I had high expectations before arriving in Chile, and the country exceeded them. The scenery was spectacular, and the people were so welcoming. I had a tough time understanding Chilean Spanish since the slang and quick cadence were too much for my untrained ear, but that didn’t discourage Chileans from being kind. Below is a … Continue reading Chile recap
Chile
Torres del Paine
I don't even know how to start this post because there's so much to say about Torres del Paine. I feel incredibly lame whenever I talk about my experience there because words are inadequate. "It's breathtaking." Yeah, duh, state the obvious. How else can I describe it, though? I remember feelings most vividly from my travels, … Continue reading Torres del Paine
Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia serves as the main access point to Torres del Paine National Park. If camping in Torres del Paine, travelers frequently spend at least a night in Puerto Natales to prepare and/or recover. Torres del Paine deserves its own blog post (it's so, so, so beautiful but can be so, so, so … Continue reading Puerto Natales
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas was the southernmost city I reached during my travels. While walking around, I occasionally saw signs that indicated we were in the "Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena." OK, so I was in Magallanes and not Antarctica (no way was I gonna swing that on a backpacker budget), but it was still … Continue reading Punta Arenas
Puerto Varas
The center of Puerto Varas, in Chile's Lake District, offers beautiful views of Lago Llanquihue and Volcán Osorno. Travelers choose it as a more charming alternative to Puerto Montt, a larger city nearby that serves as a cruise port. While in Puerto Varas, I was most excited to visit Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales, about … Continue reading Puerto Varas