I met Kelley in my hostel in Buenos Aires. She was in my hostel room and had been living at the hostel for a few months, along with a handful of other long-termers. After a few conversations we realized that we had a lot of similarities and I quickly suspected that she and I would be good friends for a long time. She left Buenos Aires to take up residence in Mendoza, Argentina, doing a marketing internship and taking Spanish classes. While I was traveling, she invited me to come for a visit, and I was excited to fly by the seat of my pants and take her up on it (and miss the frostbite that would surely ensue from the non-heated hostels in southern Chile).
Meeting my Twin
Meeting friends while traveling is always one of the greatest rewards of the open road. However, Kelley and I soon realized that we were so similar, it was uncanny. I have never met anyone with such a close personality, humor, taste, sense of adventure, outlook on life, etc. And paired with that, it came down to unusual parallels. For example, I had some of the exact same articles of clothing –right down to the brand—and various household items, such as a little brown notebook with blue flowers (Target, baby!). She too was a travel-obsessed, left-handed, vegetarian, all-things-Swedish-loving, middle-child-in-the-family-of-three-girls, American chick. And daaaaaaaaaamn cool!
One of our first evenings we met up with Jeri, an English teacher from Kelley’s language school, to taste wine flights at the Vines of Mendoza and go out for dinner. We had a delicious and amazing 4-course vegetarian meal complete with wine and tales of travels and various boludos. A very Bridget Jones evening.
New Friends Like Old Friends
We found this quiet little tucked-away restaurant in an old, unique building. Each room had only one or two tables, and there were different bright, autumn-toned colors in each room. Each table and set of chairs were different, and outside our little dining room was a patio where they were holding a birthday party with guests of all ages and a small quartet playing in the corner. While the patio seemed a little chilly on this brisk, late-autumn evening, the indoors was a perfect location for our dinner. Listening to Jeri’s stories, the three of us were laughing, eating, drinking, commiserating, empathizing, and having an overall blast. She had a special energy about her, which we soon determined led to her amazing luck and positioned her for some incredible experiences. How many people get bumped to first class in order to avoid sitting with an ex-boyfriend on a trans-Atlantic flight? How many people charm the attendant into an invitation for a very memorable gaseosa in the back of the bus on an overnight journey?
It was one of those amazing moments you share with your friends. One when you realize you completely identify with one another, and nothing is more interesting or more fun than hanging out and chatting together. It all of a sudden became evident that the theme of friendship was presenting itself to me on this trip once again. Here I was with people who were—almost in a freakish way—exactly like me. It was like we had grown up together and were having yet another Saturday night together. Yet, the three of us had each met only a few weeks prior.
Old Friends Meeting the New Friends
While Kelley and I were at Bonafide mapping out our wine-tasting strategy over a couple cappuccinos (a decision in which we once again read each others’ minds), we ran into Kym and Chris from Australia, the married couple from the Pachamama bus! After chatting a bit, they hopped on the bus with us and joined in an afternoon of trying to find some bodegas open on a Monday. As we all trekked down a local country road in the outskirts of Mendoza, fall colors everywhere and locals passing and laughing at our ignorance (and foreign status), I admired their sense of adventure and laid-back, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants mentality. Kym and Chris were on yet another international adventure. They were travelling Latin America for a year; beginning in Chile, making their way through Argentina and then heading north before going to Central America, Mexico, and Cuba. Not only do I respect people that can travel for an entire year, I really respect people that can travel together for an entire year—and I don’t think I’d ever run into more kind, laid-back, adventurous people who can make a mean curry. They provided an excellent example of a solid relationship, right down to their salsa skills (they took lessons back at home in preparation for their trip). Kym and Chris joined Kelley and I in a few of our adventures, and the three of them continued to see each other after I had left town.
Meeting my Twin
Meeting friends while traveling is always one of the greatest rewards of the open road. However, Kelley and I soon realized that we were so similar, it was uncanny. I have never met anyone with such a close personality, humor, taste, sense of adventure, outlook on life, etc. And paired with that, it came down to unusual parallels. For example, I had some of the exact same articles of clothing –right down to the brand—and various household items, such as a little brown notebook with blue flowers (Target, baby!). She too was a travel-obsessed, left-handed, vegetarian, all-things-Swedish-loving, middle-child-in-the-family-of-three-girls, American chick. And daaaaaaaaaamn cool!
One of our first evenings we met up with Jeri, an English teacher from Kelley’s language school, to taste wine flights at the Vines of Mendoza and go out for dinner. We had a delicious and amazing 4-course vegetarian meal complete with wine and tales of travels and various boludos. A very Bridget Jones evening.
New Friends Like Old Friends
We found this quiet little tucked-away restaurant in an old, unique building. Each room had only one or two tables, and there were different bright, autumn-toned colors in each room. Each table and set of chairs were different, and outside our little dining room was a patio where they were holding a birthday party with guests of all ages and a small quartet playing in the corner. While the patio seemed a little chilly on this brisk, late-autumn evening, the indoors was a perfect location for our dinner. Listening to Jeri’s stories, the three of us were laughing, eating, drinking, commiserating, empathizing, and having an overall blast. She had a special energy about her, which we soon determined led to her amazing luck and positioned her for some incredible experiences. How many people get bumped to first class in order to avoid sitting with an ex-boyfriend on a trans-Atlantic flight? How many people charm the attendant into an invitation for a very memorable gaseosa in the back of the bus on an overnight journey?
It was one of those amazing moments you share with your friends. One when you realize you completely identify with one another, and nothing is more interesting or more fun than hanging out and chatting together. It all of a sudden became evident that the theme of friendship was presenting itself to me on this trip once again. Here I was with people who were—almost in a freakish way—exactly like me. It was like we had grown up together and were having yet another Saturday night together. Yet, the three of us had each met only a few weeks prior.
Old Friends Meeting the New Friends
While Kelley and I were at Bonafide mapping out our wine-tasting strategy over a couple cappuccinos (a decision in which we once again read each others’ minds), we ran into Kym and Chris from Australia, the married couple from the Pachamama bus! After chatting a bit, they hopped on the bus with us and joined in an afternoon of trying to find some bodegas open on a Monday. As we all trekked down a local country road in the outskirts of Mendoza, fall colors everywhere and locals passing and laughing at our ignorance (and foreign status), I admired their sense of adventure and laid-back, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants mentality. Kym and Chris were on yet another international adventure. They were travelling Latin America for a year; beginning in Chile, making their way through Argentina and then heading north before going to Central America, Mexico, and Cuba. Not only do I respect people that can travel for an entire year, I really respect people that can travel together for an entire year—and I don’t think I’d ever run into more kind, laid-back, adventurous people who can make a mean curry. They provided an excellent example of a solid relationship, right down to their salsa skills (they took lessons back at home in preparation for their trip). Kym and Chris joined Kelley and I in a few of our adventures, and the three of them continued to see each other after I had left town.
The Vines of Mendoza
The themes and subtle lessons of Mendoza circled around relationships: both with friendship and romantic. In Mendoza I enjoyed time with girlfriends with whom I strongly identify, enjoying each others’ company, humor, and unabashed zest for life. I also got to get to know Kym and Chris better, and was able to observe the way their vibrant thirst for seeing the world mixes—and perfectly coexists—with their traditional “home life”, with having the house, the professional jobs, and the incredible marriage. The interests, personalities, and goals of these people were so aligned with mine that I couldn’t help but realize it was no coincidence we were all in the same city at the same time.
And with this experience, I flew to Peru revitalized with the reminder that without question, the universe puts the right people in the right places at the right time—sit back, trust, and enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment