky Way sprawls across the sky, bold and vivid, like a massive mural of whites, greys, and shadows. The magic started to wear off as we all realised how cold it gets at night, but we were given free hot chocolates to soothe the frostbite. Pro tip – wear more layers.

Bolivia

Bolivia is a place that defies logic, explanation, and, at times, common sense

It’s a country so uniquely bizarre, you can’t help but fall for its strange, chaotic charm

Here, the rules don’t always make sense, and yet, somehow

Everything still manages to work—barely, but just enough

For starters, Bolivia doesn’t have one capital—it has two

One the Un-official capital with all of the parliament buildings

And the second, Sucre, which is officially the capital

In true Bolivian style, they couldn’t decide between these two cities, so they just shrugged and kept both

Then there’s the fact that Bolivia is landlocked

Thanks to the Chileans snatching their coastline during the War of the Pacific over a century ago

Unfortunately leaving the humble bolivianos in the mountains with no access to the sea

And having to rescind their navy

To this day, there’s a certain bitterness toward their neighbors

And you’ll still hear about their desire to reclaim access to the ocean, often with a wry smile and a touch of humor

The architecture is just as curious

La Paz, perched at a dizzying 4,000 meters above sea level, looks like it was built as a dare.

The entire city is a sprawling expanse of red brick—unfinished homes everywhere

Even painting your house means paying higher city taxes

It’s an aesthetic that shouldn’t work but somehow does, blending into the rugged mountains that surround it

And then there’s the politics, which are more like a soap opera

A week before I visited, the president staged his own coup d’état

I’m not joking when I tell you this

The commander general of the military quite literally knocked on the door of the presidential house

Machine gun and all, and asked to speak with the president

After some professionally choreographed acting

The general left the presidential house in a getaway car back to his residential home

Where he was promptly apprehended by a confused National guard

Upon questioning, the general stated the president had asked him to fake all of it

This was all to drum up more support for his party

It’s the kind of story you’d think came out of a satirical novel, but here, as my Spanish teacher told me

“it’s just another week in Bolivian politics”

But Bolivia isn’t all oddities—it’s also raw, stunning, and unfiltered

Rurrenabaque, the gateway to the Bolivian Amazon

is a sleepy little town where the jungle hums with life just beyond its edges.

It’s a place where the river glides quietly

The bizarre pink dolphins swim in the murky river

The humble capybara and local crocodiles live harmoniously on the riverbanks

Local families line the riverbanks, drying clothes, making fires

Living the traditional way, no wifi out here

And yet, for all its beauty, Bolivia is not without its challenges

The locals are some of the kindest people you’ll meet

The local ladies sporting the traditional Bolivian formal wear

But the street food?

It’s delicious until it isn’t

Delivering the kind of food poisoning that humbles even the bravest traveler

Over 70% of people I met in Bolivia all came face to face with the toilet bowl on more than one occasion

Still, you eat it—because how could you not

Bolivia is a country that is uniquely bizarre, but ultimately, that’s its charm

It’s strange, messy, and beautiful, and there’s nowhere else like it

It shouldn’t work, but it does, and that’s exactly what makes it unique

To tie this altogether, the main prison in Bolivia is siutated in La Paz

Not out in the mountains or tucked away somewhere rural

It’s in the main town square, right across from one of its cities parks

It unofficially served as Boliva’s main producer of ‘the worlds purest cocaine’ for decades

The guards, staff and warden are all in on this production and distribution too

Inmates to this day can be seen throwing Nappies full of the staff off the roof

Onto the streets below for dispatch

Admittedly, it’s not a good look for the judicial system

So these sightings are less frequent in the modern era

There’s a fantastic book I read while I was here that tells the story of an inmate in this prison

Thomas McFadden, who was arrested in La Paz airport and subseqeuntly spent over a decade here

The book is written by an Australian man, Rusty Young,

Who spent many day’s visiting the prison and speaking with Thomas

The book is named Marching Powder, I wasn’t able to put it down for a week

The stories in it are beyond belief and shed a unique insight into this bizarre place

You also, used to be able to pay to spend a night in this prison some years ago

But after the book was released, the always entrepreniual Bolivans had to stop these tours

Some personal Highlights –

• Salir De Uyuni (The salt flats) – Just outside San Pedro de Atacama, you’ll find yourself at the Chilean/Bolivian Border. In true Latin American style, the border is quite literally a line in the sand with a Bolivian flag made from tin. This border was the closest I came to hypothermia on the trip. After a few days of driving through various landscapes with our driver, Ronaldo, we made it to the Salt Hotel. Which, you guessed it, was made from salt. I doubt you’ll ever see something quite like the salt flats. Stunningly beautiful and equally as bizarre. A memorable morning as we had pancakes and some instant coffee as we took it all in. They hold part of the Dakar rally on those flats every year. Great experience and highly recommended. Unfortunately, the town of Uyuni, where the tour finishes is a total dump. I wouldn’t even stay one night here if possible.
  
• Rurrenbarque (Bolivian Amazon) – To visit the Amazon is a dream for most people. I included. To do it cost-effectively is also the backpacker’s dream. Rurrenbarque, evidently was the answer to both. After a brutal 10-hour bus ride descending over 3,500m, we arrived in this small little jungle town on the edge of the Amazon. Much to our amazement at 6 AM in this town, there was a Frenchman, who had lived in this town for 15 years, making fresh chocolate croissants as we arrived. We threw our bags down and made ourselves at home for the following 4 hours. We did two tours, the Pampas & the Amazon. The Pampas focused more on the river side of things, lots of animals, riverside living, python hunting, and the usual. While the Jungle leg focused on the Jungle living, bush cooking, and sleeping under a tarp, more authentic.
  
• Death Road – They call it Death Road, but as a mountain biker, it’s hard to fully buy into the name. For us, it’s a cruise with views that make you feel alive. But for the Bolivian truckers and bus drivers who once navigated this snaking mountain pass daily, it was a different story. Fifteen kilometers of winding, treacherous path with sheer drop-offs that would make anyone’s hair stand on end. Imagine maneuvering a fully loaded truck along a dirt road barely wide enough for one vehicle, knowing one wrong move means a fall so long you’d have time to regret it. That was the reality here for years. On a bike, though? It’s great. Not many places let you coast down with views like this—lush valleys sprawling out beneath you, cliffs towering above. It’s the kind of ride that sticks with you, even if the name doesn’t quite match the experience. For us, a nice ride For them, it was driving as if your life depeneded on it. I found this video that, unfortunately, captures the harsh reality of Death Road for Bolivans for many years. Showing how insane the road is to navigate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iNLtwMtRSY and also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MDWRIT3PU
  
• Spanish school In Sucre – ‘Me Gusta’ Spanish school in Sucre was a highlight of my time in Bolivia. Almost the entire of my hostel (Villa Oropeza) attended the school when I was there. Great teachers, food tours, historical walks & all the rest.

Peru

Peru grabs you the moment you step foot in Cusco.

It’s a city that hums with history

Where ancient Incan walls hold up unimaginable colonial architecture

Every turn down its cobblestone streets feels like stepping into another time

The food here is unforgettable—perfectly grilled alpaca burgers

Lomo Saltado, apparently exactly what’s needed after a long day of exploring

The coffee? Dark, strong, and exactly what you need at altitude

Mornings at Molly’s, the Irish pub, became a meeting ground

You’re never far from a friend in an Irish pub, some I ended up traveling with for months on end

Then there’s the Salkantay hike.

Five brutal, awe-inspiring days through landscapes that shift from jagged glacial peaks to lush, humid jungle

Between shared meals, many laughs, and packets, upon packets of Oreos

We arrived at Aguas Calientes

The final stop before an early morning climb up 1,700 stairs to MP

By the time we reached Machu Picchu, bathed in the soft light of dawn

You’re too exhausted to speak, but words wouldn’t do it justice anyway

Peru doesn’t let you rest

Huacachina

An oasis surrounded by massive dunes where you can hurtle yourself down the sand with reckless abandon

A town so fresh on the backpacker circuit, 80% of it, was still under construction

A lot of poolside beers, free cocktail-making classes, and Wild Rover living in this town

Mancora is all sunshine, waves, and delicious Ceviche

Some chilled mornings roll into Regaton-filled nights

My friends had all of their belongings stolen after a post-party dip in the Pacific Ocean

They tracked their AirPods back to a tuk-tuk driver

Who then gave them the number of the guy that actually stole their prized possessions

They haggled and ultimately, like a strange street pawn shop

Managed to get all of their stuff back, for a fee, of course

There’s Lima

The ever-so-modern metropolitan

With Western comforts, I hadn’t seen since Buenos Aires

The area of Miraflores, stunning

With a coastal walk that’s wraps down the coast for kilometers

Lima is world-renowned for its culinary scene

Being the frugal backpacker I am, I unfortunately didn’t partake

I opted for the timeless backpacker classic

Pasta, Tomato sauce ,and Tuna

Peru has so much of what you’re looking for

Beautiful, unpredictable, and absolutely unmissable

The crew I was with in Peru also made this leg of the trip

It doesn’t show you its wonders

It makes you earn them

And that’s what makes it stick with you

Some of my highlights –

• Salkantay 5-day trek – Setting off in the early hours of the morning with my transatlantic pals 2 each from New Zealand and far away Gibraltar. We piled our clothes in a small bag for the following 5 days. From the moment you arrive, the mountain ranges, the Alpine air, like nothing I’ve seen. The first few days ascended high into the mountains, sleeping under the stars in a glass dome. Then descending into the Peruvian forest. That cold, still air was replaced by thick, humid, mosquito-ridden, forest oxygen. The tour we went on was perfect, just the right amount of challenge, altitude, and tiredness all packed into 5 days. By the time you reach Aqua’s Calientes, you’re just about at your limit. The final morning, walking 1,700 steps up in the dark, just as the sun starts to rise. When you’re inside, weather permitting, it’s spectacular, you can’t fathom how both the Incans built such a structure. But also, how they kept it hidden from the Spanish. The photos can’t do this place any justice. No-brainer to do if you’re in Peru.
  
