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You only live once.
Have you ever wanted to leave it all behind? Or have you taken a step into the unknown because it was just something that you just had to do?
In this new series, we’re talking to people who’ve followed their dreams or taken a chance to pursue a personal goal. First up is Joe Harrington (of this parish), who quit his job to go travelling South America for nine months.
We’re not jealous at all… Honestly!
Was travelling always something that interested you?
100%. I was always interested in travel, I had done bits and pieces in Europe and America but I’d never gone on a big adventure. It was always something that I felt I needed to do at some stage. There was always a voice in the back of my head telling me to do it. It never went away.
What was the catalyst for actually doing it rather than just thinking about it?
To be honest, there were a few factors. Age was one. I finally made the decision to go after I turned 29. I told myself that I wanted to be somewhere amazing for my 30th birthday so that motivated me. I also came to the realisation that there’s never a “good time” to go, you’ll always have to make sacrifices and take a risk to go on a big trip. For me it was leaving behind a job, a girlfriend, a house and a good life in Ireland to do it. They were big sacrifices, but if I didn’t go then I don’t think I’d ever have gone.
How long had you been working as a journalist at that point and were you worried about leaving a good job to hit the road?
I had been working as a journalist for six years so I had plenty of experience which made the decision to leave the job a little bit easier. Saying that, the work I was doing in JOE at that time was the most enjoyable of my career and I’d made some great friends in the company so leaving that behind was tough.
How long did you travel for and what countries did you visit?
I travelled for nine months in total. I started in Miami, flew to Guatemala, bused my way down through El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama before taking a boat to Colombia via the San Blas Islands. I spent a month in Colombia, then onto Ecuador and northern Peru and then I took a flight to Rio for the Olympics and Paralympics. Following two months in Rio, I travelled down through Brazil, across northern Argentina, up-and-down Chile, onto Bolivia before finished in south Peru. It was a serious trip.
How did you decide where to visit?
I have been obsessed with Latin America for a long time. I read my cousin’s copy of The Motorcycle Diaries when I was 17 and it was stuck in my head since then. I know it’s the biggest cliché but it’s true. I was fascinated to see the difference in culture, the nature, the adventure, to meet new people and it was an opportunity to learn Spanish in beautiful sunny weather.
Were there any countries you didn’t make it to that you would have liked to visit?
I am pretty happy with my trip, I covered a lot of ground, but I’d love to have visited northern Brazil, Patagonia and Mexico. They are all on my list.
What was the best experience?
It’s almost impossible to pick. The things that pop immediately into my head are being up at Christ the Redeemer watching a pink and orange sunset wash over Rio, getting goosebumps seeing the clouds opening on top of Machu Picchu to reveal that famous view, sledding down the side of an active volcano at 50mph in Nicaragua, watching the Colombian Cup final with 50,000 crazy locals in Medellin and hiking up a glacier in Chile for five hours to get to the most breathtaking view I’ve ever seen. There are dozens more.
What was the worst experience?
I think the worst experience was saying goodbye to people you meet along the way. The bond you can build with a person travelling is unbelievable. The thing is; you spend all day every day for a few weeks with these people, you sleep in the same dorm, you eat together, you bus together, you drink together, you explore together, you laugh together, you do activities together. You share everything together. I travelled solo so meeting a great person along the way was priceless. I knew it had to end though so when that eventually happened, it was crap and upsetting at times. I’m lucky I made some friends for life though.
Were there any weird or scary experiences along the way?
There were a lot of weird experiences and a few scary ones. I remember being in this quiet, little mountain town in the south of Colombia to improve my Spanish. There weren’t many backpackers there so I was forced to speak Espanol. I made buddies with this local guy Jose and he invited me to his pal’s party. They picked me up in a van at 6pm in the evening and we drove way out of the town. Remember, I am alone in the mountains of what’s considered the most dangerous part of Colombia. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. I was, I played out possible death scenarios in my head, but we eventually made it to the party.
‘Party’ was one way of putting it. His friend was hosting an illegal bullfight for about 300 people. FYI – they didn’t kill any bulls, they just taunted them with red rags. There were no rules so all the locals got drunk and jumped into the ring with the bulls. It was mad. I took a few swigs of their local spirit aguardiente and then they shouted at me to get in the ring. “Gringo! Gringo! Gringo!” rang around the place and I was in stitches laughing. There was no way I was going into that ring. The night unravelled into a mess and I eventually got back into town in a horse and trap. An evening I’ll never forget.
Was the trip what you expected and what was the biggest surprise for you?
It completely exceeded my expectations. The biggest surprise was how easy it was to make a connection with people. I always thought that Irish people were unique in terms of sense of humour and the way we see the world. We’re not. We’re just like everyone else and that was amazing. The proof was at the end of my trip being good friends with people from Argentina, Holland, Fiji, Alaska, Sweden, Brazil etc. It completely opened my mind up. Another thing was appreciating what we have. The poverty in South America is awful in places but the people are amazing. They were the most positive, fun and grateful people I’ve ever spent time with and their main priority is family which I think is fantastic.
How do you think an experience like this changed you?
I think I’m a stronger person now. I spent nine months traveling through Latin America by myself so I encountered a lot of challenges and I came through it with flying colours. I also pushed myself into things I’d never done before (volcano boarding, learning Spanish, canyoning, hiking glaciers, mountain climbing, rafting, etc) and I was well able so that’s given me a lot of confidence to try new stuff now that I’m home.
Was it hard to go back to work after spending so long on the road?
Yeah, it was really hard at times, but I am realistic too, I need to work and it’s nice to have structure back in my life again. I still look at my old travel photos every so often (and cry) which always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Would you like to do another extended trip in the future?
If my boss is reading this, no. Honestly, I’d like to do another long trip sometime in the next five years. Asia and Africa are next on the list. I just need time and money to make it happen.
Would doing something like this be something you’d recommend to people?
Absolutely. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
What advice would you offer to someone who was considering whether to go travelling?
Book it. Now! That’s the hardest part. I know once you book your flight and commit, it’ll all come together for you. Don’t wait for other people either. If you want to go, go by yourself.
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Brought to you by Lucozade Zero.
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