I'm off to Geneva this weekend to see an old Venezuelan friend. Oswaldo is someone I met in Caracas at a human rights conference in 1988 and afterwards we travelled through Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador on what was to turn out to be an epic journey full of laughter, singing, dancing, stress, angst, hardship and I guess an awful lot of silly risk taking. For me that part of the world was fascinating if only for its contradictions and contrasts. It was dangerous, violent and completely unpredictable. Juxtaposed with this was an area of outstanding beauty - and people who were warm, relaxed, welcoming and friendly.
Oswaldo is now a diplomat at the UN and married with kids. I can't wait to find out what else he has been up to in the past two decades and to meet his wife and family. I'm curious too to know what he remembers about our trip and how he saw it then and recalls it now.
He was a true rebel in those days. I can't wait to hear his response when I ask him Qué piensa usted de Hugo Chavez Oswaldo? Vamos!
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