• Colca Canyon – When in Rome, do as the Romans do, as is the case in Peru. There are mountains, valleys, and canyons to see. We headed off on the 2 am bus to a small town called Cobanaconde just near the colca canyon. As I nodded off to sleep, one of my earphones fell out, and I proceeded to crawl up and down the bus aisle with my flashover for the next 45 minutes. Turns out it was on my seat. Alas. We headed into the canyon, a lush, 15km hike going down about 1,200 meters. The problem with descents, especially in a canyon is there is only one way to get out. The following morning, after sleeping in some kind of canyon oasis, with a pool, we trekked up 1,300m over about 3km. Sweaty, and tired is a fair understatement. Good views but would recommend some level of fitness before bailing yourself up in this.
  
• Huacachina – is one of those places that feels like it was made for Instagram, and maybe that’s exactly what happened. Somewhere along the line, someone posted the perfect shot of this desert oasis, and now the locals are scrambling to keep up with the influx. Beyond the Wild Rover hostel and a handful of basic cafés, there’s not much to the town itself. Just a small cluster of buildings clinging to the edges of a tiny green lagoon. Surrounded by massive, sprawling sand dunes that seem to stretch forever. Sandboarding? Fun enough, though the physics don’t quite live up to the hype. A snowboard on sand doesn’t glide as smoothly as you’d hope, and the dunes lack the forgiving cushion of fresh powder. The dune buggy rides. Think Mad Max, only the locals are the ones behind the wheel. They tear across the dunes with a reckless abandon that’s equal parts exhilarating and mildly terrifying.

Ecuador (Galapagos Islands)

The Galápagos Islands are like stepping into another world

Where the line between humans and wildlife barely exists

Sea lions lounge on park benches

Iguanas sunbathe on sidewalks

Giant tortoises roam with a quiet dignity that feels ancient and unshakable

It’s not just a place you visit—it’s a place where nature lives beside you as if you’re the guest and they’re the locals.

The people here match the spirit of the islands—welcoming, laid-back, and fiercely protective of this unique slice of paradise

I spent just over a week here off the coast of Ecuador

A country facing a new era of domestic turmoil with increasing gang violence

but like many countries on this continent with similar issues

They deal with it, the smile, the welcome you

This place is especially unique, the way the animals blend so seamlessly into society almost as if they were citizens with passports

The marine life, some of the best in the world

Delicious food and soft, gentle people with almost 0 crime on all of the islands

Some of my highlights

• Snorkeling off the main islands – The Galapagos islands are made up of three main islands. Isabela (The largest), Santa Cruz (The most populated) & San Cristobal (The capital). Each with its own unique blend of marine life & onshore nature. They are all accessible by ferry and take about 2 hours one way. I bought a snorkel from a Swiss couple in Peru and spent most of my free days here hiking to the nearest cove and jumping in. The sea lions on these Islands were so human life. Waiting for you to get into the water so they can watch you, play with you & ultimately exist with you. Like you were an old friend of there’s who came back every day to see them. A surreal experience and one I wish I’d had my go-pro for.
  
• Hiking – All of the islands have a unique blend of forests and wildlife for each. Most paths are decorated by Iguanas sunbaking, Turtles on the daily commute to find food, and lizards hurrying away to safety. Most of the time, it felt like I had the island completely to myself, not seeing people for hours. Quiet, peaceful and so unique.
  
• Snorkeling tours – Being an island, the prices are often to match, however, here I think the prices are justified. I did the Los Tuneles tour, which is one of the more popular ones for the islands, and was blown away. We managed to see Sharks, turtles, and go snorkeling with rays, seahorses, more sharks, and various fish. We even saw Galapogas only bird species called the blue-finned Boobie, going through the process of mating. Great experience.

Colombia

Colombia is pure madness—in the best possible way

To give you an idea

The day I arrived in Bogotá

The government announced a 15% increase in fuel prices

The response?

Every bus and truck driver in the country went on strike

Highways and roads around every major city were blocked

No one in, no one out—until the government folded

By now, I was used to the unpredictable nature of Latin America’s democratic politics, so it didn’t surprise me

Colombia refuses to be defined by its past

It thrives on its relentless energy and the spirit of its people

Medellín, once synonymous with Escobar’s cartel era, now feels like a city reborn

The chaos is still palpable, but it’s a different kind—alive with passion and pride

Football in Medellín is far beyond just being a sport

Matches between Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín turn the city into a cauldron of emotion

Fans flood the streets, chanting and waving flags long before kickoff

Inside the stadium, the energy is electric

A raw mix of pride, identity, and unrelenting devotion

Comuna 13, once one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world

Has become an open-air gallery

Its walls are alive with color, telling stories of survival and resilience

Like the rest of Medellín, it’s a place that has rebuilt itself, refusing to be beaten

Then there’s Cartagena, where the nights are electric

Street vendors, traveling merchants offering you gum, cigarettes, or something else…

The air hangs heavy with humidity

The sound of rum-soaked laughter spilling out of cheap cocktail bars

Crumbling colonial charm and bright facades draw you in

But as the sun goes down, the city’s edge keeps you alert

But Colombia isn’t all chaos

In Minca, the jungle slows life to a crawl

Wrapping you in a quiet serenity far removed from the cities

Tyrona National Park?

Otherworldly

Deep purples shifted into fiery oranges, bathing the jungle and beaches in an almost surreal light

Long, winding, white sand beaches

Mosquitos were sent like armies trying to wipe out the ankles of the human race

For me, Colombia had it all

The energy here could power cities

A raw, untamed electricity that feels alive

One minute, you’re on a bustling street corner

Speakers blasting Bad Bunny’s entire discography as the scent of street food fills the air

People dance and laugh like there’s nowhere else to be

The next, you’re deep in the jungle or standing on a beach

Watching the world slow to a standstill

It’s this contrast

The chaos of Medellín

The rhythm of Cartagena

The calm of Minca and Tyrona—that makes Colombia so special

A personal favorite of mine on this trip.

Anyway, some of my highlights here

• Medellin nights – Everyone has heard about Medellin in some form or another. It’s infamous. A city that has seen and been through much over the last 30 years. It’s a city of celebration, energy, and something for everyone. Colombians are special people, the nightlife culture here is up with the world’s best. Hot days & warm nights are the perfect beer-drinking climate, often escalating into the early hours of the morning. I’m still convinced most of the locals here don’t work a 9-5. The area of El Poblado was a melting pot of ex-pats, backpackers, and tourists.
  
• Watching Medellin Football – Yes, I’ll admit, there is a constant theme to my travels. I’m an avid football fan, so being in South America it would be foolish of me not to take part. Our Spanish school organised a night for us all to go and watch. We piled into a small stadium, as their other stadium was being rebuilt. Nonetheless, the fans weren’t dulled by the change of scenery. The quality was, lacking, both teams wouldn’t get much of a look in on the world stage. We were lucky enough to see a fight in the stands, and a kind old man managed to sell us some beers that he’d smuggled in.
  
• Sleeping in hammocks at Tyrona National Park – Tyrona National Park is incredible. Like you’re on the set of Jurassic Park and Baywatch simultaneously. By this point, your legs will be a battlefield of mosquito and sandfly bites. You can hike into Tyrona from the main entry point which takes about 5 hours to reach the campsite area. Your clothes become translucent from the sweat, but it’s all worth it. You can sleep in two different hammock areas near the water, both are good. If you’re determined enough, you can also wake up for the sunrise which was unbelievable. Such a cool area but definitely bring the bug spray.
  
• Minca – After the activity-filled madness of Colombia, Minca was a much-needed R&R destination. Perched in the foothills of Santa Marta, it felt like we were in a forest hideaway far from civilisation. We stayed at this great hotel called La Veranda, most of the time being the only guests there. We also did an overnight hike up to Cuchilla San Lorenzo which was great. We arrived at our lodge a mere 90 seconds before 20mls of Colombian rainfall descended on the entire valley. The views up here were incredible. My co-pilots Ben & Will made this time particularly enjoyable. The food they had in this town was also surprisingly good.
  
• El Rio Party Hostel/The Journey Hostel – Two Iconic hostels in Tyrona. The Journey is a great spot to relax and a great place to enter the actual park. You can get cheap collectives up and down the park’s main road. El Rio is an iconic party hostel. throwing their main parties every Thursday and Sunday. We opted for the Sunday. Ended up having a crew of about 15 of us. Two great men whom I used to play football with here too, Aiden Smith & Aaron Jackson made the night devilishly enjoyable. Bit of a vortex this place, I’d recommend a maximum of two nights before getting the hell out back to normality.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a sweaty, chaotic & ultimately bizarre country

Where the humidity clings to you like a second skin and everything moves at its own, painfully slow pace.

