Hiking the “W” in Torres del Paine (Chilean Patagonia)

From the moment we signed our contract to move to Chile, Torres del Paine National Park was on our minds. This park is at or near the top of many adventure travelers’ lists, and the iconic “W” hike is considered by many as one of the best all around multi-day hikes in the world.

Falling for San Carlos de Bariloche

The highlight of our recent 9 day road trip to the Patagonian Lakes District was a 4 day stay in San Carlos de Bariloche. This small Argentine town is set in one of the most picturesque landscapes I’ve seen, surrounded by mountains and a network of long, beautiful finger lakes. Our stay near the Llao Llao Peninsula was nothing short of enchanting.

Road Trip! Santiago to the Patagonian Lake District

After 9 months living in and exploring Chile, we finally ventured south. When we found out we were moving to Santiago, one of the places we were most excited to explore was Patagonia. This extremely remote area in the southern tip of South America is considered one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth.

6 Hours in Valparaiso + a Chilean Rodeo

Despite the fact that Valparaiso is one of the top day trip destinations for visitors to Santiago, after nearly 7 months of living here, we still hadn’t made the trip. If we had been visiting Santiago for a week, we no doubt would have made the excursion right away, but living here made it seem less urgent.  Instead, we opted to spend our weekends exploring the city, hiking in the Andes and taking various weekend trips to destinations further outside the city limits.

With spring on the horizon, though, we decided we needed it was time to move this trip up the priority list.

Cheers to a year!

It’s been one year since Matt and I stood in front of our closest friends and family, and made a vow to stand by each other for the rest of our lives.  So much has happened between now and then, part of me can’t believe it’s only been one year. But, on the other hand, that day, so full of joy and love seems like it was just yesterday.

Day Trip – Skiing El Colorado

It’s June and ski season in the Southern Hemisphere has officially begun.  From our balcony, we can gaze out and see the nearest ski resorts in the distance.  This weekend, we decided it was time to see them up close. Early on Saturday, we packed up the Jeep, picked up some friends and took the winding mountain road to the El Colorado ski center.

Down Came the Rain and Washed the Smog Right Out

We moved to Santiago just shy of 2 months ago and, until this week, we hadn’t seen a single drop of rain. For a couple of mid-westerners, this kind of consistent weather isn’t something we are even remotely accustomed to, but I have to admit, I got used to it pretty quickly.