Excursion

The excursion offers a simple solution to a tourist's logistical complication of how and where and when. For this reason, you're bound to encounter a inharmonious combination of people with unique motivations and goals for their travels. This was my observation on my first excursion ever.

First, there is an Italian couple in their early twenties, feverishly enamored with one-another yet indifferent to the stunning scenery. He spends most of the tour inventing new angles at which to capture his love on film, while she works on her blasé stare into the distance. In the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), a tremendous rock formation created by an ancient waterfall, she lies down and stretches across the rocks on her side, posing for her eager camera man.

There is a floppy Australian woman traveling alone, and a hairy, bohemian gent with an undistinguishable accent. Being the oldest in the bunch, they group together and chat, although it soon becomes obivious they have very little in common.

Her harmless conversation starter: "There are some things you just have to buy a post card for! This little camera doesn't cut it!"

Being too rugged to have brought a camera, he mutters: "I prefer to use my eyes and my memory."

Refusing to be off put by this antisocial response, the aussie brightly replies, "Well it will be hard to show your memory to your friends at home."

A pair of thirty-something lady friends work on their extensive profile of portraits at every scenic outlook.

Our last stop is to watch the blazing sun slip behind the far off mountains. While the rest of the group snaps away, I, up on my high, menial-photographic-knowledge horse, know that taking pictures of a sunset directly is a futile exercise. You'll just get glaring light, like well, taking a picture of the sun at any time of day.

Also on his high-horse, the chivo-reeking bohemian grumbles, "Oh what good tourists we are, all watching the sunset"

A kind Spanish chap asks me what other excursions I've signed up for. For the moment, I reply, this one is plenty of excursioning for me.





To see the rest of the pics from cede excursion and my complete Cafayate album click here.