“…So here are some of the things I really love about traveling. They're just tiny things – some pretty, some funny, some just the little travelers' delights, but they make your day, and sometimes make you wonder what we lost in becoming a ‘civilized' country. How good it is to be in a new country again, and notice all the differences (no matter how small they are). To start exploring what these people will be like – get their typical sense of humor, try to understand what they are all about. How good it is to be in a town where 90% of the cars are taxis. How funny it is to see tuk-tuks again (even though I'm not in Asia). To see people take care of each other – the street vendor leaving his goods alone for a moment to help an old lady cross the street. How good it is to walk barefoot. To see a guy in a Santa suit at 32 degrees Celsius. How good it is to be near the ocean again - apart from the seafood. To notice that your Spanish is finally getting good enough to start making some jokes. Sitting in the park, reading a book, and suddenly being surrounded by five little kids who are very determined to spend the rest of the afternoon with this strange gringo. Every time you notice your backpack is still there after a bus trip. How nice it is to have a little buzz in the afternoon after having some beers in the sun, during lunch. Noticing that the big painful pimple on your ass has mysteriously disappeared on the morning you‘re taking that 18-hour bus trip. To walk past a group of little boys, and upon passing them, hear the bravest of them whisper ‘Hey, mister, what's your name?'. Or better yet, when a four-year old girl comes walking besides you. She looks up a few times, smiling, and then, when she thinks it's OK, quickly grabs your hand. To see the smile on her face, as we walk hand in hand, until our ways part. How normal it is to hold hands here anyway. Or when you walked in the rain, and are soaked to the bone, and then, just like they said, they really do have hot water in the guesthouse. How good it is to feel the sun burn on your skin. To hear people say ‘que pasa bien' (may good things happen to you) when they say goodbye, and see in their eyes that they really mean it. How good it is that every day has a bit of an adventure in it. That boys and girls whistle at each other so often over here, that birds started to imitate it. Realizing you must have an angel on your shoulder, because they've only picked your empty pockets. Small town girls doing nothing all day but hanging around in the plaza. To rediscover that people, in the essence, are the same, all over the world. And maybe most of all, how much I like it to be traveling, and exploring all of this.…”

Excerpt from a report while traveling through South America