The cities are a mix of quirky charm and backpacker chaos

Shaped by the well-trodden party trail that snakes through the country

Volcano boarding. Yes, It’s as ridiculous and exhilarating as it sounds

Hurtling down a black ash slope at breakneck speed on a piece of wood

Crushed-up rocks fly into every crevice of your face

All while wondering who had dreamt up this idea in the first place

There’s Ometepe

With its twin volcanic peaks rising out of Lake Nicaragua

Where life slows to an almost meditative walk

Riding around this jungle-laden island on a cheap scooter

Wind racing through your hair

The local police insisting you’ve broken some kind of road rule to extract some local currency

It’s all part of the fun

Crossing borders here is its own kind of trial

A slow, bureaucratic dance that forces you to let go of any concept of time

The street food?

Let’s just say rice and beans are the undisputed kings

Variety isn’t exactly the country’s strong suit

How could you ever forget, the chicken bus parties

Chaotic, sweaty, and strangely magical

You’re crammed into an old school bus painted in wild colors

bouncing along dusty roads with music blaring from a scratchy speaker

Pass around a bottle of cheap Nicaraguan rum

Smooth enough to sip, strong enough to forget the bumps

Pair it with an ice-cold Toña or Victoria beer pulled straight from a Plastic bag with ice

You’ll find yourself close to a central American induced bliss

But despite the sweat, the waiting, and the simplicity

Nicaragua has a way of pulling you in

It’s raw, unpredictable, and oddly endearing

A place that makes you laugh, even when it’s testing your patience

Some highlights

• Backpacker party trail – If you find yourself in Nicaragua, it won’t be long before you find yourself with some kind of alcohol in either one of your hands. I’m convinced half this country’s economy runs on the hospitality industry. I started in the south of Nicaragua in a town called San Juan Del Sur, a quiet, surfing town. As is the local custom, I once again tried to reignite my surfing career and once again, was quickly reminded of the power of the ocean. A lot of time swimming, dumping, and gasping for air. I then unofficially retired and opted to share some cold beers with my Canadian brother, Jay (what else could we ask for?). The following weeks involved & weren’t limited to the following events. Sunday Funday, Wet Wednesday, Treehouse party & various chicken bus parties. I left Nicaragua in a fragile state, dried up, sore, and begging for some relaxation in an air-conditioned room.
  
• Volcano Boarding – My Swedish friend Jay and I hopped on a rattling chicken bus out of León, headed for volcano boarding. The plan? Hike up an active volcano, then throw ourselves down it on a flimsy piece of wood with a rope for steering. No chairlifts, no safety rails—just Central America in all its reckless glory. I went first, mostly to avoid an audience if I wiped out and tore an ACL. The only way to slow down was digging your feet into the ash, but once you started picking up speed, stopping felt like an afterthought. There wasn’t much time to appreciate the scenery—you were too busy trying to stay on course and not veer off into the unknown. Still, it was an experience. Where else do you get to race down an active volcano just for fun? Afterward, dusty and slightly exhilarated, we were handed cold drinks and loaded back onto the bus. I was hoping for a quiet ride home—until the German volunteer leading the trip stood up and informed us that we had four bottles of rum to finish before we got back. There were nine of us. At first, there was hesitation—polite sips, nervous laughter, side-eyes at the 2000s pop blasting from the speakers. But by the third or fourth rum and coke, all social anxieties had evaporated. What started as a simple ride back turned into a loud, rowdy, borderline-chaotic dance party on wheels. Because that’s just how these things go in Nicaragua.
  
• Hiring Motorbikes on Ometepe – Ometepe is a world of its own. A peaceful, slow-moving slice of Nicaragua where life feels untouched by the rush of the outside world. The island, formed by two towering volcanoes rising out of Lake Nicaragua, is best explored on two wheels, so we rented motorbikes. What a ride. Easily some of the most scenic and enjoyable I’ve ever had. Winding through tiny villages where kids ran out waving as we passed. Dirt roads lined with lush jungle, the occasional cow wandering into the road as if it owned the place (which, to be fair, it probably did). We rode to the far side of the island, parked the bikes, and hiked up to a waterfall tucked deep in the hills. Cold mist, thick jungle, and not another soul in sight. The type of place where it feels like it’s you and a few friends out there. Highly recommended.
  
• The ferry from Nicaragua to El Salvador – Opting to splurge a few extra USD for the direct route, instead of going through neighboring Honduras. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this commute. Now don’t get me wrong, like any transport in Central America there will be delays. This isn’t a Japanese bullet train, where the driver will come apologise to the passengers for being delayed by 2 minutes. We were ferried from Leon to the closest town to the sea and the border of Nicaragua. We handed over our passports & had to wait patiently for three and a half hours for them to be returned to us. Like my dad would say, no one in the service industry in Nicaragua is dying of stress. We then had our bags ripped apart by the Nicaraguan beach police, seemingly convinced I was trying to smuggle something OUT of the country. I met a group of four other Australians from Melbourne. Probably four of the most Australian-looking people I’ve seen in my entire life. We had a good yarn, and talked about the footy which was a refreshing feeling of home. We then performed a backpacker conga line of throwing our belongings onto the back of a small fishing boat, and off we went. Three hours of coastline watching and sunbaking. When we arrived in El Salvador, we were greeted by a similar border process. An obscenely large Salvadorian gentlemen appeared briefly, took our passports (such is the custom in Latin America) and vanished for the next 2 hours. Part of the border procedure was huddling together for a group picture taken on the border phones 2010 Samsung phone. Assumingly to submit to some ancient Salvadorian government portal to prove we were there. You honestly can’t make this stuff up. Another 4-hour shuttle journey ensued, with a brilliant Salvadorian sunset welcoming us.

El Salvador

El Salvador feels like a secret the world is just starting to figure out

Two years ago, tourists were a rare sight

Gang violence had kept the country off nearly every traveler’s radar

The infamous title of the most dangerous country in the world by the murders per capita rating

But now?

The place is buzzing, on the cusp of something big

The locals, are warm and welcoming

seeming genuinely thrilled to see foreigners exploring their country

Smiling wide as they chat with you in broken English while you fumble through your Spanish

The coastline is something else

Black sand beaches, world-class waves

Surfers who have known for years what the rest of the world is just waking up to

The days are spent riding endless chicken buses up and down the coast

Squeezed between friendly Salvadorans who

Despite the cramped quarters and blaring reggaeton, makes you feel at home

The pupusas

Hot off the griddle

Stuffed with cheese, beans, pork, or anything else they decide to throw inside

Ridiculously cheap, undeniably delicious

The kind of meal that makes you wonder why they haven’t taken over the world yet

El Salvador still has the raw, untamed feel of a place just waiting to be discovered.

It won’t stay that way for long.

I was completely charmed by El Salvador

The locals, the peaceful small surf towns

All felt like a far cry from the rest of the neighboring Central American countries

Some highlights –

• Visiting El Zonte and El Tunco – Both of these towns are quintessential surf towns. I’m not much of a surfer in fairness, but the vibe of these places was really nice. Beautiful, long beaches, huge waves (if that’s your thing) & some great local restaurants. Most of my time here was spent eating Papusas and burritos, walking around, and swimming in the water. Magical. All the locals I interacted with were so friendly, with huge smiles and always welcoming. We happened to be in town when there was some kind of international surfing tournament which was great viewing also. A 56-year-old Australian guy ended up winning one of the events too. Super spots.
  
• Second-hand shopping in Santa Ana – On my journey to Guatemala, we went via Santa Ana, a city in the northwest of El Salvador. The city itself is nice enough. I ended up trying my first Wendy’s burger here which was decent. For some unknown reason, the city has great second-hand shopping outlets. I managed to pick up some good clothes that were wildly underpriced compared to home.
  
• Air B’n’B in El Tunco – I stayed at some great places on my trip across LATAM, but this Air B’n’B was one of the best. A genuine compound, a 10-minute walk from El Tunco’s main town, equipped with every amenity and facility a young person could ask for. A pool, tennis court, poker table, hammocks, a pool table, and even a mini golf course. They even provided a big speaker for music. Add a great group of travellers and it’s unmatched. Being able to cook your own food and have a place to hang out after a long time in hostels was bliss. I’ve included a link to it in my guide.

Guatemala

Guatemala has a way of sneaking up on you.

At first, it’s the beauty of Lake Atitlán that grabs your attention

A glimmering expanse of water surrounded by volcanoes

You could be on Lake Como

The hills are filled with huts, terraces, and forest

Yet you’re nestled so deep in Central America

The idea of freshly made Gelato and locally made red wine, merely a pipe dream

Each town has a completely different eco-system

San Pedro is where the party happens, with Mr. Mullet’s hostel at the center of the chaos

The Boat parties and pub crawls that always finish late in the piece

The hangovers were soothed by the offering of free pancakes with chocolate syrup

Just a short ride away, you’ll find San Marcos

Where the societal currency is Yoga, Gems, moon-charged crystals, and chai tea

Or the capital of the lake, Panajchel

A bustling, strangely built-up town that serves as the key port town for the entire lake

That’s where I joined a Spanish school and stayed with a host family

Elena, my host mom, would tell us all long-winded stories of Guatemalan history

The languages, and the quirks of the culture

My host dad, Demisse, would fix various pipes and floorboards throughout the house

And drove tuk-tuks as his side income

He also took me and my housemate, Tim, on a sunrise walk to show us the area

Brandishing a Machete

which I feared he might use on me in a remote enough area if I didn’t behave

He laughingly told me it was for the stray dogs

The stray dogs roam every street, adding a layer of chaos to the already colorful backdrop

I ended up carrying my own self-defense throughout most of Central America

The BOJ (Bottle of Justice) as it came to be known

The last line of defense between me and a trip to the hospital for some rabies injections

Fortunately or unfortunately, I never got to utilise the BOJ in the streets

Maybe word had spread quickly among the trash-hound populous that there was a water-bottle wielding sheriff in town

Then there’s Antigua

Its cobblestone streets, crumbling colonial charm

And, strangely, the most beautiful McDonald’s you’ll ever see, complete with a garden and fountain

Flores, with its island vibe, feels like a private retreat away from the bustle of the big cities

El Paredón’s black sand beaches and slow rhythm offer a peaceful contrast

And then there’s Pollo Campero

The famed fried chicken institution of Central America

Crispy, golden, absurdly delicious

The kind of meal that makes you want to go into the kitchen and personally shake the fry cook’s hand.

