live like you were dying.

so Tim Mcgraw´s song kept popping up in my head during the lenghty bus rides... well I stood at the foot of a 50ft tall waterfall yesterday with the water roaring and pounding unto me (not literally, more like the peripherals of the splashpool), and the song rang resoundingly in my ears.

Once again, on the road, being reminder of Southeast Asia ´07 with Andy and Joses... meeting travellers, seekers, lost souls, jobless folks. Knowing that there´s an end to this 25-day trip feels lousy, but while I am at it, I am going to live like I was dying.

Yesterday I met a guy who quit his job in San Francisco and is spending 5 months on the road. Another story to go into the books, yet that´s only as far as I can take it. Tragic aint it?

Trip specifics:

Bus rides in Argentina are LAVISH compared to those in Brazil. We were fed with a hot dinner, breakfast, wine and beer. Blankets and pillows on a reclining seat. Movies for the entire journey. Blissful. A menos que el niño que me moleste. DIOS MIO I wanted to throw my pillow at that crying baby.

Arrived this morning in Buenos Aires. Stepped out awaiting the humidity and heat, only to find cool weather and warm sunshine. I am beginning to love this country already. Actually the weather feels like summer in Champaign. 75 degrees with low humidity. Perfecto!

And off we go to explore Buenos Aires. Hasta Luego!

...

¿JAEHEE por que no estas aqui? ¡gustarias este viaje te digo!

Safely and Successful into Argentina!

A favorites list for pictures thus far: Christ the Redeemer, Rio De Janiero

Maybe, I finally resolved, there isnt one simple answer, just a longing to be tested and proven. A desire to know that we can overcome whatever obstacle we may be forced to face. It is only when we are pushed past our self-perceived limits that we are able to clearly see our truest nature, discover our deepest selves; only then can we hope to improve upon what we find. To do so is neither safe nor comfortable, it is both dangerous and scary. - Erik Mirandette, The Only Road North.

This book basically accompanied me for the 22 hour bus ride yesterday and it turned out to be amazing. Story of 3 months travelling through Africa on a motorcycle with a tragic end, but an extremely powerful story.

++

Successfully crossed the border today! We are in Argentina! Although we struggled to look for this obscure looking bus stop with a sign that says Argentina (which has got to be about 100 years old)...

We re now in Puerto Iguazu, Argetina´s side of the Iguazu falls (borders Brazil and Argentina). Tomorrow we see some ruins, marketplaces, and off we head towards Buenos Aires!

The Iguazu Falls today was breathtaking, I cant think of an appropriate phrase to describe it. I will put pictures up soon and let them tell the story. I dont think any other waterfall can cut it: Iguazu Falls reign supreme. At the bottom of the falls one could step out onto a platform to feel the power of the falls, living, breathing.

80 degrees, full sunshine. Hang in there Illinois (winter) !

Hasta Luego, nos vemos en Buenos Aires!

Oh did I mention some wicked food...

Dia uno.

BOM DIA!

so we safely arrived at Rio De Janeiro today, its 80 degrees with a blistering hot sun, definitely an extreme end from snow-clad Chicago. Still attempting to get used to this heat, it is hot, like South America hot.

RDJ has TOO MANY people, certainly tops the list of one of the most intense cities i have ever been to. We only have a day here due to the snowstorm delay, bummer. So Christ the Redeemer statue which was astoundingly magnificent (and should i say very, very high up on the mountain... 30US dollars too damn)

Copacabana and Ipanema beach - sun-kissed bronzed bodies, very attractive women and men.

This computer is the speed of a turtle. I am stopping here now. will write more again when I get the chance to. 830am bus ride to Iguazu falls.. did I mention 22 hours? this is going to be INTERESTING.

Finally, the flight out.

so the weather outside WAS frightful indeed; a terrible snowstorm across the midwest forced us to reschedule our flight and now we're flying Christmas day, bummer.

Well, blessing in disguise, I got to spend Christmas with Dan and his family and boy was it an awesome Christmas. Steak and lobster tonight was splendid. Anyway, Christmas in Cary was great.

2 days of delay is setting us waaaayyyy back journey-wise. Man we got some catching up to do.

South America here we come.

Perito Mereno Glacier!

I am STILL in North America

yes, not till 2 more finals. Friday 4pm needs to come, right now.

FYI, this is the end of the world, "city at the end of the world to be exact":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushuaia

South America 2009

3 more finals to go.... 7 more days to Rio de Janeiro, starting point of a month's Journey to the end of the world and back.

P.s. I may be blogging in Spanish some days... depending on my mood!