Welcome to Puerto Varas, in Chile’s Lakes District of Northern Patagonia. This sleepy lakefront town is my last stop in Chile, and my first stop on the solo portion of my trip. I got in late last night after a…
Penguins, penguins everywhere
Southbound again We arrived back in Punta Arenas yesterday evening, after driving all the way back from Puerto Natales. The drive back was uneventful, and we both have a newfound appreciation for paved roads after the last couple of days.…
Hiking Torres del Paine… in the rain
Best-laid plans With only one more day to spend hiking in TDP National Park, we were feeling pretty ambitious and decided to attempt the mirador climb, which is an all-day hike up to Las Torres base for a stunning classic…
Glaciers and mountains
Torres del Paine National Park attracts visitors the world over for its stunning landscapes and amazing hiking opportunities. The classic hikes – the “W” or the full circuit – would each require quite a bit more time than we had.…
Southward bound
First of all, to Mom and to Iris, Happy Birthday! And to everyone else, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! It kind of went by uneventfully here, but I hope those of you back home make up for it by celebrating on…
Daytrip to Vina del Mar and Valparaiso
Today, Scott, Chris and I decided to take a daytrip to the coastal towns of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso. Famous for being picturesque as well as working port towns, the cities are about a two-hour bus ride from Santiago.…
Wine festival
Timing is everything I knew I wanted to visit a vineyard or a winery in the Santiago-area. Chile is famous as a wine region, and it seemed like a nice way to pass the day. But little did I know…
Santiago
Hola from Santiago! I arrived here at around 8am after a flight to Miami, a quick stopover with a mad dash through the airport, and a long but uneventful overnight flight from Miami to Santiago. I managed to get some…