If the Western world ever catches on to what they’re doing here

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Colonel and his entire fried chicken empire file for bankruptcy

Guatemala is a quiet achiever

Indeed the shuttle rides are long

The roads between cities are arduous, but there is something about this place

The Guatemalan people have a gentle demeanor, they’re relaxed, and like all of LATAM, they’re never in a rush

It feels like they’re on the brink of a tourist boom in the modern Instagram era

I’d certainly return in the future

Some highlights

• Spanish school on the lake – I ended up spending two weeks on Lake Atitlan staying at a homestay organised through the school. It ended up being two of the most enjoyable weeks of the trip. My days were spent doing various activities during the mornings while the sun beamed down on the lake. Eating breakfast, visiting San Marco’s, trialing every coffee shop in the area, etc. Classes were in the afternoon from one until five. The view from your desk was amazing. You’re sitting and overlooking such a beautiful lake, while you fumble your way through some Spanish verb conjugations. Some mid-class refreshments to talk to other students were served with some kind of Guatemalan food. Afterward a walk home, a rest, and then off to some other nightly activity with you and fellow students. I was in a great place mentally for this part of my trip, with a lot of happiness and good times. One of the best experiences of the trip.
  
• Boat Ferries on the Lake – Now I will preface, that these boat rides aren’t the most comfortable. But this discomfort is offset by the sensational views. Lying on the front of the boat, admittingly with a few bumps along the way, is pretty special. For 4 AUD one way, you can be taken to any of the towns around the entire lake. Each with its own shops, cafes, and vibe. In every direction, especially on a sunny day, the hills, houses, and scenery are stunning.
  
• Jumping platform in San Marco’s – I’m certainly not the first person to visit this area, and I certainly won’t be the last. This spot has garnered a lot of attention over the last few years through both Instagram and TikTok. Usually, places like this are overhyped and a bit of a letdown. This one however is great. The jumping platform is fun in itself, it makes your stomach drop as you hurtle towards the water. Your desired swimming clothing will end up somewhere around your belly button upon landing. The walk and areas around the platform are equally as nice. Rocks sprawl unintentionally as day beds for weary travelers desperate for some peace and sunshine. Quiet, peaceful and the perfect spot to just sit for a few hours. Bring your Kindle/book, put your headphones on and you’re pretty close to absolute tranquility and enlightenment. You can also hike around the platform up to a lookout for an even better view of the lake.
  
• Acatanengo Volcano hike – The final boss of adventure travel for me on this tour of LATAM. Amielle and I headed off in the early morning of January 2, fueled by a delicious Tropicana hostel breakfast and instant coffee. We arrived at the base of the volcano, the weather gods unfortunately not smiling upon us. We met some other travelers, who we laughed and chatted with as we ascended up the volcano. I’d received a lot of mixed intel from fellow backpackers about the Acatanengo hike. Some said it was the hardest thing they’d ever done, others said it was manageable. The first day was only 5 km, admittedly with some decent incline but with a lot of breaks in between. We shared snacks, a prepared lunch and before we knew it, we reached the base camp. There is an additional and optional park of the Acatanengo hike that you can complete called ‘Fuego’. It promises up close and personal views of lava some mere 100m away. This does sound appealing, and it should, when will you realistically ever come that close to lava again? But it does come with a large, LATAM asterisk. You will certainly get that close, but if the sky is not clear, you will not see it. At the base camp, there were patches of clear skies, just enough so a collective group of 38 of us handed our 200 Guatemalan quetzals over, and off we went. I must preface here, I am, in relative terms, a fit guy. Admittedly, I haven’t been as active on the gym front over 8 months of travel, but my aerobic fitness has always remained at a steady level. As we descended into the clouds, it became increasingly obvious of something. The estimated ETA quoted by our guides was only possible if you were running as fast as you were physically able. We descended down into the valley as the sun went down, the sky completely covered in clouds by this point. The route we were hiking was essentially a capital V. You start at one point, walk down, walk up, and repeat in reverse to get back to base camp. As we started the Ascent up to the Fuego lookout, it started to rain. Not the cozy rain of an autumn evening. I’d say closer to a small storm. With blind backpacker optimism, not wanting to waste the hard-earned currency we’d spent extra on completing we pushed on. We carried on for over an hour, by this point, freezing, becoming increasingly exhausted. As we reached the summit, the groups came back down mentioning how terrible the conditions were up there. They all laughed, tiredly and yelled “ENJOY!” as we walked towards our windy fate. As we summited, the warnings and heartfelt messages from the previous group rang true. The conditions on the top were, in every sense of the word, fucked. It was like we were standing on the summit of K2 without the snow. The wind tearing through our group. We unwillingly walked to the spot where our guides said you could see the Fuego erupting. It was like sitting in a Shrek 4D cinema experience about the end of the world. Freezing cold, howling winds but still the flicker of hope we might miraculously see some lava. After 1 minute of sitting there, our faith in the weather gods was quickly abstained. We decided we should head back down. It began to dawn on everyone that the way down was going to be some kind of mission. Once again my stringent backpacker budgeting had overruled my decision to purchase a headtorch. So I was armed with my phone’s flashlight in my right hand, the other hand for using the rocks as a mountain guard rail. Without sounding dramatic, it was one of the few times on the trip where I thought it could be the end of the road. Every step was uncertain, not much conversation from our group as we focused on getting off this cursed volcano. After we got out of the wind, it was somewhat more bearable. As we finally reached the bottom of the valley, our guides popped open some cartons of red wine, which was surprisingly delicious. They also handed around some Marshmallows, perhaps as a peace treaty for leading us to our collective deaths a few minutes earlier. After the initial warmth of the red wine wore off, we realised that what goes down, eventually must go back up. The proceeding two hours were torturous. I don’t say that lightly. The brief highlight was the sky clearing momentarily and actually getting to see an eruption and the lava. Which paradoxically, effectively left the previous 4 hours of walking as pointless. Nevertheless, Tired and weary, we trudged back to base camp fueled only by the cup of noodles we’d had 5 hours earlier. As we got home, grateful to be alive, I skipped all formalities, gobbled down my dinner, and got into bed. 6 layers of clothes, two blankets, and two dogs under the bed. I think they may have skimped on the insulation for the ‘budget backpacker’ lodging all ten of us were sleeping in. As we arose at three AM. We prayed our fortunes would change after the previous night, we soldiered on to the summit of the volcano. A similar fate was faced at the summit, howling winds, 0 visibility but some flickering pride in the air for making it. Once again, after about 5 minutes, the magic wore off and we decided we valued our various bodily limbs rather than looking into a grey cloud. We headed back down, losing our group momentarily in the process, one of our guides scampering back up and wondering where we’d gone. After that it was smooth sailing, we got back to camp where you could see the volcano erupting again which was surreal. Believe it or not, it does make you feel pretty alive watching and feeling an erupting volcano some five kilometers away. We walked back down the volcano and caught the shuttle back to Antigua, completely exhausted. We made our way to the only Western medical tent we knew best. Mcdonalds. Crowned the most beautiful in the world. How else could you refuel after such an adventure? All in all a great, challenging experience. PRO TIP – if the sky is not clear, do not complete the Fuego hike, That was a serious beast under the circumstances. And bring lots of warm clothes.

Belize

Belize—more specifically Caye Caulker

Feels like some sort of Caribbean hideaway

The kind of place where time slows down and nobody seems to mind

The locals are warm, loud, and welcoming

They greet you like an old friend before you even get a word out.

English is the official language

But you’ll hear a mix of Creole and Spanish too, blended into something uniquely their own

Their accent is somewhere between Jamaican, American, and the West Indies

Belize, Bizarrely is still part of the Commonwealth

With Queen Lizzy’s youthful smile printed across all Belize Dollars

The food

Like getting a home-cooked meal from your Caribbean mom

Grilled lobster straight off the boat

Rice and beans dripping in coconut milk

Stewed chicken that falls apart before your fork even touches it

Fry bread that leaves you equal parts satisfied

And worrying about your cholesterol levels post-meal

Days here are spent snorkeling alongside nurse sharks and stingrays in impossibly clear water

Beachfront restaurants spill onto the sand, music drifting through the salty air

A cold Belikin beer is never too far away

There’s no rush, no urgency

I mean that in its purest form

Things will open when they open

Business opening hours here are merely a guide

There are just hammocks, ocean breezes, and the easy charm of an island that exists purely to make you slow down

Caye Caulker doesn’t ask much of you

The message from the locals is simple yet insightful

Go slow – the unofficial motto of the Belizeans

Relax, and maybe, just maybe, never leave

Some Highlights

• Snorkeling tour – You would be a fool to visit Belize and not do some snorkeling or diving. The water here is the type of clear you see only in movies. White sand, warm waters, and marine life in droves. We did a half-day snorkel tour with Cavemen tours (Shoutout to the caveman) which was great. To start off proceedings, you come into a small cove where you get to hand feed Tarpon. These monstrous, protected species of fish live around Caye Caulker. These lucky pescados have been trained like Pavlov’s dogs. Whenever they hear a boat engine, it generally means, free fish. They’ll quite literally jump out of the water and lunge for the fish in your hands, the local birds also get hand-fed as well. Jetting off to the other side of the island we went to a reef where we snorkelled around a coral garden. The clarity of the water here is no joke, you can see so far underwater it feels like you’re on land. Unfortunately, similar to many coral reefs around the world, Belize’s reef is slowly in decline. So if you have the chance to see it while it’s still healthy’ish, I’d go. We finished the day seeing Nurse Sharks. They all pile onto each other like they’re trying to watch a celebrity in a crowd, the rays swim around your feet like sea floor vacuum cleaners. It was superb. World-class snorkeling so close to the islands.
  
