Backstory

My Grandfather for whom I was named was always spoken of with the utmost regard. One of several children raised in the town of Bridlington, England along the shore of the North Sea in a tiny seaside resort, the family had a number of properties in town and it was expected that Edwin would continue his studies at University. This was the time when the British Empire had an expanded presence in the world and 'the sun never set on the empire'. It was also the custom of a young British gentleman to go and see the world. This is what Edwin did. He left his university studies, asked for a yearly stipend and set out. He returned 14 years later. My mother remember only a few stories of his adventures of travels but they were always told with great admiration.
So it is within this context that my mother who named me after her father always said,' Oh, if your Grandfather could see you now' or 'You look just like you're Grandfather'.
This was fortunately for me a positive connotation. For others who carry the name of a Grandparent it can be negative. This 'social grooming' with its built in expectation that you'll amount to something like your Grandfather made it easy for me to be supported in my early adventures to Mexico in 1963 and Guatemala in 1964 and Mexico again in 1965. Obviously the world was a different place then than now. Few people ventured south of the border very far and fewer still attempted to drive a car to Belize, British Honduras (as known at that time). There were no guide books at that time other than the famous South American Handbook which was published every couple of years and which was helpful but contained little information on available hotels and lodging. One just made your own way, asked around and found what little was available. No travelers infrastructure had yet been developed to make trips readily available. It was much more challenging to get information on road conditions and telephone communications were problematic at best, especially in the more remote areas.
Move forward to now. I'm in central Peru. Seeing places I haven't seen in thirty years and some I've never seen. Having fun and a flight of emotion that ranges from happy to scared. I go around a corner on a mountain road not big enough for a truck and a motorcycle to pass and I think: "Whoa" That is a 1000 foot drop and I'm so close to it". Beats wondering what next to do with my life.