The Tip of the World: Part One

We set out on our adventure for a last minute trip to the bottom of the world no completely knowing what to expect.  With the idea of normalcy (as in regular work schedules) looming in the very near future, we knew that using our Chilean summer to its fullest should include a trip to Patagonia, because there are just some things you shouldn't miss.  If it seems like I'm always saying "our last minute trip", I am.  It isn't that we don't talk about these things for awhile in advance as "ideas", research even,  but the actual down and dirty planning tends to happen in one frantic afternoon of booking, less than a week out.  Maybe there are better ways to travel, but everything seems to be working out for us so far.  

Our preparation included plane tickets, packing a backpack that would allow enough things for an 11 day trip, but at the same time would be feasible to carry on our 4ish day hike in Torres del Paine, reading up on "things to do", booking hostels/campsites in the park, and creating an itinerary that we would try to follow.  Most of the research about Torres del Paine that I did began to make me nervous, saying things like "hey... book FAR in advance", but we didn't have any trouble booking 4 days in advance, and honestly, I think we had a great deal more planned by the time we got there than a lot of people.  Patagonia laughs at your plans anyway... more on that later.

We took a flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas where we planned to immediately take a bus to the small town of Puerto Natales (the kind of "jumping point" to the park).  The second leg of our flight was delayed, leaving us in the bustling airport of Puerto Montt for more than your typical layover, but eventually we made it to Punta Arenas.  Unfortunately, our flight being delayed caused us to miss the last available bus to Puerto Natales that evening.  Luckily, we weren't the only people affected by this little mishap and in a rare glimmer of awesome in Chilean customer service, the fine people of SKY Airlines arranged a private transport van to take 7 of us FOR FREE on the three hour drive to Puerto Natales.  Well done folks... Well done. 

We planned our trip to include two days in Puerto Natales, which if you are taking the trip, you don't necessarily need that much time.  The town is small and as I said before, mainly serves as a stopping point to and from the park, but for what the town "lacked" in touristy activities, it made up for in charm and beautiful views.  Other than the random coffee shop girl that responded with a loud and obnoxious, "QUE??" when Michael asked about "muffins" which was written in size 230 font on the board behind her, the people were really friendly.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time there.  

We spend our first day walking around town, visiting the giant milidon statue that greats the town's visitors, and getting our first TINY glimpse of Patagonian wind.  Our hostel, Casa Lili, had a free info session where Mauricio (who I'm sure has hiked every trail and non-trail of that park) gave some advice for tackling the hike.  We ate lunch at a great Brewery/Hamburger/Mexican food restaurant, which is a must visit in Puerto Natales called Baguales Brewery.  We had some craft beer, some carnitas tacos, and It.  Was.   Goooood. They even messed up Michael's order (and by that I mean it took just a little bit longer to come out) and gave us free beer for the wait... make that TWO strange Chilean customer service check marks in two days... weird.  That evening, after we conquered the grocery store to buy food to take with us for the next five days, we went to a bar where we ended up playing darts for a couple hours (since we were seriously the only people there).  I used it as an opportunity to practice doing math outloud in Spanish... since, in case you don't know my secret shame, I am EXTRA terrible at Spanish numbers that include the number 5.  I am proud to report that I hit a couple bullseyes... I am less proud to report that every time I did I struggled to say 50... sigh.

The next morning we did a little more exploring before catching the bus to the park in the afternoon, where we would start our "W" adventure.  

Photo Shoot with the Milidon... giant sloth dude.

Elephant rocks, bug bites, and the House of Rocks

After we successfully made it to 2013, we took another short trip with the whole Zenteno clan before they headed back to the states.  We headed South through Wine-country, and although not much about the trip went according to plan, we had a great time.

We stopped in Santa Cruz to visit the Colchague Museum, which was one of the best museums I have ever been to.  It was full of history about not only Chile, but many ancient civilizations, and it also included a new exhibit dedicated to the Chilean Miner Rescue in 2010.  This museum is a definite must-see if you are ever in the area.

We planned to visit a vineyard, but apparently you needed a reservation.  Oops.  I took this picture in the parking lot.  We'll save the tour for another time.

We made our way down to Constitucion, whose name you may recognize from the huge earthquake a couple years ago.  Constitucion suffered the most damage since it was close to the epicenter.  We stayed  the evening in a recently built (post earthquake) cabin with a lovely view OUT of Tsunami range.  Unfortunately the night in this cabin left me with a whole hot mess of bug bites that still haven't completely disappeared.  

