The Motorcycle Diaries

As I sit down to blog my first impressions of “The Motorcycle Diaries” I am suffused with the youthful energy and the spirit of adventure. The book offers glimpses of the Che Guevara’s mind who latter went to be become an iconic revolutionary figure. It would be correct to say that the book tells us not only the story of the journey of the two men but also the story of the transformation of Ernesto Guvera - the pleasure seeking youth to Che Guevara- the rebel. This is an account maintained by Che as they traversed the entire South American continent.

The idea of traveling the entire South American continent on a motorcycle to break free from the monotony of their humdrum existence was lapped up eagerly by both Alberto Granado and Ernesto Guevara during a chance conversation. So, these two young men, aged between 22 -25 years set out to travel the entire South American Continent on their Norton 500 motor cycle which they christened as “La Poderosa” or “The Mighty One”. At the outset, their trip is more about youthful pleasures and sowing wild oats [;)]. But as their journey progresses they meet new people; their journey brings them closer to their cultural roots. It also provides them first hand experience of the lives of the South American people. They found several common threads running through the cultures of the various countries they visited and hence Che’s belief in Pan Americanism.

Throughout the journey, they faced innumerable difficulties on account of their bike’s frequent breakdowns and ultimately, they were forced to forsake “La Poderosa”. Che was an asthma patient and was down with asthma attacks several times. However, not once, during their troubles did the two friends whisper a word of turning back. All hardships are faced with optimism. They continued their journey by hitching rides onto trucks. On an occasion they hid as stowaways on a ship due to their inability to pay the fare. They often paid for their passage by their labor or by doing the odd jobs that came their way. Their travails for food make an interesting read. For meals they relied heavily on the hospitality of some generous soul or the other. They made full use of their adventurer’s status to gain boarding and meal. Throughout the book the author seems buoyant. Never is he tired or bored of the adventure and the ensuing hardships that accompany them. He chronicles their numerous escapades candidly with great humor.

Both Alberto and Che come across as remarkable humanitarians through the small incidents that we come across in the later half of the book. In Chuquicamata, Alberto and Che give away one of their blankets on a cold night, to a couple espousing communist ideology Che goes on to say: “ They had not one single miserable blanket to cover themselves with, so we gave them one of ours and Alberto and I wrapped the other around us as best as we could. It was one of the coldest night in my life, but also one which made me feel a little more brotherly towards this strange, for me anyway, human species.”

Their first hand impressions of the problems faced by people awaken a more sensitive, humane person in them. The trip to Chuquicamata copper mines shows Che’s proclivity for communism or rather his revulsion at the system which feeds off the blood and sweat of the laborers for profit.

Being doctors (Che was a medical student while Alberto a full fledged doctor) they are keen observers of the medical standards of the places they visit. Che also chronicles their stay at a leper’s colony. They are also interested in history as seen from the Inca account. They are not aimless travelers but observant people who are soaking in the sights and sounds and culture of every place they visit. Che is an accomplished writer. The imagery created by him on several occasion brings the situation to life and the reader easily empathizes with the author. There are several hilarious incidents that dot the entire account. This account was a personal diary of Che’s travels. Che comes across as a man of immense self belief. In later life Che went on to become a highly charismatic communist leader. This travelogue was accidentally discovered and on being published, it went to become a best seller throughout the world. The account of the book has been adapted to make a movie by the same name. I highly recommend the book for the young and adventurous at heart.