Tom Dieusaert – journalist

An epic journey. A man travels the length of Latin America in a Volkswagen Beetle in search of adventure, culture and self-discovery. Tom Dieusaert, a 41-year-old journalist from Belgium, has written a book, ‘Diarios del Vocho’, about the trip that took him from Mexico to Argentina, through 13 countries. He ended his trip in 2004 in Buenos Aires, and has lived here ever since.

So where did the idea come from?

It’s a long dream of mine. I thought it would be a fun way to get to know the continent travelling by car and chronicling it. That way you involve your own personal experiences and people get more into the story.

Did you manage to visit all the countries?

No, because at a certain point you have to make a decision. When you are in Panama, you can go to the west, the Andes, or the east, Venezuela and Brazil. I chose to do the Andes for various reasons. The roads are better and there are more countries. If I would have done the coast of Brazil I would have just seen palm trees after palm trees.

Did you have any problems crossing borders?

To get to Cartagena, Colombia, you have to go by boat. After calling dozens of companies, I found one. It was waiting to go, but I couldn’t pass customs because I didn’t have a certain document. I had to wait a further two or three weeks. The car eventually went on a cargo boat, so I had to find another way to cross. I went to the marina and looked for a ride. I found a guy from the US who charged me US$200 and we crossed with an Argentine couple. The trip was scary; the captain didn’t know how to sail and was drinking. After that experience at sea I lost my fear and thought nothing worse could happen.

What was the most dangerous part of the trip?

I was warned that roads in Colombia were dangerous. The FARC (a left-wing guerrilla organisation) stop you and ask for papers. If you are a tourist you are a good catch for a ransom demand. Just before I crossed, I heard that five Israelis were kidnapped because they wandered into some ruins that happened to be in guerrilla territory. They had gone there following a Lonely Planet guide, whose author later admitted he had never been to Colombia.

Were you ever stopped?

I was lucky, and was never held up. But I didn’t act touristy and knew where was safe and where was not. But police are a pain in the neck. They always try and stop you, telling you something is wrong with your car. I never paid a cent. They talk for ages, but when they realise you are a hard customer, they stop. They threaten to take you to the station, but you have to have patience and stick it out.

Did you ever have any car problems?

The good thing about the Beetle is that it is like a bike. It is so simple that people who don’t know much about cars can fix it. My first mechanical problem was in El Salvador. When I was driving, my accelerator pedal suddenly broke. But it was easy to fix. A tiny cable runs beneath the car and connects the pedal to the engine. So all I had to do was find a cable, put it in and go again. With an imported Japanese car, who will help you in Honduras if you have problems? The Beetle is very common in Latin America, so mechanics know how to deal with it, and parts are cheap. You can almost buy them in a pharmacy.

Did you ever give anybody a ride?

Dozens of people have been in my car, and lots of weird characters. I don’t remember all the faces. In Central America, I actually went looking for people because I was a bit lonely. In this way I met Nick, an American who I crossed four countries with. Also, many people can wait up to three hours for buses. There would be days when I was asking for directions and they’d say “Wait, are you going to the next town? Could you take Doña Julia?” I would wait for about 30 minutes while they looked for her. She then appeared a further 30 minutes later with all her bags.

Of all the characters you met, who stands out?

There was a guy in Costa Rica who played Calypso music, the Caribbean music that you hear on cruise ships. His name was Ferguson. He was assumed dead because he’d not been heard from for a long time. I was told he lived in the next village. I went there and they told me he lived in the next village. In the next village they told me the same thing and so on. I drove round all day but was determined to meet him. I eventually found him in a beach town. He was 70 and blind, and hadn’t played the guitar for six months. I had one in my car and asked him if he wanted to play. He played and sung. It was amazing.

Did you ever get lost?

In Paraguay there are places with no roads in the Chaco. Sometimes you have to follow other cars’ trails. At some stage you come to a point where some trails go left, and some right. Because it is so dangerous to get lost at night without gas or water I always used to go back to the last point of civilization and ask directions. I would say “Fifty minutes from here do I go left or right?” They would tell me to turn when I see a tree that grows in a certain way. Luckily I didn’t get lost.

Why did you decide to live in Buenos Aires?

It was interesting for a journalist after the crisis in 2001. It has the best life in Latin America, with nice bars and is clean. You don’t get sick after eating. I wouldn’t say it was a Paris as some allege, but more a Sicily or Seville. It has a south European feel and is more chaotic. The people are European in their descent and ways. Also, Argentine steak is the best there is. There is no competition.

 

Tom Dieusaert is currently presenting ‘Diarios del Vocho’ at the Buenos Aires Book Fair on the Independent Artists Stall. The fair runs until 11th May at La Rural in Buenos Aires, visit www.el-libro.org.ar for more information on the fair. For more information about ‘Diarios del Vocho’, visit www.vochodiaries.blogspot.com.