First, I’ll begin by admitting that the length of this post got away from me a bit.  Far exceeding our (and most definitely your) preferred length, I did my best to leave out what I could.  Despite my efforts, I … Continue reading →

Since our experience in Valparaiso, Chile was more visual than eventful, we thought we’d stray from our traditional narrative post and try something new: a photo essay!  Valparaiso is a modern, artistic port city about two hours west of Santiago. … Continue reading →

Cynthia’s wrist-watch alarm sounded at 3:30am (for the second time of the trip, no less!).  We peeled back the covers and climbed into the cool, blackness of Chile’s Atacama Desert.  Once adequately layered for the anticipated sub-zero temperatures (Celsius), we … Continue reading →

Early this year, while preparing for our trip, a friend (and seasoned traveler) gave me the following advice: “When you look to travel the world, there are as many ways to do a one-year trip as there are people on … Continue reading →

Cynthia dealt the sixth gin rummy hand of the afternoon on the heels of a commanding streak of four consecutive wins.   Two days into a four-day hike of the Inca Trail, we sat—appropriately enough— Indian style on the floor of … Continue reading →

We have been told that the best traveling experiences can be had when you put away the guidebooks and simply navigate a city based on word of mouth and your own instincts.  Adopting this philosophy when we can, we’ve found … Continue reading →

Have you ever wanted to take a piece of your grandma’s old kitchen countertop, carve it into something that resembles a snowboard, and then use it to surf huge sand dunes in a desert? If so, look no further because … Continue reading →

The past few weeks have been hectic with preparation, but luckily we’ve been able to spend quality time with most of our friends and family around the country.  To ALL of our friends and family, we cannot thank you enough … Continue reading →