A Journey in Latin America
The Diary of an 11months Hitchhiking Adventure
28th September 2018:
We woke up next to each other in Lisbon, almost looking like we were
about to live a day just like any other day we lived the week before.
Only this morning, a lot was about to change. Alex played the song "My
Way" from Frank Sinatra, and we listened to it quietly, knowing that
that song was not randomly chosen. It had instead a meaning that we both
silently understood.
We already knew that the 23th of September was not meant to be just
another normal day as we already had our flights booked to Tolouse,
where we would meet the captain of a sailing boat, jump on board, and
sail across the Atlantic to reach the Americas - That was the plan!
However, the day before, we got the news that all of that was cancelled
(the boat, the flights, everyting). Shock came first, followed by
sadness, but after talking to each other we decided that we should stick
to the date that was already set and still leave for the
Adventure. With this in mind, we made new plans to
reach the south of Portugal, live in the boat of Alex's friend on a
shipyard, and go around the marina in the pursuit of another sailing
boat willing to take us on the dream of crossing the Ocean.
That is why playing "My Way" that morning was so significant, and as
soon as the song finished we jumped out of bed, ate breakfast, pick up
the backpacks, said our goodbyes and left the house.
True we didn't go far that day, as we decided to enjoy the Portuguese
coast and to take two days reach the south. However, throughout the
whole journey, a lot of people would say to us "oh you are very brave"
and "it takes courage to do what you are doing" and I would always reply
that Courage is not what keeps you going while you are
already travelling, instead it's what is in that first step, the one you
take while you are still so close to return, but somehow you find the
Bravery to keep putting one feet after the other,
moving away from all that is known to you, into the complete unknown of
the following adventure.
Created by Sara Leal