• Fresh Lobster – There aren’t many places on earth where you can get an entire Lobster grilled for $40 AUD. We stopped by Fran’s Beachside Grill, a local institution. Fran had lived in a white weatherboard family house directly opposite her restaurant. A mere 10-step commute to work. Belize’s marketing tactics are a far cry from modern local businesses in the Western world. There are no meta ads, no SEO, or Google ads in these parts. Instead, Fran and many of the locals opt for the traditional methods. They’ll yell and converse with anybody who comes past, reeling off their daily specials and availability for the day. It’s surprisingly effective. The promise of a freshly made lobster with two complimentary cups of rum and garlic bread proved too much for my willpower to handle. The man selling coconut cake would merely pedal around the town with a megaphone and an apron until his entire trailer of various cakes was sold out.
  
• The Split – A pretty superb place to watch the sunset after a long day of island living. The split divides the two islands of Caye Caulker through a small 20m trench. A Volcano actually ripped the two islands a few years prior, or so I was told. A great spot to sunbake, relax, and make easy work for some Belizean beers.

Mexico

Where do you even start with Mexico?

This country is an assault on the senses in the best possible way

Let’s start with Mexico City

One of the most dynamic, sprawling, overwhelming, and utterly incredible cities on the planet

Every neighborhood feels like a different world

The sleek, tree-lined streets of Condesa and Roma, where cafés and restaurants rival some of the best in the world

The historic chaos of Centro, where the city’s past and present collide

The parks, lush and sprawling, a welcome break from the never-ending buzz of the capital

The food.

My god, the food.

The kind of food that makes you reconsider the past, present, and future.

Street tacos that put entire restaurants to shame

Al pastor sliced straight from the spit

Tamales wrapped in banana leaves

Taco’s so impossibly delicious they deserve their own chapter in history books

Nowhere else on the continent comes close to this level of culinary magic

And that’s just the city

There’s Guanajuato

Narrow, winding streets, bursts of color,

And a slow, unhurried pace that feels like a welcome break from the chaos of Mexico’s bigger cities

It’s a place for wandering

Stumbling into hidden plazas, sifting through trinket stalls, sipping coffee in the shade

And then there’s the mummy museum

Strange, eerie, fascinating

Rows of naturally preserved corpses, some peaceful, others frozen in pure horror

It’s unsettling, but somehow, it fits

Head west to the Pacific coast, and you’ll find a different kind of paradise

Puerto Ángel, Mazunte, Zipolite—each with its own rhythm

You want to sip beer and bathe nude in the sun?

Zipolite is the place

Watch sea turtles and dolphins?

Mazunte is where you go

Or just sit back in Puerto Ángel

Watching fishermen work the shore like they’ve done for generations

The whole coastline feels untouched, unhurried, and undeniably magical

Then there’s the hills of Oaxaca

San José del Pacífico, a town that exists somewhere between the clouds and another dimension

A place dedicated to nothing but relaxation

Well, that and magic mushrooms

Crisp mountain air, the kind that makes you want to breathe a little deeper

Sunsets that look like they’ve been stolen from another world

Bostel, a hostel tucked into the hills, might just be the perfect place to do absolutely nothing

Oaxaca itself, though

That’s where Mexico’s culinary heart beats the loudest

The food capital of the country, and maybe even the entire continent

Oaxacan cheese, Tlayudas, Chocolate de agua, and enough tacos to make your head spin

The city is alive, bustling, and full of color

With the surrounding rolling hills just a rental car away

You could spend weeks here and still feel like you’ve only scratched the surface

Then there’s Puerto Escondido

The epicenter of Mexico’s backpacker scene, and for good reason

A beachside town that somehow manages to be both vibrant and laid-back

With golden sands, bars that hum late into the night

Fishing charters that deliver everything from whales

To the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of catching a marlin

And then, San Cristóbal

A quiet town tucked into the highlands

Where colonial charm meets a strange, almost eerie calm

The water here is so contaminated by the local Coca-Cola plant that it’s undrinkable

Yet life moves on as if nothing has changed

A visit to the nearby Chamula church will leave you scratching your head

Families gathered in prayer, candles flickering

Chickens sacrificed on the floor

In hopes that their offering will bring healing, prosperity

Or whatever it is they needed from the spirits that day

Finally, the Caribbean coast

Bacalar, with its clear lagoon that shifts between seven shades of blue, is as calm and peaceful as it gets.

And then, Tulum

A place I was hesitant to visit, expecting over-tourism and overpriced cocktails.

But somehow, it worked.

Yes, the main strip is exactly what you’d imagine

Trendy restaurants, inflated prices, influencers sipping mezcalitas.

The Cenotes here look like a portal into an underground universe

Still, calm, bliss, in the middle of the jungle

The Caribbean coastline? Ridiculous

You can see why the place became popular in the first place

Mexico is a country that refuses to fit into a single description

It’s wild and modern, peaceful and chaotic, ancient and ever-changing

Every place, every street, every meal feels like an invitation

To slow down, to indulge, to throw yourself into it fully

It’s a place that stays with you long after you leave

A special message to the People of Mexico

They are what make the country what it is

Proud, warm, welcoming, and relentless in their pursuit of a better life

Despite the domestic chaos

The cartels, the corruption

The kind of government mismanagement that would send most places into collapse

Mexicans keep pushing forward

They don’t dwell. They don’t stop. They work, they hustle, they build, they create

It’s ingrained in their culture

This defiant, unshakable spirit

You see it everywhere

The street vendors up at dawn

Setting up taco stands that will feed an entire neighborhood for less than the price of a coffee

The construction workers, sweating under the midday sun, never slowing down, never complaining

The families running small businesses

Handing you a plate of food or a cup of coffee with a warmth that makes you feel like an old friend

And despite everything

The corruption, the crime, the uncertainty

There’s joy

Still laughter, still music

Still, a kind of generosity that makes you feel embarrassed about wherever it is you came from

Mexicans don’t just welcome you to their country—they want you to love it as much as they do

And once you’re here, it’s impossible not to

Some highlights country

• Mexico City – This city alone for me gets a mention on this list. It is extraordinary. From the moment I landed I fell in love. I’ll start with the food. It is borderline illegal how good the food is here. Every street corner with another delicious offering to taco heaven. Tacos are sometimes less than $1 AUD, ranging up to $4-5 AUD, but the quality is ridiculous. Whether it’s Al Pastor straight from the spinner, asada, Bistec, or Pollo. It doesn’t really matter. It’s like choosing which door you’ll enter heaven through. The tortas, my god. I could never say for sure what exactly was packed into those meat-filled masterpieces. But every bite sent me somewhere else. lost in the sheer brilliance of it, reflecting on all the good decisions that had led me to this moment. Everything from the Horchata or a pastry from Pastelleria Madrid was filled but nothing but joy. The city itself is amazing. I always had a vision of Mexico City, as a big sprawling cowboy town. Tumbleweeds, old cars, dirt roads. It couldn’t have been further for what it is. It’s an unimaginably monstrous metropolitan. Beautiful parks dotted through various suburbs, and street vendors on every corner. Yet somehow, despite its size, it’s relatively quiet. The suburbs of Roma, Condessa, and Centro are all superb. Like you were wandering down the streets of Lisbon or Paris. The trees and forest blend seamlessly into the streets like Rio. Cafe’s bars and restaurants of the highest quality. The metro is great, the people are super friendly, and it’s a hub for everything. The hostel I stayed in Apapacho was also superb. I’d say it has firmly found itself in my top 3 cities of all time.
  
• Pacific Coast – I’m grouping these spots together because we visited them back-to-back. First up was Puerto Ángel, a quiet little fishing town at the start of the Oaxacan coast. Sleepy, peaceful, the kind of place where not much happens—and that’s exactly why you go. Most of our time was spent watching the fishermen charge their boats onto shore. The local restaurant owners scrambling to claim the remaining fish onboard. We met a fisherman, Ronaldo, who took us home the local way, grinning ear to ear at how much we were enjoying his town. One morning, we took a chance on a whale-watching tour. At this point, I’m convinced these are nothing more than a well-executed scam. No advanced tracking equipment, just a captain driving around, hoping to stumble across a whale like a lost hiker looking for a trail. No whales, but we did spot some dolphins, a few turtles mid-romance, and plenty of other marine life. No complaints—still a glorious day on the water. We finished in Zipolite. Unknown to us, Zipolite is a hedonist paradise. A nudist beach where you can let it all hang. As I was in the area, I joined in the local customs, and I will admit, it is pretty liberating sunbaking with the boy out. All in all, a great part of Mexico.
  
