6 Meses

Today marks 6 months to the day that I left Sydney. What are my feelings on that? It feels completely natural for me to be away at the moment. I was just looking back through my 20 GBs of photos for the last 27 years and I suddenly feel my family and friends. But what is more important at the moment is that I'm making new connections and enjoying my life in every way.

I was just looking ahead and trying to plan the next 6 months, but finding it almost impossible. I have realised that 2008 is my year away from the realities of a 'normal' life and is more about the realities of the modern world perhaps. As much as I'd love to continue a life of travel, I am realist and know that this is not possible. I actually miss working. I love what I did back home - film to me is still my present and future. I'll return to it soon enough.

Amigos

After traveling for so many months now, i can look back at the Odyssey so far and see things clearer already. This is not the first trip I have made. I have had the privilege of traveling many times before this one - usually on my own. What has made this Odyssey stupendously great has been the people I have met and not necessarily the place I have been in.

I realised it is about time to introduce to you the people who have dramatically impacted my life in the last few months.

3 months ago I arrived in Buenos Aires on my own... for one hour only. From the moment I entered the city I have been surrounded with incredible people.
After Spanish class one day I headed over to Johns' hostel (one of my classmates) for a beer. Little did i know from that one night on the rooftop terrace at the Hostel Estoril, under the trance of the beer and moon - this place would become my home for the next month and a half. Not only that, but the group of friends that was formed in those initial weeks would set the course for the rest of the trip and experience of South America. How extraordinary to meet such an incredible bunch of people in the one place at the one time. It was so nice to be just me and not have to go through Groundhog day everyday - having to explain who I was everyday to new people. We could just be friends. There was John (Norway), Santi (Argentina), Anne (Norway), Eric (USA), Donna (UK), Debra (USA), Amie (UK), Madoka (Japan), Chris (USA) and Jane (Australia). There were also the guys that worked the hostel. Meeting Santi and Maxi has opened up my world here beyond the tourist eye.

Santiago - my Argentine brother
So this man is a living legend! Over the last 3 months I have had the privilege of sharing grub, beers and banter with this eventual statesman and coolhunter extraordinaire. Santi has opened up his life and experience, and induced me into the world of Bs As - the best of which is Gardelito, La Bomba de Tiempo, Spring and Palermo. Together with his mum, Claudia, they have both welcomed me into their lives and home.
I made this for Santi's birthday. They are but some of the many great moments that have been in the last few months. Many people have come and gone, but it has been quite a ride. I had the great honour of being able to meet up with Amie, Anne and John again in Brazil when I traveled there with Beck.

The 3 Amigos:
The 3 amigos came from 3 different parts of the world. Santi, from Argentina, John... our Norwegian hermano, and me from Australia, Argentina....etc. From Llama faces to beer and fernet... many good times were had.

These are just a few people that I have met. I will always look forward the the Russian Dolls though... the sequel. Time and place yet to be decided.

Returning home to Buenos Aires

The Odyssey continues into its 6th month.

It was never planned quite like this, but life at this point has lead me to Buenos Aires... And I can't seem to leave. I can't explain why yet, but this city feels like home. I have been here for the most part of 3 and half months and I am thinking of staying longer. That is if I can find some work and then a place to live.

The journey back to Buenos Aires from Curitiba took 2 days of bus travel (5 buses and 2 taxis). The first bus - Curitiba to Foz Iguazu was the cliché bus from hell. To get into my seat I had to stand on in and slide in because the man in front to me already had reclined his seat to its full capability. Then, without too being judgmental, one of the fattest men I have ever seen sat in the seat next to me and shmooshed me into whatever little space I had left. 10 hours later the bus stopped at what I found out was nowhere near the bus station of Foz Iguazu (Brazilian side) that I needed to be at to catch another bus to cross the border into Argentina. Luckily, I found 2 Danish girls that were doing the same thing and were able to work out how to get to Puerto Iguazu (Argentinian side). Looking back now, the whole experience was quite comical. When we finally crossed the border into Argentina at 7AM, I had probably the biggest smile on my face that ever was - I felt as though I was home. To make me even happier Argentinian buses are renowned for being incredible. I booked a 190 peso bus with the reclining leather seats and traveled back to Bs As in style. Arriving the next morning in Bs As to friendly faces, friends and many hugs made it a great day.

The past few weeks have been filled with much partying and spending time hanging out my friends. The decision to stay here and change my tickets again was not a difficult one to make in reality. I understand though that as great as this city and country is there are of course major problems as well. The people in this city have been through so much over the past century and it seems to continue. Just seven years ago the country was thrown into chaos once again, resulting in half the population falling below the poverty line. If you want to know more, you can watch a 12 part documentary called 'Argentina: Ahora o Nunca' (Now or Never). I only just starting to understand the effect on the people here and reasons why this place is the way it is.

In reality, I have only just scratched the surface. There is so much more to experience and understand. My world of Bs As seems to only to take place between Palermo and San Telmo at the moment. This is just a tiny area area of what is a city of 13 million people. I am also adjusting back to Spanish. Since returning from Brazil a few weeks ago, I realised that Portuguese has killed my Spanish. I guess I didn't give it enough time to cement in my brain before I went to a country with a language that is in many ways similar, but very different at the same time. Even though it is challenging, I must persist. In fact this is why I am traveling and why I am here - because I need challenges like this to move forward. It seems to be too easy to talk English here at the moment, especially as most of my friends speak it. I must make more of an effort.

I seem to be struggling at the moment with the concept of balance. It feels as though I am breaking down the walls of what was once my life and I need to be building the foundations to make myself stronger than before. My friend Santiago reminded me that even though I feel at home here, I must remember that this is not my native country. Everything is difficult in some ways - it can be exhausting. I have also been hanging out with some incredible people and maybe living life as if everyday is a weekend. I have never lived my life in this way before. But there are things that I realise I must do and find the time for. At the same time, I love my life at the moment - having the freedom to share my time, my thoughts and my energy with great people.

For the moment, my life is Buenos Aires. The plans I had to travel back to London via Peru, NY and Toronto will have to wait for another few months.