We have landed in Chile after a 10 hour overnight flight on which I dreamt of various approaches to my next lithography project. As we touched down, the sun was beginning to rise over the Andes mountains and they appeared as some kind of flat construction – three pieces of faded paper pasted onto one another and hung around an entire city.
I had forgotten what travel really felt like, the freeing energy you feel walking down a street on the opposite hemisphere as your own. An odd familiarity paired with an uneasy feeling of knowing absolutely nothing makes me feel like a child again. It felt wonderful to have these feelings again and to recieve happiness and joy from the simple act of presence.
We dropped our belongings at the hotel and 20 girls managed to change in a bathroom made for three. From there we headed to Cerro San Cristobal – rode the cable cars up the hill, joking the whole way up but taking a few silent moments to absorb the sights around us. When we reached the peak I was able to spend some time alone to recharge and reflect, reveling in all the intense feelings travel provides.