Posts Tagged ‘backpacking’
One Adventure Ends, Another Begins
It is nearly impossible for me to believe that our time in South America is coming to a close. For months, the date August 4th has seemed hypothetical. This was the day when Don would fly back to California, I would spend a day alone in Bogota, and then I would fly to Rome, Italy the…
Read MoreThe Burnt Out Traveler
When our trip was still just an idea written down on my bucket list, it read ¨Spend one year in South America¨. My main motivation was to become fluent in Spanish, and I assumed that one year would do the trick. I also assumed that I would spend most of that time in one place,…
Read MoreThe Rain in Ecuador
If you know Don and I, you know we are not big fans of rain. We love Portland, Oregon, and really enjoyed living there, but we aren´t moving back and the primary reason is all the rain. Unfortunately, despite our attempt at planning out our trip based on seasons and weather patterns, we have been…
Read MoreLiving to Get Radical
I look back at the last month and have no idea where the time went! Seems like just yesterday we were arriving in Peru, and now we only have a couple days left in this beautiful country. Sad as we are to go (especially since it means saying goodbye to the ocean for now), we…
Read MoreIn the Footsteps of the Inca
Our short time in Peru has been filled with adventures, chance encounters, and highly memorable experiences. Even though we’ve only been here for 3 weeks, this place already feels like home. We left La Paz, Bolivia in the early morning, and after a very long day of travel (including 3 different buses and a road…
Read More6 Weeks of Life in Bolivia
After a few weeks of adventursome backpacking and exploration in Bolivia, it was finally time to settle in for a 5 week work exchange at an eco-campground 30 minutes outside of La Paz. We had already met Emma and her amazing family, so we knew that only good things awaited our arrival when we packed…
Read MoreThe Most Majestic Lake
Some people are ocean people, others like the desert, still others admit (my term) to being city folks. But me? I am a lake person, through and through. I have to credit growing up in Lake Tahoe for this particular predilection. I’m a mountain person too, of course, but these two loves really go hand…
Read MoreFinding our way in Sorata
The journey from La Paz, Bolivia to the small, jungle town of Sorata should entail a simple 3 hour minibus ride. However, as anyone will tell you, nothing is exactly “simple” in Bolivia. We had used public transportation to get from Emma and Rolando’s home back to the city center where we could eat lunch…
Read MoreThe Fun Never Ends
As we careened our way through the city of La Paz our heavy packs bounced on our knees and, along with the 12 other passengers that had wedged us in, partially obstructed the changing view out the minivan’s windows. We were heading downhill, quickly, and the crowds of people and narrow streets were giving way…
Read MoreFood for the Soul
Nothing beats the feeling of walking down an ancient Inca road, heavy rain softening to a light drizzle and eventually fading into a fine mist, green mountains rising all around, and the rich aromas of cinnamon, fruit, clay, and wet stone overwhelming the senses. It never ceases to amaze me that if I just take…
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