A kid has just skulled a large soft drink at the start of his favourite film at the movies. He desperately wants the movie to be over so he can go to the toilet. At the same time he never wants the movie to end because it’s the best movie he’s ever seen. Once he goes to the toilet, then the urge for the movie to end has dissipated and he regrets wishing for it to be finished.

Every time I travel I fall into this weird headspace. At times I want to go home and I think about how stupid I am to even go traveling in the first place. It doesn’t matter how much I want to go home, I know for a fact that as soon as I am home, I crave dealing with crappy circumstances like living on a budget of almost zero dollars, snoring and crook smells in dormitories, traveling between origins and destinations to experience new things. And the few words that I adopt and even bring into my life at home – it’s all part of the adventure. Worrying only wastes time and energy. Just accept it and deal with it. Hold in that urine and learn from your mistake of drinking a large softy at the start of your favourite movie.

Despite how my trip is portrayed throughout all my posts as being good or bad, the adventure as a whole is one that I absolutely loved. Sure at times it was tough (and expensive) and perhaps I wouldn’t do something like that again – traveling solo I mean – but I don’t think I would ever be a Backpacking Battler again either.

When I was twelve, I had a party on a school night that was so much fun that every one of my mates who came wanted to have the exact same party again. My old man told me not to because it wouldn’t be the same. What the hell would he know! He wasn’t part of the fun. After the second party, I wondered how he did know because to my surprise it wasn’t the same as the first party. My point is that I wouldn’t do the South American Struggler or Backpacking Battler trips again because they have been done. To try and replicate either of those would be idiotic because it just wouldn’t be the same.

South America, it’s been an absolute pleasure being acquainted with your muggers, Spanish and Portuguese language that I couldn’t understand at all, your freezing cold and ridiculously hot and humid weather and most of all, your peoples view on life. I have enjoyed every minute and you have allowed me to meet some absolute epic and larger than life characters I wouldn’t have otherwise met. Muchas Gracias for your hospitality.

Travel is an investment and I plan to keep investing.