"In May 1982 three young kiwi travelers set out to explore South America on their own terms with no other knowledge of this wild and mysterious continent than that gleaned from the travel 'bible' of the day - The South American Handbook. Unbeknownst to them, their adventure began in time that has now been lost to the annals of travel history; a world with no internet and no instant communication. Nada. Their only way to communicate back home in that pre-digital age was through handwritten letters and occasional collect calls home. They were on their own, and up for anything... Their wild journey encompasses Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, as well as Chile, Brazil, and Paraguay by foot, bus, train, boat, and truck-back, living with the locals. Their goal? To explore this marvelous, challenging, mysterious, and immensely rewarding continent...and to stay alive. To survive, for a journey of survival in an often hostile environment is what it ultimately became.Their story is unique, often raw, breathtaking, and in every sense an endeavour in the best kiwi tradition. It is their story - So Long; South America."--Publisher's description.