If the first four days in southern Aysen reminded me of the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, the next three days in the north reminded me of The Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and SE Alaska.
The Lush Side of Patagonia
2
Category Archives: South America
Hidden Patagonia
For the next few days we explored Aysen, the Patagonian region that inspired dreamers, adventurers, and entrepreneurs like Yvon Chouinard, the founder of the clothing company, Patagonia, and Doug Tompkins, the founder of Esprit and The North Face.
Kayaking the Marble Caves of Patagonia
Gliding around and through turquoise-hued, marble formations in a kayak? Doesn’t get much better than that.
In a Remote Corner of a Remote Country
After three flights and an 11 hour drive on a lonely highway over 2 and half days, we finally made it to paradise — the Mallin Colorado Ecolodge on General Carrera Lake in the heart of Chilean Patagonia.
Galapagos, Days 5 and 6
The next day wasn’t much easier – a ten mile round trip hike to the rim of Sierra Negra, the second largest active caldera in the world, five miles across at its widest point.
Breathless in Quito
On our way to the Galapagos, we stopped in Quito, Ecuador, for a day. At over 9000 feet Quito is the highest capital city in the world ……
In and Around Cusco, Peru
The last time I was in Cusco, in 1997, restaurant options included pizza, burgers, guinea pig and not much else. This time the meals rivaled the best I’ve had in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Paris.
Monkeys and More in the Peruvian Amazon
September 24, 2013. Venice, CA — I stood still and silent in my tracks, soaked in sweat, straining to see the dots making their way toward me through the jungle canopy.
On The River To Angel Falls
The old man’s eerie monotone chant rose into the star-speckled sky, along with the embers from the large bonfire. He beat on the drum under his arm as the crackle of the fire provided counterpoint. The shadow of the flames flickered against the wall of the jungle surrounding us. Continue reading
The Lost World of Venezuela: Climbing Auyantepui
The wet, slanted face of the boulder looks treacherous. To make matters worse, the bottom edge hangs over a precipitous drop-off with nothing below but air. I’m not sure how I am going to work my way up its slippery surface. As Alejandro reaches his hand out to help me, my boots slip and I slide out of sight. For what seems like an eternity, I am in free fall, not sure how far I will fall or what I will land on when I hit bottom. Continue reading