The Motorcycle Diaries: Rock Stars

I never would have imagined the attention I was about to I receive and the impression I would make entering a town or gas station on the motorcycle filled with gear and luggage. I barely have time to take off my helmet before a curious by-passer approaches me with some questions about my trip, my destination or my bike. Sometimes there are crowds of people gathered around me and I cannot help but feel like a rock star at a press conference. I am not exaggerating: frequently people ask me to take a picture with me or if they can sit on the bike for a snapshot (OK, so far I have not been asked for an autograph). The most common questions (and surprisingly almost always the same ones) are: where are you from, where did you start the trip, where are you going next, where is your final destination, how long have you been on the road and how much longer will you be traveling and most importantly how fast does the motorcycle drive.

I had no idea that what I am doing would be perceived as all that unusual. I have seen many motorcyclists in Europe or the United States and it seems that none of them ever received any special attention. One possible explanation is that the Argentineans have a special connection to motorcycles or that not many people embark on an adventure to conquer Patagonia by motorcycle. Neither am I used to ever getting a lot of attention nor did I expect a reaction nearly as strong by the Argentineans, but I will not complain. It is charming to have so many people interested in your travels and your experiences, have people wave at your from the cars, honking as they pass you, children waving from the back window or curious questioners wishing me good luck as I leave the gas station.