Constitucion isn't a huge tourist destination, but the following morning we did make our way to the coast to see where the fresh water river meets ocean, and massive rock formations.

Footprints in the sand

Because apparently a dead bird carcass that is stinking up the beach says "Come closer to me!"

That is some COLD water.

All of the Zenteno's like to pose with dead things.

Piedra Elefante

When we returned to Santiago, we took Tommy to his first "Hash"which happened to be in the small Beach town of El Quisco.  All of the hashers traveled together by bus to "the house with the best view in El Quisco" for a run through the woods, along the beach, and a "polar bear swim" in which a bunch of Gringos ran at the ice cold water while dodging the stares and beach umbrellas of the confused Chileans.  

Brotherly love.

The following morning, at stupid o'clock, for whatever reason, we thought it would be a good idea to go hiking.  It wasn't.  It was hot, we were tired from the running and shenanigans the night before, and we didn't REALLY know where we were going (as we were at the mercy of a certain father-in-law, who said he knew they way). :).  We never made it to the House of Rocks, but we did get decent views of Santiago, rip holes in our shorts, draw blood, and almost fall of the non-trails multiple times.  As a person who normally enjoys this type of thing, I believe my direct quote to those who asked how it went was, "I don't know that I could have enjoyed anything less."  While looking back, that may have been a little dramatic, I doubt that is something I will do again, and we made Blas buy beer... lots of beer.

Pretending to have fun...

Not pretending to have fun..

It was a great visit from the Zenteno's and we miss them dearly since their departure.  We definitely enjoyed the little taste of home before embarking on the rest of our time here in Chile. 

Lucky 2013

New Year's, for some reason, is one of my favorite celebrations.  Something about the sense of ending and beginning, fresh starts, nostalgia, glitter, glasses shaped like numbers, and champagne (which I normally dislike). Strangers and friends all have the idea in common that the past year should not only end with a bang,  but the coming year should start that way.  2012 was such a crazy and far from boring year for us.  We rang in 2012 with friends in Midland for the first time in years, as the both of us normally made a point to travel for the New Year even before we were "we".  That was a perfect start to our non-normal year.  

Highlights of 2012: (A year in mostly cellphone  pictures, and things we forgot to document)

A  Color Run with way more mud than color.  It was also more of a trudge than a run per-say.

A family wedding within hours of said "Color mud run trudge"

We got "god children" in the form of two beyond precious Garza twins.  

The kids got a Sweepstakes!!

Michael went on his first band trip... also I made a t-shirt for the kids that said "#bandswag".

I quit my job of 5 years because we decided to move to Chile.  I said goodbye to my co-workers.  Michael quit his job a couple months later.  

We watched a lot of baseball... 

We celebrated 2 years of marriage with Daffy and Knights.

Michael wore this shirt for the 4th of July... because it was decreed that this shirt has no business existing any other day of the year.  

We moved out of our house and put everything we own in a storage unit. 

We spent the summer hanging out with these guys and their parents.  I willed them to crawl before we left, but  obviously they hit that developmental stride about two days after we left.  

There were many other events in the first half of 2012, most of which involved working too much and then watching the Olympics in August when we were no longer working.  Mainly 2012 was the year where we made the decision to go a new direction for awhile.  We left our  first home, and then they rented it for literally 3 times the amount we were paying monthly. You can pick up on the other highlights of 2012 by flipping backwards in the blog.  Also, there is this picture of my sister:

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You're welcome.

Ringing in 2013 with the family in the "party area" between the houses was perfect.  The weather was warm, the wine flowing, and the cumbias blaring.  We ended our "non-normal" year in fantastic fashion, with great people... and there were masks and weird glasses that we bought from the girl selling them in front of her house down the street (talk about service).  

There was dancing....

                                     

There was hugging...

There were masks, wigs, and party favors....

There was vino....

There was Isabella falling out of a chair... 

                                   

And there was family...complete with the crazy cat in this picture.

Last year we sent "New Year's Cards" wishing everyone a Leapy Leap year... mainly because I doubt I'll ever get it together enough to send Christmas cards out on time.  Consider this our New Year's Card wishing you a Lucky 2013!  

Love, Meghann and Michael