• San Jose Del Pacifico – I Promise I’m not just listing the cities I visited. They were all really that good. I don’t want to sound too enlightened, but San Jose is magical. Particularly the hostel we stayed at Bostel Rancho Viejo. A 20-minute walk outside the town nestled into the hills lies this hostel. It looks like a winery, crossed with a restaurant, hotel, and a ski lodge all mixed into one. After some of the hostels I’d visited on the circuit, this was heaven. Comfy beds, and cosy living areas with a fireplace. The area around this place is really nice, with rolling hills, mountain air and quiet. On a nice day, it is almost unmatched. We partook in the local pastime of taking magic mushrooms. Which was expectedly a lot of fun, sitting around, watching the sunset and laughing. We also did a Tezmacal, which is like a Mayan sauna session. We ate some fruit and drank some cacao, thinking I was on my way towards some mountain enlightenment. After that, down to your undies and into this underground cave. Where a decently handsome Mexican gentleman told us some stories and poured some herb water onto some scolding hot rocks. Tezmacal it turns out is 4×20 minute sessions in this sauna cave. After each one you come out, into the cold mountain air, have an ice bath if you please, and get ready for the next round. If you’ve been in a sauna before, 20 minutes is a decent stint, the idea of Tezmacal is that it gets hotter each round. The first two were bearable, a lot of deep breathing, and wondering why I signed up for this, but manageable. The final two, goodness me. I was truly on the brink. I was sweating from parts of my body I didn’t know possible, and even more, deep breathing, at one point there may have even been a prayer sent out to a higher power. After the final round, completely drained of any sins, demons, and bad Juju, we headed for the hot showers, feeling cleansed and a tad exhausted. This place is really amazing. If you are in Oaxaca I’d highly recommend getting on the mountain van up to this place.
  
• Fishing charter in Puerto Escondido – I’ve always loved the idea of fishing. It is, in some ways, the perfect pastime. Good mates, a UE Boom, An esky with cold beers, a few rods, and nothing but time. The only problem? My most successful fishing moments have only ever happened with the assistance of two very capable men. Hugo Spencer and Remi Cameron—whose knot-tying and line-rigging skills have directly resulted in my only real catches. Which is why fishing charters are my cup of tea. No tangled lines, no fumbling with bait. All the heavy lifting is done for you. You just sit back, relax, and let these ocean professors do the heavy lifting. This idea of a charter was made all the more enticing when one of your best mates, Mr Burton has flown over for Australia. I pitched the idea to Chris just before we arrived in Puerto Escondido. Chris had about as much fishing prowess as me, so it was a perfect match. We departed off a cove In central Puerto Escondido. Our 19-year-old captain and his associate Jose instructed us to sit back, relax, and be patient with the fish. We agreed, got comfortable in the sun, and indeed, relaxed. We sped away south away from the coast. Luckily enough for us this time around, although we didn’t sign up for it, we managed to see two whales about 50 meters from our boat. After about 4 hours of being patient, we were starting to believe we’d paid a lot for a Bromance afternoon on the water. Nothing wrong with that. But we did want to at least feel something. Chris had something on the road for about 3 minutes, before it promptly got away with a free meal. As we slowly started making our way back to shore, slightly sunburned, hungry but nonetheless cheery, one of the rods started to bend. We waited for the ocean professors to give us the signal, then it was on. I was given the duty of reeling in whatever sea monster was on the end of this rod. Now, 8 months into a backpacking trip, you aren’t going to have the physique of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I’d say I was closer to resembling an out-of-date packet of Mi Goreng and the stamina of someone lining up for a kebab at 3 AM. What ensued was a battle more of mental determination, my 67kg body being outmuscled by the behemoth that was hooked on my line. After about 25 minutes of wrestling, my left bicep on the brink of retiring, the cheeky Marlin jumped out of the water in front of us. The 19-year-old captain let out a little cheer. There isn’t anything quite comparable to fishing. There must be something primal to it. Here you are in the middle of the ocean with a strange fishing device and some string and somehow, you’ve got a chance of eating something tonight. It fought until the end of this Marlin, I was willing to surrender many times, and Chris filmed most of the battle. But eventually, it gave in, surrendering that its time in the ocean was up. I’m sure its last wish was it be eaten in some delicious manner by its catchers, perhaps Ceviched. The Ocean professors dragged the Marlin into the boat, and Chris and I celebrated like we’d orchestrated the whole thing. We rode home, like cavemen who had just secured food for another week for the family. Still water, lots of smiles, and utter disbelief at the size of the thing at the back of the boat. When we got back, Chris and Jose carried the fish up the beach like they were taking a soldier back to the medic tent. Upon drop off, there was some kind of fish butchering genius who promptly got to work. Him a slab of concrete and his machete. Like watching a samurai dismantle an unarmed opponent. We thought that was it, we thought we’d leave with our good memory of the last 30 minutes and take our scooter home. The final gesture, The 19-year-old captain insisted, as it was Christmas eve-eve, that we take some for ourselves. The rest would be distributed to the local families for Christmas. A double win. I left that beach just some 5 hours earlier a simple, humble backpacker, I returned, a provider, and now apparently a charity man. We were given 3 enormous Marlin fillets in an empty ice bag. The fish juices and liquids covered my stomach, Chris’s back, and the scooter seat as we rode home. Upon arrival home, we had ceviche and Marlin steaks like something out of a dream. This was one of the best afternoons I had on the trip. If you have a chance to do a charter anywhere on either the Pacific or Caribbean coast, I’d highly recommend it.
  
• Hire a Bike and visit the Cenotes/ beach in Tulum – I was initially hesitant to visit Tulum. A lot of mixed reviews, varying from scathing to enjoyable. It’s an infamous party town, long gone are its fishing village roots, this place is far from that now. The main street is exactly what you imagine, a lot of noise, traffic, expensive restaurants, and souvenir shops. These towns are generally what I don’t like, they feel as if they exist to extract every last dollar out of every traveler that comes through there. As I went to bed the first night, I wondered if even one night had been too many for this place. The second day we rented a blue, vespa-looking scooter from a friendly man from Mexico City. Shoutout to that man. He told us the places to see and the places to skip, we shared our plans for visiting Cenote Cristobal and he agreed that sounded like a great plan. We zoomed down the highway, past the festival that was on at the same time we were there. We arrived at a small booth with a guy sitting inside. “150 pesos, por favor” he whispered through the window. We agreed and headed off to the cenote. I’ve never visited a Cenote before, in fact I didn’t really know what they were 5 minutes before I arrived. I’d heard they were cool so I came along for the journey. We parked the scooter and wandered over. These things are like nothing I’ve really seen before. The clearest, translucent water, completely still. You can see all the way to the bottom. Like a puddle had formed 10,000 years ago and never been touched. Completely still, just the hum of the jungle around you. We swam, we jumped off the rope swing, and relaxed, taking in this special place. We had the place all to ourselves for over an hour which was super lucky. After the Cenote, we zoomed off to Tulum Beach, I’d heard some awful things online about Tulum Beach, and more so, people were getting charged to visit. As a man heralding from the great shores of Australia, the thought of paying for a beach visit shook me to my core. So I hoped I wouldn’t have to argue with my limited Spanish with a security guard. As it turns out, you can just visit the beach old school, with a towel, your Speedos, and some sunnies. The beach clubs dotted along the shore of the beach I didn’t inquire about, fearing they’d be out of my price range. The beach was completely stunning. The water temperature nestled between refreshing and lukewarm, glorious. I’ll admit I was wrong about Tulum, well, the nature side of it, it actually makes the town worth visiting, the party side of it I’d avoid like the plague. They also have great cheap tacos in this town.

Close calls

It wouldn’t be a trip to Latin America without some of these right?

The Continent gets a terrible wrap, especially in Western media

However, I’m pleased to report, over a 9 month period, besides these small run-ins

There wasn’t too much that happened

I had my locker broken into in Nicaragua in a hostel

The only thing they took was the notes I was collecting from each country I visited

Somehow leaving my passports, electronics and various other valuables

It’s true that even thieves can have a conscience

98% of the problems can be avoided by the following

• Not walking alone at night
• Not being too drunk
• Always let people know where you are
• Not buying illegal substances in a dark alley

Of course, sometimes you’re just in the wrong place, at the wrong time

But that could happen in your hometown, that isn’t a problem specific to this big continent

Paradoxically, sometimes the biggest worry you had was the local police

In countries like Mexico, Nicaragua, and Colombia

Can sometimes opt for maintaining a side income from tourists

Rather than protecting them

All being said, it’s all part of the fun

This part of the world is chaotic

If you lose a few hundred dollars here or there

It is, what it is

Anyway, some of the close calls

I will preface both of these incidents were entirely of my own doing

Nonna, if you’re somehow reading this on your iPad

Please don’t read on any further

“Detener”

When I was in Buenos Aires

I decided to take a trip to the end of the metro line to a town called Tigre

I found a willing co-pilot on my journey, Juan from Barcelona and we set off

We spent most of the day out in Tigre, taking in the canals

Drinking coffee and eating some Empanadas

Tigre was fine, a town perfect for a day trip

After 4 hours of exploring and boat rides

We jumped back on the metro and headed back to BA

As it was a Sunday, the train was busy

Merchants coming on trying to sell sweets

A man pleading in Spanish to give him money

The usual for any public transport in SA

When we got back to Buenos Aires at 4:30 pm and still ample light in the sky

We decided we’d head to San Telmo and get ourselves a steak sandwich

Delicious, and energy-providing

We found ourselves wanting to squeeze one more activity in before we retired for the day

