September had been quite a productive and good month for me. And to end the month reading this book was a choice well made. After Walking the Nile, I kind of said to myself, "This guy can write.". And after Walking the Americas, I must say that this man here is quite a storyteller.
Lev had taught me, through his four months of walking expedition, that you need a good company to travel. Without one, any unforeseen situation can seem almost unbearable to take in. Alberto, the friend that he chose to walk with him, did not only add humour to the story hence making it fun to read, he was also quite knowledgeable about the history of some places that they had to pass through. He was quite cheerful about the prospect of taking on the adventure when Lev had proposed it to him since it was the first for him. However, as the story progressed, I realised, and Alberto realised it even better, that the journey was not an easy feat. Even the most positive person can turn out to be a pessimist and grumpy after the brutal conditions of numerous heavy rains and wild environment with sneaky spiders and snakes and not to forget the wasteful purchase of two good-for-nothing horses that they had bought in the hope that they would help to make things a little bit bearable but they themselves became the hindrance. Social and cultural differences made the walk no easier either; crossing Belize could not be comparable to the threats of passing through Honduras or the notorious Darien Gap.
Reading Walking the Americas, I realised that the chase for the American dream is never a dream too old to be after. The odds that one dares to put himself in show that the life struggle in some parts of the world forces them to do the unthinkable with failure as the almost definite result from it. But, what choices do they really have? I can almost relate it to the many immigrants that find their way to Malaysia for the hope of a better life. However, when a few of them cause problems to the host country, all of them are bound to be looked negatively by the locals. I think it will always be an issue anywhere.
I think Walking the Americas is a better read than Walking the Nile by a very tiny margin, if I have to compare. I'm looking forward for Walking the Arabia next.
Reading Walking the Americas, I realised that the chase for the American dream is never a dream too old to be after. The odds that one dares to put himself in show that the life struggle in some parts of the world forces them to do the unthinkable with failure as the almost definite result from it. But, what choices do they really have? I can almost relate it to the many immigrants that find their way to Malaysia for the hope of a better life. However, when a few of them cause problems to the host country, all of them are bound to be looked negatively by the locals. I think it will always be an issue anywhere.
I think Walking the Americas is a better read than Walking the Nile by a very tiny margin, if I have to compare. I'm looking forward for Walking the Arabia next.
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