It's about the journey, not the destination.
We left Newcastle just over 9 months ago. It only seems like yesterday when we were packing up our shiney new bikes wondering what we had got ourselves into.
Our bikes now bare the scars of a journey that took us beyond our expectations and dreams. Our anxiety and fear of the unknown gradually changed into an understanding and appreciation of a very long continent.
It's impossible to get anything more than a glimpse of either the geography or culture of such diverse countries and people in such a short time. However, travelling by bike meant we could sometimes take a closer look and on occasions become emersed in the things that surrounded us, the people or places.
It's true a country provides an outline but it's the people that provide the colour. As we've journeyed south, we have seen some incredible sights, the Peruvian Highlands, Bolivian salt flats, vast open spaces of Argentina and Chilean volcanoes, but it's the people, particuarly Argentinians, who have provided us with many of the most memorable moments. Strangely we're really going to miss the truck drivers who would pass us sipping their maté, honking their horns, giving us either a thumbs up or shaking their hands depending on how tired we looked or how close to the summit we were.
Rather than feelings of elation and achievement, our arrival in Ushuaia brought sadness for coming to the end of such an incredible journey and adventure. We realised there was nothing at the end, but the beginning of everything.
Our bikes now bare the scars of a journey that took us beyond our expectations and dreams. Our anxiety and fear of the unknown gradually changed into an understanding and appreciation of a very long continent.
It's impossible to get anything more than a glimpse of either the geography or culture of such diverse countries and people in such a short time. However, travelling by bike meant we could sometimes take a closer look and on occasions become emersed in the things that surrounded us, the people or places.
It's true a country provides an outline but it's the people that provide the colour. As we've journeyed south, we have seen some incredible sights, the Peruvian Highlands, Bolivian salt flats, vast open spaces of Argentina and Chilean volcanoes, but it's the people, particuarly Argentinians, who have provided us with many of the most memorable moments. Strangely we're really going to miss the truck drivers who would pass us sipping their maté, honking their horns, giving us either a thumbs up or shaking their hands depending on how tired we looked or how close to the summit we were.
Rather than feelings of elation and achievement, our arrival in Ushuaia brought sadness for coming to the end of such an incredible journey and adventure. We realised there was nothing at the end, but the beginning of everything.
Thanks to everyone who has helped us throughout the trip, both at home and in SA.
