Iguassu Falls, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, The Chilean Fjords, Easter Island

1.5.17


I am on my overnight flight home from Santiago to Atlanta to Sarasota. Seated next to me is this absolutely incredible 13-year old Chilean young lady, traveling solo, returning to her boarding school in Rhode Island! She shared her hopes and dreams with me - to return to the US eventually to study at Harvard; to travel to Spain and even Korea (South, not North). 

I try to remember my life at 13 and it was nothing like hers, but I did begin my travel adventures at 22, one month after graduating from college, when I traveled solo to Australia to teach for 2 years. And that was all it took. In Australia I traveled to all 6 federated states and the 2 territories during the shorter vacation breaks. From Australia I visited Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong during my 4-week summer break. 

Eventually I traveled to England, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sicily, Greece, Iceland, New Zealand, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and now Argentina and Chile - my first foray into South America.

This trip has been on my bucket list as long as I can remember. I was drawn, as I often am, to the exotic nature of places that are relatively untouched and worried about getting too excited as the time drew near in case there was a letdown due to unrealistic expectations. I am happy to say this trip went above and beyond my hopes. Here's what we accomplished:

• Five distinct locations in 24 days explored by plane, ship, zodiac, bus, horseback and hiking
• Hiked both the Brazilian & Argentinian sides of Iguassa Falls
• Took a drenching motorboat ride into the San Martin waterfalls
• Walked alongside the Perito Moreno, Marinelli, and Pia Glaciers 
• Experienced Glacier Alley from the ship
• Hiked in Torres del Paine
• Visited an estancia near Puerto Natales
• Cruised from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia along the Strait of Magellan & Beagle Channel
• Hiked to the top of the end of the world at Cape Horn
• Visited the Parana Delta vacation spot
• Flew to the most remote spot on earth - Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to learn about the moai
• Celebrated New Year's eve in Rapa Nui with the natives + amazing fireworks
• Walked through the main plaza and enjoyed lunch in a revolving restaurant above Santiago

We experienced summer, winter, rain and up to almost 50 MPH winds.

We acquired 23 new passport stamps.

We made new friends and memories for a lifetime.  And that, my friends, is what life is all about...