Land of Beyond - South America 2009

Why the Land of Beyond?

I haunt used bookstores in search of older travel books, especially those published in Britain by Readers Union. Luckily, I find other treasures. Recently, I bought Rhymes of a Rolling Stone by iconic Canadian author, Robert W. Service.

While I still haven't decided if Robert Service is the worst or best Canadian poet of all time, he is entertaining. I read The Land of Beyond and felt that it describes why we travel. I read it to Karen and she said, "That's why I bike."

Here it is.

The Land of Beyond

"Have ever you heard of the Land of Beyond,
That dreams at the gates of the day?
Alluring it lies at the skirts of the skies,And ever so far away;
Alluring it calls: O ye the yoke galls,
And ye of the trail overfond,
With saddle and pack, by paddle and track,
Let's go to the Land of Beyond!

Have ever you stood where the silences brood,
And vast the horizons begin,
At the dawn of the day to behold far away
The goal you would strive for and win?
Yet ah! in the night when you gain to the height,
With the vast pool of heaven star-spawned,
Afar and agleam, like a valley of dream,
Still mocks you a Land of Beyond.

Thank God! there is always a Land of Beyond
For us who are true to the trail;
A vision to seek, a beckoning peak,
A farness that never will fail;
A pride in our soul that mocks at a goal,
A manhood that irks at a bond,
And try how we will, unattainable still,
Behold it, our Land of Beyond! "

Why South America - 2009?

Ryan, our youngest son, was supposed to be at school in Buenos Aires from August to December and we planned to visit him. Instead, Ryan is at school in Lyon, France.

The closest we had previously been to South America was during a trip to Aruba off the coast of Venezuela some years ago. The Seadoo attendant told my nephew, "Don't go out too far. If you get close enough, they will shoot you!" I hope the Chileans and Argentineans are more hospitable.

As with all of our other trips, it is about the people, scenery and the food, especially the food.

Last year I paid $250 in excess cell charges updating my blog, checking e-mail and searching the Internet. I have purchased a netbook with wireless capability and have armed it with Skype and a range of other tools. I also got a HD video camera and have jury-rigged a handle bar mount the should make for some interesting footage.

We look forward to minimal jet lag since we're heading downward and not forward or back several hours. All that 's left now is to pack!