An expedition into the cultural heart of Argentina

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Gaucho Day in Mendoza, Argentina

After 2 hours of driving away from Mendoza, we veered off the highway onto an unpaved road that pointed straight toward the Andes.

Shortly after, we reached the starting point for our horseback ride.

We mounted our horses alongside a lovely couple from the UK and our two gaucho guides and embarked on an expedition into the cultural heart of Argentina.

About halfway into our journey, we stopped for coffee and admired the mountain views that surrounded us.

We then saddled back up and headed towards our destination.

Eventually, we arrived at a rustic ranch, where the aroma of a traditional Argentinian asado would soon fill the air.

Our gaucho guides prepared the fire, set the table, and began to prep the meal— Beef ribs and cheese-stuffed chorizo paired with a tomato salad, accompanied, of course, by the bold flavor of Malbec.

Argentinian gauchos have some remarkable similarities to Italian nonnas when it comes to ensuring that you are well-fed. 😂 

But the constant offering of “more ribs?” was hard to turn down when the food tasted that good.

Despite the food, the meal was highlighted by the laughter and stories shared around the table. We dove into Gaucho culture and compared notes on life across our home countries.

As we rode back, beating the rain, I reflected on the stories shared and the connections made... That's what travel is all about, isn't it?

Weekly Write-up

Writing for the last year has changed my life.

I never thought I’d be a writer.

I didn’t think I’d ever have the patience to sit down and write. I couldn’t even keep up a journaling habit.

And journaling was one thing, but publishing my thoughts to the world?

I wouldn’t dare.

What if they laugh at me? What if they hate my ideas? What if they think I’m stupid, or narcissistic, or fraudulent?

And the ever-present risk these days, what if I get myself canceled?

But as I was reflecting on the year 2022 and the growth that I wanted to realize the following year, writing appeared.

First, as a vehicle for reflection. Then, as a creative outlet. And finally, as a skill to master.

So I signed up for a course.

The course was called Ship 30 for 30 and was designed to teach beginners to write online by writing every day for 30 days.

Pretty simple.

I enjoyed the course and met some great people, but I wasn’t sure about my relationship with writing moving forward.

As time went on, I found myself writing more and more.

So much so, that I decided I’d start sharing my writing with others (thank you all for your support).

Today, looking back, I have writing to thank for a lot of positive changes in my life.

It has become a mirror, a creative outlet, a passion, a therapeutic exercise, and a trojan horse of sorts to unleash my personality to the world.

Writing has opened pathways in my mind that I didn't know existed and the practice has enabled a level of self-acceptance and self-awareness that has made me a better me.

Airplane Content

Casey Neistat is one of the best filmmakers and storytellers of our generation. And he does it all on his own! If you’re not familiar with his work, I’d highly recommend downloading some episodes to binge on your next flight—start with this one. This is a story about a personal journey of his that has spanned over a decade.

AI Travel Art Piece of the Week

Cheers ‘til next week,

T.O.