We decided to visit Boca, a mere 15-minute walk from San Telmo

For those who don’t know what Boca is, it’s a Barrio in Buenos Aires

It’s infamy attached to its local Football team, Boca Juniors

Made famous by the man closest to God in Argentina, Diego Maradona

It’s a poor, working-class area, reflected in its fan base

A Quintessential South American team, where football is their entire lives

Boca Juniors play at a stadium called La Bombonera

When I used to play Fifa in my youth

I always opted to play at La Bombonera with whatever team I was playing with

It’s a fortress

The city planners of Buenos Aires crammed it into the relatively small Bario

The stadium is built in the shape of Capital D

A wide wing area on one side, with a completely straight edge lining the other

General seating on the curved side, and building of boxes, indoor seating and watch towers on the straight side

As we walked into Boca, there was a noticeable change in scenery

Metal Dividers line each street entrance into the Boca Barrio

The houses are not as polished as the ones in Recoleta or Palermo

No need to feel worried, we walked toward La Bombonera

As we continued walking, it felt like any government housing area

Kids playing in the streets, locals barbecuing, all normal Sunday afternoon activities

As we rounded one of the bends, we could see it

La Bombonera, like I’d seen all those times on a screen

Like a metropolitan Cauldron sitting in the skyline

I was captivated, I was really this close to it

We walked further towards the stadium, some locals giving us some confused looks

Almost as to say, “What are you doing here at this time”

These subtle local cues started to set off my internal voice

I got somewhat nervous, Juan insisting it was fine

He spoke Spanish, so any troubles could be quickly resolved

I was carrying my recently purchased Angel Di Maria Jersey

Much like his beliefs in the catholic church

I was hoping this jersey would serve as my guarding angel while I was here

It’s worth mentioning here, that my co-pilot, Juan was wearing a Ralph Lauren Shirt and Chinos

Not doing much to blend into the working-class locality that is Boca

We took some photos near the stadium and a few selfies

And I then insisted we should make the commute back home

Juan said he wanted to visit Caminito while we were close

It’s like an open-air gallery, frequented by tourists

I hesitantly agreed and we walked on

I must mention here, Boca is a very safe place during the day

It’s a charming area of the city

Nighttime, for obvious reasons, is when it becomes a little less calm

By this point it was 5:30 pm, in Argentine winter, the sun is well and truly on the way down

We walked along the abandoned train line to Caminito

Some unruly and untrustworthy youths meeting our gaze

We pushed on, finally arriving

It’s a nice area, there is a plastic statue of Lionel Messi holding the recently won World Cup on one of the buildings

We went to the Official Boca shop

Browsed the jerseys, and briefly flirted with the idea of dropping $200 on a jersey

By this point, it was 6 pm, dark, and a slight chill at the realisation that we still needed to get home

I instructed Juan we should definitely make inroads back to our hostel

A small 7km journey home

We both agreed we should head back the way we came (subtle foreshadowing here)

We headed back along the train tracks, and at this point, I’m not ashamed to admit I was more than nervous

Dark, eerily still, the type of situation I would tell people to avoid

I looked down at my phone to gage the direction and how far it was to get home

1 hour, 30 minutes. Oh dear.

As I looked back up from my phone, there was a group of about 7 teenagers we’d walked past earlier

All staring at me

I promptly put my phone away and tried to act natural, like I was some kind of local

I must have looked like a Tin Man walking

Before we knew it, the boys sprung up from the bench and surrounded us

I must preface here

My memory of this next part is blurred

Adrenaline and shock will do crazy things to your body in a situation like this

One of them tried to grab the bag I was carrying

Instinctively, I pushed him in the chest

Sending him stumbling back a few steps looked shocked

As I looked back at him

He reached into the front of his pants and grabbed something

A black pistol

Pointing right back at me

It is a surreal feeling having a gun pointed at you

For any thrill seekers out there, It’s not something I’d recommend

Being from Australia

The only real experience I’d had with guns was seeing police carry them in Melbourne

Time briefly stood still for a moment, realising the gravity of the situation I’d gotten myself in

Bizarrely, and almost stupidly unphased by what was being pointed at me

I turned around and ran

I was expecting to hear a loud bang as I made strides back the other way

I think I might have even employed the zigzag technique they use in the movies

Like I was Neo in The Matrix trying to outrun the agents

Hoping not catching a stray bullet in my back

Bizarrely, as I ran away, presumably from the shock, I started laughing and giggling

The scenario I’d found myself in was completely of my own doing

Well, that and Juan’s Catalonian optimism

I rounded the corner and quickly realized I’d left Juan on the battlefield one out with Boca’s youngest street gang

Hopefully, he’d just hand over his belongings and run free

I doubt they’d want to take a Spanish national hostage in their little barrio

I rounded the bend, my heart pounding at this point

Trying to plan my escape out of the area

I ran for about 500m back towards La Boca’s stadium where I had been earlier

The stillness of the streets pierced my fragile mental state

I shakily took out my phone, fired up the trustworthy Uber app and prayed there’d be someone around

No dice.

Uber doesn’t pick up from La Boca after 5 pm, of course.

At this point, I was starting to convince myself this could be the end of the road

Alone and scared in this town, much past the safe visiting hours

In a last-ditch attempt, I fired up my Google maps

Old school, the two legs beneath my waist

They’d get me home

I clenched my, at this point, sweat-soaked Di Maria Jersey and took off

6 kilometers back to my hostel, Parla

I wish I’d strava’d this run home

Admittedly I wasn’t in the mindset of tracking my fitness performance at the time

But I’m sure it would have gotten a lot of Kudos

My heart rate sitting at a relaxed 170 BPM for most of my brisk commute back to safety

I eventually made it back

Coincidentally, Juan hopped out of an Uber just as I arrived too.

We both hugged, happy to see each other with no wounds and all our possessions still intact

Juan admitted I might’ve been right about my thoughts on leaving slightly earlier

Is the pope catholic my friend?

“What’s in your bag, sir?”

After island life, a week-long escapade to the Galapagos Islands

It was time to come back to continental South America

The next destination was a big one

Colombia, straight into the capital of Bogota

After a lot of relaxing and slower-paced living

I was ready to get back into the hustle and bustle of Colombia’s big cities

Places I’d heard so much about

I was excited for this next leg

There are no direct flights to the Galapagos islands from South America

Except for Quito, the capital of Ecuador

I departed the Galapagos in the morning on a small LATAM flight

Easy enough, left on time. Happy days

I had a 4-hour layover in Quito before I left for my final destination, Bogota

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my anxiety about airports

I’m the type of person who will arrive 5 hours before an international flight

To avoid the anxiety or even the mere thought of missing a flight at my own expense

Your flying fate is often left up to the airport gods and ground staff who determine your next move

As I arrived in Quito, I picked up my bags and promptly checked into my next flight

Business as usual

I headed through airport security and onto my boarding gate to confirm its existence

After that, a lot of wandering, gift shop loitering

And gasping at the obscene prices at the airport food options

I’m a real stickler for value

I’ll purposely starve myself at airports

As some kind of silent protest to the extortionary prices they charge tired and hungry travelers

As I grew tired of wandering the various gates, lounges, and duty-free shops, I retired to a seat close to my gate

My noise-cancelling headphones block out the airport hum

I put on some Netflix, Narco’s, of course, I thought it would be fitting to get a preview of the cities I was about to see

45 minutes before my flight

People started to nervously time the perfect run to line up for the flight and beat the crowds

As I sat there, I noticed very vaguely they kept repeating the same message on the loudspeaker

I tilted my headphones off one ear and listened in momentarily

In the mix of some Spanish and some boarding calls I heard something familiar

PASSENGER NAME LUCAS BRAN-CE-T-A-SHINOO

Could you please come to see a staff member immediately

I had enough experience with an Italian last name to know this poor lady was trying to summon me

A hot flush ran throughout my body, sweat from the pores

Usually, the names rang out over the loudspeakers are Chinese tourists who are trying to hurry to their soon-departing flights

This must’ve been different

I did as I was told and found the nearest staff member

They thought I was a business class passenger trying to board early

“No, No, I’m the name they keep calling over the loudspeaker” I explained nervously

The man finally understood who I was and why I’d superseded all the other waiting passengers

“Sir, Quickly, right this way”

I was handballed off to another lady with a clipboard

I greeted her with a polite Hola

She bolted away like a Peruvian athlete in the speed walking event at the Olympics

Ushering me to keep up with her electric, yet somehow calm pace

We went spiraling down a few staircases, and a few backrooms, and all of sudden we were outside of the airport

We ended up walking on the airport tarmac

Undercover luckily, where all those small little luggage carts whiz around aimlessly

At this point, I did have some queries as to where I was going

My flight was due to leave in 30 minutes

and I wasn’t confident LATAM Airlines had a refund policy for missing your flight because you were late

The lady wouldn’t answer, she steamed on towards another backroom

It opened up to a room full of suitcases

A German Sheppard and its handler going through an entire conveyor belt of opened luggage

My heart started to increase the BPM ever so slightly once again

The questions racing through my mind

Has some unsuspecting hostel roommate disposed of something in my bag?

Have I been set up by the local cartel?

