Patagonia- how to describe it? After a 29 hour bus-ride across it, I feel that I should at least be able to try. It is a land shaped by glaciers, forgotten by the rain, and swept bare by the wind; leaving only a few small shrubs clinging to its soil. It is contained only by the oceans- Atlantic and Pacific, and is punctuated by the magestic Andes mountains. For me it recalls the Australian outback- vast and barren and home to interesting animals (like gua...

As a town known for its beautiful scenery, outdoor adventures, and chocolate, I knew that I would take well to Bariloche. Nestled in the Lake District of Argentina´s Patagonia, Bariloche is surrounded by those famous lakes as well as breathtaking mountains. Apparently only about 6 flights have landed here in the past seven months due to volcanic ash in the area, which is doing a number on this touristy town, but every day we´ve been here has been sunny,...

Country number 2! A quick jaunt over the Andes mountains, and we are now in Argentina. The trip here was actually quite fascinating. In addition to being beautiful (we passed by the highest peak in this hemisphere, Aconcagua, which clocks in at 22,841 feet), it showed me without a doubt that Toto and I are not in Perú any more. Santiago is a beautiful and modern city, no doubt, but so are most parts of Lima. The real test for me came once we left the city. ...