South America
While vacation-planning, I actually wonder if it is better to have a fleeting glimpse of a whole slew of countries, or an in-depth look into just one or two? I have tended to do the latter, since I like to get a better understanding of life in the countries I visit, rather than just looking at the nice scenic spots and points of interest. I try to pick up a recipe or two, and understand the struggles of the locals and their view of life.
It is practical if you are going to a place close by, since you can always go back again. Also you can easily do Thailand one year, then go on to do Cambodia, and so on. However, things are no longer so clear cut when the distances are great, and the distance between points of interest are also quite far.
Take Peru, for example, which I visited last in 2001. I did manage to cover quite a bit of ground, doing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, flying over the Nasca Lines, and even trekking in the remote Chachapoyas. The thing is, I have not even been back to South America since, and I really want to go again. So, if I go again, do I just do another country, like Chile, or try to cover a selection, knowing that I will not get an in-depth look?
Doing a whirlwind tour of the countries in South America reminds me of doing one of those tours in Europe, where you are shuttled around in a tour bus for about two weeks, visiting something like eight different countries. Yes, you see loads of cathedrals and museums and palaces, but do you really get a feel of the countries? Then again, if you were not going to return for another ten years (or more), is it really so bad? At least you have seen the sights that are most representative.
The point is, South America is pretty much the other side of the globe for us. The shortest plane journeys there are still serious undertakings. It is not as if I am getting any younger, so I really do not know how much longer I can tolerate such long flights. That itself is a dampener to any vacation plan. Then, there are the huge distances between the different parts. South America is a continent after all, and so travelling around takes a lot of time and effort.
I guess I have to attempt the places that are least comfortable now, lest I never have the chance. So, I will try to get as much of the trekking done. Patagonia will surely be the testing ground, since the roads are bad in parts, and there is a lot of trekking to be done. Perhaps I should take my time, and explore it like this were my last chance...
It is practical if you are going to a place close by, since you can always go back again. Also you can easily do Thailand one year, then go on to do Cambodia, and so on. However, things are no longer so clear cut when the distances are great, and the distance between points of interest are also quite far.
Take Peru, for example, which I visited last in 2001. I did manage to cover quite a bit of ground, doing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, flying over the Nasca Lines, and even trekking in the remote Chachapoyas. The thing is, I have not even been back to South America since, and I really want to go again. So, if I go again, do I just do another country, like Chile, or try to cover a selection, knowing that I will not get an in-depth look?
Doing a whirlwind tour of the countries in South America reminds me of doing one of those tours in Europe, where you are shuttled around in a tour bus for about two weeks, visiting something like eight different countries. Yes, you see loads of cathedrals and museums and palaces, but do you really get a feel of the countries? Then again, if you were not going to return for another ten years (or more), is it really so bad? At least you have seen the sights that are most representative.
The point is, South America is pretty much the other side of the globe for us. The shortest plane journeys there are still serious undertakings. It is not as if I am getting any younger, so I really do not know how much longer I can tolerate such long flights. That itself is a dampener to any vacation plan. Then, there are the huge distances between the different parts. South America is a continent after all, and so travelling around takes a lot of time and effort.
I guess I have to attempt the places that are least comfortable now, lest I never have the chance. So, I will try to get as much of the trekking done. Patagonia will surely be the testing ground, since the roads are bad in parts, and there is a lot of trekking to be done. Perhaps I should take my time, and explore it like this were my last chance...