Loosely inspired by The Motorcycle Diaries, in 2009, I chose to realize one of my dreams: to explore Latin America as a whole, instead of as countries separated by arbitrary and imaginary borders. My faithful companion, Ushi, and I departed from San Francisco, CA, USA on May 13, 2009 with the goal of driving as far south as possible. In the span of 6 months, we went from the sweltering mountains of Mexico to the snow-capped Andes. Unfortunately, my spirit faltered first and I abandoned Ushi in Curitiba, Brazil.

I wish that the journey could have changed me into a better person…that the amazing people and cultures could have rubbed off on me…that the breathtaking scenery could have inspired me to achieve loftier goals…but in the end, it was just an intense vacation. The entries are personal and biased, but hopefully the pictures don’t lie.