Tetsu’s jibber jabber:

People all over the world get to travel extensively, going on adventures on a global scale, and lasting months out of each year.

For those of us in the US who work full time, backpacking adventures are usually limited to a couple of weeks at a time, so they often need to be meticulously planned.

The Patagonia trip was first planned among my friends and I for 2019, but life happened and it was delayed. After that, well, you know, Covid.

As 2022 drew near and the Pandemic’s worst fears gradually subsided, we re-planned for November 2022, and as luck would have it, this time, we were able to make it happen.

After months of planning, checking reviews and blogs, re-planning, and flight issues, we finally made our way to Punta Arenas to begin our journey.

And what a trip it was!

Torres del Paine (“Paine” is pronounced closer to pie-né than pain) was everything we had hoped it would be and more. With gorgeous hikes, interesting camp sites, and stunning views, the 9 days and 8 nights were an experience that at times left us breathless and others, serene.

Patagonia by itself would have made an incredible adventure, but our trip was far from over.

That incredible trip was followed by a day and a half in Santiago.

And finally, several days in Cusco Peru, with multiple small adventures.

Those small adventures included an exciting stay at the Starlodge which included climbing, ziplining and sleeping inside a capsule hanging from the side of a cliff, a trip to two ruins, two markets, walking ancient and modern streets, and finally, Rainbow mountain. Cusco Peru was awe inspiring in many ways, but also heartbreaking for a dog lover like me. More on that later.

Along the way, we had the good fortune of meeting many people throughout Chile and Peru, and we’d love to highlight some of those folks in the upcoming pages.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be posting our time in Latin America, laid out much like a journal, sometimes with three different perspectives.

Join us as we relive our journey, our moments of breathless inspiration, of exhaustion and frustration, and in the end, see the adventure for what it is: A chance to explore a small part of our larger world and a large part of our inner selves.