It is of course possible to travel around South America without speaking any Spanish; many backpackers spoke only the basic. Nonetheless in the Amazons in Ecuador, in the mines in Bolivia, on the streets, in the markets, at the villages of all these countries, for so many times I felt so greatful for being able to converse with people in (at least one of) their language(s).

It is such a vast continent, with so much more to see, and so much more to experience. What would also be a good trip is to start from Mexico, and travel all the way down to Panama by land.

Next time.