"No other word will do. For that's what it was. Gravy.... [I]t was all gravy, every minute of it...."- Raymond Carver, "Gravy"

On Thursday, we bounded into the van with a German couple who became increasingly amorous during the day, a Spanish couple who was smart enough to bring binoculars, and Juan,...

There are a few reasons I should say "No" when the Chilean bloggers invite us to go out for drinks after our five hour dinner.

I don't like bars much.

I haven't slept in 36 hours.

I have 56 e-mails in my inbox.

We're getting up at 6 AM.

But as the plan develops for squeezing six people into a twin cab...

Volunteer Abroad in Chile: Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Abroad in Chile: Chile, the longest country in the World, claims almost 3000 miles of the Pacific shoreline. This is a land of contrasts and extremes; with glacial landscapes of Patagonia in the south and the heat of the famously dry...

8.  Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil – It wasn’t the impressive panoramic views from the summit of Sugarloaf that I will remember most.  It was out early afternoon stroll down the beach that will forever be etched in my mind.  Endless footballs being juggled by men of all ages and...

I hauled myself out of bed at 3.45am to catch the 4am bus out to El Tatio, a vast geyser field 4300 metres above sea level. It is a two hour drive from San Pedro, so tried to sleep, but the unfortunate combination of ancient minibus and unpaved dirt track full of huge chunks of rock meant I wasn´t...

1) Mountains Mountains are massive. It sounds obvious, but I don't think you can actually grasp the concept of massive until you have seen some really big mountains. In Madrid you can squint on a sunny day and catch a glimpse of the Sierra. In Santiago, due to the pollution, it looks like there...

Earlier this year, I rented an apartment in Santiago's downtown, a fully equipped place at a walking distance from the main streets, transport, tourism attraction and shopping centres.

A really affordable place for anybody who want to stay just a little or a long time in Santiago. It's cheap and...

I'm pasting this from something I wrote earlier this year for anyone who's a fellow desert-lover or considering a trip to Chile....

Day 2 in Chile's Atacama: Swimming in the Driest Desert in the World

After hiking through the lunar landscapes of San Pedro de Atacama (Chile´s desert) yesterday,...

February 2006

Air travel is really so astonishing. I woke up Friday morning and headed to LAX via Highway 1k and my gracious chauffeurs, Catherine and Nick. A few airplane meals and interesting conversations with fellow aisle-seated travelers later, I was in Patagonia. Before I could even register...

This is a blog I wrote earlier this year after spending six weeks traveling in Chile and Argentina...

Trekking in Torres del Paine: Now I Know Why There are Wind Emergency Evacuation Procedures in Patagonia

You know the saying that eskimos have about 20 different words for snow? Well, Patagonia...

I was the luckiest s.o.b in the world when I was in Santiago, Chile. A family friend of ours had good friends who lived in Santiago, and these kind Chileans allowed me to use their house as a home base in between traveling the rest of South America. They also took me in as their 5th child, calling me...

Against all odds, Chiloe was sunny for two days in a row. Perhaps it was Jamie, a Scotish guy I met in Chiloe, who provided the Leprecon's good luck. Jamie, or 'JimmyJimmyJimmy' as called by the Hostel Ladies, was a pure bred Scot, who was never at a shortage for Scotish proverbs and generally reminded...

I found myself on the mystical Island of Chiloe, Chile. While it is evident they thought long and hard on what to name the Island, it might not be so obvious that the rest of the Chilean society believes everyone on the Island is crazy.

Aside from rain 12.5 months per year (except surprisingly the...

I was in Pucon, Chile, and after four straight days of going to the hiking agency's office at 6AM and being told to go home because the hike was canceled, I FINALLY hiked the 9,000 foot lava spitting hill on the 5th day. It was a highly anticipated event, since Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's hikes...

Pucon is a lake town situated at the base of the boiling Villarica Volcano, which, rumor has it, is set to erupt sometime in the next half century. It is said that any medium sized eruption will level the existing town. Ironically, the town has experienced unequaled expansion in recent years, as Pucon...

Previously, I recommended that individuals should refrain from hiking in the dark by themselves. This is fantastic advice... that I forget often. While I take some of the blame, I have to lean on my former friend, Lonely Planet, to share in my missteps. At my most feeble moment (lost and traversing an...

I traveled to Puerto Williams, Chile, the town just south of the end of the world, to partake in some cultural absorption, try to hop on a sailboat cruising around cape horn and if that didn't work, to hike the craggy peaks of Navaro Island. Or at least this was my plan.

1.5 days into my planned 3-5...

Don't go hiking at 5am in the morning. As you might expect, this early hour happens to coincide with pitch darkness and when you are 200 miles north of Anartica, it is typically pecker-shrinking cold at 5AM. Day 7 of my hike to Torres Del Paines was no exception. Even with this knowledge in our side...

For the extent of my Torres Del Paines trek, I have eaten a highly fibrous diet rich with natural goodness such as Cliff Bars, Natures Valley Bars, Granola Bars, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Pasta, etc. While these foods are not my typical meals of choice, out in the woods, they’re good hearty options....

Day 1: Started hike with backpack similar in weight to an underfed 9th grader. (75lbsish). Hiked 17 miles with said freshman on my back.

Day 2: Apparently it snows and water freezes when it is below 32 degrees. I also received confirmation that snow becomes quite fluffy when it's below 20. My tent...