Perspectives

The best thing about travelling is people. Seeing the world, communicating in a new language, savoring exotic flavours, even finding yourself (whatever that means), that is all great, but... People are what travel is all about. Forever imprinted on your memory, sewn into your heart, they speak to you long after they are gone. At times, they leave you with such a lasting impression that you know that they will never really leave.

Many years ago. I was visiting friends in Salvador, Brazil, when I told them I wanted to spend some time in nature, not with hordes of tourists, just a quiet time somewhere beautiful. A couple of days later, I was on my way to the heart of Chapada Diamantina, hundreds of miles inland, to a lovely little village called Vale do Capão.

Never mind that the place was not on the map and you had to hitch a ride from the nearest town through a dirt and very bumpy road, Vale do Capão was perfect. Sitting on a high plateau at 3000 ft above sea level, it has deep canyons and underwater rivers, breathtaking waterfalls and ancient mountains, and according to many, the best trekking in Brazil.

I arrived and rushed to find a local guide, an absolute necessity when going trekking in the region. There are no roads, no signs, no vending machines. My guide, an 18-year old kid, had a deep knowledge and respect for that environment. We spent three days walking and exchanging what we thought we knew about the world around us. He seemed very sensible and knowledgeable about the world beyond that incredible landscape. He had never been outside his village but really impressed me by saying that he had the responsibility to help preserve that environment because it belonged to all Brazilians - but the villagers were its stewards and therefore had to ensure that it remained pristine so it could be enjoyed by everybody else.

The lesson I will never forget, however, was something else. We were talking about the famine in África when he said that he wished he could bring the hungry Africans over there, where food is free and abundant, so nobody should go hungry. I still don´t know if I was more impressed by his generosity or his perspective on wealth and quality of life. For most of us living in big cities, the villagers of Vale do Capão would seem very poor - no fancy clothes, cars and eletronics. But that kid made me think what it really means to be wealthy and, above all, showed me that no matter what you have, you can always be a generous person.