The first leg of the flight to Sao Paulo took 2-½ hrs. The second leg to LAS was a 14hr. non-stop Korean Air flight. Each of us managed to fit our possessions in a golf body bag and one large bag. I put almost all my clothes, mostly mildewed, in the golf bag.
Reflections:
This is a good time to reflect on the totality of my LatAm adventure of 5 months and 20,000 miles. The scope and beauty of Latin America simply have to be experienced, as no description would be sufficient. My favorite segments were the Mundo Maya (with Carol, Anisa and Julia,) and the Andes, (mostly with Carol and 3 weeks when Justin joined). These had the richness of living non-European cultures, archaeology, history and fabulous locales. The people were great everywhere we went and we never felt unsafe & there was no theft. We made several wonderful friends with whom we hope to maintain contact. Colombia was a party. The indigenous people tended to be reserved, yet hospitable, unless they didn’t like their jobs. Most of the time the food was excellent. The accommodations ranged from the Finca Filidelfia and Relaix & Chateaus to roadside hotels and indigenous digs that didn’t have any hot water. I am glad to say that the local water was almost always safe to drink and that sanitary conditions, and awareness of a litter-less environment are improving. We were able to get excellent service for the Porsche in major cities. Mostly, we had fun and laughs.
On the negative side, I did not like dealing with the bureaucracy, particularly in Central America. In fact, the unnecessary timewasting hassles of crossing 9 Central American borders and the horrors of shipping to get around the Darien Gap in Panama were enough to dissuade me from making a complete round trip. Shipping the car out of Salvador just took a lot of money. I paid willingly to get around the harbor and government strikes and timewasting. How can things like this help the competitiveness of LatAm? It is the system and procedures and not the people. This really hurts tourism and business generally. The footprints of American extraction and military activities make me shudder. Thankfully the population seems to distinguish between ordinary American citizens and their government & corporations. The US seems to be getting pushed out of South America already. The road conditions were world class in some places, but were horrible in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Brazil with fields of potholes on major highways. This is really bad for economic development. Bugs and humidity in the more tropical locations were unpleasant.
I am still trying to come to terms with the social order in LatAm and how such strong caste systems are maintained. It is no surprise considering that the Catholic Church did not consider the indigenous people as having souls till the 19th Century and the slaves were not even considered human. The minority rich communities live behind gates and guards, presumably living the good life. An ambitious and coping middle class of varying proportions existed in each country. The vast majority is poor to dirt poor. I would rather be a subsistence farmer, even in some remote location, than live in some of the favellas or barrios. I see more social disharmony in the future. The limited educational opportunities and closed doors to the poor are a legitimate flash point. The power structure makes a big mistake for their children and grandchildren by not mobilizing all their people and having an open door for the talented. I did not run into a single lazy population when opportunity presented itself. I suppose that if I was a slave or indentured, I too would do as little as possible to get by.
In sum, this has been a magnificent adventure. I will gladly repeat many parts of it and in far more depth.
Note: Why a Porsche not a Toyota
1. Fun & comfortable to drive
2. 450 hp & performance at all elevations made for confident passing
3. Prop to show that we are “Serious People” on an epic adventure
- Better services at higher cost
- Drivers gave it more respect as something unusual, particularly more room
4. Porsche services are superb, though available only in major cities
5. Not likely to be stolen or have parts stolen since the car is so rare in LatAm
Why a Toyota
1. Lot less expensive all the way around
2. Parts & services are more readily available
No comments:
Post a Comment