The orange line - Our route through the Andes
September 26, 2024
A plot of our route through the Andes.
Legend:
Orange — cycled.
Blue — hiked.
Black — transport by bus or boat.
Purple — exploration by car.
Selected statistics:
Kilometers cycled — ca. 14.500 km.
Meters climbed — ca. 220.000 m.
Flat tires — 3.
Dog bites — 0.
Languages learned — 1.
Countries cycled through — 6.
Favourite country — Peru.
Days on the continent — 411.
Below are some insights and other facts that never made it into a post.
Biggest insights:
You cannot outgrow who you are, but you can build resilience against what challenges your character the most.
There is no need to fear missing out, there will come a right time and place for everything.
Opportunities will always cross your path, but only desire allows you to seize them.
Past decisions shouldn’t be overly scrutinized, because: 1) there’s no guarantee another choice would have led to a better outcome, and 2) you are no longer the person you used to be.
Transitions need time to be successful. Take it.
Dedicated roles:
Jaap: the bike mechanic, the route planner, the pace keeper, the content creator (writing, photography, website).
Aimée: the cook, the bank, the bed-finder, the relentless pursuer, the content manager (IG @wegiveitago).
Biggest challenges thought of up front:
Bike failure, dogs, crooks and villains, kidnappings, murders, robberies, the weather and bad roads.
Actual challenges:
The weather, bad roads, leaking air-mattresses, one noisy bicycle, bugs.
What we miss the most now that we are home:
Simplicity, solitude, overwhelming vistas.