The usual head noise

The lady then handballed me off to a stern-looking Ecuadorian lady

Accompanied by a policeman, of course

“Dame tu pasaporte, Senor” she said

I surrendered my passport and stood there

Assessing my options

Just in case I had to run out of this airport, if they were about to pull a South American drug planting on me

Your mind can work quite quickly when it’s got adrenaline running through its system

I scoured my brain as to what this pesky dog had smelt in my bag that might land me in a Quito jail cell for the next 5 years

Side note – this isn’t my first run-in with a sniffer dog at an airport

Not for the reasons you’d expect

My Mum had packed me an apple to eat on the plane when I flew to Queenstown a year earlier

As it was an early morning flight, I’d slept through most of it and hadn’t eaten the apple

When I arrived in Queenstown, bleary-eyed and dazed

I made my way through customs, and a particularly well-trained Beagle sat next to my bag

Not good, “what have I left in here” I thought

Turns out New Zealand has some fairly strict Biosecurity laws for fruit and Vegetables

I mean I get it, their produce is delicious, and I’m sure they’d like to keep it that way

But a humble and unthreatening granny smith from across the pond shouldn’t be a breach of national security

Alas, I was fined $400 AUD for the small apple, one I didn’t even get to eat

The perfect way to start an adventure-filled trip to the adventure capital of New Zealand

ANYWAY, back to the main story

After going down the mind tunnel of my memory from the previous 3 months

It finally dawned on me

Bolivia is a mountainous, landlocked country which I had visited about 1 month earlier

Due to the sheer altitude of about 90% of the country

The people over the years have opted for some traditional, natural medicines to soothe their ailments

One of these remedies is Coca (Not what you’re thinking), more specifically the coca leaf

The locals chew on these leaves as a way of dealing with infirmities associated with being 4000m above sea level

Coca leaves on their own are pretty grim, the taste leaves a lot to be desired

You’re actually supposed to stick them in your gums to be absorbed

Both methods aren’t great

Quickly the Bolivans realised that the western Palate wasn’t quite ready for the bitter, raw, chemical taste of the leaves alone

So they dreamed up a new delivery system that had the same effect

Coca sweets

You suck on these small little candies for long enough and you’ll start to feel the effects

A dull feeling of relaxation and the removal of most of your headache

Earlier on my trip I’d purchased a few of these lollies for some hiking trips in both Bolivia and Peru

It’s like buying chewing gum for locals, completely legal and common practice

It is also common knowledge that coca leaves serve as the base ingredient of a

Let’s say, less legal, modern medicine

Cocaine

South America being the main kitchen that caters to the global market of this particular medicine

Now by now, you’re probably putting the pieces together

Sniffer dogs globally just so happen to be trained on the smell of Coca leaves

Any presence of this smell in a bag could be detected by even the less talented of these law-enforcing Perros

So there I am, foolishly standing in a makeshift holding room

Realising what I’ve done

I foolishly try to explain to this Ecuadorian airport worker in Spanglish what I’ve done

“Disculpe” errhhh, “Perdon” eerhhhh

“Es aqui”

The lady looked at me like I had just told her that her mother was a Puta

She sternly told me to stay away from my bag and to not speak any further

At this point, I started to picture life on the inside

I’ve bailed myself with a coca sweet and now will serve the later part of my 20s in a cell

How would I survive in Jail?

Let alone a South American Jail

Me and the four walls around me

I’d surely have time to do some pushups and get in shape

I can’t imagine the food would be groundbreaking though

Miraculously, after 5 more minutes of standing there sheepishly

She zipped and gave me my passports, and told me to take my bag

The original, fast-walking lady appeared once again, still holding her clipboard

Like she’d brought it along all this time to present me with my summons date in the local courthouse

She too, told me to grab my bag

Almost like she was motioning me to walk onto the Tarmac and throw it on the plane myself

She then summoned me to another room

This one looks more official

3 Ecuadorian policemen standing behind another conveyor belt, laughing, joking

Until their eyes lay on me

They smacked on their rubber, bag inspecting gloves

At this point, not ruling anything out

I thought I was going to be subject to a nude frisk search, maybe even the infamous squat and cough technique

To ensure I wasn’t harboring anything illegal in any of my bodily orifices

I surrendered my passport and once again prayed to a higher power

Not learning my lesson from the first time

I again tried to explain to these officers what the dog had smelt

For those that don’t know

Ecuador is still in the midst of a lot of domestic-related turmoil from Mexcian Cartels trying to move into the area

So the government had become increasingly on alert for circumstances and potential seizes

Just like this one

Hence, my concern

After some thorough bag searching and more pointing from me

I did something that I wouldn’t recommend

I thought crossed my mind

Perhaps destruction of evidence carries a lesser sentence around these parts

Compared to having an illegal drug found in your bag

As the police were fondling and ripping through my possessions

I subtly went into the small day bag where I knew that troublesome little candy lay

I disguised it as if I was opening another zip

Showing them another part of my bag they hadn’t seen yet

The police were preoccupied with their search

Unbeknownst to me grabbing this sweet and opening it in my pocket

I’ve never been much of an actor, but even this next move could’ve landed me an Oscar

I performed the tried and tested hand-over-the-mouth yawn

Timed perfectly with a shoelace adjustment

and the evidence was gone

I stood up

Now knowing at least my sentence would be theoretically downgraded a few years due to lack of evidence

The police, who were quite confused at this point

Expecting to bust this Australian-Italian dual nation with a pillowcase full of narcotics

Had unfortunately come up empty-handed

They made me sign my life away on this poorly printed government document

Assumedly handing it over to Interpol in case my name ever pinged up again for committing more international crime

I repacked my bags hurriedly and quickly realised my flight was due to leave in 5 minutes

Brilliant

The clipboard lady, once stern and evasive, now becoming my airport guardian

Her life’s work and sole purpose seemingly all of a sudden was to get me onto this flight before its departure

Moving up from a walk to a run at this point I had to re-enter the airport through another back door

Another security screening

In case I’d smuggled a weapon from outside the airport magically in the last 20 minutes

My belt off and my size 32 jeans )that were gifted to me by dear Gibraltar friend Julian)

Sliding down my thighs as I ran through the security screening and towards my plane

I don’t exaggerate when I say this

The lady actually had to yell “Hold the door” (Sostenga la puerta for my Spanish readership) to the flight attendants on the plane

Miraculously, despite the chaos of the last 30 minutes, and after the previous 4 hours of calm before it

I made it

I sat in my seat

With the plane starting to move no more than 30 seconds later

Back to Narco’s, I thought

and a few deep breathes

I even got a free beer on this flight too

A Heineken silver

Narrowly avoiding time on the inside due to this misunderstanding

This cerveza tasted a little like freedom

Closing comments

If you’ve read this far, I applaud you

That was long

But, hopefully, it gives you some insight into both my trip & the continent that is LATAM.

This trip did a lot of things for me over those 9 months

Which, I won’t torture you with today

If you are reading this and you’ve got that strange internal itch to travel somewhere

The one you think about before you head to bed

Here is your sign

Drive across your country, visit somewhere nowhere in your family has been

Backpack, volunteer, or hitchhike your way across a continent

Don’t have all the answers before you leave

Have more questions!

How do other people live?

What’s important to those people?

See how other people live their lives and I guarantee you’ll get a unique look at your own life, too.

The longer the better for travel I believe, 6-12 months is the optimal

but if you can’t for whatever reason, go for five days

Go for a weekend, even a few hours if possible

If you ever have any questions, want to talk through your plans or want any general advice

I’d love to chat with you about it all.

I’ve left my contact details in my guide if you ever want to reach me.

One final takeaway

I was walking around my old hometown last night with my brother Matt

Wellness Wednesdays it’s been coined

A walk around some scenic destination

followed by a trip to the supermarket for whatever sweet treat is on special

Through varied conversation topics, we landed on the following question

Was there something you used to struggle with that, over the years, you’ve actually improved?

My answers were self-confidence, anxiety & being optimistic

All of which I battled with at various stages of my youth, particularly in my mid-teens

In most of these areas, I’ve been able to develop as a direct result of my travels

A stark reminder of how much I’d grown, particularly over the last 4 years

Being forced to ask people for directions, introduce yourself in a room full of strangers, and have to work it all out

Turns out travel has been a good remedy for teaching a young man about his own abilities in the world

Travel has done a lot for me personally across multiple formats

It has given me endless memories I will cherish for life

A more nuanced perspective on my life problems & challenges

A better understanding of other cultures and how other people live

Allowed me to meet so many beautiful and like-minded people

From so many different places and backgrounds

Hearing their stories about their lives

Has taught me so endlessly about the human experience we’re all ultimately on

It shaped me into the version of me I am today, much for the better, rather than the worse

There will always be time for careers, family, and mortgages

When the time is right in your life, these things can and will bring you a lot of happiness

In the meantime, especially if you’re younger

You have more time, energy, and far less responsibility than you expect

And it can be much easier to see the world without these larger ‘adult’ obligations

Don’t rush the time you have on this earth

Any person in the later stages of their life won’t ever say to you

“I wish I’d worked more hours”

or

“I wish I’d made more money”

They’ll mostly say

They wished they’d done more things that made them happy

Lived without regret

And

Saw more of the world while they had the energy

Go far and wide, I don’t have to tell you you’ll get more enjoyment back from your making new memories

Then spending your money materially

If you’ve got a mortgage, a family, or a career

These things I look forward to one day too

Finding the right balance is entirely up to you

But don’t forget to carve out time for what makes you happy

Whether it’s traveling

Meeting new people, or just taking a moment to enjoy life

Make sure you give yourself that space

You’re in charge of the things that happen in your life

And you can always make change and you’ll always work it out

Nothing is ever as bad (or as good) as it seems

Traveling won’t always be the answer, but it can be a good start

If you are reading this and you’re currently on a trip of your own

“Goditi il momento” (Enjoy the moments)

You will always look back on these memories with unparalleled fondness

Home will always be there when you get back, enjoy everything in front of you

GOY and thank you so much for reading

I love being able to share my ideas here and have people take time out of their day to read them.

I appreciate the support dearly

LB