Che Guevara - Part 4 (Motorcycle Diaries)

As I said Earlier, the person who discovers the world, discovers himself. The same feeling might be Che felt so. His companion for this long drive is Alberto Granada. He is the Cuban biochemist & doctor at the time of travel. I personally felt that this travel is like Gandhi travelling all around India and understood about his country. Immediately his attire changed to Khadi dress. His appearance totally changed. Also for me, when I am studying “Discovery of India” by Nehru I felt same about the content of History. It’s like the travelers who changed our mentalities in India. Travelers like Megasthenes, Fahien, Huen Tsang, Al Beruni, Ibn Batuta, Vasco Da Gama, and Albuquerque visiting the nation which changed forever. Talking about Che’s journey with his friend, it changed his way of thinking. It shown who he is, understanding about his life, where to walk forward, understanding people etc,

Granada planned this journey long ago by learning about this continent through books. They started their journey with the old bike “Pederosa”. Che promised his mom he will post her often. His dad supported this journey. Just before this journey, Che hated about University’s plan of having the job. Granada driven this old vehicle and he is about to hit the bus, just escaped from that. Initially they loved their craziness in travelling through bike. Granada had his plan through his map, Che had a plan to have some extra money to travel with his friend. Many of us knows that, Cuba, Argentina and little about Bolivia but, Che traveled Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela throughout this Motorcycle diaries.

Che found Chile as a country had rich in minerals. If communist won the elections, it will be huge industrial nation. American industrialists making this country as their own colonies and occupied their wealth and minerals. Chile has a ruler who had a dictator tendency, other leaders are communist, socialist and right wing supporter. In between, Che and his friend lost all of their money and their old bike. They started travelling by walk. Meeting people with their problems. Landlords are waiting people to grow agriculture products later threatening to leave their place and occupying people’s valuable. Communists treated differently in this part of Chile country. People have to lose their dignity to get their jobs. American companies making them as their slaves, government supporting these investors. There is no food, water, basic healthcare for these people. Che may be he is well off in his country, but he never far away from the poor needs. Che’s friend Granada, good orator marketed themselves as Doctors and got free food and shelter to take a rest from their longer journeys. 

Granada might be interested in journey at start, but Che continued it. Even though they lost everything from their hand, they got new freedom to meet the people and knowing their issues. They found Chile as a unique nation and different from their motherland Argentina. Argentina it’s like a promise land for them. Exploring the continent is like entering into the other planet for them. New things fascinated and felt different for them. After crossing the Andes in Chile they crossed over Peru. They like the rich nature around this country. Cuzco fascinated them much. Its culture, architecture, nature, invited with the young guide for them. It boasts the Spanish bravery which occupied that area. It says the olden story of Incas, who became slaves to Spanish military forces. They walked away near to cathedral of Cuzco. He felt that the people in Cuzco, can’t speak Spanish, no basic education, poor living conditions made him worry. He went to visit the alone hill, Machu Picchu. He said about its beauty, mentality of equality on those days, bravery of Incas and much more.

After Machu Picchu, he entered the Lima, the city which buried its past. He was comparing the old and modern civilization and the beauty of Lima’s architecture. He met Peru’s leprosy patients he treated them with utmost care. He gone against the local rule of non-touch ability. Where the patients must attend the church mass to get the food. He operated number of patients. Leprosy patients kept away from the public life. They kept away from the other side of the river. Doctors have to travel through the boats to treat them and return when dusk is falling on them. Food at hospital and the place was rejected to him, because of non-attending the church mass. But patients feed him with part of their own food. Che Guevara moved with this move, the love provided by patients he have to carry with his whole life. He started carry out the mixed feelings of equal justice, inhabitants’ rights, education and healthcare. He went to Colombia for the brief visit and reached Venezuela to complete his first visit at latin-american continent. He started carrying those memories and he want to start his journey again in other side of the continent.